Seniors' Personal Care Behaviors & Occasions

Table of Contents

• CHAPTER 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
  • Hot topic
  • The future decoded
    • The number of 50-plus consumers is rapidly rising
    • The number of personal care occasions amongst Seniors is increasing
    • Wellness concerns intensify with age
    • Time spent on personal appearance takes on added importance with age
    • The notion of 'real beauty' is especially important to older consumers
    • Seniors' appearance concerns are reflected by their beauty product consumption
    • Interpersonal channels will become increasingly important
    • Older consumers are increasingly experimental and open to new product technologies
    • Pampering is highly relevant to older consumers
  • Action points
    • Make Seniors inclusive of targeting efforts
    • Target older consumers with anti-ageing treatments
    • Target older consumers' core values with your marketing concept
• CHAPTER 2 THE FUTURE DECODED
  • Introduction
    • Older consumers are driving many personal care categories
    • Recognize the Senior consumer as consisting of two main groups
  • TREND: The number of 50-plus consumers is rapidly rising
    • Empty Nesters are a key group within this age cohort
  • TREND: The number of personal care occasions amongst older consumers is increasing
  • INSIGHT: Wellness concerns intensify with age
    • Old age is a 'trigger point' for a greater emphasis being placed upon 'holistic health'
  • INSIGHT: Time spent on personal appearance takes on added importance with age
    • Time spent is to counter the visible signs of ageing
    • Key physiological changes occur around the Senior lifestage
      • Lower estrogen causes dermatologic changes in post-menopausal women
      • Male menopause (andropause) is becoming increasingly recognized
    • Consumers, especially mature individuals, are generally dissatisfied with their appearance
      • Consumer self-perceptions of beauty are low regardless of age
      • Older women in particular are dissatisfied with their personal appearance
      • Appearance dissatisfaction leads to lower self-esteem
      • Minority women tend to more readily accept the ageing process
  • INSIGHT: The notion of 'real beauty' is especially important to older consumers
    • Consumers of all ages identify an unrealistic standard for beauty
      • This has particular implications for older consumers
    • Consumers, especially mature ones, have a more complex ideology of beauty
    • Older consumers want to see more diverse, older and realistic characters used in advertisements
      • The use of older characters is well received and increasingly desired
    • Seniors' self-perception is shaped by their state of mind
      • Seniors typically feel 12-15 years younger than they actually are
      • Looking good for their age is the most important message
      • But their physical abilities also need to be considered
  • INSIGHT: Seniors' appearance concerns are reflected by their beauty product consumption
    • The range of beauty concerns is broad, but wrinkles and dryness dominate
    • The over 45s' per capita value consumption on beauty-focused products exceeds that of the under 45s
      • Senior consumers value the cosmetic function of make-up
      • Facial care drives Seniors' use of skincare products
      • Denture care dominates 50-plus consumers' oral hygiene consumption
      • The new breed of fashion conscious ageing consumers is under-targeted in haircare
  • INSIGHT: Interpersonal channels will become increasingly important
    • Consumers are overwhelmed by skincare and anti-ageing choice
      • Evidence shows that the phenomenon is inclusive of personal care
      • Older women are as confused as younger women when it comes to understanding their specific skincare needs
    • Seniors are also cynical about claims concerning personal care product efficacy
      • Seniors are cynical consumers of marketing spin generally
      • They are notably distrusting of personal care product claims
    • Word of mouth referrals are especially important for more complex personal care products
      • Because of their cynicism older consumers are more likely than average to rely on word of mouth
  • INSIGHT: Older consumers are increasingly experimental and open to new product technologies
    • It is a myth that older consumers do not embrace new ideas and new products
      • Seniors are not necessarily brand loyal and stuck in consumption patterns
      • There are country variances in this open-mindedness
    • Experimentation will be increased by offering customized products for mature consumers' specific needs
      • Seniors are open-minded towards the latest advanced innovations in personal care
  • Older consumers are increasingly amenable to the idea of 'beauty from within'
    • Oral beauty will be the next significant trend to go mainstream, especially if more mature consumers are attracted
      • Older consumers are increasingly willing to embrace cosmetic procedures
  • INSIGHT: Pampering is highly relevant to older consumers
  • Stress is a lifestyle problem also relevant to old age
    • Pampering occasions are an increasingly important component of the personal care market
    • Seniors are wealthy quality seekers, increasing their likelihood to pamper
      • Older consumers are likely to trade up when buying indulgent pampering products
      • High quality pampering products are also chosen to facilitate indulgent cocooning occasions
      • Older adults report problems with sleeping
  • Conclusions
• CHAPTER 3 ACTION POINTS
  • Introduction
  • ACTION: Make Seniors inclusive of targeting efforts
    • Develop cosmetics and toiletries specifically for mature consumers
    • Use 'ageless marketing' to make older consumers inclusive
      • Case study: L'Oreal Men's Expert utilizing both tactics
  • ACTION: Target older consumers with anti-ageing treatments
    • Develop variants specifically formulated for mature, ageing skin
    • Target older consumers with advanced cosmeceutical offerings
    • Make older consumers a key target for oral beauty solutions
    • Recognize the threats and opportunities offered by food and drink companies
    • Introduce anti-ageing formulas outside of skincare
    • Target the growing interest among male Seniors to fight ageing
      • Older men also have important grooming needs
  • ACTION: Target Seniors' core values in your marketing
    • Connectedness: use scenes of interaction and social bonding in communications
    • Realism and honesty: use more diverse and authentic representations of beauty
      • Strike a balance between realistic and aspirational messages
      • Target older consumers' psychological age
      • Feature inspirational 'real-life' contemporaries from their generation: reality, not iconography, is likely to produce the best results
    • Realism and honesty: build word of mouth communication strategies to target older consumers
      • Getting trusted professional experts on board can help the WOM process
    • Realism and honesty: target the media savvy older consumer with 'infomercials'
      • Prioritize communication methods that facilitate detailed information
      • They want to see a focus on product efficacy
    • Self-sufficiency: create 'Senior friendly' packaging and product formats
    • Self-sufficiency: show Seniors as capable and sophisticated consumers
      • Communications should play to the positive values of maturity
    • Self-sufficiency: be careful in the use of language in advertising and packaging
    • Personal growth: portray Senior lifestyles positively and communicate their active enjoyment of life
      • Communicate their active enjoyment of life
      • Case-study: Poise focusing on an uplifting message
      • Respect their wisdom and experience
    • Individualism: ensure that products are marketed for their specific needs and preferences
      • Recognize the diversity of attitudes and needs of older consumers
  • ACTION: Target older consumers with indulgent, therapeutic variants
• CHAPTER 4 APPENDIX
  • Supplementary data
  • Definitions
  • Research methodology
  • References
  • How to contact experts in your industry
  • List of Tables
    • Table 1: An overview of per capita personal care consumption value (US$) by age (over 45s vs. under 45s), by country, 2004
    • Table 2: Senior populations in Western Europe and the US, by age, and country, 1999-2009
    • Table 3: Empty Nesters as a percentage of all Seniors, 1999-2009
    • Table 4: Overall number of personal care occasions by age group, Europe and US, 2004-2009 (millions)
    • Table 5: Overall number of 50-plus year old personal care occasions by gender, Europe and US, 2004-2009 (millions)
    • Table 6: Overall number of 50-plus personal care occasions by age (50-64 and 65-plus), by country , 2004-2009 (millions)
    • Table 7: Analysis shows that older consumers aged 45-plus possess similar values and attitudes towards beauty as younger cohorts
    • Table 8: Importance of attributes in making a woman beautiful
    • Table 9: A profile of consumers' (over 45s vs. under 45s) make-up consumption as a % of market total and per capita value (US$), by country, 2004
    • Table 10: A profile of consumers' (over 45s vs. under 45s) skincare consumption as a % of market total and per capita value (US$), by country, 2004
    • Table 11: A profile of consumers' (over 45s vs. under 45s) oral hygiene consumption as a % of market total and per capita value (US$), by country, 2004
    • Table 12: A profile of consumers' (over 45s vs. under 45s) haircare consumption as a % of market total and per capita value (US$), by country, 2004
    • Table 13: The percentage of European and US respondents who agreed that there is now too much choice when making most purchase decisions, 2004
    • Table 14: European and US stress relief/pampering personal care market value, 2003-2008 (€m and US$m)
    • Table 15: The % of European and US consumers who enjoyed small indulgences to escape the pressures of everyday life 'more' or 'significantly more' in 2004
    • Table 16: Over 45s as a % of total population, 1999, 2004 and 2009
    • Table 17: A profile of consumers' (over 45s vs. under 45s) fragrances as a % of market total and per capita value (US$), by country, 2004
    • Table 18: A profile of consumers' (over 45s vs. under 45s) personal hygiene consumption as a % of market total and per capita value (US$), by country, 2004
    • Table 19: Percentage of personal hygiene market value consumption accounted for by 45-54 and 55+ year olds, by category and country, 2004
    • Table 20: Percentage of make-up market value consumption accounted for by 45-54 and 55+ year olds, by category and country, 2004
    • Table 21: Percentage of oral care market value consumption accounted for by 45-54 and 55+ year olds, by category and country, 2004
    • Table 22: Percentage of skincare market value consumption accounted for by 45-54 and 55+ year olds, by category and country, 2004
    • Table 23: Percentage of haircare market value consumption accounted for by 45-54 and 55+ year olds, by category and country, 2004
    • Table 24: Definition of terms
  • List of Figures
    • Figure 1: Per capita consumption of skincare, make-up, personal hygiene, oral hygiene, fragrances and haircare is notably higher for over 45s than under 45s in Europe and the US
    • Figure 2: Older consumers were most likely to have taken active steps to improve their health in 2003-04, highlighting how old age can act as a trigger point towards making new lifestyle choices
    • Figure 3: 50-64 year olds place the most importance on spending time on personal appearance
    • Figure 4: 50-64 year olds' relative dislike of their age can be accounted for by an innate fear of ageing and a desire to maintain a youthful appearance
    • Figure 5: European and US consumers are cynical of the popular portrayals of beauty/physical attractiveness
    • Figure 6: As consumers age they place more importance on advertising featuring characters of their own age
    • Figure 7: The average per capita (US$) make-up consumption value accounted for by the over 45s significantly exceeds that of under 45s per capita consumption
    • Figure 8: The average per capita (US$) skincare consumption value accounted for by the over 45s exceeds that of under 45s per capita consumption
    • Figure 9: The average per capita (US$) oral hygiene consumption value accounted for by the over 45s significantly exceeds that of under 45s per capita consumption
    • Figure 10: The average per capita (US$) haircare consumption value accounted for by the over 45s marginally exceeds that of under 45s per capita consumption
    • Figure 11: Consumers aged 50-64 are the most skeptical of product claims made by packaged goods players
    • Figure 12: Older consumers, distrusting of conventional media, are more likely than their younger counterparts to rely on word of mouth recommendations
    • Figure 13: Older consumers now embody open-minded attitudes and show a similar propensity to other age cohorts in trying new things
    • Figure 14: Older consumers, especially those aged 65 and over, attach more importance than younger cohorts to customized solutions tailored to specific needs
    • Figure 15: Fear of the visible signs of ageing will have the greatest influence on consumers' use of cosmeceuticals
    • Figure 16: Older consumers are marginally more likely to report that they will pay extra for cosmetics and toiletries with active ingredients for their special requirements
    • Figure 17: Stress is a lifestyle problem also relevant to old age
    • Figure 18: Older consumers are more likely to cocoon: they regard their home as a "retreat from the outside world"
    • Figure 19: L'Oreal's Men's Expert line highlights how older consumers can be targeted with an ageless and specific approach
    • Figure 20: There remains an opportunity to develop anti-ageing products for mature consumers specifically
    • Figure 21: These types of advanced cosmeceutical solutions can be aligned with the needs of the mature consumer
    • Figure 22: There are a number of leading-edge innovations that have rightly recognized that older consumers are an important target market for oral beauty solutions
    • Figure 23: There has been a proliferation of food and drink products which also offer beauty benefits
    • Figure 24: Marketers should seek to attract mature consumers with anti-ageing properties in products outside of skincare
    • Figure 25: There are under-exploited opportunities to target mature male consumers with grooming products
    • Figure 26: Marketers should ensure that products and communications are aligned with 5 core values
    • Figure 27: Being connected is an important aspect in making women feel beautiful which is another reason why connectivity is an important value to use in marketing communications
    • Figure 28: Older consumers' aspirational ages reflect their fear of ageing and desire to be younger
    • Figure 29: Images used in the Dove "Real Beauty" campaign capitalize on older consumers' desire for attainable beauty
    • Figure 30: The most effective marketing and advertising channels for personal care over the next five years will be non-traditional and new media
    • Figure 31: Skincare cosmeceuticals aimed at specific body parts will be more important over the next five years
    • Figure 32: Older consumers have an innate desire to pamper and indulge and products such as these can target them accordingly
    • Figure 33: The average per capita (US$) fragrances consumption value accounted for by the over 45s exceeds that of under 45s per capita consumption
    • Figure 34: The average per capita (US$) personal hygiene consumption value accounted for by the over 45s marginally exceeds that of under 45s per capita consumption