Top News From Today's "Boomiverse”

Baby Boomers Embrace Consumer Technology
Kumu Puri
Dealerscope
April 1, 2009

Overview: According to a new study by Accenture, “Baby Boomers are embracing consumer technology applications nearly 20 times faster than the younger generation.”
http://tinyurl.com/d35jg9

The 20 Cities Where the Most Baby Boomers Will Retire
Emily Brandon
U.S. News & World Report
April 1, 2009

Overview: Details factors that will influence where Baby Boomers decide to retire and lists the cities where they will most likely spend their golden years.
http://tinyurl.com/dlfouq

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse”

Intel, GE to spend $250 million on health products
Andrew Vanacore
The Associated Press
April 2, 2009

Overview: Intel and GE seek to develop products that will cut healthcare costs and help aging baby boomers remain in their homes by allowing doctors to monitor them remotely.
http://tinyurl.com/cbev6n

A kinder, gentler Chilkoot Trail for boomers?
CBC News
April 2, 2009

Overview: “In an effort to lure more visitors to the North's historic Chilkoot Trail, Parks Canada may add a few creature comforts to appeal to aging baby boomers.”
http://tinyurl.com/ccegcv

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse”

Retail To Shift by 2015
Debra Hazel
GlobeSt.com
April 3, 2009

Overview: Retailers will likely alter marketing tactics to better target more polarized consumer audiences including Baby Boomers, who are, as they age, “shifting from buying products to focusing on travel and services.”
http://tinyurl.com/cq6fw6

Restaurants go small to boost sales
Reuters
April 3, 2009

Overview: Restuarants update menus with more economical options to appeal to distinct demographics including Baby Boomers who are looking for smaller portions.
http://tinyurl.com/co6z32

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse”

Seeing more Boomers at fast-food joints these days? Could be part of a trend nationwide
Bob Niedt
The Post-Standard
April 6, 2009

Overview: “One group that has increased its visits to restaurants over the past year is Baby Boomers, ages 50 to 64.”
http://tinyurl.com/cxbqdb

Tables turn on wired Baby Boomers
Paul Briand
The Examiner
April 6, 2009

Overview: “Time was Baby Boomer parents watched over their children's shoulders, making their sure their online behavior didn't put them in harm's way.Their kids aren't kids anymore but it's the Baby Boomers who are increasingly online and who need to be aware of their online behavior.”
http://tinyurl.com/dn5yrc

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse”

US pet pampering at all time high
Staff Reports
Reuters
April 7, 2009

Overview: Baby boomers—a population that tends to treat its pets like family members— are an important target demographic for the pet industry.
http://tinyurl.com/djmuky

Surprised to See Boomers on Skype? Don't Be
Craig Daitch
Ad Age
April 6, 2009

Overview: Boomers’ “willingness to adopt new technology isn't that surprising when you look at the research … According to a 2009 Pew internet study, boomers in 2008 look nothing like they did in 2000. More than half of all boomers are online on an average day, and more than a third go online several times a day. And 41% of boomers go online just to have fun.”
http://tinyurl.com/ccjjkn

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse”

US pet pampering at all time high
Staff Reports
Reuters
April 7, 2009

Overview: Baby boomers—a population that tends to treat its pets like family members— are an important target demographic for the pet industry.
http://tinyurl.com/djmuky

Surprised to See Boomers on Skype? Don't Be
Craig Daitch
Ad Age
April 6, 2009

Overview: Boomers’ “willingness to adopt new technology isn't that surprising when you look at the research … According to a 2009 Pew internet study, boomers in 2008 look nothing like they did in 2000. More than half of all boomers are online on an average day, and more than a third go online several times a day. And 41% of boomers go online just to have fun.”
http://tinyurl.com/ccjjkn

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse”

Trend toward smaller homes for thriftier seniors
Adrian Sainz
The Associated Press
April 8, 2009

Overview: “Catering to baby boomers and seniors who've lost savings during the recession, retirement-housing designers and developers are shifting to smaller homes that are more energy efficient and maximize space.”
http://tinyurl.com/dktoa9

Aging, the new frontier
Hiawatha Bray
The Boston Globe
April 6, 2009

Overview: “In a laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, there's a suit of clothing that can make anyone feel ready for Social Security. It's called the Age Gain Now Empathy System, or AGNES, a navy-blue jumpsuit laced with braces and elastic bands and topped with a white MIT hard hat. Exercise physiologist Rozanne Puleo helped a team of mechanical engineers develop AGNES. The goal: To teach engineers in their 20s and 30s how to design products that are easy for people in their 70s to use.”
http://tinyurl.com/ce8cut

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse”

Housing for Baby Boomers gets attention
Paul Briand
The Examiner
April 9, 2009

Overview: “Architects, developers and builders looking to cash in on Baby Boomers are gearing up for a big conference in Philadelphia: "Building for Boomers & Beyond: 50+ Housing Symposium."
http://tinyurl.com/cswgdk

Local Needs Demand Senior Activists
Philip Moeller
U.S. News & World Report
April 9, 2009

Overview: “Of all the aging statistics that get tossed around these days, the one that has me quaking is that the population of people aged 65 and older will rise by 36 percent between 2010 (that’s next year, folks) and 2020. …Another nearly ironclad number is that people overwhelmingly prefer to stay in their own homes as they get older. The surveys show this preference at nearly 90 percent and it tends not to change much over time.”
http://tinyurl.com/dk64fv

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse”

Developers endure a senior slump as over-55 market hits wall
Michelle Hillman
Boston Business Journal
April 10, 2009

Overview: “Earlier this decade, developers pursued aging boomers with gusto, building hundreds of “active adult” communities across the state. They banked on the assumption that empty-nesters would want to live out their golden years in maintenance-free homes, often complete with clubhouses and golf courses. Now the 55-plus market is glutted with inventory. Some developments are in foreclosure, others are stalled and prices on some units reflect deep discounts, as the expected rush to adult communities has not materialized.”
http://tinyurl.com/cf929a

Redefining retirement: Planners think about future services
Christina Hennessy
Greenwich Time
April 9, 2009

Overview: “It is estimated that there are 78 million boomers in the United States. Born between 1946 and 1964, this group has influenced politics, cultural norms, economics, the arts and music, among other things. Now, as they head toward retirement, the members of this generation will have an impact on how society views the "golden" years, just as surely as they will affect how senior services are delivered.”
http://tinyurl.com/d8q9u3

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse”

RV travel expected for Baby Boomers
Paul Briand
The Examiner
April 13, 2009

Overview: “Despite the tough economy, Baby Boomers are expected to hit the road in recreational vehicles as part of their retirement experience.”
http://tinyurl.com/d3bat3

Longer Unemployment for Those 45 and Older
Michael Luo
The New York Times
April 12, 2009

Overview: “Unemployed baby boomers, many of whom believed they were still in the prime of their careers, are confronting the grim reality that they face some of the steepest odds of any job seekers in this dismal market.”
http://tinyurl.com/dyv4vl

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse”

Baby boomers flock to social networking sites
Melissa Erickson
GateHouse News Service
April 13, 2009

Overview: “Women 55 and older are the fastest-growing demographic on Facebook in the past three months, InsideFacebook reported in February.”
http://tinyurl.com/ck5l83

All in the Facebook family: older generations join social networks
John D. Sutter
CNN
April 13, 2009

Overview: “While online social networks like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace are known hang-outs for younger adults and teenagers, older generations in recent months have been taking to the medium at a faster rate than any other age group, according to industry reports.”
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/04/13/social.network.older/index.html?iref=nextin

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Monks put faith in wrinkle-cream to raise funds
Stephanie Reitz
The Associated Press
April 15, 2009

Overview: “Baby boomers is likely to boost the market for cosmeceutical products — cosmetics with medicine-based ingredients — by more than 7 percent in the next four years.”
http://tinyurl.com/ctdm9x

China's baby boomers walk up the aisle
Staff Reports
BBC News
April 15, 2009

Overview: “Many industries are suffering during the recession - but some businesses do experience a boom even in a global downturn.”
http://tinyurl.com/c797zx

Aging baby boomers open up new career paths
Cindy Atoji Keene
The Boston Globe
April 14, 2009

Overview: “Statistics show that one in every 26 of today’s baby boomers will live to be 100. These older adults – and baby boom “youngsters” in their 60s through 90s – will require specialized goods and services tailored to the needs of aging Americans.”
http://tinyurl.com/c9pjqq

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Cars marketed for Baby Boomers
Paul Briand
The Examiner
April 16, 2009

Overview: “Some of the new cars being marketed for Baby Boomers are throwbacks to the cars we drove our lusted to drive in our youth.”
http://tinyurl.com/caj6cq

Coddled Millennials can be HR nightmares
Tom Martin
Business Lexington
April 16, 2009

Overview: “It's a generalization and there certainly are notable exceptions, but for many, the American workplace has in recent years evolved into something of a psychological minefield; a place where the term "generation gap" has taken on new and to some, alarming definition.”
http://tinyurl.com/d2k9ub

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

French Elle’s “Without Makeup” Issue Embraces Trend of Natural Beauty
Haley A. Lovett
Finding Dulcinea
April 17, 2009

Overview: “Baby Boomers in the United States have changed the type of models in demand, looking for faces and bodies in advertising that more accurately reflect their own self-image.”
http://tinyurl.com/dbdco4

Being dead is no reason to give up your online social life
Richard Mullins
Tampa Tribune
April 17, 2009

Overview: “As baby boomers plunged headlong into online social media in recent years, they've become especially interested in upending the traditional philosophy that funerals are really meant for the survivors. After all, this is the "Me Generation."
http://tinyurl.com/dfwvtl

Old Masters, New Income
Josh Tyrangiel
Time Magazine
April 16, 2009

Overview: “In May, Universal will begin reissuing the Rolling Stones' 14 most recent albums, while in September, EMI and Apple Corps will reissue all 12 of the Beatles' studio albums. By October, logic be damned, many baby boomers will be a few hundred dollars lighter.”
http://tinyurl.com/dap5m2

Humana seeks out Baby Boomers in new effort
Jaimy Lee
PR Week
April 16, 2009

Overview: “Humana launched a social media site for Baby Boomers that provides information about money, travel, relationships, and health as a way to raise visibility of the Humana brand among this demographic.”
http://tinyurl.com/crkoj7

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Baby Boomers: Blackberry a distraction
Paul Briand
The Examiner
April 20, 2009

Overview: “If you're bothered during a meeting by someone thumbing away on their Blackberry, chances are you're a Baby Boomer.”
http://tinyurl.com/chg6oz

The Funeral: Your Last Chance to Be a Big Spender
Gabrielle Glaser
The New York Times
April 18, 2009

Overview: “Revenue in the American funeral industry will grow 1.2 percent this year, to $20.7 billion, estimates Toon van Beeck, a senior industry analyst at IBISWorld … Americans may be living longer than ever, but the reality of a graying nation is stark. The annual death rate of about 2.5 million has been rising about 1 percent a year, and is expected to spike in the early 2020s as older baby boomers reach their mid-70s.”
http://tinyurl.com/capksu

Find Hidden Opportunities in the Senior Market
Elizabeth Wilson
Entrepreneur
April 16, 2009

Overview: “Businesses already serving the senior market may need to change the products and services they offer to the baby boomers who are now just entering their 60s. While it has been a long-held belief that baby boomers are and will be healthier and more active than any other previous cohort of seniors before them, the recent downturn in the economy indicates that many baby boomers will not be retiring as soon as they thought.”
http://tinyurl.com/c9v95r

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

The Older Audience Is Looking Better Than Ever
Stuart Elliott
The New York Times
April 20, 2009

Overview: There’s “a growing trend as the recession grinds on: an increasing interest in marketing goods and services to consumers age 50 and older. Among those aiming more at the older demographic are giants like Chrysler, Kraft Foods, L’Oréal, Procter & Gamble and Target.”
http://tinyurl.com/cjy5yn

Baby Boomer numbers growing as grandparents
Paul Briand
The Examiner
April 21, 2009

Overview: Growing numbers of baby boomers are grandparents whom are expected to spend some $52 billion on goods and services for their grandchildren according to a recent study by grandparents.com.
http://tinyurl.com/d7zx3k

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Older workers seek new jobs
Staff Reports
The Associated Press
April 22, 2009

Overview: “The percentage of people planning to delay retirement shot up to 57 percent among respondents who were working or looking for a job and had lost money in the market during the past year.”
http://tinyurl.com/cuzkyz

Baby Boomers Embrace Consumer Technology
Kumu Puri
Picture Business Magazine
April 22, 2009

Overview: Baby boomers are embracing social media tools at higher rates than other generations.
http://tinyurl.com/d4gauq

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Battle for millions: Susan Boyle ad war
Georgina Robinson
The Age
April 23, 2009

Overview: Baby boomer and “Scottish singing sensation Susan Boyle is at the centre of a multimillion-dollar advertising stand-off between YouTube and a British television station.”
http://tinyurl.com/dcmwwk

Private-label organics gaining popularity, survey says
Ashley Bentley
The Packer
April 21, 2009

Overview: “A lot of the excitement about private label organic products was triggered by different motivators in different demographics. A consumer in the baby boomer generation tended to appreciate organic products for their health benefits, but were also the most price-conscious consumers.”
http://tinyurl.com/df54wu

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

The Technology Generation Gap at Work is Oh So Wide
Sarah Perez
ReadWriteWeb
April 24, 2009

Overview: “The generation gap at work is really wide with vast discrepancies when it comes to what the appropriate use of technology is - a problem that leads to increasing tensions in the workplace.”
http://tinyurl.com/d4n55y

Social networking for the older crowd
Jeff Bertolucci
Kiplinger
April 23, 2009

Overview: “Youth-oriented online social networks such as MySpace and Facebook get most of the media spotlight. But a growing number of social networks aim at a more seasoned demographic, particularly baby-boomers, the oldest of whom are in their early sixties.”
http://tinyurl.com/d9m53v

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

A call for simplicity
Jonathan Sidener
San Diego Union Tribune
April 26, 2009

Overview: “Instead of bells and whistles, the Jitterbug phone from San Diego company GreatCall features big buttons designed to make it easy to make a cell phone call. And that's apparently translating into strong sales among graying baby boomers and their parents.”
http://tinyurl.com/c6ac2y

A-twitter about social marketing
David Phelps
Star Tribune
April 25, 2009

Overview: “Nearly two-thirds of all companies will increase social media budgets this year to catch a ride on the rapidly growing phenomenon.”
http://tinyurl.com/co5d6f

Would-be business owners, consider these five tips
Mildred Walters
The Tennessean
April 25, 2009

Overview: “Baby boomers are the largest generation on the planet, and they have money. They are at the prime of their lives and do not anticipate sitting in a rocking chair. … They remain more affluent than past generations at their age. They need financial planning, health care and help traveling. Consider providing it.”
http://tinyurl.com/dkla74

Trend toward smaller homes for thriftier seniors
Adrian Sainz
The Associated Press
April 24, 2009

Overview: “Catering to baby boomers and seniors who've lost savings during the recession, retirement-housing designers and developers are shifting to smaller homes that are more energy-efficient and maximize space.”
http://tinyurl.com/d9ybds

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

North Carolina top mecca for baby boomers to retire
Staff Reports
Newsday
April 28, 2009

Overview: “A new report from the Brookings Institution predicts it is today's "younger metro areas" that will experience the fastest growth of seniors in the coming decades. The reason is these areas have an extensive boomer population that will choose to age in place.”
http://tinyurl.com/cys2gw

Age Against the Machine
Matt Thornhill
Entrepreneur Magazine
May 2009 Issue

Overview: “There’s a long-held belief in marketing that once consumers reach age 50, they’re dead. That’s because for the past40 years, businesses trained their budgets on younger adults, ages 18 to 49. When a consumer reached 50, he vaporized--unless, of course, he needed denture cream or incontinence products.”
http://tinyurl.com/dmm9qv

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Home construction cut in half for Baby Boomers
Staff Reports
South Florida Sun Sentinel
April 29,2009

Overview: "Interesting blurb in the Sentinel today about home construction for Americans 55 and older expected to drop by nearly half this year from last as Baby Boomers prefer to 'age in place.'"
http://tinyurl.com/cf7pue

Social Media Sales and the Retail Industry
Barbara Farfan
About.com
April 29, 2009

Overview: "As is always the case, one generation’s “noise” is another generation’s music. One thing I do get is that those who are in the social media vibe are tuned into a life rhythm that is much faster, more intense, and less tangible than what most of us aging boomers have ever experienced before."
http://tinyurl.com/de4fqv

Who would have thought that small-town, modestly clad Susan Boyle, the trailing edge boomer who recently appeared on Britain's Got Talent (a.k.a. American Idol ‘English style’), would possess the gorgeous voice that she clearly does? Her pure, latent talent was suddenly unleashed in all of its majesty around the globe as she belted out ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ from Les Misérables—and almost overnight, became a worldwide phenomena.

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

The Buzz On Business
Staff Reports
Modesto Bee
April 28, 2009

Overview: “Home construction for Americans 55 and older is expected to drop by nearly half in 2009 compared with the previous year, a sign that the market for home building geared to senior citizens is contracting despite the wave of baby boomers approaching retirement.”
http://tinyurl.com/dcqu8e

Baby Boomers are not Rolling Stones: Study
Jacob Gaffney
Housing Wire
April 29, 2009

Overview: “A study on housing trends, released today by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the MetLife Mature Market Institute (MMI), finds that members of the baby boomer generation, those born in the post-world War II era, are deciding to stay put the rest of their days. But this environment may be shifting, the report notes.”
http://tinyurl.com/dkkykt