OLD KIDS ON THE BLOCK

A unique new PR and marketing partnership is helping businesses to communicate with the most powerful consumer sector in the UK … the almost forgotten over-50s.

And the five specialists, from Stockport, Sale, Frodsham and Upholland, who have teamed up to launch the North West-based Generation consultancy are confident of leading their field … because they are all over 50 themselves.

“We are the old kids on the block,” says Managing Partner, David Wiggins. “We understand the market from both professional and personal angles because we are seasoned professionals who know what makes the over-50s tick.

“So we concentrate on communicating sales messages to a mature market with which younger people in our very youthful industry don’t always feel comfortable.”

Generation is promoting client products and services exclusively to an often underestimated sector that makes up 34 per cent of the UK population, rising to 37 per cent in the next seven years - that’s 22 million people aged over 50. They already account for more than three quarters of the country’s wealth, two thirds of its savings and nearly half of its disposable income.

“They have the most money and their spending power makes them the UK’s fastest-growing consumer group,” says David. “Yet few businesses understand the most effective ways of promoting their products and services to them.

“Generation can offer over 150 years of collective expertise in communication, PR, marketing and business strategy to help clients win a bigger share of this valuable ‘baby boomer’ market.

“And, thanks to the Government’s age discrimination legislation, a significant number in this sector plan to carry on working well past the traditional 65 mark - so they can only grow wealthier as well as older.”

David Wiggins was a newspaper, radio and television journalist for over 20 years before moving into corporate communications with senior posts in the transport and health sectors.

With him, in the Generation team are:

• Marketing and customer service consultant Ric Cowan who spent over 25 years in marketing and 15 years as a director in retail, manufacturing, leisure and gaming, before moving into consultancy.

• Brian Johnson, award-winning managing director of Manchester-based Powell Communications whose PR and media career also includes heading a northern operation for Saatchi and Saatchi.

• Graham King, a former journalist, police press officer during the Yorkshire Ripper murder enquiry and Granada TV publicist for programmes including World in Action and Coronation Street.

• Brian Roberts who has over 25 years of Board level sales, marketing and business development experience ranging from transport and financial services to hotel and leisure sectors.

All five partners will continue their own individual businesses as well as teaming up, in different combinations, for Generation projects.

For further information contact

• David Wiggins      0161 718 5477 / 07899 995918 
• Brian Johnson      07770 841740
• Graham King        0161 976 2729 / 07850 280213             
• Ric Cowan            0161 440 9798 / 07769 671864           
• Brian Roberts       01928 724414 / 07887 678160