There has been talk for a long time about the aging of the world’s population. The United Nations indicates that around 1 billion people are over 60 years old today. And it is expected that in 2030 these will go from the current 962 million to 1,400, for an increase of 46%.
I mention this topic because it strikes me that a large amount of the advertising we are exposed to today is directed at young people.And the number of adult and older consumers who are in the market is not negligible.
Let’s go with local data
In 2022, Unimer prepared a study for the Costa Rican Gerontological Association (Ageco) where a total of 1,100 people over 60 years of age from across the country were interviewed. The work was called Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).
Today I wanted to point out some of its main findings that seem to me to be useful data for not only commercial strategies, but also for planning the country in general:
85% use the Internet and electronic devices: 88% men and 81% women use the Internet and 97% women and 95 men have smart cell phones.
The applications most used by them are: Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp for interaction. In the case of recreation, YouTube and Netflix rank first.
Most of them carry out the activities on their own, which strengthens their participation in different spaces, as well as the possibility of people living autonomously.
It is striking that, of the people who said they sought assistance mainly from their relatives to be able to use the technology, 90% are women and 78% are men.
Social interaction, recreation and even training are the main motivators for using technology.
Call of attention
In today’s digital age, business and digital strategies cannot ignore this demographic, especially considering the purchasing power and influence they possess in the market.
From purchasing products and services for themselves to purchasing decisions for their families and loved ones, this group has a significant impact on the economy.Furthermore, by taking into account they are not only collaborating with the issue of social and digital inclusion but can open new avenues for growth and expansion in an increasingly diverse market.
