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Boomers Are Young at Heart When It Comes to New Media & EntertainmentLAS VEGAS --(Business Wire)-- New Media - and Entertainment in particular - are viewed as the realm of the young. But statistics show that the Boomers' use of new media and entertainment closely mirrors that of Gen X with regard to the internet, cellular and PDA use, gaming and new technology purchases such as HDTV - and that Boomers are willing to spend more than other age groups on technology that they perceive will enhance their lives. Experts in the field of New Media & Entertainment will come together to discuss the products and services that are fulfilling the Boomers' goal of living life to the fullest, and the opportunities they represent for today's marketers at the New Media and Entertainment Panel at the 6th annual Beyond the Numbers: Boomer Market Summit on March 26 and 27 at The Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas. This year's Summit, Boomers 2.0 - Reaching 40+ Consumers Today, addresses the impact of the digital age on the Boomer lifestyle. The two-day Summit provides marketers with business insights and winning strategies from leading experts on how to leverage digital technology and new media to better reach and sell to the boomer market. The New Media and Entertainment panel will be hosted by Mary Brown, co-author of BOOM: Marketing to the Ultimate Power Consumer - the Baby Boomer Woman. Joining Mary on the panel will be Scott Carlis, Executive Director of Marketing for GQ Magazine; Rose Rodd, Senior Director of Corporate Marketing for Palm, Inc.; Ed Beimfohr, Vice President, Retirement Living TV; Tanya Giles, SVP of Research for TV Land; and Robert Raleigh, President, Entertainment Property Group, Mobile Marketing, Inc. "TV Land's extensive Boomer research proves that Boomers have unique demands and needs as consumers, and I'm excited to share the findings with attendees on this year's panel," says Tanya Giles. "Findings from TV Land's New Generation Gap Study and The Joy of Tech Study underscore why marketers need to maintain an ongoing dialogue with the largest generation in U.S. history." Who Speaks for America's Seniors? According to Brad Knight, President of Retirement Living and President of TV and Media for Erickson Retirement Communities, the impact on our economy, healthcare system and government will be enormous as the Boomer generation moves toward retirement. However, there's relatively little information or ideas about what seniors want and need - and a real hunger on the part of seniors for a voice in the media that speaks for and to them. Knight says that Retirement Living TV aims to be that voice, and he discusses the network's plans and goals in this discussion. "The growth of the mature population is unprecedented, without parallel in human history," notes Knight. "In fact, two-thirds of those that have ever lived to age 65 are alive today. Through Retirement Living, we will inform, inspire and involve our viewers in order to improve America's images, attitudes, and perceptions of aging. It's the only minority of which we all will be members." Rounding out the New Media Session will be Dan Rexford, EVP Marketing & Sales for Erickson Retirement Communities, who will discuss how Boomers are using both traditional and new media, and the mistakes and lessons that have been learned along the way. "Reports of the death of the newspaper are highly exaggerated," notes Rexford. "Retirees look forward to the rustle of the paper, the smell of the ink, and the news and enjoyment that a newspaper provides. At the same time, retirees have a deep understanding of the value of staying connected, and while stamps and stationery still have their place, the internet is taking hold fast. Whether emailing family and friends or conducting research via web casts, pod casts or cell phone downloads - with this group the bottom line is that content is still king." Beyond the Numbers: Boomer Market Summit BTN is presented by JWT BOOM: Boomers & Beyond, which specializes in reaching consumers ages 40+, providing results-driven strategy and execution to help clients build profitable and lasting relationships with Boomer and mature consumers. The agency's former Mature Marketing Group becomes part of the new group, which is headquartered in the JWT San Francisco office. "Boomers are the largest and most affluent demographic in U.S. history. With this Boomer market focus, backed by the fully integrated agency services of JWT and the entire global WPP family, we are uniquely positioned to help companies effectively reach and grow their market share of today's most powerful demographic segment," says Lori Bitter, Senior partner for JWT BOOM. Registration for this year's Summit is $1,895, which includes research, general sessions, workshops, clinics, continental breakfasts, keynotes, luncheons, on-going refreshments, receptions and complete conference documentation. Because space is limited, early registration is required. Sponsors of this year's Summit include RL TV and The Erickson Tribune as Title Sponsors. Associate Sponsors include C&R Research, TV Land, ThirdAge, Immersion Active, and Paramount Market Publishing. Getty Images is the Imagery Resource. Visit www.beyondthenumbers.com or call 860-724-2649 x-14 for details and conference registration. |
