In the previous blog, we exposed the spiritual underpinnings of the leading edge of boomer women, the group that has a history of influencing the culture as a whole. But hers is but one voice amongst many in search of meaning in their personal lives, work lives and, of special note to marketers, even in their role as consumers of products and services.
For the rest of today's blog, continue at the Boomer Blog
As marketers begin waking up to the boomer generation’s search for meaning, spiritual messaging—both overt and covert—has begun to appear in marketing communications. Sometimes, the message leans towards the clever or the kitsch; sometimes it’s dead serious. (For example State Farm’s “Insurance is Bliss” billboard campaign, cited in the first of this blog series.) In any case, marketers need to understand that just as dealing with nostalgia with boomers is rife with both possibilities and potential for misfires, so does the spiritual angle call for greatest sophistication and caution.
To understand the complexity of the challenge, let’s take a look at the religio-spiritual archetypes that are embedded in the boomer generation. The archetypes derive from the original research of Drs. Orsborn and Smull cited earlier in this blog series, rooted in adult development theory, pioneered by the likes of Lawrence Kohlberg, Erik Erikson and Abraham Maslow, put through the sifter of James Fowler and his nemesis Carol Gilligan, and seasoned by my own favorite theorists David Feinstein and Stanley Krippner. In the context of this blog series, I take a look at the intersection of spirituality and marketing through the lens of adult development.
In this model, there are three basic spiritual archetypes, each responding best to customized messaging. The three archetypes are The Believer, The Self-Actualizer and The Initiate. (For more context, please visit the chapter excerpt from “Boom” that is featured on this Website.)
Archetype One: The Believer
We are all born into belief systems, providing us with an innate sense of the meaning of life. Our parents are our first teachers, defining for us what it means to be good or bad; what is our “world” and how are we to relate to it. Schools, media and churches are other major sources of authority. Those boomers who continue to abide by their original belief systems are the segment we refer to as “The Believer.” This is the boomer who has tended to stay closer to home, continues to go to the same church as did their parents and accepts the authority of the more conservative elements to be found in both religious and spiritual organizations.
This boomer’s take on their relation to the divine impacts their expectations regarding the secular world, as well. For instance, they tend to want their lives to be orderly and secure. They hold onto the belief that goodness will be rewarded. They value home and family, serving others before self. The smart marketer will understand that these values hold as true when choosing a vacuum cleaner (Oreck does a great job at this appeal) as when joining with others in prayer.
To appeal to The Believer, make sure the messaging takes on the voice of paternalistic authority, offering to keep them safe and secure. Guarantees are welcome, as are assurances along the lines of “8 out of 10 doctors recommend.”
An example of a recent ad that would be of particular appeal to this archetype:
First Republic Bank: “It’s not really like a bank—it’s like having an older sibling look out for your best interests.” Note: Messages in keeping with this group’s religiosity need not have overt references to religious icons…it’s the general ethos that dictates the messaging appeal. In fact, this is a segment that takes its religion seriously, and will not be attracted to clever or cynical allusions to spirituality.
In my next blog: Archetypes Two and Three—The Self-Actualizer and The Initiate.
Carol Orsborn, Ph.D.