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Just a generation or two ago, asking people where they got their news and entertainment was a rather straightforward question. Because there were only a handful of answers for the vast majority of adults, it made media planning and advertising decisions straightforward, as well.

This week I had the opportunity to present a webinar on the “Current Media Landscape: How Changes Are Affecting Senior Living Marketing.” Today’s adults spend more time than ever in front of some form of media, because it’s always at our fingertips. But at the same time, we spend less time with any one given media source. Our media appetite hasn’t been reduced, it’s simply become fragmented.

Let me give you two prime examples. This is now the first generation that can turn on a TV to watch exactly the program they want at any time that suits them, thanks to DVRs and on-demand programming. People don’t need to watch the lead-in program while waiting for the show they really want to start. Of course, this trend only works for those who are comfortable with the technology.

Today, people can read the local or national daily news, without picking up anything more than a mouse. It’s easy to go online and find the headlines and stories that interest you most, then jump to links to related content from other media sources. Yet, there remains a devoted following of readers, especially seniors, who want to physically feel the newspaper in their hands each morning.

There has always been a gap between programming that appeals to younger and older audiences. However, fragmentation has turned this gap into a gulf. The media consumption of seniors and their adult children may no longer even cross paths, let alone be similar.

With the increasing influence of the adult child influencer in the decision-making process, we are recommending a more comprehensive, integrated media plan that includes online advertising as a pathway to your website. That first step guides adult children toward information that can help them take the next step of talking to their aging parents about lifestyle options.

The answer to the question of where seniors and adult children get their news and entertainment today isn’t a choice between the newspaper, TV or radio. It’s a complex mix of online and offline channels. Your community needs to be a resource in both spaces, always ready to engage prospects in a conversation through the various media where they are dividing their time.

You can view the full webinar here.

WEBINAR – Current Media Landscape: How Changes Are Affecting Senior Living Marketing from GlynnDevins on Vimeo.

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