Im Jugendmarketing begegnet man ihr ständig: Der sagenumwobenen Zielgruppe der 14- bis 49-Jährigen. Wir haben uns mit ihr arrangiert. Gezwungenermaßen. Reichweitenanalysen von Magazinen, Webseiten oder TV-Formaten weisen sie als “werberelevant” aus. Sie ist das Objekt der Begierde. Sie müssen wir jagen. Doch langsam mehren sich Zweifel am Sinn dieser Gruppierung. Nicht nur bei mir.
Sie waren jahrzehntelang das Maß aller Dinge. Sie konsumierten am meisten, sie hatten das Geld. An ihrer Eroberung wurden Werber gemessen. Reichweite, Bekanntheit, Branding – alles nur für sie. Doch der demographische Wandel zwingt zum Umdenken. Längst sind es die älteren, die der Wirtschaft rein rechnerisch mehr zu bieten haben. Die Generation 50plus, die Golden-Ager oder Silver-Surfer haben unseren 14- bis 49-Jährigen in punkto Kaufkraft längst den Rang abgelaufen.
Viele Unternehmen, so auch meine Kunden, sind an dieser Gruppe schlicht nicht interessiert. Zumindest nicht in Gänze. In meiner Arbeit sind es meist die 14- bis 19-Jährigen, die im Zentrum allen Handelns stehen. Andere Firmen sind – vor allem, wenn es um Themen wie Markenbildung geht – auf die über 20-Jährigen angewiesen. Und dann gibt es noch die bei hippen Werbern so beliebten Zielgruppen der DINKs, LOHAS, BOBOs oder LOVOS. Auch sie sind alle irgendwie unter 50 Jahre alt. Meistens jedenfalls.
Wer meint, die Definition der 14- bis 49-Jährigen sei klugen Demoskopen, Konsumforschern oder gar Wissenschaftlern zu verdanken, der irrt gewaltig. Sie geht, zumindest in Deutschland, auf eine fast schon willkürliche Festlegung Uli Bellienos zurück, seinerzeit rechte Hand des legendären RTL-Chefs Helmut Thoma. Mit diesem Kunstgriff gedachte Bellieno den Marktanteil des damals noch recht kleinen Privatsenders durch das Ausblenden der älteren Zuschauer künstlich nach oben zu interpretieren. Es ist ihm gelungen. Und zwar nachhaltig. In der Folgezeit richteten sich alle Sender, Magazine und sogar die Internetwelt blind nach seiner “Definition”. Ein Marketing-Gag, nichts weiter.
Recht deutlich brachte dies der ehemalige Grey-Chef, Bernd Michael, in einem Interview auf den Punkt: „Das Privatfernsehen hat zuerst das Gerücht gestreut, dass nur die Leute zwischen 14 und 49 etwas zählen. Das ist eine glatte Lüge, das war schon immer ein Missverständnis, aber darauf sind alle reingefallen.“
Dieser Fluch wurde vielen später zum Segen. Seit Jahren verschmäht die Jugend zunehmend die klassischen Medien. TV und Print verlieren rasant an jungen Konsumenten. Doch die geschmeidige Definition der Altersgrenze bis 49 Jahre lässt dies nach außen kaum sichtbar werden. Würden die unter 20-Jährigen separat ausgewiesen, käme das ganze Desaster schnell an den Tag. Etliche Werbekunden würden umgehend das Weite suchen, Werber sowie Marketingverantwortliche müssten zu Recht um Ihren Job fürchten. Somit ist das Festhalten der gesamten Branche an dieser unsinnigen Definition nur zu verständlich. Millionen-Etas werden so zwar wirkungslos verbrannt – aber Hauptsache, alle sind gut drauf.
Aber es regen sich Zweifel. Das Luftschloss bekommt Risse. Selbst der Ziehvater des Erfinders der Zielgruppe, Helmut Thoma, äußerte unlängst seinen Missmut: “Wer hat denn heute das Geld? Die 50- bis 65- Jährigen. Da kann man nicht länger der selbst geschaffenen Schimäre hinterherrennen. Die Macht der 14- bis 49-Jährigen geht zu Ende.” Vielleicht liegt sein Sinneswandel auch ein wenig in der Tatsache begründet, dass inzwischen PRO7 die junge Zielgruppe recht gut im Griff hat und selbst der RTL-Zuschauer im Durchschnitt stattliche 47 Jahre alt ist.
In die Ecke, Besen! Besen! Seid’s gewesen.
Richtig ist: Die Branche braucht dringend neue Definitionen. Die Zielgruppe der 14- bis 49-jährigen wird in der Praxis niemandem mehr gerecht. Lediglich Medien und Agenturen beharren aus reinem Selbstschutz auf dieser Augenwischerei. Doch es ist nur eine Frage der Zeit, bis der Konsument diese Definition selbst korrigiert. Durch demographischen Wandel, durch verändertes Kaufverhalten oder schlicht durch Verweigerung des Medienkonsums.
Die Jugend kehrt dem Fernseher nicht den Rücken, weil ihr das Medium missfällt, sondern weil dort sie keine Inhalte mehr findet. Eine neue Definition würde auch zwangsweise neue Formate und auch Werbeformen nach sich ziehen. Man würde sich wieder Mühe geben (müssen), die Zielgruppen zu gewinnen. Und das wäre nur gut für alle Beteiligten, für Medien, Werber, Unternehmen und vor allem die Konsumenten.
Hallo Dirk,
gratuliere zu deinem schönen Artikel. Als Inhaber einer kleinen Agentur kann ich dir nur beipflichten. Mediadaten, die auf dieser Zielgruppenspezifikation beruhen, sind für uns und unsere Kunden völlig wertlos. Sie lassen keinerlei Aussage zu, ob und wo wir z.B. junge Erwachsene im Alter bis 25 Jahre erreichen. Also kann ich dir nur zustimmen: Weg damit!
Gruß & weiter so!
Sebastian
Als kleiner Musikverlag sind unsere Kunden unter 20. Wir haben anfangs auf die Mediadaten der Verlage vertraut. Null Response. Null. Jetzt sind wir schlauer.
In der Gruppe von 14 bis 49 sind 90% über 40, möchte ich wetten. Weg damit. lg heike
Hi Dirk. Schöner Artikel. Es ist übrigens nicht ganz richtig, dass Agenturen diese Klassifikation verteidigen. Ich würde mir wünschen, es gäbe andere. Umso besser könnten wir die Mediaplanung für unsere Kunden erledigen. Gruß Kai.
Ja das sind nun langsam die Folgen der Überalterung. Aber da spielen ja wohl viele Faktoren mit. Es mag ja sein dass inzwichen die älteren das Geld haben – aber es ist ja cuh wichtig an das Geld heranzukommen. Und da kommt es doch sehr stark auf die Produkte an. Einfach gesgat – wer Klingeltöne verkaufen will wird bei der Gruppe über 50 einen schweren Stand haben.
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