Gen Gray is Gen Green
September 12th, 2008 by Carolyn Parrs & Irv Weinberg , Mind Over MarketsContrary to conventional wisdom, the biggest purchasers of green goods are not the youngest among us but the oldest. According to a recent study by the American Association of Retired Persons, better known as AARP, 62% of consumers 55 and over buy green products.
Their reason? A sense of responsibility to give back to society and make the world a better place.
Whether this decision is guilt or gut, as marketers we should celebrate these finding in all our communications. For many years, marketers focused heavily on the 18-24 demographic and usually ignored the 55+ consumers. All that needs to change.
These 55 plusers have shown the willingness and the consciousness to opt for greener, healthier and better products that not only benefit them but the planet — and the rest of us. Their vibrant purchasing patterns show how easily they adapt to a changing marketplace and how significantly they have changed it.
How we portray this group is of maximum importance. Make them as alive as the products they overwhelmingly buy and support their wisdom in doing so.





