The Defy Aging Newsletter

Anti-aging psychology, holistic health, and wellness

a biweekly e-mail newsletter for helping you think, feel, look, and be more youthful and live with purpose.

Number 149

This issue:

Boomer Advertising

ACTION TO TAKE

Take a tip from Madison Avenue ad firms and pitch your lifestyle to the age you choose to perceive yourself to be

WHY

Advertisers call it psychographics--using demographics in marketing to determine the attitudes and tastes of a market segment. For Baby Boomers psychographic studies prompted marketing to the Baby Boomers' perceptions of their age and lifestyle. Boomers perceive themselves as a lot younger than we used to associate with their chronological ages. Hence 50 is the new 30, etc. Some may see it as denial. I see it as supremely realistic.

Our perceptions and stereotypes for what people are supposed to be like at 40, 50, 60, etc. are typically based on how our parents' generation aged. We have to have some reference and our parents have been our role models. But Boomers have a vision of being much younger than those stereotypes and refuse to go along with expectations. Eventually, advertisers caught on and marketed to their perceived ages. The ads in turn reinforced the Boomer beliefs that they are forever young.

You can perceive of yourself as younger, older, or about the same as stereotypes for your age. Thinking of yourself and your lifestyle as younger fosters being more active, resilient, hopeful, and healthy. You've got to like choices that give you everything to gain and nothing to lose.

QUOTES

I can remember when the air was clean and sex was dirty.

~George Burns

HUMOR

The perfume industry missed one important Boomer psychographic. Yes there are perfumes that make you smell sweet. But if Boomer women really want to attract Boomer men, they need a perfume that subtly, imperceptibly smells like pizza.

~Mike Brickey

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Holistic Health and Wellness

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"Dr. Michael Brickey, The Anti-Aging Psychologist, teaches people to think, feel, look and be more youthful. He is an inspiring keynote speaker and Oprah-featured author. His works include:  Defy Aging, 52 baby steps to Grow Young, and Reverse Aging (anti-aging hypnosis CDs). Visit www.NotAging.com for a free report on anti-aging secrets and a free newsletter with practical anti-aging tips."