50+ Housing e-Source - 04/25/2007 (Plain Text Version)Robert Tippets, CGB, CAASH
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E-mail Our Editor In this issue: From 'Youthquake' to 'Agequake,' Boomers Have Changed It AllBrent Green, author of "Marketing to Leading-Edge Baby Boomers," will speak at Building for Boomers & Beyond: 50+ Housing Symposium 2007 in a session titled “From Youthquake to Agequake: The Transformative Future of the Baby Boom Generation.” In his nearly 30-year career, Green has followed the boomer generation as they’ve “transformed business and marketing at every life stage,” as he puts it. 50+ Housing e/Source recently spoke with Green about his Symposium presentation and the factors that will drive 50+ housing as the boomers continue to transform. What are some of the ways that boomers have “transformed business and marketing?” As a youth cohort, they dramatically changed marketing and built huge business opportunities for companies. When they were in junior high and high school, they helped propel the fast food industry by fueling the growth of McDonalds. This continued when they had children. Another example is Nike. The boomers started a strong fitness fad, and built the company with their money. It’s the same with Starbucks. Gourmet coffee was a niche business, and now it’s a mega empire with a heavy reliance on boomers. Boomers will continue to transform industries. What they choose to do will dramatically impact the housing industry. It’s leading to a reinvention of what an active adult community is. In my session, I’m going to talk about who the boomers are, what makes them unique, and why they can be reached as a generation through a marketing perspective. I’ll have a lot of insights into what the near and not-so-near future is going to look like. This “agequake,” like an earthquake, will have a jarring impact. Some industries stand to lose, some stand to gain. What are the values that motivate the boomer generation? One is a pronounced sense of individuality. Their parents were a dutiful, team-oriented generation. The boomers are the opposite; they were brought up to maximize their unique potential. They’ve got a strong work ethic as a generation. Most don’t view themselves as having a traditional retirement. Builders already understand that boomers want home offices for the work they’ll do after their first career is done. Another value is anti-authority. Boomers are the type of people who will fight against "received" authority, although ironically they are the ones in power if you look at how they heavily populate congress. This has implications for their being able to accommodate CCRCs (continuing care retirement communities) where there’s a lot of regiment. Boomers are also very adaptable to change. Their lives have been about adapting to changes in technology and the economy. Boomers will continue to reinvest themselves in change. What will these values affect the most in the housing industry? Builders will have to focus on mass customization. Boomers will demand more housing choices. I also believe they’ll influence niche communities built around lifestyle interests. Like the first gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community under development in Santa Fe now. There’s a community in New York for women who spent their careers in the arts. You’re going to see a movement towards gathering around lifestyle interests rather than just stage-of-life. Brent Green’s session, “From Youthquake to Agequake: The Transformative Future of the Baby Boom Generation,” will be Friday, June 1 from 12:30-2:00 p.m. at Building for Boomers & Beyond: 50+ Housing Symposium 2007 at the Hyatt Regency Denver. His book, "Marketing to Leading Edge Boomers," is available at www.builderbooks.com. NAHB members receive a discount on all Builder Books titles. Advance registration for the 50+ Housing Symposium ends Friday, May 11. After this date, attendees must register onsite. To register, or for more information, visit www.nahb.org/build4boomers. For more from Brent Green, check out his blog at http://boomers.typepad.com/. For more information or to contact us directly, please visit www.NAHB.org | ©2007, National Association of Home Builders |