People spend their whole lives working towards retirement, but once they get there they do not know what to do with all that time which is exactly what is happening for the Senior Generation. From a marketing perspective, I find this generation very interesting because they typically have nothing but time to fill and money to spend; this is an ideal combination for marketers.
I spent a morning at Chapters browsing through books and household products when I saw an older gentleman standing around looking like he did not want to be shopping. He caught my eye because I thought why on earth would this man be at Chapters and 10 in the morning on a Wednesday if he did not what to be there. I found my answer when I heard a woman yell “Carl!” and my target acted quickly and followed her throughout the store.
As I followed Carl throughout the store, it became clear that he was there because his wife was looking for a particular book, that Chapters, unfortunately, did not carry. I overheard his wife say to Carl, that she would check the library which I found interesting because a younger generation’s next step would be to go to Amazon or another online store. As he stayed longer and longer in the store he became more interested in the books and products around him; he paid particular attention to biographical books and books on cooking healthy foods.
As a marketing student, I found Carl’s adventure in Chapters so interesting that I decided to create a consumer profile for Carl, with a focus on decision making and buying behaviors. Here is a psychographic, demographic and geographic analysis of Carl:
Shopping for Carl is most definitely a job, not an adventure. He is a cross between an apathetic consumer and an economic shopper. Carl does not like to shop; he has worked hard for his money, and he feels as though spending on unnecessary items cannot be justified. However, just like everybody else, Carl has needs when he does decide to shop he is always searching for the best value and wants to make sure he is spending his money wisely. Carl evaluates all of his purchases based on his needs rather than his wants. There is one exception and that is the hardware store.
In terms of product disposal, Carl would get rid of the product permanently. He would most likely pass the item down to one of this children or grandchildren. As a secondary option, Carl would donate the unwanted item.
I purchased a magazine that Carl might purchase called Saveur. I felt as though this magazine would catch his eye because right now Carl is quite bored and is looking for new activities while at the same time trying to be more conscious of the foods he eats. This issue of Saveur has a focus on grilling, which is considered ‘manly’ cooking according to Carl’s values. This magazine would align with Carl’s ideal self because he is currently interested in trying new things, and this magazine aligns with whom he wants to become. Here are two ads that I found in the magazine:
Overall I found Carl to be a very interesting subject. The golden years of retirement are a struggle for many, and I hope that Carl is able to find peace because he deserves it after all his hard work.
TASHA LYNN 