New findings give insight into the online media consumptionand behaviors of the mature boomer consumer.Some of the highlight findings on media consumption are:
·Gap in print media consumption among Boomers: Boomers still use traditional media more than those of Generation X, but not all Boomers consume media in the same way – the biggest gap being between older and younger Boomers. This is most striking within traditional print media---with high consumption by older Boomers of newspapers and magazines.
·Internet the last thing to go for Boomers: Among all media services listedBoomers were least willing to give up the Internetversus the top response of the 2008 survey: their cell phone. This is not surprising as the survey shows they now spend more time than ever online (a rapid increase in one year from 38% to 62% stating they now spend more time online).
Among the findings is that Baby Boomer-aged respondents’ anxiety has shifted from the collapse of the economy to the cost of health care. Most significant is the shift in the media consumption of this age groupas the only media activity to rise dramatically was time spent on the Internet. This is one of several insights on the emergence of the new ‘social media maven’ among Baby Boomersand indicates that social media has significantly carved out time generally reserved for traditional media.
The survey was conducted by CPH ResearchLLC on behalf of the San Francisco-based Continuum Crew. Highlight findings in this follow-up survey (to their Economic Impact Study released in December 2008) revealed specific anxiety and life events in the 2009 survey:
·Cost of healthcare surpasses the economy as major anxiety-inducing issue: Anxiety about the economy has decreased in the past year (46% indicated it as the issue they were ‘very nervous’ about in 2008); now the issue of most concern is cost of healthcare (as indicated by 49% in 2009). This is particularly the case among Boomersand those who are Medicare eligible. Overall levels of anxiety are increasing.
·For older parentsmore adult children are moving back home than are leaving it: This is a previously unprecedented finding within this research seriesand markedly shows that Boomers’ lives are in transition.
In interpreting all the responses about anxietyin terms of their mindset and behaviorit appears Boomers are now re-framing the notion of frugal living into the idea of simplicity. The national economic situation has created a new ‘planner’ type personality among Boomers that engages more with institutionssuch as financial services organizations and retirement communities. Children moving back in with parentsor delaying leaving their parent’s homeis likely having an effect on the family dynamic and householdwhich may mean an inclination to the return of the extended family structure of the World War II era.
· Gap in print media consumption among Boomers: Boomers still use traditional media more than those of Generation X, but not all Boomers consume media in the same way – the biggest gap being between older and younger Boomers. This is most striking within traditional print media---with high consumption by older Boomers of newspapers and magazines.
· Internet the last thing to go for Boomers: Among all media services listedBoomers were least willing to give up the Internetversus the top response of the 2008 survey: their cell phone. This is not surprising as the survey shows they now spend more time than ever online (a rapid increase in one year from 38% to 62% stating they now spend more time online).
· Boomers catching up with Generation X on social networking: The majority of Boomers have joined popular social networking site Facebook© within the last 6 months.
Among the findings is that Baby Boomer-aged respondents’ anxiety has shifted from the collapse of the economy to the cost of health care. Most significant is the shift in the media consumption of this age groupas the only media activity to rise dramatically was time spent on the Internet. This is one of several insights on the emergence of the new ‘social media maven’ among Baby Boomersand indicates that social media has significantly carved out time generally reserved for traditional media.
· Cost of healthcare surpasses the economy as major anxiety-inducing issue: Anxiety about the economy has decreased in the past year (46% indicated it as the issue they were ‘very nervous’ about in 2008); now the issue of most concern is cost of healthcare (as indicated by 49% in 2009). This is particularly the case among Boomersand those who are Medicare eligible. Overall levels of anxiety are increasing.
· For older parentsmore adult children are moving back home than are leaving it: This is a previously unprecedented finding within this research seriesand markedly shows that Boomers’ lives are in transition.
In interpreting all the responses about anxietyin terms of their mindset and behaviorit appears Boomers are now re-framing the notion of frugal living into the idea of simplicity. The national economic situation has created a new ‘planner’ type personality among Boomers that engages more with institutionssuch as financial services organizations and retirement communities. Children moving back in with parentsor delaying leaving their parent’s homeis likely having an effect on the family dynamic and householdwhich may mean an inclination to the return of the extended family structure of the World War II era.