Age-based demographic segmentation and targeting is a method that has always been used. However, a new global study released by McCann Worldgroup finds that age-based assumptions about people’s attitudes and behavior are becoming increasingly unreliable. In fact, these traditional suppositions themselves are aging out in their relevance throughout all regions of the world.
Age has become just a number indeed as it is increasingly a less reliable predictor of style and health. Even the subject of “aging” itself, traditionally viewed as a conversational topic primarily relevant to the 65+ audience, is one where age-based assumptions don’t hold.
As uncovered and detailed in McCann Worldgroup’s new “Truth About Age” study, people across the age spectrum are not adhering to the expectations traditionally associated with their life stage. In fact, two-thirds of people in their 70s believe “you’re never too old to casually date” while it’s young people in their 20s who fear death the most.
In the Philippines, 63 percent of the 20-somethings respondent fear death than the global average of 57 percent. The 20 plus years old respondents said that for them, death feels like the end of everything good in life when they’re just getting started.
These findings—which emphasize the importance in brand marketing of understanding people fully as human individuals rather than as predictable members of a demographic category—were among many in a new worldwide study conducted by McCann Truth Central, McCann Worldgroup’s global intelligence unit. The large-scale “Truth About Age” study surveyed nearly 24,000 people, aged 20 through 70, across 28 markets, supplemented by qualitative research in 36 markets around the globe.
“We’re at a pivotal moment in human history, where traditional age norms are being challenged across every age group and marketers must respond to this new reality,” said Suzanne Powers, Global Chief Strategy Officer, McCann Worldgroup.
“It’s time to rethink the playbook with regards to the way brands approach age across the spectrum—not just when it comes to marketing to ‘seniors’—so they can play a more meaningful role in people’s lives at every life stage,” Powers added.
"This piece of research revealed that brands in any category can play a role in helping people age well. While there is some truth behind age stereotypes, this study shows that bigger opportunities await brands that choose to see people beyond the number," shared Earl Javier, Strategy Director of McCann Worldgroup Philippines.
To help guide marketers as they rethink age-led demographics, McCann is introducing a new Age Marketing Playbook based on the following four principles:
1) Start young: Surprisingly, the study found that people who most feared death were in their 20s, and people who worried least about aging were in their 70s. Smart brands will find ways of reframing the age conversation much earlier.
2) Celebrate the gains: In the second half of life, much of the aging narrative is oriented around loss, yet our data suggests there is much to gain and celebrate. Brands have the opportunity to rewrite the narrative by developing new language and imagery to connect not just with the aging population but, with people of all age groups.
3) Go beyond the number: Age is becoming a less useful predictor of behaviors and attitudes so the traditional approach to targeting and segmentation must be reimagined. Brands need to interrogate their own consumer segmentation in new ways to ensure that they are consistently going beyond the ‘number’.
4) Promote intergenerational connections: Overall, there is one consistent theme that transcends markets when it comes to aging well; spending time with people of different ages. The data shows that the old consistently misunderstand the young and vice versa. There is a rich opportunity for brands to drive a dialogue between the generations and co-create an age-positive future.
This study is one of our largest studies to date: 28 quantitative markets with nearly 24,000 respondents globally (Canada, US, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Brazil, Chile, Sweden, Norway, UK, France, Spain, Portugal, Finland, Denmark, Hungary, Germany, Turkey, Lebanon, South Africa, India, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, China, Japan, Philippines, Australia) and 36 qualitative markets (Canada, US, Honduras, Nicaragua, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Sweden, Denmark, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Cyprus, Latvia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Nigeria, South Africa, Russia, South Korea, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Philippines, Australia).