Samenvatting

This report is created for advertising agencies that are looking for ways to reach the 50+ consumer by means of the marketing communication technique: branded content. The report contains information about the implementation of branded content as integrated part of the marketing communication strategy of a brand and an elaborated analyses on the target audience 50-plussers. The report is organized by means of the problem statement and objective stated below. Brands begin to understand that consumers are tired of the overload of advertising messages around them. Brand more and more request advertisers to find new, innovative ways to reach consumers. An important consumer group today is the 50+ consumer. Due to their size (36% of the Dutch population), and her financial position, this group is an interesting target audience for the market. When brands request advertising agencies to work on a marketing communication strategy to reach the 50-plus consumer, advertising agencies should be able to give clear advice on the use of branded content and the effects of implementation. To strengthen the advice, this research is conducted. It offers theoretical support. The following problem and objective are apprehended throughout this research. Problem statement: ‘How can brands use the branded content technique to reach the 50+ consumer and what is the effect for the brand?’ Objective: ‘Retrieving insight in branded content, the effects of branded content, the attitude of advertisers, experts and most important: discovering the needs of the 50+ target group. So ultimately an advice can be given on how advertising agencies can implement branded content as an integrated component of the marketing communication strategy.’ The research questions belonging to this objective were answered by extensive literature research, interviews with professionals in the field of marketing communications and the execution of a survey under 50-plussers. The literature research is used as the fundament for my own performed research because it provides information of previous performed research on 50+ consumers, consumer behaviour and advertising appreciation. These research methods all together showed that when branded content is integrated in marketing communication strategies of brands, a number of factors should be taken into account. 50-plussers value authenticity, humour and clarity. They do not like advertising and often feel ignored or portrayed negatively by the advertising messages. 50-plussers appreciate advertising when they can relate to the character and situation. Further factors that are important to them are health and the environment. They do not mind spending more money on The products or services as long as these products consider the environment and health. The 50-plus consumer chooses quality over price. Lifestyle of the 50-plusser characterized by spending free time outside their homes (visiting family/friends, nature, traveling and sports). They are fierce media consumers for both offline and online media. To create a most effective branded content campaign to reach the 50-plusser, all these different factors should be taken into account. It is important to create content that meet the interests and values of the 50-plussers, so the target audience will voluntarily consume the branded content utterance. The relation between the consumer and brand will be strengthened.