#236: Longevity with Ruth Shelling

Welcome back to another episode of the Course Creation Incubator. I’m Gina Onativia, your Course coach, digital strategist, your bulldog. Here to help you get your course, your workshop, your live cohort, whatever it is that you’re working on to put yourself out there in a bigger way. Done. I’m here to push you, to inspire you and hopefully help you take a little bit of action.

At the end of the day, after listening to this podcast. And today I’ve got a special treat. It’s been a while since I had a guest on this podcast. You guys know I love doing the workshop episodes, but today I’ve got a dear, dear friend, digital strategist Ruth Schelling on the podcast, and I’m going to talk about why Ruth is such a dear friend.

To me, she’s the ultimate sounding board for me and she’s going to talk about why the longevity market 50 plus is one of the greatest opportunities out there for us as course creators, entrepreneurs and business owners right now. Can’t wait to hear Ruth talk about all the things longevity. And before we dive in, this episode is brought to you by our Done for You services.

So we offer course creation marketing website development, brand development with a hands on highly custom approach. If you’re interested in working with us, go to course creation boutique e-commerce course. You do a quick application, we book a call, we chat things through. We only take a couple of clients each quarter. We’re booking out a few months ahead. Right now we’d love to work with you, would love to chat you up.

So I wanted Ruth on because she is one of the best marketers I know and I first met Ruth. Gosh, this might be back in 2018 when Bowie’s an NFL standout speaker, storyteller and trainer. I talk about Beau all the time on this podcast because he’s a mentor and a friend and a client. Beau is putting out his book, his eight time best selling book.

There’s no Plan B for your A-game. And Beau and Dawn hired an incredible marketing agency called TMD, and Ruth was one of the folks at the helm. And I remember just seeing this striking Australian at the meetings, just take charge like a boss. And she was so intelligent, so smooth, So just effortless. And I thought to myself, I’ve got to I’ve got to get to know this lady.

And lucky me, I have gotten to work really closely with Ruth over the years, working on different book marketing campaigns. And Ruth herself is a legend in terms of she’s worked with Hillary Clinton on her book, McKinsey and Company, Franklin Covey, Liz Weisman. Dr. Becky So think of a big name in publishing. Ruth’s probably worked with them. She is a absolute rock star, and now she’s become an expert in this longevity market and is passionate about that.

And when Ruth is an expert in something no one is better at it than her. I know I’m really hyping this up, but she’s that good. There’s a reason why I trust her to be my sounding board. The person I go to when I need to spitball ideas when I’m stuck with a campaign because she is the best and I wanted her on the podcast forever.

And. And now we finally got her. So I’m going to shut up so she can talk about the longevity market and what she’s seeing today. And where you and I can find all the opportunities in terms of students, clients, customers because it’s there. And this is an opportunity that not a lot of people are taking avantage of. So this is ours for the taking.

 

So I’m going to shut up and bring Ruth on. Ruth this is way overdue. I want way overdue for ever. Welcome. I’m fascinated. Okay. Thank you. Thank you for having me. And you know, it is a pleasure to be on with the fabulous Gina, who is not just a brilliant post creator herself, but also a fabulous podcast voice for global digital strategists.

It’s my honor to be here today. Oh, my gosh. The check is in the mail. Thank you. Now, if it’s a big we, you could have talked about many aspects. I just want to what do we talk about? So many things. So many things. However, your new thing, your plot. Yes. Is this longevity space and hot topic. Hot topic and not enough people are talking about it.

But now that you’re talking about it, the conversation has started. So, yes, first and foremost, tell me why we should be talking about the the longevity space. Yeah, it’s crazy, isn’t it? So when you think about longevity, I think sometimes the first thing that comes to mind is health care. And, you know, living past 400 and all those types of things.

But when I think about longevity and when we think about it as marketers but really thinking about it, it’s a global movement. It’s kind of like a cultural shift that is taking place in marketing at the moment. And the reason why this is wild. Are you ready for this in a 50 plus 50 plus demographic makes up a third of our population, not just in America, but in Australia.

Yeah. What do you think the figure is of marketers and advertising speaking to that demographic of our population? Yeah. What do you think? Close to zero or like, let’s say 10%? Yes, you are right. So what do 5% of our marketing. It’s terrible. Is shocking, right? So back makes up a third of our population. So listen, I’ve got to I a little bit of a stats I’m going to trace and says if the 50 plus population in the US was own country, it would be the third largest economy in the world.

Wow. Think about that, right? Yes. Less than 5% of our advertising and marketing is speaking to them. Okay. So and the same story is playing out in Australia. So this is a global thing, right? So it’s time businesses really need to and marketers as well. We really need to start changing the way we think about marketing to this demographic.

You know, there’s money being left on the table. Marketers have got lots of things that they could be doing to target this incredible, lucrative audience, but they’re just not. And why do we think that is? Yeah, why? Why are we ageism? Age is so low. It is like life, right? So unless you’re, you know, under 50, you know, you’re not worth talking about.

That’s what, you know, has been put out there. The message that’s kind of strange through masses are obsessed with the younger generation. The other thing, too, which is really interesting, is that back in my day, I’m aging myself here. But, you know, when we age for this age, everybody, we’re very young. We’re very young. I was young and free back in my day when we started.

When I started my marketing career almost 30 years ago. Right. You wanted to get the younger demographic, you know, from a from a young age, right? And then you take them through the brand journey all the way through. And there’s this beautiful thing that we used to call brand loyalty. Those days are gone. And so now we see that the 50 plus demographic are reshaping the way we think.

 

They’re no longer brand loyal, they’re quite fluid, and they will go to brands that speak their language that that, you know, people that look like them are being used in advertising. So, you know, there’s a real shift in an awakening that hasn’t taken place in marketers because of that. Like, it’s kind of been happening, but we haven’t paid attention to it.

And so now we’re in this conundrum where it’s like, how is it that only four or 5% of our advertising, you know, is targeting and marketing is targeting this demographic? So I heard a stat and don’t bite me, but I’m just going to go with it. So in four years, millennials are going to be turning 50 and they’re going to be entering the 50 plus demographic.

Think about that for a second, because they’ve also been like a mass. You know, it’s not just the boomers that have been incredible in changing the conversation, but the millennials have been incredible. So they’re going to enter the 50 plus demographic. And if marketers don’t get on board with targeting them, they’re going to be left behind again. I mean, we know AI’s everywhere.

It’s rapid pace. It’s moving like this. But we also need to be thinking about this cultural shift that’s taking place in society right now. Okay, I love this and I do need to do this beforehand. So take a yes. Okay. Why are you so passionate about this? You you can do so many things like you are a interesting I know one of the best brand marketers you’ll see inside and out.

What will you I’ve never seen you so electrified or okay. Yeah. What? Yeah, well, I get it like you up so much. Well, I had an epiphany, actually, a couple of months ago. I was like, Why? Like, what is it that, you know, I’m getting to that age myself? And I’m like, what kind of legacy do I want to leave for my children and for my friends and family?

And I started thinking I was like, there’s a real gap in the market for, you know, someone who’s passionate about this, who has a lot of experience in marketing and brand. And I thought, Wow, why can’t I be kind of a spokesperson or a thought leader in this space to help change, not just change the way we do marketing, but actually start to start a little bit of like a I think revolution is is overused.

But, you know, start to spark curiosity in other marketers and other people in my kind of peer group and colleagues. And it’s like, we need to change this. We need to change the conversation and we need to make sure that you know, where we’re not only going, where the money is right, and we’re not only speaking to this demographic, but so that 50 plus year olds aren’t being left out of conversation, that they still have a seat at the table because what, that they’re just getting started.

Like, this is how I feel, right? I like I’ve had a 30 year career, but I’m just getting started. I’m like, oh, I think yes, right. And so and there’s so many things that we’re just like, I started to experience that myself. I was like, Wow, this is interesting. Like, it’s like we’re not, you know, like, oh, you know, you’re getting older or all this kind of stuff.

And Right, no way. I’m getting started. I’m young, vibrant, traveling the world, climbing mountain biking with my kids, doing all those kinds of things. And I started thinking, well, who else is doing this sort of thing? And I looked around and, you know, people that I admire and respect are in the seventies and they fit in than I am, right?

Yeah. And they’re living these great big lives, but they’re not being represented in workplace, in media, in the way we speak to them or anything like that. So that’s how I kind of came into it. So good, so good. Okay, so fun. We’re not just here to talk about the challenge, though, in the stats. No, no, no, no.

Let me give you some stuff. Yeah, give me some stuff so we can solve this. How do we get a science it? And I think, you know, we all need to come together on this as marketers. And I think there’s a couple things. I’ve got like six kind of key ways we can kind of help work together and change it.

But let me just say this like it’s not a niche. The 65 demographic is not a niche, okay? It is the engine of our economy. Okay? And the other thing, too, is that I believe that the brands will win in the next decade and those that stop chasing youth and start chasing relevance. All right, Let’s stop chasing youth and let’s start chasing the relevance and stop putting an age to everything.

But it’s so that’s kind of all right. So why don’t we think, okay, number one, we’re going to start by helping educate and shift the mindset, okay? That this it’s not a Cena audience. It is the most powerful, curious generation in modern history. That’s what we’re saying. Okay. And remember the stat I told you earlier, the millennials are going to be 50 and 40 is like, this is crazy to think about this, right?

We’re an aging population. They’re digitally savvy, they’re confident, they’re living their lives, change our mindset. They’re not slowing down their leveling up. That’s what we want to kind of, right? Yes. The second thing is let’s represent them authentically. So how many times like I have where I live, Right. There’s a few retirement villages. Hilarious, because my husband’s over 50 and I’m like, Oh, darling, I could just talk to you in the retirement village home.

Is it? You’re right. We have this kind of in house joke, but they the it’s 50 plus to go to these retirement villages. Hilarious. We’ve got young children enough. It’s like that’s crazy to me. But the the imagery is like walking hand-in-hand on the beach, gray hair, like going to my death, you know, that kind of stuff, you know, slowing it down.

Like you’re saying now. It’s not leveling up. It’s not leveling up. And I and so I started to actually take a snapshots. It’s really funny. I was like, do you want to take another photo of another billboard? I’m like, It’s just crazy. I can’t see any representation that’s authentic to this age group, right? So, you know, feature people with energy style humor, like dressing perfectly or not perfectly, like running marathons, like switching like marathon.

I saw I’ve been reading all the stories because it just happened yesterday. This guy, amazing four year old brother, the marathon did great. That’s going to be may I want to be my song writing. In fact, I’m like, I can do this. I could do this. I love it. And so, you know, and this is the other thing.

Three out of the 450 plus demographic, this is important. They they really want if they have authentic representation, it increases the buying power, right? So if they feel like they will switch brands based on imagery, even if the product doesn’t work. Yeah, that’s a skincare products they like. We don’t want anti-aging, we want pro aging. We want people looking like us, you know?

 

So that’s cool. All right. The other thing, too, is number three, craft the messaging around empowerment. Right. So let’s talk about value. Relevance. Well, we don’t need to talk about the years. We don’t even even just saying the 50 plus demographic. Right. I’m still trying to work around that in my you know, the fact that we have to even speak about the age and we don’t want to do that.

We want to focus on like relevant growth, wellness, travel experiences. We don’t want we don’t want this anti-aging stuff anymore. We want to be 50 is not the new, you know, 40, 50 or 50, 60 or 60. We’re happy to be those ages. Let’s celebrate it. So that’s not okay. All right. Number four, let’s make them where they’re at.

So what do you mean? You know, so we have you know, we put these marketing messages in places for this demographic. Not only are we not representing them, the content doesn’t speak to them. Right? We’re not even speaking their language. But we’re also not putting the the ads or the marketing material in places that they are like. A lot of them are on Facebook.

They are on tap, believe it or not. You know, they are on Pinterest, but they’re also in print. They also want to be they do like to have that tactile and read magazines and things like that. So, you know, why the you know, particularly with media agencies, they’re young, so they’re putting them all in these, you know, Google ads.

And what which is also important. But then they’re not thinking, oh, where else are they? So let’s let’s make sure we make them where they’re their storytelling education, all those kind of stuff. And the other thing I’ll say is no cliches, no gimmicks, no you know, all that. We don’t want any of that stuff. Okay. The other what I’m up to 5 to 5.

Five. I’ve said, All right, we wanted to co-create with them. Let’s build that then. Let’s let them have a seat at the table. How many times do we not hear what our audience wants? We just think, Oh, we put our kind of perspective on something and we market to them. That’s like, No, let’s let’s ask them to have a seat at the table appropriate with us.

Let them have a voice, an opinion. This is their demographic, after all, and they are the powerful ones leading it. So we should actually be inviting them to have a seat at the table. That’s kind of a huge thing. This invite them to have a seat at the table. Oh, I’m asking the tough questions here. It’s a good one.

I’ve got some ideas. I won’t reveal my ideas yet. But I will tell you this. I feel like particularly in media agencies, you know, often we dismiss the older oh, they don’t gosh, they don’t even know how to use a computer or they don’t know how to do this. I think we need to have much more diversity in media agencies across the board or marketing agencies across the board.

Right. So and they don’t have to be full time or whatever, but they need to be invited in on those important conversations. If you’re launching a campaign, what will bring them to the table and go, Hey, this is what we’re thinking, This is a creative, this is a content, this is where we’re going to place the ads or brand or whatever we’re doing.

What are you saying? Yeah, get their opinion. Let them have a different opinion to you because we don’t we don’t have all the answers. We think we do, but we don’t. And that. Answer your question. Yes, kind of. Good, good, good. I’ve got two more things on that. The other thing, too, this is. This is crazy. Wait for it.

Women 50 plus control up to two thirds of household spending as men are set to inherit the majority of into generational wealth. Let that just sink in for a second. Yes. So how is speaking to women? How are you speaking to women? After 50, we feel forgotten, Right? We’ve we’ve done a good job over the years. Not perfect, but a good job in life.

Different body shapes and showing diversity in that way. But we haven’t done a good job in showing diversity in age and speaking to women when we need to be met. So that’s kind of this is this kind of flow is on the numbers. The six planning follows on from what I just said earlier, right, is we need to rethink our creative and media teams.

We can’t just how can we expect, you know, 35 and under like two? They don’t know what they don’t know. So how can we expect them to come up with a campaign for the 50 plus demographic? Of course, they always know I saw this and you and I worked on the same sort of clients. So, you know, you know, when we were looking for stock imagery or even for videos or something in that demographic for products you and I have marketed on combined marketing efforts in the past, There’s nothing around.

We can’t there’s nothing. And they and the creative some of the creative team members of all these people have gray hair. Yes. Because hearing that that is a walk is like walk is like, you know, this is not and you and I were the only ones kind of going, hey, guys, they think, hey, look kind of like us.

Yeah, we want it to be kind of cool because, you know, you and I said, Cool, fabulous. Let’s do this. So, you know, so we need to rethink that. And that doesn’t mean, you know, the 35 and under has nothing to say. We need them as well. We just need to make sure that we have more age diversity, more representation behind the scenes when we’re making creative decisions.

I think that’s kind of so that my six I don’t know, we’re on this journey. I’m on the start of this journey. It’s very exciting. I feel this right now because as I announced on the podcast, gosh, last week or two, two episodes ago, I’m going to run my first half marathon next year. I would even told your all site signing I’m doing, Where are you doing now?

I’m going to do it on the on the beach in the bay here in San Diego. It’s going to be all have to come. And I would love it. I would love it. Yeah. So if I’m but I’m looking for guides for women over 40 women over 45 right now how to run with perimenopause happening. Yes, yes. Like you’re tired and I’m having brain fog and heart flushes, right?

Brain fog, Yeah. And yes, tough. It is tough, Ruth. And I’m begging to be marketed to. Yes. And you hit the nail on the head, right? We are begging to be marketed to as weak. And I think this is the other thing that. That makes me so passionate about this. Right? There’s a lot of stuff with perimenopause coming, you know, coming through the ranks and we’re talking about it more.

But to coincide with that, we’re also not talking about like the rest of the things. So just like you said, we’re begging to be marketed to. I want to know what skincare works in perimenopause, right? At my age. Yes. Like it didn’t work. My skin doesn’t work anymore. I want to know. I want to know what to do with my head now, like or I want to know how to apply makeup now that I’m in a different age demographic, like you know this I get there’s not about all the time on your right, not your age group.

I bet you know I do. Alyson Hannigan from. Okay. All right. All right. We that she wants to show me and then she wants to sell me a neck cream all the time. So. But so I think we’re doing the sciences, right? Yeah. Influencers, right? Yeah. Yeah. I would say Australia is behind the eight ball 100%. Like I do the terminology I hear all the time.

It’s like I’m too old for that. I’m like, You’re 52. What do you mean you’re too old for that? Oh, wait, wait. Yeah, we’re going to work that out. We are not too old for anything. Yeah, Anyway. Yeah, that’s okay. Tell me before we wrap up, baby step. Yes. I love these six one. One thing I can do to get started as as are.

Oh, right. As a core. Yeah. As an entrepreneur that maybe. Yes. An awareness piece. And then what? What do you say is like the first. Yeah I think I mean I think too particularly in your business try this. When people are creating courses and things like that, be very clear on who your demographic is for the course. Obviously.

Yeah. Society is key in all of that. And if you are targeting, you know, a wide kind of spectrum of ages, just make sure that you’re actually speaking to you take kind of your own glasses off, right? And you go, Hang on a second, I’m 25 or I’m 30 or whatever it is, take that out and go, okay, I actually speaking the language that needs to be spoken to this demographic and do your research.

But the number one thing I’d say is it’s a mindset shift. We need to just change the way we think about 50 plus and even to get 50 plus for a second. Let’s talk about 60, 70 plus. You know, we need to kind of I say I mean, I’ve probably done it myself, let’s be honest. But I you know, I don’t know how to use a Google drive.

Oh, so frustrating. You know, we need to change all of that and realize that, you know, this is a powerful demographic if you’re not targeting them and if you’re not connecting with them authentically, you’re going to miss out on a lot of money for your clients, for yourself. And it’s not even just about money. It’s actually about just being a decent human.

Like, let’s just change ageism and the way we think about it. Well, what I love about where you’re talking here to, you might be listening and building out, of course, a workshop, a life coach. Yeah. And a lot of times I get people who want to target, like a big range, like 35 to 65. It’s like you’re like, Oh, you can let that go.

You can? Yeah, you can. Yeah. You can slant older and you might be better off in terms of. Yeah. Going after that market. Don’t be afraid. Test hundred percent testing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh that’s good. Yeah. Yeah. I think, I think too. The other thing too is that it’s like I said, it isn’t a small segment anymore and I think we always want to go for the young fresh in everything, you know.

And I think now we need to go. It’s actually the engine of our economy and we need to think about what have it has that going to impact our business and how is that going to impact the way we do life? And, you know, if we’re not targeting I mean, again, four or 5%, they’re a third of our population in that there’s a real niche there.

Right. And there’s, you know, imagine the impact we can have if we start to just shift this even slightly, start to shift it. Yeah. You know, like you said, baby steps. Imagine the impact you could have on your business if you started to do that. Oh, wild, wild. Oh, good. Take a chance. Take a leap. Yeah. Where Where can we learn more about you, Ruth, if we want to continue.

Oh, my gosh. I knew you were going to say this. Yes, you knew I was on. Of course. One second thing, I got my stat water. Sorry. Edit that part out. What should I say here? Do you think I should say your website is fine or go okay. Today I’m very. I’m active on LinkedIn. Check me out. My website is blank.

Yeah, because I’m about to change that. So again, I’m going to set you up. Okay, Hang on. Give me one second. All right, One sec. Okay. All right. I’ll set you up with. This has been amazing. If P&G loves fake media, learn more about you and what you do. Where should we go? Active on LinkedIn. So look me up.

I am based in Australia, New York, L.A., all over, but based in Australia. So look me up on LinkedIn. I also have a company full still digital code. I know the meaning behind a still digital car. Give us a let me give you a little, little skit. So let’s say so 30 years of marketing expertise, global brands, all that jazz, all the noise, all the mistakes, all the fun distilled down into the purest essence.

So you don’t get rubbish, you get precision and clarity. Good. And also, I like to drink wine, so let’s not dismiss that that that just so distilled digital curry dot com is also where you can find me and also you can find me next to Gina often because we work so closely on many brands because she’s she’s so fabulous.

So anyway that’s where you find me. Well love your work. Thank you. Love your work. Thank you for being on. Thanks for having me. What did you think of Ruth? She really brings the goods, right? If you want to follow up with Ruth, go to distilled digital SEO dot com to learn more or check her out on LinkedIn.

And if this episode has made an impact on you any way, we’d love for you to leave me a review. And until next week, glory be you and be brilliant.