- With Millennials, Boomers and Even Gen Z
Saying They Feel Middle-Age, New Study Explores How
Different Demographics Perceive and Experience Midlife
-
NEW
YORK, June 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Horizon
Media, the largest U.S. media agency according to Ad Age Data
Center 2023, today released its latest study, "The New Middle Age,"
which indicates that society's definition of middle age is
experiencing its own midlife renaissance. Contrary to the
conventional middle age definitions as being people between 40 and
60 – or what would currently primarily constitute Gen X, the study
finds that people's perception of where this life stage starts and
ends – and their identification with it – varies depending upon
their age. Conducted by the WHY Group, Horizon Media's
intelligence center of excellence, The New Middle Age report
includes the following key findings:
- Middle Age Isn't a Demographic, It's a Feeling:
- 1 in 4 people under 40 and 1 in 5 over 60 said they see
themselves as middle-aged.
o The current middle-aged
audience does not begin and end with Gen X (40's-late 50's), as
portions of Millennials, Boomers, and even Gen Z say they feel
middle-aged.
o Disregarding these perspectives and fixating on
conventional demographics neglect a substantial segment of
potential customers who identify with this cohort in mindset and/or
lifestyle.
o Including them nearly doubles the population of midlife
adults from 48 million to 92 million, as well as nearly
doubles their spending power from $2.6
trillion to $4.5
trillion.
- Anti-Aging Language Is Gendered:
- 70% say they feel pressure to look and act younger than their
age (almost equal among men and women).
o Our analysis
of the most common words and phrases used in media headlines
revealed that despite shared pressure among men and women, media
approaches to "aging well" are gender-coded.
o For men, having a youthful appearance is about showing up
in the world with the vigor, vitality, and swagger of a younger man
– all achievable via biohacking.
o For women, emanating youth is often striving to replicate
the dewy, glowing skin of their younger years to appeal to men –
presented as achievable through pricey, multi-step skincare
regimens.
- Middle Age (Still) Has a Visibility Problem:
- Middle-aged spending makes up roughly 40% of all spending in
the US.
o However, our audit of commercials from
Interbrand's Most Valuable 100 Brands shows that fewer than
20% prominently feature middle-aged people.
o Even fewer reflected the real-life experiences of
middle-aged Americans (vs. simply featuring a middle-aged
spokesperson).
- Marketers Miss This Opportunity: Social ads +
influencers:
- 92% of middle-aged people are using social media
daily.
o The perception and experience of this life
stage are heavily influenced by platforms like Facebook (75%)
and TikTok (50%).
o Still, there's a noticeable gap in strategy as many
marketers fail to tap into the massive influence middle-aged
content creators hold, thus missing an opportunity to authentically
engage with them.
- Loyalty Is Up For Grabs:
- Over 2/3 of middle-aged people say they change brands once
they reach midlife.
o 79% said they are faced with
an overwhelming number of brands to choose from.
o Half say that advertising is out of touch –
signaling that brands need to be more intentional in how they seek
to reach, and most importantly, resonate with them.
"There is a clear disparity between where middle-age as a life
stage now begins and ends, and it is driven by mindset and
experience. So, casting a marketing net based on a
conventional demographic or generational age range no longer works,
unless you're okay leaving almost $2
trillion in expanded spending power on the table," said
Maxine Gurevich, SVP of Horizon's
WHY Group. "Younger respondents tend to think middle-age starts and
ends earlier, while older ones say it starts and ends later. As a
result, brands have a significant opportunity to deliver strategies
that capture attention and foster loyalty based on this
substantially expanded perception of midlife and how and where
people identify themselves within it."
In addition, the study finds that 64% of younger people who feel
middle-aged tend to be parents and have lower incomes and fewer
assets; they're stretched thin on resources and feel that stress is
aging them prematurely. 57% of older people who see themselves as
middle-aged are more often empty nesters who have renewed energy
and resources to focus on themselves for the first time in a long
time. Additionally, the study reveals that a midlife crisis can
happen at any age due to fears and anticipation for the future,
with middle age starting for some when the body stops functioning
smoothly and for others when they begin to settle down with
children and have increased family demands.
Middle age is also not what it used to be, as historical
milestones like first-time home-buying and parenthood are being
postponed to older ages – while breakthrough technology such as
wearable devices, a focus on wellness, and medical innovations are
extending lifespans. The findings also reveal that today's
middle-aged population faces more challenges than those just one
generation ago. All respondents were asked which issues they
felt were more of a factor in the lives of middle-aged people now
vs. those in the prior generation. The results showcase a
significant increase in areas across the board – as varied as
technological advancements (23% then to 82% now), choice paralysis
(21% to 79%), pressure to maintain a youthful appearance (28% to
70%) and economic uncertainty (32% to 72%).
For more findings, as well as recommendations for how brands can
translate these insights into action and engagement, access the
full report at The New Middle Age.
Methodology
In April of 2024, we surveyed 1,000
people, balanced to the US General Population by age, gender region
and income, to understand the impact of being middle-aged on
attitudes, behaviors, spending and brand preferences. We also
conducted an extensive semiotics analysis on entertainment
properties and advertisements to identify coded themes and
narratives. Cultural Intelligence was used to identify relevant
signals while published reports, editorial content, and influencers
were used to contextualize our findings and deepen our
understanding of middle-aged Americans. Social intelligence, in
addition to open-ended survey questions, illuminated the voice of
the consumer and enriched our understanding of experiences through
people's own words. Social intelligence also enabled us to audit
and analyze media focused on aging.
Horizon Media
Horizon Media, the largest U.S. media
agency according to Ad Age Data Center 2023, delivers data-driven
business outcomes for some of the most innovative and ambitious
brands. Founded in 1989, headquartered in New York, and with offices in Los Angeles and Toronto, the company employs 2,400 people and
has media investments of more than $8.5
billion. Horizon Media's fundamental belief is that
business is personal, which drives its approach to connecting
brands with their customers and engaging with its own employees
resulting in industry-leading workplace satisfaction levels
(Glassdoor). The company is consistently recognized by
independent media outlets for its client excellence and has earned
several "Best Workplaces" awards reflecting its commitment to DEI
and the life and well-being of everyone at Horizon Media.
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SOURCE Horizon Media