An Age-Old Argument

March 5, 2026

Lately I’m seeing buzz in the trades about how valuable older demos are becoming. There is talk that the 25-54 demo is too narrow, and that the 55+ audience brings real value (read: money) to any advertising campaign.

Sadly, this argument is as old as, well, Father Time. Those of us who worked in what was then called “oldies” radio dealt with this all the time. The strength of that format was 35-64, but the only people who cared about that were the listeners.

This is obviously driven by advertisers. Many brands still behave as if people make their brand decisions at an early age and then stick with that decision for the rest of their lives. Once you choose your beer or car you’ll never change. The reality is that most people are fluid in their brand choices across their lifetime, especially as their income, health, and family situation change. (Except for mayonnaise. That is a line in the sand.)

Let’s talk about cars. Look at this chart:

In Q1 2025 the coveted 18-34 age group made up less than ten percent of new car registrations, while adults 55+ made up nearly half and have held the largest share for multiple years. Yet, if you watch the ads the car manufacturers create, you know they are not targeting those older folks.

And it’s not just autos. Households headed by older adults now hold a disproportionate share of U.S. wealth:

• Americans aged 65–74 have the highest median net worth of any age group, around 410,000 dollars, with roughly three-quarters owning a home and about half holding retirement accounts. (Source: https://www.investopedia.com/how-does-the-wealth-of-americans-aged-65-74-measure-up-against-other-generations-11883297)
• ​Over the last few decades, households 75+ moved from being only slightly above the national average net worth to more than 50 percent above it by 2022, while younger groups have seen their relative wealth slip. (Source: https://www.nber.org/digest/202511/shifting-wealth-us-age-groups)
• ​Recent analysis shows average inflation-adjusted wealth rising for households 55–69 even as it has declined for some middle-age groups, underscoring how much financial power is concentrated in later life. (Source: https://www.americanprogress.org/article/wealth-of-younger-americans-is-historically-high/)

​Today’s 55+ customer is not the “fixed-income, slowing down” stereotype from 25 years ago. They are more likely to own their home outright, have sizable retirement savings, and still be in the market for cars, travel, financial services, healthcare, home improvement, and high-end consumer goods. If an advertiser’s job is to follow the money, a huge share of that money now sits in the 55+ wallet.

I look at a lot of radio ratings numbers every month. I can tell you that the age group that tends to spend the most time with radio is 55+. Their numbers dwarf the 18-34 cells in most markets and formats, especially in news/talk, classic hits, classic rock, and AC. While exact levels vary by market, the pattern is consistent: older listeners deliver big Time Spent Listening and heavy AQH.

I realize we need to do a better job of cultivating younger audiences because when those 18-34s become 55+, where will the industry be? At the same time, radio is leaving real money on the table by not packaging and selling the audience we already dominate.

We have been so locked in on 25-54 for so long we can’t see a way out. We are so desperate for revenue we don’t exploit our strongest assets because someone at an agency thinks older people are still fully analog and, frankly, don’t matter. Advertisers care about one thing—paying customers. It doesn’t matter if they are 28 or 58.

A wise person once said: “25-54 is not a demo, it’s a family reunion.” Radio has a powerful, valuable, and loyal audience. That some of it happens to be outside that family reunion demo is an asset, not a liability.

Feel free to tell me I’m full of it: sallan@researchdirectorinc.com

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