The 2010 Census found that about 122 million Americans – nearly 40 percent of the country's population — were at least 45 years old. Those statistics speak well of the future for Varsity, a Harrisburg marketing agency focused exclusively on what it calls “the mature market.”
Varsity's 50 employees work for clients as diverse as retirement communities, home health-care companies and manufacturers of bathroom equipment. It recently added six new clients to its list, stretching its reach from the East Coast to Hawaii.
Understanding baby boomers and their parents requires a lot of research and insight, says John Bassounas, Varsity's director of client services. “This is an audience that understands when they're being talked down to,” he says. “This is an audience that is sort of misunderstood.”
That's why Varsity puts special effort into learning about how older Americans tick, once going as far as assigning two researchers to live in retirement communities for 30 days. And there are plenty of differences among older adults, notably between baby boomers and their parents. While digital marketing is becoming more important for Varsity's clients, some are also targeting people who are most easily reached by direct mail. Plus, as baby boomers research possible retirement communities and home-care options for their parents, they are becoming more informed about choices that will be available to them later.
Varsity's name refers to a school's best sports teams and reflects how it regards older Americans. “Being older is a good thing because you have lots of experience on your side,” Bassounas says.
Source: John Bassounas, Varsity
Writer: Rebecca VanderMeulen
