Baby Boozers
Brands are starting to wake up to the Boomer audience they largely ignore. It's a small step but something that major alcohol producers ignore for the most part.
Hats off to Michelob Ultra who created a Superbowl spot with Catherine O'Hara (71) and Willem Dafoe (69).
Great for two reasons:
They cast older people in a beer commercial
They showed them challenging all comers to Pickleball matches with the reward of a Michelob Ultra (Active, competitive Boomers versus befuddled, stay at home family carers)
Why is this so overdue?
While Gen Z & Millennials go "California Sober" and scale back on alcohol consumption Boomers are headed in the opposite way:
Sightlines (An industry publication) stated Boomers account for 40% of alcohol consumption.
Drizzly (now Uber Eats) reported just over a year ago that Boomers account for 47% of liquor sales and 41% of wine sales.
Gallop reported that of those 55+, we have seen an increase in penetration for alcohol consumption:
49% reported they drink alcohol in 2010
59% reported they drink alcohol now
There is an opportunity market largely ignored who are spending money. And why is it that a beer brand is doing what wine & spirits brands should be doing as Boomers don't skew as heavily in the beer category. But it raises the question again, if this audience makes up 40% of your sales why are you not talking to them? Why is Michelob Ultra a rare campaign?
Michelob Ultra grabbed the chance to target them AND to show them in a way that felt real and relatable. I for one will be raising a glass of Michelob Ultra.
While Millennials and Gen Z are your future growth opportunity why not harvest some of the opportunity that exists right now?
In Michelob Ultra's case they are showing a discerning audience looking for premium experiences. Quality over quantity. And showing them in a relatable way
Over to you #Diageo, #PernodRicard, #BrownForman, #Heineken, #ConstellationBrands
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