The last few years have presented an interesting evolution for brands and brand awareness. For example, there has been far more engagement on social media, with brands actively approaching the comment section more as unique individuals versus milquetoast PR-​like statements. And, unlike in the past, there has been a bigger embrace of social change, like the embrace of the LBGTQ+ community and the Black Lives Matter movement. One age group, perhaps surprisingly, most in-​line with this social evolution of brands is baby boomers.

What brands do matters to baby boomers

According to GWI, brand actions are essential to baby boomers. 46% of this age group, 58–64, said that they wanted brands to be eco-​friendly and socially responsible. This wasn’t the only quality that they were looking for in brands. According to the same survey the top results were:

• 74% of baby boomers wanted brands to be reliable versus 55% of people aged 16–57
• 54% of baby boomers wanted brands to have authenticity versus 43% of people aged 16–57
• 42% of baby boomers wanted brands that are innovative and smart
• Only 18% of baby boomers are interested in brands that are trendy or cool

So, we know the biggest things baby boomers are looking for in brands are ones that are reliable, socially conscious, and authentic. From there, the question becomes, where is the best place to advertise brands to them? GWI analysts say says that baby boomers are 41% more likely to discover new brands through TV advertising versus 31% of those younger generations.

Where to place boomer-​targeted advertising?

Compiling this information, you can now focus on figuring out the time and place to advertise to baby boomers through traditional advertising, like TV. Thankfully, you have AdMall, powered by SalesFuel, which will help guide you.

Looking at the AudienceSCAN profile for baby boomers, found in AdMall, the data we’ve seen from GWI lines up. We’ve found that during a typical day, baby boomers are 28% more likely to watch more than five hours of television programming per day versus all US adults. We are also able to provide their favorite types of sports to watch, their favorite shows, how they subscribe to TV, what their attitudes towards television are and much more.

All of this is great research to have when helping your clients create a campaign to build brand reputation with baby boomers. Moreover, according to GWI, they have garnered more wealth than most generations and are willing to spend more time comparing prices of brands online. 25% of the age group is more likely than younger age groups to research brands on price comparison sites. So, they’re spending more time to find the right price, and when they find it, they’ll be likely to spend more money.

What about boomers and traditional advertising?

Traditional media types are clearly important to baby boomers, but so too is mobile and digital advertising. According to GWI:

• 53% of baby boomers say mobile usage is most important for them accessing the internet
• 64% of baby boomers use mobile apps for email
• 62% of baby boomers use mobile apps for shopping
• 55% of baby boomers use mobile apps for weather
• 52% of baby boomers use mobile apps for news

One hurdle for mobile and digital advertising, however, is ensuring that baby boomers have a smooth buying experience. GWI says baby boomers don’t want to deal with the extra hassle of expensive shipping and returns, and at the end of the day, they want a seamless buying experience.

If you can relay this to your advertiser, you can prove your company’s worth by showing them how to overcome this potential pitfall. Thus, you'll secure a purchase from your client's baby boomer target audience and prove you’re a knowledge expert.