On 8/10/10 09:12 , J G Miller wrote:
On Mon, 09 Aug 2010 22:25:36 -0700, John Higdon wrote:

That "purchasing habits are well-established by age 50" is the most
ridiculous nonsense I have ever heard in my life.

Not necessarily brands, but the type of products which you buy.

You are still buying automobiles, but it is unlikely that you
are now going to start buying hang-gliders.


Interested you should bring this up. In my ultralight club, only
one member is under 50. And we add new members every year. Of those
of us who own an ultralight, only three bought their first before
the age of 50.

The reasons? Well, discretionary income is higher at this age, so
there is money for it. And after the work-a-day/family grind begins
to fade, adults begin to look at resuming the adventures they put on
hold in their 20's.

A large percentage of pilots come to aviation later in life.
Because the opportunity to invest both the time and the money is now
available.

Now, what DOES seem to be the case, is that 50+ buyers are less
prone to being convinced by quick and dirty advertising, requiring a
more thoughtful, and informative approach to convince them to turn
loose of their cash.

But the priorities that guided the previous generation are not
ours. To borrow a line from Dennis Hopper, 'the generation that
wasn't going to get old...didn't.' The over 50 set is as
adventurous, and prone to taking on new life paths, as the younger,
so-called 'desirable demographics.' And they have greater
discretionary income to spend, and more maturity to guide them in
doing it. In many cases, it wasn't until their 50's, that many
people didn't have their **** together enough to begin new adventures.

That advertisers haven't learned to tap into this wealth is a
tribute to their shortsighted grasp on the limits that guided them
25 years ago.

As Brenda Ann pointed out, times, and the state of the population
has changed. It's time to catch up.