Rodent Regatta

Some say that youth, the MTV generation, Gen-X is the only relevant target market. All marketing, advertising, promotion and media selection should be directed there. Ask the drug companies and they’ll say, ”nonsense.”

They’ll tell you that the growth market is the now middle-aged baby boom generation. Still healthy and active, with plans to stay that way, the baby boomers have the resources to pursue all of the life-enriching techniques, tools, conveniences and medicines that are or will be available.

So, who has value? Ask some people and they’ll find fault just because someone is old. Others will come to an elderly person’s rescue.

Then, there are the obvious debates. Beyond the simple kindness we should extend to our fellow man regardless of age, condition, station in life, etc., these debates face us with a reality. Can the generations really co-exist?

Much advertising is directed to those who ”get” the quick sound-bite or the MTV video. Yet, we are told that the largest age bubble in our population’s history is about to move through the middle-aged years and into ages beyond 60. In fact there are those who believe we’ll have the highest percentage of the population between the ages of 50 and 75 in a matter of only a few years. They’ll largely be prosperous or completely without resources. With those extremes, the youngest adult age groups will not be the dominant market segment for most products. Customer service, marketing and promotion will have to span quite a range of capabilities to serve such a wide variety of age groups.

All of this brings us back to a non-commercial aspect of the picture. Why must we use race, age, gender, religion, status or some other superficial criterion on which to build our biases, prejudices and foundations for discrimination? Isn’t it time that we looked seriously at what it takes to live well together and value the strengths and capabilities of each group?