The second show The Business of …Grandparenting looks at the enormous opportunity for marketers to reach older consumers as they enter the grandparenting lifestage.. Together with our special guests we also discuss the rich potential of digital publications, for advertisers reaching older consumers.

Our guests are Christine CROSBY, Founder of GRAND Media, LLC and Publisher of GRAND – The Online Magazine for GRANDparents, www.grandmagazine.com and GRANDTV, along with Jonathan Micocci, President of GRAND Media. Christine is a high-energy entrepreneur, who began her entrepreneurial career in the 1970s. In 1984, Crosby formed Currier Davis Publishing and published a powerful and controversial child abuse prevention book and it set her on course to be a child and family advocate. Her interest in supporting families led to the launch of Family Journal Publications, a chain of family magazines in the Florida market. Titles included Central Florida Family, Jacksonville Family, Tampa Bay Family, and Black Family Today. These monthly magazines emerged at the head of a national wave of regional parenting publications. In 1995, Crosby sold Family Journal Publications to The Tribune Company. In 2003, after eight-years of retirement, Crosby assembled investors/partners and industry professionals to begin research and development of a national magazine to serve the new generation of Boomer Grandparents. In 2004 GRAND Magazine and its website, www.grandmagazine.com was born. In July of 2008, GRAND – The Online Magazine for GRANDparents was launched and in October 2008, GRAND went totally “green” by replacing the print edition with the digital magazine.

The first show The Business of …Advertising to the 50+ delves into the current state of advertising targeting this age group. Together with our special guest we dispel the myths of marketing to mature consumers, and discuss the issues with getting the mature consumer on the radar with ad agencies and brands.

Our guest is Patricia Lippe Davis, Vice President of Marketing for AARP Media Sales. Patricia’s mass media and advertising insights are drawn from strategic and creative marketing positions at the top three out of five circulation magazines including Hearst’s Good Housekeeping, Reader’s Digest, Time Inc and the New York Times Co. As Vice President, Marketing for AARP Media Sales, she combines her mass market knowledge with her personal experience as a boomer to lead the advertising trade marketing for AARP’s publications, interactive, broadcast + consumer events.  I had the pleasure of meeting her as I was judging the Effie awards several years ago.  The Effie awards are for advertising effectiveness – specifically for campaigns aimed at older consumers, which AARP has sponsored for several years.