Today, 11,000 visitors will physically stream into Belgium for Tomorrowland, with many more attending virtually. And as I see all the local marketing efforts towards them, I really start to realize that I am part of the Lost Demographic.

I am at the very end of the Baby Boomers, and a good 15+ years from retirement, but find that my demographic is not interesting to marketers anymore.  I am not retiring, still having my teeth, hair and (somewhat) eyesight.  But going to a weekend festival with a tent is not for me either. I have a decent middle class income, and between myself and my husband, a decent joint income.  But products and services are not customized for my needs, and frequently ignore my existence.

In searching on this topic, I found an interesting Canadian article from 2006 that highlights the issue.   We are somewhat between empty nesters (adults 50+), and  wealthy baby boomers (40-60+).  We do not necessarily have that much disposable income (thank you banking crises), but spend our money on experiences and valuable products/services that are not cheap and flimsy.  We like to be pampered, but disdain ostentatious trappings of wealth.

I see a missed opportunity here for marketers. They forget that the baby boom spanned 18+ years, and assume we are all pining after the same things.  This article calls us “Generation Jones”, and illustrates our feelings that we should be saving for retirement, but with so many current requirements, there’s nothing left over and most of our spend goes to consumer goods.

Any one for a missed opportunity?  😉