Casino Ad Tactics: Seniors Being Increasingly Targeted

[AJFCS]

Recently, while scouting and reviewing media in Palm Beach County, I noticed an increase in Casinos advertising in predominant senior markets.

As a marketing director for a social service agency prided on providing a safety net for seniors (as well as other populations), I am constantly looking for new media streams to market and advertise our agency services. The analyst in me was curious why seniors were being marketed more heavily now than in months prior. I reached out to a friend who works on a Palm Beach County "floating casino" and asked why the increase in senior-targeted ads were taking place.

I got the following responses:

-Now that it is "season" in South Florida, more seniors mean more dollars which is one of the reasons for the increase. This answer didn't surprise me nearly as much as the next.

-Due to the economy, people ages 60 and younger have fewer discretionary income, so the gambling industry believes seniors and their limited fixed income may be a more viable option for their advertising dollars. This is difficult for me to believe as an advertising strategy as I am not the biggest fan of predatory forms of advertising. Seniors have very few options, if any, to find additional sources of income should they suffer gambling related losses.


I know that as a business, you must be focused on the bottom line with revenues versus expenses, but to prey on those with fixed incomes by offering "free food" and "free shuttles" is another mainstram example of business ethics, or lack there of.

Just thought I would shed some light on this issue, as I'm sure it is only going to increase with the changing global economy and the statistics trending towards our aging boomer poplulation. [/b]