You see I happen to be a card carrying member of the Baby Boomers.
But as I continue on the path through the second half of my sixth decade I have ceased to be of importance to the advertising world.
I no longer exist.
Now in a way I should be happy that I will not be bombarded with bombastic ads repeating ridiculously childish phrases but I cannot help but feel slighted.
In fact one particular television commercial leaves me wishing I could drive head on into the makers of the product.
And judging by most commercials I see on the boob tube advertisers must think our children are morons.
I am in the prime of my life with my earning power near its peak. But while the government seems to have no qualms about dipping its grubby little fingers into my pocket my money is no longer sought after by big business.
Recently I was contacted by a telemarketer asking if I would be interested in taking part in a focus group to discuss single cup coffee makers.
I happen to own the particular brand that was conducting the survey and that excited the caller who coincidently is my cousin.
I was to receive $75 for an hour of my time and while that’s not the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me it is not totally unpleasant.
But first I was asked a couple of ‘background questions’ which is an ‘adspeak’ euphemism for weeding out undesirables.
And that’s when it all went south.
“You’re 58?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Are you really? I can’t believe you’re 58!”
“Hello. I’m 58. So what?”
“I’m sorry but you’re too old.”
First off I cannot believe my cousin did not know I was over the hill with one foot in the grave but what really bothered me was I had already spent that money.
She explained that the company running the focus group felt that anyone over 54 was out of focus.
Well focus this!
I still buy stuff.
And many of my contemporaries do as well.
In fact at our age we sometimes buy things for no apparent reason.
Maybe an ad made us do it.
And just who do they think can afford to buy their frivolous over-priced products anyway?
I bought this particular unit 2 years ago.
I was 56.\
Should I return it?
I was too old to know anything about those things.
Perhaps my owning one hurts the company’s image.
Big business thinks we boomers are set in our ways while ‘Gen Y’ is virgin territory.
They may have a point.
After all our kids are big spenders learning new tricks every day while we are merely old dogs.
But do not write us off.
I still watch the Daily Show and the Colbert Report on my I Pod.
In fact those shows have me rotflmao.
(Rolling On The Floor Laughing My Ass Off)
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