"The baby boomers (who are currently the middle-aged) make up the largest demographic out there and the better a company can market to them, the higher their profit and popularity will be....
This generation of men don't consider themselves old (everyone is always saying things like "50 is the new forty" or "60 is the new 50" when referring to age). If you market something to them with any indication that they are a member of the aging, elderly population, your ad will definitely fall flat and turn this demographic away.
The middle-aged man is somewhat of a complicated demographic. There are many factors to consider. The key is to find the right balance of old and new. Once the baby boomer demographic is tapped effectively, any company will benefit from this huge group of consumers". See full article.
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| The Sartorialist |
Is the problem of reminding a man of his age perceived as insuperable? Is it that men are not interested in fashion beyond a certain age, or do retailers assume that we all want to dress as teenageers, in trainers and baggy low-slung jeans?
The answer, of course, is to sell some good classically-designed clothing to young and old alike, rather than simply concentrating on the younger market to the discomfort of others. A few of the larger retailers who seem to me comfortable with this are Paul Smith, Ralph Lauren (although the unnecessarily youthful marketing of their Rugby stores doesn't appeal to me), Mr Porter and (at the more budget end of the market) Massimo Dutti (links below). Maybe, with some of these businesses, the presence of middle-aged men at their helms keeps their marketing inclusive!
What do you think? Do you agree? What other fashion retailers aim successfully at middle-aged and older men?
Once again I turn to The Sartorialist, who took the shots below, to show the stylish older man in all his glory!
I couldn't agree more. Marketers are REALLY missing the boat on this one. The Boomer generation (of which, at 53, I fall in the middle) is not only "relatively well-off", but its safe to say that this demographic pretty much runs the world. Yet its hard to look at a fashion magazine that isn't filled exclusively with androgynous adolescents modeling all the clothes. Yes, thank god for some of SARTORIALIST's post of dapper European men who look sharp, otherwise one is hard pressed to see contemporary images of well dressed older men. (One can only look at Gary Cooper, Cary Grant and the Duke of Windsor for so long before wanting some contemporary role models as well.)
ReplyDeleteI live in Los Angeles. Men of a certain age dress atrociously here. And its not just because of the "laid back" lifestyle. Part of it is ignorance, certainly, and this isn't helped by the lack of good marketing and images geared toward our demographic. My wife is a fashion designer and has said many times that there's nothing that stands out as an "older guy" who's well groomed and sharply dressed. It's certainly rare here.
Thanks for putting up this blog. I think its a needed resource.
Thanks, Demian
Many thanks, Demian and thanks for the kind comment at the end. I'm still looking for a similar blog and find the lack of interest in older men's style surprising, as you do. Hopefully things will change. Best wishes, GF.
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