Marketing Energy to Senior Consumers

CHAPTER 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Introduction

Being over 50

Segmenting the over-50s

Communicating with the over-50s

Key findings

Action points

CHAPTER 2 INTRODUCTION

What is this report about?

Who is the target reader?

How to use this report

CHAPTER 3 BEING OVER 50

Introduction

Key findings

What does it mean when a consumer turns 50?

Life changing events after 50

Being over 50 is changing

CHAPTER 4 SEGMENTING THE OVER-50S

Introduction

Key findings

Size and growth of the entire '50+' segment

Segmentation by income and wealth

Segmenting seniors by age

Segmenting by lifestyle

Lifestyle drivers: age and period effects

CHAPTER 5 COMMUNICATING WITH THE OVER-50S

Introduction

Key findings

Talk to them in person

If you cannot speak to them in person, send them a magazine

A youthful advertising industry does not understand senior consumers

Avoiding marketing myths

Showing seniors with pride

Summary

CHAPTER 6 ACTION POINTS

Introduction

What to look out for

Why utilities need to pay attention

How to communicate with them

Developing the home services market

Design products for them

CHAPTER 7 APPENDIX

Energy writing team

How to contact experts in your industry

List of Tables

Table 1: Proportion of EU population contracting various types of loan in 2000 - the over 55s contract fewer non mortgage loans than any other age category

Table 2: 50 - 59 year olds - how many millions will be in employment?

Table 3: 60 - 69 year olds - fewer of them work, but the changes are going to be more dramatic

Table 4: 70 - 84 year olds - huge increases from a tiny base, except in Italy

Table 5: The average age of first time mothers - soon it will be 30

Table 6: Proportion of Europeans living alone - i.e. bill payers

Table 7: Europeans participating in various activities in a typical week, by age (%), 2002

Table 8: European life expectancy forecasts by country (5 year averages) - we are going to live longer

Table 9: Average income for three age groups - 50 - 64 is the richest category, but the over 65s are the poorest

Table 10: Distribution of population by income group by age and country, (%) 2002

Table 11: The effectiveness of different channels of communication

Table 12: An analysis of product categories featuring 50-plus models in advertisements

Table 13: Reported likely take up rates of electrical wiring insurance - the older people get, the less likely they are to take it

Table 14: Percentage of each age category saying that they would buy boiler and heating insurance

Table 15: Plumbing and drainage - the same story

List of Figures

Figure 1: Mega-lifestage durations - later adulthood is the most protracted lifestage of them all

Figure 2: Young Adults' financial and residential reliance on parents

Figure 3: Youthful seniors

Figure 4: Over-50s as a percentage of total population in Europe - already, nearly 40% of women are over 50, in two decades, nearly 50% will be

Figure 5: The period effect - attitudes diverge in later life

Figure 6: The age segments, the formative period and the values they have imbibed

Figure 7: Distribution of seniors

Figure 8: Across Europe, people prefer to talk to their utility in person

Figure 9: The story is little different in the UK

Figure 10: Self referential creative processes