Marketing Forecast from Ad-ology

Marketers may need an update on the long-held notion that older consumers are stingily existing on a fixed income. Many older consumers are grandparents, up to 69.6 million individuals, and these consumers enjoy spending money on their grandchildren. The average grandparent household spends over $300 annually to help out the youngest generation of their family. Marketers who pay attention to where these consumers shop and to their media habits could benefit as the size of the grandparent generation is expected to grow quickly in the next few years.

More moms are comfortable about taking time off work for family vacation this year, but they’re still watching their purse strings, according to a national survey. Almost two-thirds (64%) of the employed moms are optimistic about taking all of their paid vacation days, up from only 57% in 2010. Just as last year, however, most plan to pay for vacations out of current resources instead of using credit. Almost half of the moms in all three generations plan to purchase vacation with monthly savings (44% of baby boomers and Gen X, 46% of Gen Y), followed by tax refunds (28% for Gen Y and X and 11% for boomers). Summer remains the preferred travel season (61% for this year, 57% last year), but spring is growing (32% this year versus 24% in 2010).

According to a new report by The NPD Group, weight loss and living longer are the prime motivators for maintaining healthy eating habits for the younger generations. Living longer and feeling good take on greater importance among older generations; and losing weight is less important to these consumers. Underlying these motivations to eat healthier, are the key lifestyle drivers behind most consumers’ eating decisions – convenience, taste, and affordability. “It comes down to focusing on the motivators for healthier eating. The first step is to make sure that messages are relevant to the group of consumers being targeted as motivations vary by generation,” says Dori Hickey, director of product development at NPD and author of the report. “At the same time, it’s important not to lose sight of the taste, convenience, and value. These are primary drivers of food choice overall for all generations.”

Online retail in the U.S. is expected to continue on a double-digit growth trajectory over the next five years, according to a new forecast from Forrester Research. The independent research firm predicts that U.S. e-commerce spending will reach $278.9 billion by 2015. Forrester’s forecast is based on a 10% compound annual growth rate through 2015, as well as the continuation of several key trends, including the ubiquity of consumer Web usage; their increased familiarity with — and preference for — online shopping; and ever-better e-commerce user experiences. Forrester also credits new online shopping models — and “flash sales” and “daily deal” services in particular — with continuing to generate excitement among shoppers.

Every day, Americans use online tools to gather information, pay bills, communicate with friends, and conduct business. Intuit Health’s second annual Health Care Check-Up Survey shows that they want and expect that same connectivity and convenience from their doctor’s office. Seventy-three percent of Americans surveyed would use a secure online communication solution to make it easier to get lab results, request appointments, pay medical bills, and communicate with their doctor’s office. The convenience of anytime, anywhere access is so important that almost half would consider switching doctors for a practice that offered the ability to communicate and complete important health care tasks online. “Doctors who offer secure online solutions can meet this patient demand while increasing office efficiency and enhancing the doctor-patient relationship,” said Steve Malik, president and general manager of Intuit Health.

As spring approaches, consumers will be driving to garden centers and other retailers of outside equipment and supplies. One specific consumer group, homeowners, might be fixing up their lawns and gardens to improve their prospects of a real estate sale while others are just enjoying the renewed interest in gardening. Either way, marketers of lawn and garden products can appeal to consumers in a variety of ways to increase revenue.