I

Thou shalt never think that the elderly market is "old."
We don't consider ourselves old. Don't you.

II

Thou shalt never attempt to scare us into buying.
Fright tactics turn us off. Do tell us about independence.

III

Thou shalt always treat us as equals.
You value connectedness, independence, personal growth and revitalization.
So do we.

IV

Thou shalt not pander. Never talk down to us. We're not dumb.
In fact, we're probably smarter — and richer — than you.

V

Thou shalt not bamboozle. Know that we're skeptical.
All seniors are from Missouri.
(But give us a few credible testimonials by folks like us,
and we're putty in your hands.)

VI

Thou shalt not broad stroke. Know that all seniors are not alike.
Above age 50 are dozens of cohorts, hundreds of markets.
KNOW WHOM YOU'RE TALKING TO OR YOU WILL BE SMITTEN.

VII

Thou shalt guarantee. We fear being taken.
A simple "no ifs, ands, or buts guarantee" pleases us immensely.

VIII

Thou shalt not razzle-dazzle.
Know that we're conservative about consuming.
Many of us grew up during the Great Depression.
But never think that we have no sense of humor.

IX

Thou shalt not glitz. Know that ads should look like ads.
And no fancy fonts. To us, they're the floozies of print advertising.
Set type at least 12 point, with lots of leading.
Use reverses sparingly. Use color. Lots of it.
Our eyes ain't what they used to be; four-color defines your
message while black and white often gets ignored.

X

Thou shalt always treat us with respect.

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