Why are the pre-boomers the forgotten generation?

Website design By BotEap.comFirst, few people know the definition of pre-boomers. We are those of us born between 1930 and 1945, from the start of the Great Depression to the end of World War II. Second, no one seems to know how many pre-boomers there are. The latest estimate is over 30 million, which is three times as many as the rest of the 65+ population. And finally, what is special about pre-boomers? As a sandwich generation, we are the bridge between the so-called Biggest Generation and the Baby Boomers.

Website design By BotEap.comWe don’t remember the pain of depression, but most of us have vivid memories of World War II and the years immediately after. For the most part, we were too young for Korea and too old for Vietnam. We are not marching in the streets for civil rights, women’s rights or to protest any war. What we did was grow up believing that the United States was the best land in the world and believing in the opportunities it offered to those of us who worked hard to get ahead. So we were the driving force behind what ultimately became the longest period of peacetime prosperity in the nation’s history. Oh, and don’t forget, we invented rock and rock too.

Website design By BotEap.comOur elders (parents, teachers, and community) taught us to be patriotic, believe in others, and believe in ourselves. We still cherish these lessons and practice them to the best of our ability. It was the pre-boomers who taught the boomers, but at some point they didn’t hold on to American values ​​like we did. The “me generation” became the status symbol and the “plus” generation. This pleased marketers of goods and services, and when the boomers came of age, there was a large group of consumers eager to buy what others were selling. I know, because I was one of the marketers who targeted baby boomers and then wrote a book on marketing to them, “The 50+ Boomer: Your Key to 76 Million Consumers.”

Website design By BotEap.comAfter retiring a few years ago, I have continued to research and write about marketing topics. In doing so, I realized how people underestimated my generation. Marketers, advertisers, the media, you name it; they just forgot about the pre-boomers. A quick search of websites or online articles shows that few are directed at my peers. Yes, there are people who write to “seniors” about investments, real estate, retirement plans, and insurance; but there’s not much in the way of current events or nostalgic interests specifically for pre-boomers. In fact, most people use pre-boomer and boomer interchangeably; not all but enough to indicate that they do not have an understanding of the audience they are trying to reach.

Website design By BotEap.comSo I decided to start a blog to reach out to my generation with thoughts, comments, and opinions. My hope is to spark thought, encourage discussion, and stimulate debate on a variety of topics, including nostalgia for our times. Pre-bommermusings.com has been around for a few months. The reception has been heartwarming, but I’m looking to engage more of us with more dialogue on more topics.

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