Marketing 0

Baby Boomers: The Aging Economic
Powerhouse
Baby Boomers were born between 1946 and 1964. The term baby
boom refers to the high birth rate in the United States—and many
other parts of the world—following the end of World War II. With
postwar security and economy, many couples decided to have
children, which became the prime target market for marketers at the
time.

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FIGURE 2.1
 The Five Generations and Their Brand Preferences
The early Boomers, who were teenagers in the soaring 1960s, were
raised in a relatively more affluent family. However, their
adolescence was spent navigating through sociopolitical tensions
during the decade. As a result, they are often associated with the
counterculture movement in the United States and other Western
countries. Many nonmainstream concepts such as social activism,
environmentalism, and hippie lifestyle emerged during this era. The
counterculture movement was further amplified by the rise of
television and advertising as well as the New Hollywood wave.
Unlike the early Boomers, the late Boomers—also known as
Generation Jones—were in economic distress by the time they were
teenagers in the turbulent 1970s. Having working parents, they lived
independently and worked harder in their early careers. This sub-
generation within Baby Boomers was the precursor to Generation X
—with whom they share many similar characteristics.
Due to its sheer size and the US postwar economic boom during their
upbringing, Baby Boomers have become one of the major economic
forces. For many decades, Baby Boomers had been the focus of
marketers before Generation Y outnumbered them. Today, as they

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are living healthier and longer lives, more Baby Boomers delay
retirement and extend their careers well beyond 65 years old. Still
holding executive roles in corporations, Baby Boomers are often
criticized by the younger generation for their unwillingness to adopt
new technologies and break the conventional business wisdom.