It's Time To Expand Demographics To Include Alpha Boomers...

Alpha boomers are the fastest-growing demographic in the country, reports Maureen Callahan of the New York Post. Alan Wurtzel, president of research at NBC Universal (pending new corporate name) puts the growth of the 55 to 64 year old demo in prospective: "Every seven seconds, somebody turns 55." Yet advertisers almost completely ignore the demographic. "The most coveted demo remains 18-34," says Judann Pollack, executive editor of Ad Age. No media form is affected as much as television but radio could use an expansion of demographics desperately. It would help save the medium that faces its most competitive era ever...

No one wants to accept aging. It's easier for advertisers to ignore the inevitable but alpha boomer numbers are too impressive to ignore. "AB's make up half the population and spend more money on goods and services - nearly $2 trillion - than any other age group. They buy more technology and gadgets - 40% of the market - than any other demo. They drive elections, accounting for the biggest voting blocs in both 2008 and 2010. Alpha boomers have the second-highest median household income, at $69,000, trailing only the 35-44 age group ($75,000). They own the most second homes in the nation. They largely share the same tastes in online usage as the 18-34s, ranking Facebook and YouTube among their favorite sites and they buy at least one product online per month. They own more iPads and smartphones than any other demo and record and watch more programming on their DVRs than anyone else. They are less loyal to brands than Gen Xers." They should be highly coveted but are not...

It's inevitable that the 55-64 year old demo will be accepted, there's too much additional revenue to gain to ignore much longer. If not now - when?

10 Timeline Memories:
1.1848] Solid Gold: James W. Marshall discovers a gold nugget at Sutter’s Mill in Northern California. This discovery leads to the gold rush of ‘49…
2.1899] Step on it: Humphrey O'Sullivan patents the rubber heal. The city of Akron, Ohio makes the most of it...
3.1922] You scream, I scream: Iowan Christian K. Nelson patents the Eskimo Pie. He decides to change corn, the original ingredient, to ice cream. True...
4.1965] 'Happy Trails': Winston Churchill passes away in London, the results of an earlier stroke. Churchill was 90...1993] Retired Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall dies from heart failure at 84...
5.1980] Buy low, sell high: Original Mets owner Joan Whitney Payson sells the team to Nelson Doubleday and Fred Wilpon for a reported $21.1 million, the most ever paid for a major league franchise at the time. In 2002 Wilpon will get full control of the team, buying Doubleday's shares...
6.1989] Electric avenue: Confessed serial killer Ted Bundy is put to death in Florida’s electric chair for the 1978 kidnapping and killing of Kimberly Leach…
7.1994] Krafty buy: New England businessman Robert Kraft buys the Patriots for $172 million. During his tenure as owner the Pats have won 3 Super Bowls. When he bought the Pats they had a losing record...
8.1995] Marcia, Marcia, Marcia: The prosecution, lead by Marcia Clark, gives its opening statement in the O.J. Simpson double-murder trial.
9.2003] My coloring book: The Department of Homeland Security begins operations under Tom Ridge...
10.2010] Earthquake Fallout: The Haitian government announces the death toll has reached 150,000 in the capital of Port-au-Prince alone...

R.I.P.
Jack LaLanne, fitness guru, has died from respiratory failure resulting from pneumonia at the age of 96. LaLanne opened his first gym in 1936...

Music Memories:

• 1962] The Beatles' skipper: Brian Epstein becomes the Beatles' manager. Brian cleans up their image by putting them in suits...
• 1970] Gunned down: James 'Shep' Sheppard (Heartbeats, Shep and the Limelites) is found murdered in his car on the Long Island Expressway...
• 2003] Going to Hall: Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" and Peter, Paul & Mary's "Blowin' in the Wind" are among 21 new additions to the Grammy Hall of Fame...

Events:
The Smokin' Hit Songwriters Seminar/Retreat will be held March 18 - 20, 2011. The 3-day event will take place at Jim Oliver's Smoke House, 850 W. Main Street in Monteagle (TN) starting at 6:30pm - March 20 at 1pm. For additional information, click here...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Mary Lou Retton (43), Nastassja Kinski (50), Yakov Smirnoff (60), Aaron Neville (70), Neil Diamond (70), Ray Stevens (72) & Ernest Borgnine (94)...

Timeline Countdown: 13 days until Super Bowl XLV, 20 days until pitchers and catchers report, 21 days until Valentines Day & 28 days until Presidents' Day...