Grandparenthood and cognitive age: key variables for targeting the over-50 market

The growing importance of older consumers (aged 50 and above) is evident to marketers in Europe, North America and parts of south east Asia and Australasia. Increasingly, many companies that provide goods and services for children are targeting grandparents in the older consumer market to purchase these goods and services for their grandchildren. Recent marketing literature on the grandparent-grandchild relationship tends to focus solely on the grandchild, and little is known about the impact the relationship has on the grandparent. This paper presents findings from the first empirical study (n = 650) undertaken in the United Kingdom that examines the relationship from the grandparent's perspective, and specifically what effects it has on the grandparent's cognitive age. The results are discussed and recommendations are made for marketing strategy.