The Age Curve

By: Kenneth W. Gronbach

Narrated by: Max Bloomquist

Length: 6 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's Summary

For years, marketers have held on to unwavering beliefs that have dictated how they market to their consumers. But the hard truth is that the changes we see in marketing and business are based on one undeniable factor - the size of the generations we are selling to.

As each generation ages, what they buy and how much they buy will change. Each product and service has a "best customer" that sustains a business. As these customers grow up, the smartest marketers will stay ahead of them - and their money.

In The Age Curve, marketing guru Kenneth Gronbach shows executives and entrepreneurs how to anticipate this wave of predictable demand and ride it to success. Using impeccable research, Gronbach reveals how our largest generations, the Baby Boomers and Generation Y, are redefining how we market and how businesses can anticipate their needs more effectively.

Complete with entertaining examples of companies like Apple who have perfected their strategies for building a loyal customer base, as well as those who haven't (Levi Strauss and Honda), this book will show listeners:

How to determine their best customers

How successful companies are earning the loyalty of Generation Y and cultivating allegiance to their products for years to come

Why Generation X is a more valuable market than any of us have been led to believe

and much more

Both shocking and compelling, The Age Curve will change the way companies look at their customers and how they market to them.

©2008 Kenneth W. Gronbach (P)2008 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

An eye opening book

When I listened this book I tought: how could I have been so stupid to lose of sight the demografics in the past? Gronbach speaks about the influence of generations in marketing in a way that is easy to understand, entertaining and challenging. When you finish his book, you are already a better marketer!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Another Case for Buying the Abridged Version

I am new to demographic marketing analysis but then so are many of us if the author is right. The book has a strong message way beyond consumer marketing and its tenets are irresistible. Probably required reading for those of us responsible for marketing or strategy. So why only 3 stars?

The American penchant for writing business books as if talking to readers that are stupid wore on me. needless examples about the author's family; repetition; and all made the more irritating by a narraator who exaggerates the emphasis to the point of ludricous expression. Buy an abridged version if you can; and get the facts and rationale in a hurry - they are important.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Good information, but ...

This book has good information, but must be understood to be a look at things from a 50,000 foot level. The author makes some good and interesting points.

However, the overgeneralization at times is grating. Not all Boomers are spendthrifts, and not all members of the "GI Generation" were bigots.

Many of the author's conclusions, especially going forward, are suspect. Gronbach overlooks the impact of technology. For example, he predicts business travel will rebound when Gen Y grows a little older. Given this generation of "digital natives" (as the author himself mentions elsewhere), it is more likely that virtual meetings will become even more of a norm.

The book also was written before the crash. While the Gen Xers may not have experienced anything but success before the crash, that is not true now. The economic problems really provide a "re-set" for some of the author's assumptions.

The book could use a good editing. The narration is extremely repetitive -- and I mean repetition of words uttered only moments before. It is difficult to tell if this is a production error or if there is recapping in the book that is just being read. In any event, the audiobook should have been edited..

Narration is a subjective thing, but this guy was certainly not a favorite. Preachy at times.

Take the information in the book for what it is: An important and interesting view from 50,000 feet.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

one day on the road

I really enjoyed this and will keep it and listen to it again! there is much to be learned from this.

Very insightful- great information- hard read

If you could sum up The Age Curve in three words, what would they be?

Understanding your parents

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

It was just a hard read, I felt like I needed to take notes in order to follow.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Understanding how different generations spend/save/ invest

Any additional comments?

I love books like this... but for some reason it was just harder for me to read.

This book repeats itself. This book repeats itself.

This book was good; however, there are many parts that are repeated. While listening, I thought the audiobook had a "skip in the track" when I heard something again word-for-word. It turns out this is done throughout the book to get certain points across. I didn't care for it, but found the information provided useful.

Intriguing and thought provoking.

The content covered in this book is critical to understanding the past and preparing for the future. I recommend this book to everyone.

The Age Curve

...Very interesting facts and figures about the different generations and how their numbers affect and influence buying power and trends....I would think Detroit and other fortune 500 companies would hire Mr. Gronbach for all their strategic marketing decisions...Well presented information...nonboring...well read...
I was sorry when the book ended...

Good material, but author repeats himself

This book has several valuable ideas for marketing, but the author says the same ideas over and over. Furthermore, the tone of the author (or the narrator)is in-your-face. Overall a good pick.