Every day we are introduced to new innovations—medical breakthroughs, advances in artificial intelligence and enhanced IoT technologies, for example—that have significant implications for the quality and longevity of life. Michael Clinton, former president and publishing director of Hearst Magazines, is challenging 50+-year-olds to embrace these changes and reimagine their future.
Clinton has launched a movement and a company around this concept, based on his best-selling book, 
ROAR Forward. The organization held its inaugural summit in New York in November, and Bloodhound Group Founder Jim Cobb and BHG client and FitBeyond CEO Mike Sotak were among the attendees at the invitation-only event. The conference gave them an advance look at the ROAR Forward initiative and provided new insights and understanding of the high-potential 50+ demographic and the opportunity it represents.
Clinton describes the ROAR Forward community he is building as “Re-Imagineers,” consisting of age innovators who are reinventing the 50+ experience and rejecting antiquated ageist stereotypes in every facet of their lives. ROAR Forward’s mission is to raise cultural awareness of the social and economic impact of the Re-imagineers and to develop market intelligence regarding this segment for business, media and legislators.
Approximately 200 executives and Re-Imagineers in attendance at the summit learned about key aspects of the “New Longevity” through presentations, videos and discussions by panels of experts. Among the key takeaways:
- 35% of the U.S. population, or 117 million people, are 50+ years old, and that number is projected to grow to 132 million by 2030.
- Every day, 10,000 people turn 65 and by 2030, 1 in 5 will be 65+.
- In 2021, Americans 55+ held 70% of the country’s wealth: $92.3 trillion.
- Annual spending by the 50+ population in the U.S. is projected to hit almost $13 trillion by 2030.
- In 2018, the 50-70 age group spent as much as the entire under-50 group.
The agenda covered topics such as Trends in Longevity Medicine, Lifelong Learning and Brain Health, Owning Financial Well-being and Entertainment in the New Longevity.
Among the more than 25 speakers were Laura Carstensen, founder of the Stanford Center on Longevity; Barbara Reinhard, Chief Investment Officer of VOYA Financial; Dr. Mark Lachs, the Irene and Roy Psaty Distinguished Professor of Medicine at Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City; Amy Baer, President of Landline Pictures; and John Dick, Founder and CEO of web-based software company CivicScience, Inc. The program even included a surprise visit from Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner, who was interviewed by Gayle King of “CBS Mornings.”
In addition, Ellen Oppenheim, a ROAR Forward Ambassador and media consultant, provided an overview of the detailed qualitative and quantitative research study just conducted with people aged 50 to 70 by National Research Group (NRG). The soon-to-be-released results will detail the demographics, mindsets, motivations, beliefs and experiences of this important Re-Imagineer segment.
For more information on the ROAR Forward movement and Re-Imagineer demographics and to discuss how the movement might benefit your brand, contact Jim Cobb at jcobb@bloodhoundbranding.com.