She was born between 1946 and 1964, and her purchases probably have ranged from Hula-Hoops to minivans. She's the baby boomer woman, and for many marketers this 80 million-strong demographic is a key audience.
“Boom: Marketing to the Ultimate Power Consumer — The Baby-Boomer Woman” by Mary Brown and Carol Orsborn (Amacom) talks about how best to reach these individuals. Thirty-five companies are featured, including Vespa, Mary Kay, Best Western International and Ford Motor Co.
The book stresses that when trying to connect with boomer women, marketers need to understand that they identify more with their life stage than their chronological stage. The authors did a study of 100 women's attitudes toward aging. “None identified themselves as senior citizens, elderly or aged,” they wrote. “Rather, they defined themselves by the issues and opportunities they were facing at the time.”
Boomer women are also spread across a continuum of ages and influences, the authors note. A woman in her early 40s is more likely to be juggling the demands of work and school-age children, while a woman at 60 might be concerned about retirement and caring for aging parents.
Brown and Orsborn are with Imago Creative, a marketing firm devoted to reaching boomer women. Clients include Celebrity Cruises, Clearblue Easy and the University of Maine.
