HORIZON MEDIA STUDY FINDS THE NEW MIDDLE AGE IS MUCH MORE THAN A NUMBER: IT'S A FEELING

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Jun 26, 2024, 06:00 ET

- With Millennials, Boomers and Even Gen Z Saying They Feel Middle-Age, New Study Explores How Different Demographics Perceive and Experience Midlife -

NEW YORK, June 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Horizon Media, the largest U.S. media agency according to Ad Age Data Center 2023, today released its latest study, "The New Middle Age," which indicates that society's definition of middle age is experiencing its own midlife renaissance. Contrary to the conventional middle age definitions as being people between 40 and 60 – or what would currently primarily constitute Gen X, the study finds that people's perception of where this life stage starts and ends – and their identification with it – varies depending upon their age. Conducted by the WHY Group, Horizon Media's intelligence center of excellence, The New Middle Age report includes the following key findings:

Middle Age Isn't a Demographic, It's a Feeling:
- 1 in 4 people under 40 and 1 in 5 over 60 said they see themselves as middle-aged.
o The current middle-aged audience does not begin and end with Gen X (40's-late 50's), as portions of Millennials, Boomers, and even Gen Z say they feel middle-aged.
o Disregarding these perspectives and fixating on conventional demographics neglect a substantial segment of potential customers who identify with this cohort in mindset and/or lifestyle.
o Including them nearly doubles the population of midlife adults from 48 million to 92 million, as well as nearly doubles their spending power from $2.6 trillion to $4.5 trillion.
Anti-Aging Language Is Gendered:
- 70% say they feel pressure to look and act younger than their age (almost equal among men and women).
o Our analysis of the most common words and phrases used in media headlines revealed that despite shared pressure among men and women, media approaches to "aging well" are gender-coded.
o For men, having a youthful appearance is about showing up in the world with the vigor, vitality, and swagger of a younger man – all achievable via biohacking.
o For women, emanating youth is often striving to replicate the dewy, glowing skin of their younger years to appeal to men – presented as achievable through pricey, multi-step skincare regimens.
Middle Age (Still) Has a Visibility Problem:
- Middle-aged spending makes up roughly 40% of all spending in the US.
o However, our audit of commercials from Interbrand's Most Valuable 100 Brands shows that fewer than 20% prominently feature middle-aged people.
o Even fewer reflected the real-life experiences of middle-aged Americans (vs. simply featuring a middle-aged spokesperson).
Marketers Miss This Opportunity: Social ads + influencers:
- 92% of middle-aged people are using social media daily.
o The perception and experience of this life stage are heavily influenced by platforms like Facebook (75%) and TikTok (50%).
o Still, there's a noticeable gap in strategy as many marketers fail to tap into the massive influence middle-aged content creators hold, thus missing an opportunity to authentically engage with them.
Loyalty Is Up For Grabs:
- Over 2/3 of middle-aged people say they change brands once they reach midlife.
o 79% said they are faced with an overwhelming number of brands to choose from.
o Half say that advertising is out of touch – signaling that brands need to be more intentional in how they seek to reach, and most importantly, resonate with them.

"There is a clear disparity between where middle-age as a life stage now begins and ends, and it is driven by mindset and experience. So, casting a marketing net based on a conventional demographic or generational age range no longer works, unless you're okay leaving almost $2 trillion in expanded spending power on the table," said Maxine Gurevich, SVP of Horizon's WHY Group. "Younger respondents tend to think middle-age starts and ends earlier, while older ones say it starts and ends later. As a result, brands have a significant opportunity to deliver strategies that capture attention and foster loyalty based on this substantially expanded perception of midlife and how and where people identify themselves within it."

In addition, the study finds that 64% of younger people who feel middle-aged tend to be parents and have lower incomes and fewer assets; they're stretched thin on resources and feel that stress is aging them prematurely. 57% of older people who see themselves as middle-aged are more often empty nesters who have renewed energy and resources to focus on themselves for the first time in a long time. Additionally, the study reveals that a midlife crisis can happen at any age due to fears and anticipation for the future, with middle age starting for some when the body stops functioning smoothly and for others when they begin to settle down with children and have increased family demands.

Middle age is also not what it used to be, as historical milestones like first-time home-buying and parenthood are being postponed to older ages – while breakthrough technology such as wearable devices, a focus on wellness, and medical innovations are extending lifespans. The findings also reveal that today's middle-aged population faces more challenges than those just one generation ago. All respondents were asked which issues they felt were more of a factor in the lives of middle-aged people now vs. those in the prior generation. The results showcase a significant increase in areas across the board – as varied as technological advancements (23% then to 82% now), choice paralysis (21% to 79%), pressure to maintain a youthful appearance (28% to 70%) and economic uncertainty (32% to 72%).

For more findings, as well as recommendations for how brands can translate these insights into action and engagement, access the full report at The New Middle Age.

Methodology
In April of 2024, we surveyed 1,000 people, balanced to the US General Population by age, gender region and income, to understand the impact of being middle-aged on attitudes, behaviors, spending and brand preferences. We also conducted an extensive semiotics analysis on entertainment properties and advertisements to identify coded themes and narratives. Cultural Intelligence was used to identify relevant signals while published reports, editorial content, and influencers were used to contextualize our findings and deepen our understanding of middle-aged Americans. Social intelligence, in addition to open-ended survey questions, illuminated the voice of the consumer and enriched our understanding of experiences through people's own words. Social intelligence also enabled us to audit and analyze media focused on aging.

Horizon Media
Horizon Media, the largest U.S. media agency according to Ad Age Data Center 2023, delivers data-driven business outcomes for some of the most innovative and ambitious brands. Founded in 1989, headquartered in New York, and with offices in Los Angeles and Toronto, the company employs 2,400 people and has media investments of more than $8.5 billion. Horizon Media's fundamental belief is that business is personal, which drives its approach to connecting brands with their customers and engaging with its own employees resulting in industry-leading workplace satisfaction levels (Glassdoor). The company is consistently recognized by independent media outlets for its client excellence and has earned several "Best Workplaces" awards reflecting its commitment to DEI and the life and well-being of everyone at Horizon Media.

SOURCE Horizon Media