Beyoncé’s performance during halftime of last Sunday’s Super Bowl was something of an anomaly. Not the lip-sync part or the power outage, but because she is well under 50 years of age. Unlike most of the Super Bowl performers of the past three decades, Beyoncé along with Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake back in 2004 are in the younger demos.
It’s not usually that way. During most years, entertainment at “The Big Game” has been provided (at no charge, by the way) by performers outside of the so-called 25-54 “sweet spot.”
Wikipedia provides more detail and depth than you could ever want about halftime shows of the past at this link.
But it struck me as more than a little ironic that advertisers will enthusiastically throw nearly $4 million at a :30 spot on a Sunday evening in February to be entertained by aging Baby Boomers prancing on a stage at a filled stadium. And at the same time, there is growing trepidation about investing in many of these same performers who make up the Mt. Rushmore of artists on Classic Rock and Classic Hits stations across the country.
While the Super Bowl committee scours the music industry to determine the very best entertainers possible for this bigger-than-life football game, more often than not the answer has been Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, the Who, the Stones and other mature, proven artists that make up the foundation of successful Classic Rock stations everywhere. None of these performers is anywhere near the 25-54 safe zone, but they have a proven track record of music sales and concert success that is second to none.
And yet the cognitive dissonance sets in when strategic discussions about radio focus on our own version of “the fiscal cliff.” Our cliff is age-focused and the fall-off point is people 55 years of age and over – the heart of the Baby Boom – the folks who have powered the American economy for decades, and thanks to better health care, will do so for years to come.
I shared a meal with one of our industry’s smartest research and marketing experts last week. He told me that it’s just a matter of time before the 35-64 year-old demographic becomes the industry standard because of their sheer numbers and their spending power. I’ve heard that line before. In fact, I’ve heard it for years. And the result is the same – once you’re over 54, you’re toast.
Except at the Super Bowl.
So think about that disconnect between how advertising agencies determine value for their clients on the one hand, and what gets mega-ratings on television in a storied football game every February on the other. The two things should be connected but for some reason they aren’t.
Perhaps with a unified ratings industry moving forward, TV and radio will work together to show the value of aging Boomers to the U.S. economy and businesses everywhere.
“The demographic cliff” killed the Oldies format, and if we don’t make that case, Classic Rock is next.
Thanks to Arbitron’s Dr. Ed Cohen for this post’s inspiration.
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I’ve heard the “35-64 is the new 25-54” pitch for a long time now. In the words of Herman Cain, “…aint gonna happen”.
I think iconic Classic Rock acts probably give the best bang for the buck in a one size fits all mega viewing event like the super bowl. But 35-64 as the prime demo? It kills a lot of boomers who have spent their lives being the focus of major marketers, but they have aged out of the consumer spending sweet spot.
45-60 used to be the prime earning years. Not any more. How many people in their 50s can say that their income is higher now (in inflation adjusted dollars) than its ever been. And most boomers are putting kids through college right about now.
I have to agree with the crowd here. Boomer’s incomes have peaked and are declining. And the ones who haven’t hit that reality should save whatever extra they are bringing in because their personal fiscal cliff is coming.
Are you making more now than you did when you were 25-54? Just sayin…
Maybe, but when you keep running into college grads working as baristas saddled with student loans, I’ll take Boomers looking for retirement homes, buying new cars, and still spending a lot of money on everything. I think the bottom line is that while an emphasis on younger demos and introducing them to brands is good business, their parents are still spending like it’s going out of style. Both groups should be part of the agency mix. Appreciate your comment and ongoing readership of the blog, Bob.
Take a look at Media Audit for any boomer-targeted station and I can almost guarantee you it will reinforce the fact that this generation still has the greatest spending power. I am regularly perplexed by advertisers— particularly those selling big ticket items like home improvement and automobiles—making buys based on 18-34 or 18-49, when it is clear that most likely the only people able to afford those products are baby-boomers. If nothing else, sheer size alone should force this issue. In most markets about one out of three people are over 50.
David, thanks for the comments and the additional fodder. Advertisers miss a huge opportunity to appeal to well-heeled, confident consumers who have been there and done all that when they assume that Boomers aren’t prime targets. Appreciate you taking the time.