CROSS FIRE
CROSS FIRE
MARKETING TO THE OLD : Is The Glass Half Full Or Half Empty ?
By Herman Githinji
Most marketing programs talk about focusing on customers ’ profiles from ‘ cradle to the grave .’ This seems true for the cradle side , but it is the graveside of the matter that I am really concerned about .
How many innovations targeting the old can you talk about ? I understand what happens to the grave ; they actually don ’ t need much innovation because they break your limbs to all manner of shapes to fit in the standard ‘ one fit all ’ coffin .
The old are suffering and marketers are busy innovating funny sticks to take ‘ selfies ’ instead of sticks to help put on socks . Have you ever seen an old man especially one with a potbelly put on socks ?
First , you look at your foot and it really looks about a meter or more away . However much you stretch your hand ; it can only get to the knee . You stand and hop around the house on one leg as the other foot ’ s toe is stuck on the sock that just can ’ t go in . After a few minutes you are on the floor panting like a dying horse and still without socks .
All these starts with the shape your body starts to take when you reach
‘‘ All these starts with the shape your body starts to take when you reach your 40s . You become a calories magnet and all of it sticks around the stomach . The legs may become too weak to fight for food or the veins are no longer bothered to take food to the nether ends of the body . The legs keep getting thinner while the rest of the body keeps rounding out .’’ your 40s . You become a calories magnet and all of it sticks around the stomach . The legs may become too weak to fight for food or the veins are no longer bothered to take food to the nether ends of the body . The legs keep getting thinner while the rest of the body keeps rounding out .
This does not only pose a challenge to walking , but also one for finding nice fitting clothes . Clothes designers do not help matters , what is this fashion craze with “ slim fit ” clothes . To fit in them you need to have flat stomach and a wellbalanced body . Do they know how many millions of people of over forty years they have disfranchised ? I have not given up but every time I try them , I end up taking a suit jacket that is over 5 times larger than the size of the trousers .
The trousers in fashion these days also look funny because they cling to your legs like they fear the environment . They over expose my skinny legs making me look like I am dressed in my son ’ s trousers .
I once tried a shop in Australia
04 MAL 13 / 16 ISSUE