AARP targets 25-34 year olds?!?
Kristin Schwitzer and Diane Ty
May 12, 2011
Beacon Research and AARP
Agenda
 Business situation
 Research design: 3 phases
– Research objectives
– Methodology
– Outcomes
 Overall impact
Beacon Research and AARP
Business situation
Beacon Research and AARP
Business situation
 An important strategic initiative: a new financial
planning website for young adults
“A place to discover the essentials of money –
how to earn, save and use it to live the best life you can.”
Beacon Research and AARP
Business situation
Should AARP launch its planned initiative
targeted at young adults?
And, if so, how should it convey its sponsorship?
Beacon Research and AARP
Research design
 Phase I:
Feedback on alpha site (Spring 2008)
 Phase II: Branding study (Summer 2008)
 Phase III: Tools testing (Winter 2009)
Beacon Research and AARP
Phase I
Feedback on alpha site
Research objective
To get “blink” reactions from a fresh set of young Americans
to the LifeTuner alpha site, overall concept, and branding as
a “safety check” prior to development of a beta site
Beacon Research and AARP
Phase I
Feedback on alpha site
Methodology
 29 one-on one interviews, each roughly one hour long
Beacon Research and AARP
Phase I
Feedback on alpha site
Stimuli
Top of the page
About Us
In the “footer”
Beacon Research and AARP
Phase I
Feedback on alpha site
Outcome
 The LifeTuner name works
 Home page looks like an ad – purpose not clear
 Those shown AARP branding noticed it -- site “is not for me”
 Most “got” why AARP would be doing this site
 Despite the age stereotype, most wanted AARP branding
on the home page
 A YouTube-style 30-second video would help
Beacon Research and AARP
Phase II
Branding study
Research Objective
To determine how to convey AARP’s sponsorship of LifeTuner
and get reactions to potential home page directions:
 What’s the best way to show its affiliation and ensure
the intended audience knows it’s for them?
 What is the most effective balance of brand “signals”?
Beacon Research and AARP
Phase II
Branding study
Methodology
 207 one-one-one online interviews (mix of closed- and open-ended Qs),
each lasting 2 days, with roughly an equal # across each of 4 segments




Achievers (51)
Strivers (52)
Laid Back (53)
Overwhelmed (51)
Beacon Research and AARP
Phase II
Branding study
Stimuli (exposure rotated to prevent order bias)
4 homepage designs: Control + 3 new designs
Beacon Research and AARP
Phase II
Branding study
Stimuli (exposure rotated to prevent order bias)
4 branding variations,
all tested using the Control homepage design
Beacon Research and AARP
Phase II
Branding study
Outcome
 Advised not to reveal AARP sponsorship too prominently
or too early, or else risk target thinking it’s “not for them”
 “W” design performed best, but photos can be polarizing
 Implemented combination of branding options
Beacon Research and AARP
Phase III
Tools testing
Research objective
To get reactions to two potential tools:
 Did the tool concepts create interest and the desired “aha”
moment that they were intended to achieve?
 Should LifeTuner invest in development resources to build tools?
Beacon Research and AARP
Phase III
Tools testing
Methodology
16 one-one-one web/phone interviews each lasting about 50 minutes
Beacon Research and AARP
Phase III
Tools testing
Stimuli (exposure rotated to prevent order bias)
Two tools (early versions of each):
Beacon Research and AARP
Phase III
Tools testing
Outcome
 A suite of custom, interactive tools now available
 AARP “commissioned” LifeTuner team to build a new
retirement tool version for its 50+ audience
 AARP Retirement tool featured in Feb 2011 “Consumer Reports”
 LifeTuner team now building Social Security tool for aarp.org
Beacon Research and AARP
Overall Impact
 Quali-quant research provided the final “push” for the AARP Board
to agree unanimously on a LifeTuner pilot with:
– AARP brand at the footer vs. prominently “above the fold”
– LifeTuner developed competency to build tools for itself
and AARP.org
Beacon Research and AARP
Overall Impact
 LifeTuner.org received strong media coverage:
Play video (and insert still here)
Beacon Research and AARP
Overall Impact
 Media coverage:
– Nov 2009: Featured case study in BW’s innovation section
“How AARP Came to Serve the 20-Somethings”
Beacon Research and AARP
Overall Impact
 Industry recognition:
– Jan 2010: named a “Top 100 expert to follow on Twitter”
Beacon Research and AARP
Overall Impact
 Industry recognition:
– Spring 2010: listed on Guy Kawasaki’s round-up
of personal finance sites
Beacon Research and AARP
Overall Impact
 Industry recognition:
– June 2010: wins GOLD IDEA award
Beacon Research and AARP
Questions?
kristin@beacon-research.com
dty@aarp.org
Beacon Research and AARP