4 Ways to Connect with Baby Boomer Music Fans in 2020

It may seem natural to focus on younger generations when marketing concerts and music festivals, but baby boomers are not to be discounted.

Baby boomers came of age with rock and roll, the summer of love, classic soul, disco, and early punk and metal. Now in their mid-50s to early 70s, this group — which includes millennials’ mums and dads — are a vital (and often overlooked) generation for live music.

According to our Aussie Music Fans Report, baby boomers frequent the most live music events:

29% of baby boomers attended more than 15 events in the past 12 months, higher than any other generation surveyed
73% attended a music event in the past month

If you’ve got a show or a festival lineup featuring acts from the 1960s, ’70s, and even ’80s, baby boomers are your target audience. Here are four ways to reach Aussie boomer music fans.

1. Offer VIP prices

Ticket prices may be on the rise, but that’s not an issue for this generation. In Australia, baby boomers are said to control more than half of the nation’s wealth. That means they’re able and willing to shell out hundreds of dollars for tickets to see classic artists from their youth.

What you can do:

Make sure you offer tiered pricing and VIP packages
Offer enhanced experiences, such as VIP seating, artist meet and greets, and take advantage of the opportunity for food and drink partnerships or sponsorships.

2. Use technology, including social media

Boomers may not be digital natives, but just because they grew up with rotary phones doesn’t mean they don’t use the latest tech.

According to a Google study, the internet is the top source of information for baby boomers, outpacing print and television by a substantial margin. Roy Morgan found that 86% of Aussie baby boomers have active Facebook accounts, and 65% use YouTube in an average month.

However, the way they use technology is different from their kids. Our research found that this group is more likely to hear about music events through email newsletters and they are more likely to search for a read online reviews for an event than other generations.

What you can do:

Make sure you have a Facebook page for your venue or festival and include a steady stream of sharing-ready content
Don’t just rely on social media. Create signup forms on your website, build an email database and keep attendees informed of upcoming events
Encourage, share, and respond to glowing reviews of your event to help highlight the experience other boomers have had

3. Don’t call them “seniors”

…or “aged” or “elderly.” Baby boomers don’t need to be reminded of their age, so avoid these anti-buzzwords. That said, there are still steps you can take to make your marketing more engaging for this audience.

What you can do:

Don’t use small fonts that may be hard for boomers to read in your ads, marketing materials, and social media posts
Slower paced video with lots of information will do better than fast-paced videos with lots of visuals

4. Remember: They’re still the “me” generation

The group once dubbed the “me” generation is still as interested in self-fulfilment and self-realisation as ever. In fact, they are the generation most likely to attend a live music event alone. Focus your marketing on selling a must-do experience.

Less than half of boomers are decidedly loyal to brands, but once they find a brand they like, they’ll stick with it. You can use that to your advantage.

What you can do:

Emphasise the experience they’ll have at your show or festival, helping them imagine themselves there
Build trust and repeat business with simple messages that showcase the benefits and highlights of your venue or festival
Use your email database to keep attendees informed and incentivise loyalty. If they’re coming alone, they will jump at the chance to snap up a discounted ticket or early bird pricing without worrying about whether their friends are coming or not.