Baby boomers in retirement now have a new name tag - the Zoomers.
Del Webb
Corporation sponsored a survey to look into the ageing population. Out
of this survey has come a revised attitude toward the ageing boomers who
work and play as if they are 20 years younger, many of whom have no plans to
stop behaving that way for at least 25 years. The survey led to the
creation of a day celebrated in March and called National Zoomer Day.
The Yuppies of the 1980s are today's new generation of Zoomers.
Zoomers haven't given up and will not adopt the term 'senior' at any cost.
When many are asked how they see the next 30 years they reply they intend to
carry on enjoying the same pastimes, spending patterns and outlook as they
have always followed. Marketers have begun to address this issue and
take seriously the needs and requirements of an active majority who have
been responsible for contributing much to changing the world and the way we
live now. Boomers have always indulged themselves and they intend to
continue to do so.
With many Zoomers living 30 years after retirement, attitudes to ageing are
changing radically. Zoomers mostly want to look good physically and dress
well. Many don't even retire fully keeping an active role in their
business. Just as many have years of valuable expertise they bring to
consultancy work. Suddenly all this is being recognised.
In my opinion boomers that are Zoomers also have the 'Zeitgeist Zest' and
have always been lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.
Plus sizes are frequently found in this market segment and mail order
shopping and online shopping for plus sizes is booming. Younger plus
sizes are disappointed with the offerings of manufacturers. Many
retailers can see missed opportunities because they cannot get the right
plus sized goods, with a more youthful less mother of the bride look.
As a result online plus shopping is booming.
Read about
fashion trends for Spring
Summer 2006.
Women over 50 have a substantial amount of cash to indulge in all aspects of
the fashion world from fashion clothing, designer accessories, cosmetics,
perfume, beauty and spa visits. They are pampering themselves after years of
either pandering to family needs or after battling for recognition in a male
oriented world. Now they just want to be women and feel good about
themselves.
A third of the UK population amounting to almost 20 million adults is over
50 and that third controls 80% of the nation's (UK) wealth. A 50+ year old
woman has huge spending power. 16% of women over 50 are divorced and single
so as inventors of aspirationalism they continue to indulge themselves with
holidays, spa treatments, beauty products, confectionary and fashion
clothing and accessories.
To accommodate these facts, advertising companies have finally seen the
light and are using older models to sell products to a market segment
previously neglected. Now they have realised the spending power of these
older 'cashcows',
older models are being employed universally. This is not surprising when one
realises the average women in UK is now over 40.
The latest woman to be signed up for prestigious modelling contracts is 45
year old Paula Hamilton. Hamilton is the 1980s beautiful model famous for
keeping the keys to her Volkswagen Golf whilst dropping all other valuable
trappings of marriage. At 52, Kim Basinger is now the face of Prada
and other actresses such as Sharon Stone the new face of the Dior skin
care range. Kim Basinger is also fronting the Miu Miu campaign
Last year, Twiggy, the famous 1960s model and now 56, spearheaded the Marks
and Spencer new fashion advertising campaign. She is credited with
attracting customers who had defected and sought clothing elsewhere.
Recent famous names that have been used in high fashion campaigns also
include Madonna and Demi Moore who modelled for Versace and both are over
40.
Everyday soap supplier Dove used a woman of 95 in their last campaign which
featured the skin of ordinary women, but that is an unusual case. It
certainly does not mean every woman over 50 who looks good can suddenly
assume she can make it as a 50+ model. It is worth noting that all
these reinstated 50+ models were top models in their day. Today there
are already many retired models better qualified than hopeful 50 year olds
who have never modelled before.
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