Boomers Suffer No Fools

Does AARP Like Boomers? Don’t miss the lively and surprisingly unified answer to generational marketing authority Brent Green’s provocative question at the LinkedIn Group “Boomers: Aging Beats the Alternative.”

When you read the following quotes, keep in mind the multi-millions AARP has invested in understanding the Boomer’s mind, motivations and aspirations.  What they, and many marketers tend to overlook, is how informed, knowledgeable and opinionated at least the educated, leading edge of the Boomer generation are.  In other words, we see right through all the pretty pictures and words and ask for nothing more than that those who aim to catch our attention tell it to us straight—oh yes, and with respect.

Green’s insightful analysis of AARP’s “ambiguous relationship” with Baby Boomers, inspired by the Dec/Jan issue of AARP: The Magazine can be found here.

But don’t miss the comments that appear HERE.  Following are not so much highlights as apocryphal examples of how 50+ feel about “their” organization.

AARP is actually an insurance company; Some [most] people don’t realize this.

“After three or four years, I grew disgusted with the self-absorbed focus of an organization that lobbies for its own interests instead of representing the needs of its diverse membership. After their arrogant-sounding ‘you’ve earned a say’ campaign during which one of their VPs and I corresponded, I had enough. (What do you mean, I’ve EARNED a say. YOU, AARP should feel fortunate that I’m willing to say anything. How about this campaign slogan for AARP? We want to EARN a RIGHT to HEAR what YOU have to SAY. “

“If comments here reflect a valid sample of opinions about AARP nationwide, then the organization has some serious branding problems that go way beyond alleged institutional biases against the Boomer cohort. Quite interesting. “
 

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 Contact Carol Orsborn,Ph.D. at Carol@fiercewithage.com.

 


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About Carol Orsborn

Carol Orsborn, Ph.D. has written over 30 books including her critically-acclaimed Older, Wiser, Fiercer: The Wisdom Collection and The Spirituality of Age: A Seeker’s Guide to Growing Older with Dr. Robert L. Weber, which was awarded Gold in the Nautilus Book Awards in the category of Aging Consciously. She is founder and curator of Fierce with Age: The Archives of Boomer Wisdom, Inspiration and Spirituality housed at CarolOrsborn.com. She is host of the 2 leading book clubs in the field of conscious aging: Sage-ing International's live, virtual The Sage-ing Book Club and the in-person Conscious Aging Book Club, sponsored by Parnassus Books, Nashville. She received her doctorate in the History and Critical Theory of Religion from Vanderbilt University with specialization in the areas of adult spiritual development and ritual studies.