It's so easy to think that nostalgia is the key to connecting with a boomer consumer. In this example from the book, see how one brand's attempt to take boomers back to "better times" ends up insulting the very consumers it aims to woo. We witnessed some strongly worded comments on YouTube (before the video was taken down) to prove our point.
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Using Nostalgia Appropriately
So now let's return to nostalgic references, one of the most common ways to establish relevance with boomers. The key to using nostalgic references is making sure that they resonate with modern-day boomers. Too often, I encounter marketers who want to use images from the 1950s and '60s in their marketing messages, believing these images will automatically connect with a boomer's earlier experiences. It's true that these images may remind a boomer of their formative years, however most boomers will tell you that they want to see and hear about how they are living their lives today, not how they lived 30 years ago. Despite popular belief, most boomers don't long to be 20-something again.I recently received an introductory video for the Touch of Gray website. Touch of Gray is a men's hair treatment that gradually dyes hair with each application, allowing men to preserve as much (or as little) of the salt-and-pepper looks as they'd like.
In the video, users are whisked into black-and-white, hippie flashback. The guitar riffs of the band Cream play in the background, and the narrator opens with, "The generation that swore it would never get old...didn't." From there, viewers see older men surfing, partying on the beach, playing basketball, and performing in a band (and subsequently being kissed on the cheek by a young blonde with a tambourine).
Many companies fall into the trap of believing that all mature consumers reject their age and long for their 20-something lifestyles. But research has shown otherwise, even if Clapton is involved. In fact, most mature consumers rate their satisfaction with life much higher during midlife than any other time in their life.
