Marketing to the sandwich generation: meeting the needs of all family members

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to propose a framework for marketing to the sandwich generation (SG) shopper, an influential and growing demographic in the marketplace. Design/methodology/approach This paper draws from research in business, sociology, health care and industry sources that have studied the SG. It proposes a marketing framework to create value for SG shoppers and their families, in multiple ways. Findings SG members seek to meet at least four major kinds of needs across their intergenerational families: financial management, social support, health care and wellness. Businesses can help them more efficiently bridge those needs by including certain enablers in their offerings: human resource benefits to manage health and associated costs, resource allocation tools to manage financial and social support needs across different lifespans, time management tools to integrate social support needs with wellness outcomes and technology/services that help meet health and wellness needs across the family. Practical implications Managers can attract SG members and their families to their offerings by keeping in mind three rules of thumb: help them recover their most scarce resource: time; capitalize on age-friendly adjustments in the marketplace; and innovate with universal design in mind. Originality/value To the author’s knowledge, this is the first application of existing knowledge on the SG to a marketing framework that addresses key SG customer concerns.