The Silver Tsunami is Here

Kevin Fock
February 22, 2024

THE SPREAD
Morning Marketers!

Bard becomes Gemini. The Silver Tsunami is upon us. Build-A-Bear goes adult. And, SEO snacks.

Google announced earlier this month that Bard is Gemini. But, that’s not all. Google also launched Gemini Advanced, Google’s largest and most capable AI model, and their answer to Open AI’s ChatGPT-4.
Why it matters
- I’ve been using Bard for the past year and have been underwhelmed by its output, from a marketing and content creation perspective. ChatGPT-4 was much more capable in most of my use cases. But, now Google may be catching up. Google owns some of the most valuable and comprehensive data to train AI models on (YouTube, Gmail, Search), and it would spell the beginning of the end for Google if they can’t figure out how to deliver an AI experience that surpasses all others.
- So, how does Google’s Gemini compare to ChatGPT-4? This Reddit post breaks it down:

In sum, ChatGPT-4 is still better at image recognition and has a mobile app, but Gemini is catching up or surpassing it in all the other aspects.

Baby Boomers (born between 1946-1964) are retiring at a record rate.
In 2024, about 11,000 Americans per day will turn 65 years old. And, 4.1 million American boomers will turn 65 every year through 2027. By 2030, every boomer will be 65 or older.
This “silver tsunami” is the largest surge in retirement-age Americans ever.
And, boomers have been busy saving their pennies.
Nearly half of all assets in America are owned by boomers, that equates to $78.1 trillion. The other half is split between the other generations.
Here what the breakdown looks like:
o Baby boomers: $78.1 trillion (50%)
o Generation X: $46 trillion (29.5%)
o Silent Generation: $18.6 trillion (11.9%)
o Millennials: $13.3 trillion (8.5%)
o Generation Z: Insufficient data
Why it matters
- Not all boomers are flush with cash, but a significant number will be ready to spend their retirement funds on hobbies and experiences. According to Travel & Leisure, boomers want to retire to “fun-filled destinations,” with Las Vegas as the #1 spot.
- Industries like travel, hospitality, home & garden, and financial planning, among many others are likely to see a boost in demand in the near future years as boomers get busy enjoying retirement. If you want to capitalize on this demand, consider creating content aimed at this generation. An organic strategy that targets long-tail keywords related to retirement and a paid ads strategy using Facebook and LinkedIn is a powerful way to reach boomers.

Build-A-Bear Workshop, founded in 1997, sells teddy bears and stuffed animals for children. But, the brand has decided that teddy bears are not just for kids.
Welcome to The Bear Cave 🐻
What’s behind this 18+ advisory? Get ready…
Bears and other stuffed animals in weird pajamas. Creepy? That’s for you to decide, but Build-A-Bear is slinging these for $30+ a piece, which is likely a great profit margin.
In fact, the launch of the “After Dark” adult bears in 2022 may have helped Build-A-Bear achieve new growth. Check out this chart:
Why it matters
Covid was a low point for Build-A-Bear because people weren’t frequenting malls during the pandemic. But, 2022 saw a surge in demand for bears and stuffed animals, so either kids wanted more bears after finally being allowed to go outside or adults decided they needed to entertain their inner child. Either way, Build-A-Bear Workshop benefited by targeting both audiences with “unique” offerings. Think about how you can sell to a new audience, what’s something you can tweak on your product or in your offering to make it appealing to a completely new demographic?