Good news Boomers! You won't be totally 'losing it' as you get older.
According to research from Nielsen Neurofocus, a research company that studies how people's brains respond to advertising, packaging, products, and shopping experiences, some neural decline is inevitable and handling visual or verbal complexity becomes more challenging with aging. On the positive side, older people have broader attention spans and are more emotionally balanced.
Also, refuting the traditional belief that older brains cannot learn and adapt, the neuroscience research suggests that the mature brain retains plasticity, or the ability to change as a result of experience, even at a late stage in life.
"The brain is far more adaptable than we thought," Caroline Winnett, chief marketing officer of Nielsen Neurofocus, told Advertising Age. "So the old paradigm that you get old and your brain and all your neurons die is completely getting shot down by new research."
The seven-year-old company, which clamps EEG-tracking caps on its subject's heads to gain some of its data, has focused most of its efforts on the key 18-49 buying group but has done enough clamping to offer some insight into Boomer's brains. AdAge noted that Nielsen data shows that Boomers account for only 25 percent of the U.S. population but 70 percent of the net worth, making them a critical buying segment even in old age.
NeuroFocus' findings and suggestions, according to a press release, include:
- Mature brains have better control over their emotions and attend more to positive advertising messages. Marketers should emphasize upbeat messages and acknowledge what boomers will gain, not what they'll lose.
- Although mature brains occasionally struggle with recalling information, they actually have broader attention spans than that of their younger counterparts, allowing them to absorb more nuanced messaging. Marketers can help the boomer brain by creating mnemonic triggers for their brand or product to make them easier to recall.
- Boomer brains process information differently, as they may ignore messages and images that are too cluttered, or scene changes that are too rapid. While the messaging can be complex, the delivery and format should be simple.
- The boomer generation doesn't want to feel old or be treated as such. Marketers should avoid stereotypes and steer clear of messages that feature older people. Boomers want to be spoken to intelligently and honestly.
Research also found that while having 'broader' attention spans, mature brains are more easily distracted than younger craniums. But that can be overcome by keeping the brain active. One recent study found "immediate structural brain changes in the over-55 brain through a very short series of video games designed to improve focus," Mr. Winnett told AdAge.