Retro-fitting the Boomers

About 20 years ago, there was a TV advertisement for a brokerage firm that really caught the public's fancy. The firm was E.F. Hutton (long since swallowed up by mergers and acquisitions), and the ads portrayed a room full of people engrossed in conversation — until someone mentioned E.F. Hutton's name. Suddenly, the whole scene came to a standstill, with everyone's ears angled to hear what gems of advice the speaker was about to deliver.

The tagline, “When E.F. Hutton talks, people listen,” was quickly adopted — and summarily adapted — into everyday banter, going mainstream in a matter of months. The E.F. Hutton phenomenon defined the times: It was becoming possible to get to Wall Street from Main Street.

Today's TV advertisements for musical Hallmark cards are reminiscent of the E.F. Hutton commercials. A card is handed to the celebrant, who reads the sentiment on the front and then opens the card. Everyone strikes a pose as a broad, wistful, smile breaks out on the recipient's face. A musical refrain some 20 or 30 years old emanates from within the card, and viewers are whisked away into the celebrant's daydream — a nostalgic trip down memory lane. Like the old brokerage commercials, these Hallmark ads define the times: What was new in the '50s, '60s and '70s is once again “hot.”

Enter the next wave of retro, courtesy of the Boomer Generation (with some Gen-X influence thrown in as well). For a generation raised on comic books, television and cowboy movies, today's retro has little to do with fleur de lis patterns, art deco prints or Chantilly lace (unless, of course, it's sung by the Big Bopper). It's retro that springs from the childhood, teen years and young adulthood of today's maturing Baby Boomers and “third agers” — the new term for War Babies and Boomers together.

In a recent survey, vendors told Gifts & Decorative Accessories — to the tune of nearly 50 percent — that they will be targeting Boomers with new products this year. They also said they would be targeting Generation X, the 31- to 41-year-old demographic that reveres pop culture.

Indeed, those highly influential boomers — 42- to 60-year-olds with the most discretionary income — are doing more than “redefining retirement,” as Dennis Hopper would say. They're also redefining retro, and vendors are paying attention. Savvy retailers will pay attention by leveraging retro “buzz” into sales. While others are creating retro excitement, retailers can cash in on the trend.

In addition to Hallmark, this latest retro iteration is getting a lift from the U.S. Postal Service, which is issuing stamps of some of the greatest heroes of all time — super heroes that step right out of the comic books Boomers and Gen-Xers devoured as kids. Included are Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Supergirl and a half dozen others.

Hollywood has also brought the retro mood up a notch with remakes of movies like Casino Royale and Hairspray, and has created a franchise out of the Oceans 11 Rat Pack redux. The silver screen reintroduction of teen sleuth Nancy Drew is sure to evoke feelings of nostalgia this summer — if not a resurgence of plaid. Even the classic Some Like it Hot was released with fanfare last summer in a two-disk DVD set.

These stamps and movie remakes create a buzz around which retailers can drive sales with product reminiscent of the '50s, '60s and '70s — and perhaps even earlier. Take the buzz that surrounded the new James Bond, for example. The press had a field day with a love/hate dialogue over Daniel Craig, the new actor playing 007. At the same time, the buzz, “stirred” reminiscence of all things Bond — such as the classic “shaken” martini.

A display of martini glasses and other retro-looking barware could have gone a long way for a retailer looking to leverage the Bond buzz. The key is to tune into pop culture, listen to the buzz and cash in with appropriate products. Retailers can embrace the look and the feel of whatever retro trend is having a revival — whether it springs from the silver screen, the flat screen or the runways of Milan.

Just because the bulk of Boomer retro springs from the world of entertainment, that doesn't mean it's necessary to invest in expensive licensed product to get the retro feeling across to customers. Retailers with their ears to the ground can leverage the talk that's on the airwaves and around the water cooler to inspire merchandise selections that excite customers. For instance, if you're looking to hit the Boomer retro market, there's lots of product using paisley, madras and polka dots. And don't forget the funky aprons (yes, moms are back in the kitchen, along with a whole gang of modern dads), as well as jewelry and other accessories with the look and feel of the '50s and '60s.

For the guys, there is a host of luxury and muscle car replicas. It's likely that many Baby Boomers learned to drive in a Ford Fairlane, Chevy Belvedere, Monte Carlo SuperSport — or if they were very lucky, an original Mustang. Talk about driving sales!

Retro trend publicity, promotion and advertising are already at work for retailers on television, at the movies and on billboards. All this publicity can be leveraged into retail sales with the right products that remind your boomer customers of their glorious past.

So latch on to the buzz, savvy retailers!