Few brands in Asia make senior citizens and retirees a key target market. Maybe they should plan on doing so. In the West, the over 55’s are being rediscovered as a target group by the media, business and advertising.

Reinventing retirement

As Asia ages, the grandmas and grandpas as we know them today will be very different from those in the next decade. They are likely to be healthier and to seek an active life.

In research into the psychographics of middle-class senior citizens in Hong Kong, Manifesto found that products and services which promise a more meaningful retirement were very popular. The motivations behind new product adoption of course vary (click on chart to enlarge image).

Senior products and services

That said, it would be great to see Adidas designing groovy granny shoes, Sony launching designer gadgets with larger buttons and Club Med catering to groups of seniors.

Which test markets would Adidas tap into first?

What would some good test markets for innovative products and services catering to Asian retirees?

While Japan has the largest proportion of over 55’s, the spread of this segment as well as the country’s unique cultural features make it less attractive as a test market. Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea, with their highly urbanised and relatively larger aging populations, make for good possibilities.

If Adidas does take up the idea, we would be the first in line for those granny shoes in about 20 years.

For more information, please contact Manifesto.