Seniors may be older but they're not "old"

by Joy Ward, MediaCross Advertising

August 2001

According to senior watchers, advertising products labeled as designed for the senior market may be the fastest way to position it for failure. The senior population is getting larger, but they don't want to be reminded they are getting older.

"Easy open" not an easy sell

In the wake of childproof, relatively hard-to-open bottles and other containers, some packagers have begun advertising and labeling their packages as "easy open." While "easy open" fulfills a definite physical consumer need, it also conflicts with active, older consumers' fears of failing health and being seen by their friends and families as aging.

Gail Fudemberg, president of GRF Marketing Ltd., known for market research on seniors, notes that, "You have to think of the older consumer as being about 10-12 years younger than they actually appear to be because most people think they are about 10 years younger than they actually are chronologically."

As Mintel's Marcia Mogelonsky explains, "They hate being called seniors. They're very grumpy about getting old. They hear, 'easy open' and they feel like, 'no, I don't need that.'"

Mogelonsky goes on to explain that the more active seniors may look and act fairly young - playing golf, traveling and taking care of themselves - but they may have unseen infirmities, such as arthritis. The last thing they want is a product that tells the world the product is made for the infirm elderly. Having that type of product in their homes casts the pall of infirmity over those consumers. "Most seniors of the active segment would be embarrassed to buy that product unless you could smuggle it out of the supermarket and disguise it somewhere. They don't want their friends coming over and seeing this jar on the counter. It's cool to take vitamins but it's not cool to have vitamins with an easy-open top. Having a package on their counters, or even having to confess to themselves that they have to buy something that is markedly easy to open, is going to make them feel uneasy."

Change the position of "easy open"

Instead of fighting the consumers' fears, some consultants recommend re-positioning "easy open" as the adult opening or making it more attractive.

Move packaging labels away from declaring that "easy open" is for older, less able people and towards making the closure appeal to everyone who does not need childproof containers. Mogelonsky says this rephrasing would help seniors accept easy open packaging because, "It wouldn't make them feel any different than anyone else. Change the focus of the opening. Turn it away from saying this is designed for people with arthritis. Turn it around to say this is designed for adults, not children. It's a perception thing."

Mogelonsky also suggests making the "easy open" containers, "stylish instead of functional and make the functionality appear stylish. Design the package with an attractive, easy open lid instead of a screaming label saying, "now an easy open lid for clutzy seniors."