Charity Research

Mintel (2008) defines a charity as:

“A body or trust which is for a charitable purpose that provides benefit to the public”.

There are a huge number of charities in the UK, and relatively few newcomers. The total sector income per charity has risen as so has the voluntary income of each charity (Mintel, 2008). Cancer Research UK remains the charity with the highest voluntary income, attracting two thirds more income than the next highest charity, Oxfam.

Giving to charity, reflects ones morals and generosity. However; I have recently conducted two focus groups, and a majority of the responses showed that most people of different age groups feel morally obliged to give to charity, even if they cannot afford it.

The aims of my research is to understand and clarify the differences and similarities between two different age groups’ opinions on charities. The third aim will look into understanding the influences from different media and anecdotal events which make them give their chosen charities. Primary research techniques will be applied in the form of two focus groups; one group being a group of students and the other being a group of over 30’s.

The findings showed that...

Are the public are influenced to give by TV advertisements?


One of the questions asked was whether the public are influenced to give by TV advertisements? The students stated that they were heavily influenced by TV advertisement, as it made them feel “guilty and morally obliged to do so” (Datlen, 2010). However the boys within the group took a more callous approach saying “advertisement for charities is far to exaggerated, and only there to make everyone feel bad, even if they cannot afford to donate”. The over 30 focus group all agreed that “citizens are more sophisticated nowadays and most people are immune to it”. Davis (2010) also states that “Advertisement uses editorial skills to convince and exaggerate that the charity is worse of then it actually is, for example: Michael Burk for Live Aid”. However Hickmott (2010) believe that this is “what clenches a deal for the charity, as it does make the audience sympathetic”. A suggestion could be that advertisement should be made me localised and aimed at all ages not just to the older generation. These findings also suggest that females are more vulnerable to TV advertisement. WARC (2003) states that “Charities advertise for two main reasons: campaigning/education and fundraising” and “Advertising of the right kind for charities can have a powerful effect on the internal audience”. Suggesting the reasons charities use TV advertisement.

What do the public think about monthly payments to charities?

We then asked what their thoughts were on charities that ask my monthly payments. The over 30 group said that it is a good easy way to support the charity without them moaning at you to make continuous payments. It is also better for the charity itself as they are able to forecast how much money they will need and where the money will be going. Fowler (2010) adds “that as the money is just taken out of the account then the money is not missed as much, however the good feeling you get from donating to obsolete”. However the students like to make more spontaneous donations in the street, as they “can’t guarantee they will have the money in their account if they made monthly payments” (Taylor 2010). Mintel (2008) states that charities are starting to use “change donation channels towards sponsorship and direct debits”, this is due to “online technologies offering new avenues for growth”. Henceforth, direct debits online are an easier and quicker way of donating.

Do anecdotes affect your donation?

Do you think that people are more likely to give to a charity if they have had an experience that relates to it? For both groups, this was a fairly easy one to answer. When the students were asked which factors would make them donate to certain charities; all respondents said that if they have been affected or had someone affected by the cause then they are definitely more inclined to give a larger amount. Similarly, the over 30’s group tended to have the same views. Hill (2010) stated that “By demonstrating empathy, people will automatically donate as they would not want to go through the experience they have already been through again”. This was then backed up by Hickmott (2010) who said that “everyone is influenced if it is something close to the heart to them.

Would you rather get involved?

Would you rather donate money or get involve in an activity and why? Eg. Race for Life. For this question there was a strong difference between the both groups. The students are keen to get involved with any activities that the charity has to offer them. Blaynee (2010) said “I would rather get involved in the activity as I do not have the required amount of disposable income”. Controversially, Fowler (2010) argued that “i have no time, or effort to get involved with activities; however I do have the income just to donate. Donating is a much easier way for people of my age”. Seen as charities have started to embrace online technologies they have started to “explore the fundraising potential of online technologies” through launching “online charity shops, online donation memorials, pay-per-click campaigns, e-card schemes and started to use social networking sites” (Mintel, 2008). These improvements have made it increasingly easier for people to donate. However the ‘feel good’ factor is still there for the Students as they like to participate in the activities.

What charities?

Which type of charities are you more likely to give to and what are your reasons for this? Again; this question clearly showed differences between both focus groups. The over 30 focus group like to donate to a wider range of charities. Two out of the four said they support Cancer charities as they are “most likely to be affected by it and feel as if they should try and prevent it happening” (Davis, 2010). However the other 2 said that “enough people already donate to the bigger charities so decide to donate to one closer to home. Other charities included: Children’s, Natural disaster, animal/woodland (all animals), blindness and poverty” (Hill, 2010). On the other hand, all the students claimed that they just give to the charities such as Cancer Research UK and ones that they know the money will defiantly be going too. As already proven Cancer Research UK “remains the charity with the highest voluntary income, attracting two thirds more income than the next highest charity, Oxfam” (Mintel, 2008). This is because most people will tend to donate to charities that will affect them in their lifetime. But our primary research shows not only do people tend to give to larger organisations but to smaller ones too that they believe deserve the money. Another reason that the over 30 group tend to give to a bigger variety of charities may be because they have had more life experience, thus them having my anecdotal experiences to base their decisions on.

Summary

The results have shown that over 30’s tend to give more money, and on a more regular basis. This is mainly due to students not having the funds to do so. The charities they mainly give to are the bigger organisations, where they know where the money is going. The results gained from this research is useful in understanding why different age groups donate to certain charities, and what factors influence them.

Adverts from charities

All charities advertise themselves differently. This may be due to the message they are trying to portray or used for purposes of 'pure action' (giving money) or to change a persons morals. This can be shown in a series of different adverts.



This Banardo's advert is trying to send a message across that things so humane still happen in society, and that it NEEDS to be CHANGED. In order to do this they are for a sum of money - as every charity will do and provide a call to action at the end.

Next is the Oxfam advert:



Again, this is aimed at the older generation, who will also have an impact on the younger generations. This advert uses clever imagery and cartoons to dramatise the actions that are happening today in society. Unlike the Banardo's advert this advert shows that they are making a change to the world.

Finally is the Donkey Appeal advert:



Similarly; just like Banardo's a donkey is portrayed the same as a child. Making them both seem equally, however this is a great misunderstanding. However, my research showed that some people do prefer to give to these kinds of charities, as they do not want animals to become extinct. Whereas; humans will never grow out.

In conclusion, all charities tend to market themselves the same. As they all ask for money in the same types of way, and all try and portray distinct messages.

Culture

Culture is extremely important in everything we do, especially within the marketing industry as it is something they have to take into account when advertising anything. Marketing teacher (2008) states...

"Culture could relate to a country (national culture), a distinct section of the community (sub-culture), or an organization (corporate culture). It is widely accepted that you are not born with a culture, and that it is learned. So, culture includes all that we have learned in relation to values and norms, customs and traditions, beliefs and religions, rituals and artefacts"

This definition takes everything that needs to be taken into account when creating a campaign. Solomon et al (2006) furthers this by saying that "the effects of culture on consumers behaviour are so powerful and far-reaching that this importance is sometimes difficult to grasp or appreciate".

Personally; I think that groups have a huge impact on ones culture. Yes individuals have their own thoughts and opinions but when in a group opinions tend to change due to the fact they are conforming. Thus, changing the groups perceptions of what might be right or wrong.

International marketing culture takes into account all international cultures.



All these components have an influce a person' s culture. It mainly helps marketers understand and asses thier targeted cultural market in order to market products to them.

Language - this component relates to the balance between the verbal and non verbal communication.

Religion - Marketeers need to ensure that any products or services they are trying to sell is not offensive to any religion. This includes marketing promotion and branding.

Values & Attitudes - Obviously, values and attitides change depending on nations. For exampe if the company are intending to globalise themselves, they will need to make sure that they have a good understanging of the new local community to ensure the products fits in with their local attitudes.

Education - The amount of education the population recieve varies from nations. For example, in countries with low literacy levels, advertisers would avoid communications which depended upon written copy, and would favour radio advertising with an audio message or visual media such as billboards.

Technology and Material Culture - Technology does not just refer to electronic products but also to things such as infrastructure and using energer efficiently through wind turbines etc.. This would have to be considered to ensure that goods and services are able to be transported easily.

Aesthetics - This relates to your senses. All markers and advertisers use this technique to connect with thier consumers. This include: smell, taste, touch, sight, and sight.


The adverts below shows different sorts of culture used to advertise a product.

These adverts show you have advertisers use culture to advertise their products. Firstly; the Cadburys advert shows you how the culture is in ghana.




In comparrison this Rolex advert shows a completely different kind of culture. Our english hertidge.

Lecture 14 - Social Class

Today we live in a society where EVERYONE is constantly being JUDGED. This can be from something as little as the way they dress or the way they look. But most people judge others on their social class. Nowadays; it seems to be a competition of the riches and purely trying to out-do one another. So here is my blog into social classes...

Social Class refers to the "status hierarchy in which individuals and groups are classified in the basis of esteem and prestige, which is required mainly through economic success and the accumulation of wealth" (Business Dictionary, 2009). Most people tend to be classifies under the four main social classes:

• Upper Class
• Middle Class
• Working Class
• Lower Class
  

However; this definition and sub-groups do not delve into the question whether personality traits or a persons characteristics are involved with their social class.

"a division of society made up of persons possessing certain common social characteristics which are taken to qualify them for intimate, equal status relations with one another, and which restrict their interaction with members of other social classes."
(Krech, Crutchfield & Ballachey in Dubois 2000)

This definition suggests that ones personality changes when categorised into a particular social class. If you think social class has only currently started to separate society, you are wrong! The seperation of society can be easily shown by the European Feudal System where the public were seperated by occupation: Kings, nobels, knights and pheasants. Obviously nowadays our divide is much more different.

These sub categories of social class have now started to merge into one another, instead of having four main classes, it now tends to be split up into seven groups (as shown below).

As you can see their is a much bigger emphasis on middle class as this main category has been split up into three sections. This may be due to the Welfare state coming into force by the UK Government in the 1950's. This offered protection and promotion of the economy and the social well being of its citizens. The encyclopaedia of Britannica states that:
"It is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those unable to avail themselves of the minimal provisions for a good life".
Thus enabling the UK's population to be able to jump between social groups. Today the UK have become more sophisticated in the way in which we class people. Wilmshurst, J & MacKay - the fundamentals of advertising (1999) clearly show the differences between each of the classes.

Grade	Social class	Chief Income Earner's Occupation
A	upper middle class	Higher managerial, administrative or professional.
B	middle class	Intermediate managerial, administrative or professional
C1	lower middle class	Supervisory or clerical and junior managerial, administrative or professional
C2	skilled working class	Skilled manual workers
D	working class	Semi and unskilled manual workers
E	Those at the lowest levels of subsistence	Casual or lowest grade workers, pensioners and others who depend on the welfare state for their income

Other ways people can be categorized into more detail is by taking the factors (in the diagram below) into consideration. This mainly focuses on the general social economic, cultural and environmental conditions.

Social Class V Buyer Behaviour

As you would think different social classes will automatically buy into different brands. For example the upper class will buy into more expensive brands such as: Heinz, Kelloggs, and organic products. Whereas; someone within the Lower class will buy much cheaper brands such as: Tesco value, or supermarket own products.

How does this influence Advertising?

Advertisers and marketeers cater to each social class in various types of advertisement. For example people of a higher status will prefer to be associated with products/ brands or people that reflect the same status as themselves. This is shown well in an ad by Nokia...

On the other end of the spectrum, here is an advert aimed at a middle/lower class of people...



How we Perceive each class to be...

Everyone perceives each other differently. In today's lesson we were split up into groups and asked to create a mood board to represent each main sub group of social class.

Lower Class
Within this collage was phrases such as "the lonely truth about middle aged divorce", "pregnant aged just 10", "child maintenance" and "112 crimes by the age of 23". All of these phrases suggest that all lower class people are 'up to no good'. As they seem to have no aspirations then they turn to violence on the streets. This also suggests that they HAVE to live of tax payers money, because of the state they have already got themselves into.

Other words include: NHS, Sun Bingo, chavs, school drop outs, iceland, and morrisons. The lower class tend to shop at supermarkets as this is a cheap and resourceful place to get their products. Places like this also offer endless amounts of offers - which is always attractive to a lower class person.

Role models included people like Katie Price. Personally I do not think that she fits into this catagory, and she is minted (in money terms). Yes, her perception to the public has not been the best but it is something she works on. The group who done this collage argued that, she can be seen to be hugely influential with the lower class. This is mainly due to her appreance any any morals they may believe she holds.



Middle Class
Within this collage were pictures of their kitchen appliances. Today we were told that most marketeers and advertisers judge people of the make of their fridges or freezers. Colours such as a deep purple were used to represent this class. Personally, I cannot agree with them as I perceive colours like this to be upper class, as higher end shopping use colours like Racing green and purple for thier packaging or bags.

The middle class would buy food from places such as Tesco's and Marks and Spencer's. The adverts shown below, makes the food seem so elegant and very middle class.



Another subject touched on was the sense of belonging to a group. Everyone wants to have this feeling, no matter what class they are. However different classes tend to have different hobbies and go to different places due to their class. For example someone of a middle class would join a Virgin gym as it may be easier affordable to them, where someone of a higher class would join a spa gym, and play sports such a cricket and golf because of the perceptions they hold. These can be seen as status symbols - as it reflects ones lifestyle and aspirational goods. Both these classes are more prone to part of these type of communities as they tend to have more disposable income and time.

Upper Class
Our collage was the BEST :) We put products such as: Rolex, Land Rover, and Harrods on it. The reasons for this is because these are items that to anyone else would have a large thought process whereas to someone of this class, they would not have to think twice about buying a product of this calibre.Both country estates and town houses were put on it to show that this class tend to own multiple houses.




Animals such as: tigers, horses, and the dulex dog (a pure breed). These were used as personally I believe these are animals that not everyone could afford. Horses are also associated with the Cheltenham races, which is perceived as a rich persons sport.

Advertisers such classes to target their different markets, this is brilliantly shown in the Harrods advert. The colours used are simple, and uses minimal words. As this is an upper class store who do not hold many sales, they are seen to be very prestigious.

Criticisms

My main criticism is that classes are not as clear cut as you may think. For example i have different aspirations then my family have, therefore I should not be categorised in the same way that they are. Also occupational prestige may not be solely based on income. For example, carpenters do not declare all their money, therefore they should also not be categorised by income.

Lecture 13 - Family Purchasing

Our family plays a huge role in influencing our purchasing behaviour. When we were children all our choice were determined by our parents, as we did not know otherwise. However, as marketing to children has increased this has dramatically changed. Sometimes, a child has a unwanted influence in the parents decision. For example buying a new family car.

Mann, A (2006) describes that "family purchasing can be examined from four perspectives - Role Structure, Power structure, Decision Making Stage and Family Culture".

Role Structure

• Like societies, families are also structured of roles and each family member occupied his or her role. For ex Gender role preferences reflect culturally determined attitudes toward the role of husband and wife, mother and father in the household. Perception of these roles based on gender affects the decision making process and household decision process.
  

Power Structure

• This refers to the amount of power each member of the household has. For example the 'man of the house' tends to make most decisions - most likely because he is the one who brings in the most money. (Which is ever more changing)

Decision Making Stage

• Nowadays, marketeers prefer to try and understand the whole process of buyer purchasing rather then the final stage - buying the product. This is so they are able to change the way they market to different types of people and understand why people do and don't buy their products. All members of the family are involved in the decision process. For example when buying a new family car, the man will usually pick the model to suit himself, this will also be down to the child too (to ensure it is adequate, with enough seats etc) and the mum will choose the girly things like the colour.

Family Culture

• Each family has different internal culture which influences its purchasing decision. These differences could be due to cultural background, social upbringing and family values. Most marketers today try to focus on few prominent cultures to segment the market.

Different Types Of Family

The different types of family will also influence they family culture, which will influence family purchasing. The main four families are:

The Nuclear Family - father, mother, and children who live together.

Extended Family - nuclear family plus other relatives such as grandparents, aunts etc..

Family of Orientation - the family you are born into.

Family of Procreation - the family founded through marriage.

Changed in Family Structure

In 2008, 77 per cent of families with dependent children in Great Britain were headed by a married or cohabiting couple. This proportion fell markedly in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s (92 per cent of families were of this type in 1971) but has changed little since the late 1990s. The percentage of families that are headed by a lone mother rose from 7 per cent in 1971 to 22 per cent in 1998 and has remained at about the same level since then. The proportion headed by a lone father has risen slightly since the early 1970s, but since the mid-1990s has remained at about 2-3 per cent. In total, the proportion of families headed by a lone parent was 8 per cent in 1971, but is much higher in 2008 at 23 per cent.

Families as Consumers

A families needs are affected by the number of children, their ages and gender then all product buying behaviour is altered. This is great for some products as families have no choice not to buy it.

Lecture 12 - Marketing to Children

The fact is that "children are getting older younger"!!

Young children are increasingly the target of advertising and marketing because of the amount of money they spend themselves, the influence they have on their parents spending (the nag factor) and because of the money they will spend when they grow up. Whilst this child-targeted marketing used to concentrate on sweets and toys, it now includes clothes, shoes, a range of fast foods, sports equipment, computer products and toiletries as well as adult products such as cars and credit cards.

Through the Times

Once upon a time marketing to children was not necessary as everything was down to the parents. In Victorian times, children were there to do as they were told and were only allowed to talk when spoken too. Oh my; how times have changed! Children are more spoilt then ever now they have become subject to marketing.

All children try and act like their peers - mums, dads, or brothers and sisters. This is brilliantly shown in the series outnumbered, where the children speak to their parents in a way and tone the Victorians wouldn't dare too.



Children seem to know more then they should! This may be down to factors such as:

• Latchkey Kids
• Divorce rates/ step families
  
• - more grandparents - who are living longer, and older step siblings
  
• Reducing birthday rates
• Later birth of first child - meaning that the parents are at the point they want to be, and have enough disposable income to give their children anything they want

Mintel Data backs this up by saying that children do get what they want...

Obviously; this depends on the amount of income the parents earn. As you can see both the highest and lowest income households have the most spoilt children. This is because the parents who earn less feel as if their children are loosing out compared to others, when there really not.

It has been proven that children are getting older younger by research from the Advertising Educational Foundation.

Market Segment	60’s	70’s	80’s	90’s	Now
Toddlers					0-3
Preschoolers		2-5	2-5	2-5	2-5
Kids	2-11	6-11	6-8	6-8	6-8
Tweens			9-12	9-12	9-12
Teens				13-15	13-15

As you can see the age brackets for children have changed dramatically over time meaning there are more target audiences of children for advertisers to aim at.

The table below shows the average spent on children aged 7 -12 in different countries

Regular Income     Annual Income#      Savings     Total Spending  
                  $US/month/child    $US/year/child                     $US/year     
Germany                 32.30             569.40            46%        0.9 billion    
UK                      31.50             506.20            26%        1.7 billion    
US                      29.10             493.10            21%        8.9 billion    
France                  22.50             377.90            30%        2.2 billion    
Japan*                  10.70             407.90            62%        1.0 billion    
China*                  9.00              182.00            60%        2.6 billion   

It is not surprising that the US spend the most on their children. Personally I think this may be because most of the toy manufacturers such as Kraft.

Market Research with Children

Kids represent an important demographic to marketers because they have their own purchasing power, they influence their parents' buying decisions and they're the adult consumers of the future. "Parents today are willing to buy more for their kids because trends such as smaller family size, dual incomes and postponing children until later in life mean that families have more disposable income" (Media Awareness Network, 2009). Guilt also plays a huge role in spending decisions as time-stressed parents substitute material goods for time spent with their kids.

Marketeers uses the following strategies to entice children:

Pester Power -
Pester power refers to the children's ability to nag their parents. Barbara A, Martino (2001) states that "we're relying in the kid to pester the mom to buy the product, rather than going straight to the mom". Some people may say it is wrong to use this type of marketing as children should not be subject to it. But at the end of the day, these companies are making millions from it.

Pester Power can be divided into two categories:

• Persistence - this is a nagging plea that is consistent, and overly repetitive
• Importance - this appeals more to their parents, its when the children persuade their parents that it is in their best interest to have the product in their life

Personally; when I was a child the 'importance' technique was my favourite. I was always able to persuade my mum that I NEEDED that product for some lame reason such as school :)

Advertisement in Schools

Big organisations have realised that marketing in school must be the simplest and easiest way to contact their target audience. This is done through: providing schools with technology in exchange for high visibility of their product or through the use of posters in classrooms, school buses or on the desktop of their computers.

Advertising Standards Authority

These state that adverts must avoid anything likely to encourage poor nutritional habits or and unhealthy lifestyle in children. This is furthered by saying the especially food advertisement should not directly ask children to buy or to ask parents or other adults to make purchases of an unhealthy choice for them. Other factors advertisers need to take into account are:

• Ditto character licensing
  
• Ads must not imply that children will be inferior to others
  
• Mentally Harm them
  
• Physical harm
• Ads must not encourage or condone bullying

Lecture 11 - Over 50's Marketing

Benady, D (2010) states that:

"Growing older is getting cooler, according to the advertising industry. As those who (mis) spent their youths in the late Seventies hit the "big five-oh", marketers are wondering how brands can target this new wave of oldies".

To myself, this statement seems so untrue; who ever thinks they are cooler the older they get. NOT ME!! :) But there must be reasons for this. This advert is directly targeted at the over 50 generation.



The over 50 generation are an increasingly powerful group. Owning 80% of the UK's wealth. This adult generation's population are dramatically increasing and by 2020 they will make up more than half the adult population. Marketeers and advertisers adore this group as it makes advertising easy for them. It is said that the most brands are successful when they learn to grow up alongside their consumers. Thus keeping their brand loyalty.

However, they have only just started avoiding the pitfall of regarding all over 50's as the same. Nowadays; they are split into 5 main groups:

• Home is where the heart is (3.9 million)
• You cant take it with you (5.1 million)
• It's time to enjoy (3.2 million)
• Mind, body & soul (3.8 million)
• Secure and sophisticated (4 million)
  

Home is where the heart is

This group like the simple things, they like to have a nice family life and life a comfortable lifestyle. Here is a few facts and figures about this type of over 50: 64% are female, with an average age of 71, 51% are married, 33% are widowed, 79% are retired, and have a median household income of £11,500. This group think highly of their personal principles and rules - suggesting that they follow a very structured way of life. This is then closely followed by the environment and ethics and cultural outgoings. They have great amounts of respect for and trust in institutions, including brands.There summary profile can be shown below.

As like any other generation, home is where the heart is have their own leisure pursuits. This includes activities such as: bingo and watching television. As you can see these are activities that are generally done within the comfort of their home. They are less likely to eat out a restaurants and use the internet.

Here is a list of their favourite brands:

Secure and sophisticated

The secure and sophisticated group are the people who feel like they have fulfilled all they wanted to in life, and now have no money troubles with a much higher income then the 'home is where the heart is' group.

Here is a few facts and figures of the secure and sophisticated group: 75% male, have an average age of 63, 81% are married, 38% still working, 77% are in the ABC1 class, 22% are more likely to live in the middle east, and have a median household income of £25,000.

These people are still financially active, making higher income work for themselves. They like to take on financial burdens which are traditionally done by the welfare state. This group are highly interested in adopting new technology - especially through the use of the internet. As well as being keen in keeping fit and staying healthy.

Below is their Demographic Profile:




The secure and sophisticated tend to buy into brands such as: Bupa, Pc World, Marks and Spencer, Natwest, Visa, Google, Visa, Dell, Halfords and HSBC.

Traditional Attitudes of over 50's

Many people over the age of 50 tend to buy certain types of products, this may be due to different events that has happened within their lifestyle such as the world war 11. Their particular affinity includes:

FOOD: Ice cream, crackers, sweet biscuits, artificial sweeteners, soups, bread, cakes, frozen fish, and stock and gravy.


FINANCE: Life insurance, buildings and contents insurance, premium bonds, NSI bonds, stocks and shares, unit trusts, and ISAs/PEPs.


DRINKS: Any traditional alcohol, tea, fresh coffee, and milk.



Health & Pharmaceuticals: Vitamins and supplements, Rheumatism, and Arthritis remedies.


Leisure & Holidays: they tend to take more organised holidays, coach trips, castles/ stately homes, plays/classical concerts/ballet, trust membership and bingo


There top media are:

TV: BBC News, Antique Roadshow, Heatbeat, Miss Maple, Who wants to be a millionaire?, Baragin hunt, Natural World, and Gardeners World.


PRESS: Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, Saga Magazine, Birds Magazine, Readers Digest etc...


RADIO: Folk/ country music, easy listening, music maily form the 50/60s, and classical.


As you can see the over 50 generation tend to stick to products they know, and are sure of. Most groups do not feel the need to change the brand they use. The table below shows the top brands the 50+ age bracket use.


Next I would like to inform you about their values, these have been influenced through events that have happened within their lifetime.

Time line of Events

Firstly in 1939 the World War 11 began, by 1945 World War 11 had ended. In this year Hitler also committed suicide, making the Germans surrender.

The war in Japan also ended due to the use of the Atomic Bomb.

In 1948 the Welfare state came into action meaning a national health service was set up so that people of all ages could be cared for. Benefits to help the poor and unemployed were introduced - this was all paid for by the new national insurance tax on workers.

In 1952 George V1 died, this king dies at the age of 56 and Queen Elizabeth was then set to rein for 50 years as queen.

In 1955 Commercial TV began, the BBC's competition as ITV was launched.

In 1966 England finally won the world cup of football.

Neil Armstrong became the first man in history to land on the moon during a trip by apollo11 in 1969.

Other main events such as: decimalisation in 1971, Britain joins to EU in 1973, First female prime-minister in 1979, the Falklands War in 1982, and finally peace in northern Ireland in 1998.

Online Behaviours

Facebook is by far the most widely used social media site and is pushing its reach into older age groups - especially the over 50's. However other social networking sites such as Twitter are closely following them.


These figures suggest that the older generation are becoming much more advanced with online and developing technology. In terms of sub groups, both the home is where the heart is and mind, body and soul have particular interests into different types of sites. These tend to be information sites other than entertainment.

As you can see most people are interested in travel. This may be because the 50+ groups tend to have more disposable income then others, and they are retired or they want to waste their money so they do not have to pass it down to other generations, such as the 'you cant take it group'.

If I was to create an advert for...

A Holiday: I would aim it at the secure and sophisticated section of people who are over the age of 50. This is because as I have already established this group are much more prone to booking holidays and flights, therefore they would be a much easier target. Also as I already know this group are the people with the money, so a higher class feel to the advert would need to be shown.This group of people would like to go on cruises with many activities. The advert would take the same shape as the one below:

Music: Beach boys - I get around, this is because this type song was from the 60's and is a feel good tune which all people in this generation will know. Or the Who - talking about my generation.

A ready meal: this would obviously be aimed at the 'where the heart is' group. This is because they enjoy the comfort of their own home, and enjoy family time. This is captured really well in an advert by Oakhouse foods.

Similarly; my advert would be very similar when targeting this age group.

Summary

In summary the over 50 generation are rapidly growing and are now a more dynamic group then ever. As a consequence of this the baby boomers will have to grow further, and those entering at the younger end will have expectations of continuing their existing lifestyles. As this blog has already established there is NOT just one group of over 50's, and it is important when marketing to this generation that they understand this, as each group works in different ways. Each of these groups have their own way of living, and are set in their ways when it comes to shopping for a brand.