Population aging is not a phenomenon restricted to one country or another. It is a global trend and, in Brazil, is no different. Result of the last census carried out by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) shows that people 60 years or older began to represent 15.6% of the Brazilian population, totaling about 33 million – a growth of 56% over the previous survey of 2010. The portion of people aged 65 or more reached 10.9%, a growth of 57.4%.
We began to live longer and the 50+ generation, a segment that was previously considered low economic relevance, today is already a force of the global market. For entrepreneurs and companies that have not yet noticed this change, it is time to move: The Revolution of Longevity is full steam and ignoring it is to miss the greatest business opportunity of our time.
Mature people are already responsible for more than 20% of national consumption and injects about $ 1.6 trillion in the economy per year. The data also shape a new profile of this population: Today, a person over 50 is synonymous with protagonism, autonomy and willingness to consume. They are demanding consumers, regardless of their formation or purchasing power.
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Consumer 50+ values an active life, conscious consumption, continuous learning, preventive health and significant experiences. What’s more, it is a generation that increasingly adapts to the digital environment, using technology to maintain its autonomy. An audience that connects through social networks and manages your health, finance and entertainment through applications, integrating the digital world into your lifestyle. It is important to note that this integration is done quite uniquely, preserving the particularity of your experiences and also experience for the digital world.
Despite growth and impact on the market, these people are rarely represented in advertising campaigns, deals targeted by products and services or even business models. The options aimed at this audience are scarce, and service in commercial establishments is not always adapted to your needs. By ignoring this segment, companies not only limit opportunities for their brands, but also fail to meet a high potential consumer segment.
Successful initiatives already signal some competitive advantage. In the supplementary health sector, some operators have been developing plans focused on active aging, prevention and home services. In technology, global device manufacturers already consider options with simplified interfaces and accessibility features – even smaller, but it’s already a breakthrough.
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In the financial sector, companies began to observe the potential of the most mature public. Institutions offer humanized and particularized service, retirement consulting and credit solutions with digital interfaces designed tailored to this profile. And there is still room for the launch of increasingly personalized financial products, aiming to ensure financial stability at this stage of life and the realization of dreams.
But client 50+ financial journey still faces barriers. In some cases, the use of technical language, automated care and unimportant or constantly changing processes, rather than facilitating, pushes this audience away. Digital exclusion made by traditional companies is still real, even with the expansion of sales of smartphones and frequent use of application. It is still expected that the customer adapts to companies and not to this audience. For this reason, institutions that prioritize empathic service, simpler communication and adapted products development begin to stand out as a reference for this consumer.
The silver economy is an invitation to innovation, revealing promising markets that call for solutions. I believe there is no area of our economy that has no room to grow and become focused on this audience. The examples are many: service and entertainment, housing, urban mobility, tourism and many others present gaps that, if addressed, will be a gold opportunity for those who dare look beyond.
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By developing products and services that genuinely dialogue with the 50+ generation, companies not only stand out from the competition, but also build a legacy of value and positive impact. To be part of this transformation is to understand that the aging of the population is, in fact, a powerful engine of innovation.
