SUMMARY: Since Q1 2014, the percentage of Baby Boomers who communicate most often with their friends and families through texting has more than doubled. Not only does this have implications for friends and families, but for marketers as well.
Though Baby Boomers (55+) might not engage with their friends and families on the same platforms as Millennials, that definitely does not mean that their media habits are stagnant. In fact, they are constantly evolving.
Through  focusing on how Baby Boomers responded to just this one question, here’s what we found:
There are three preliminary trends to notice over the past few years:
1) Email: Baby boomers who communicate most often with friends and family by email have continued to decline.
2) Phone: Baby Boomers who communicate most often with friends and family by phone calls have drastically declined. In Q1 2014, 65% of Baby Boomers communicated with their friends and family primarily through phone calls, with that number currently rests at 53%.
3) Text: Baby Boomers who communicate most often with friends and family by text have drastically increased. In fact, the number of Baby Boomers who communicate with their families and friends by text has more than doubled since Q1 2014.
While we’re sure this is not much of a surprise to the families and friends of these new texters, this does present vast implications for marketers, specifically. Why?
MEET CONSUMERS WHERE THEY ARE
One of the guiding principles of marketing is to meet people where they already are. Produce what consumers are already consuming, and connect with people on the platforms that they already use.
Although Baby Boomers are still not on the same platforms as Millennials, and may never be, this change surrounding one facet of media habits should be taken into consideration. Though often overshadowed by Millennials, Baby Boomers are a large and incredibly strong consumer base. To remain relevant, marketers need to take notice of them as they continue to evolve in the digital world.
Interested in other insights? Check out our recent findings into concern for consumer privacy by generation, the decline of empathy among Millennials, and the surprising driver of Pinterest’s growth!
