Baby boomer myths and misconceptions

>>> day friday with more of "today." baby boomers , those born between 1946 and 1964 are the largest generation in u.s. history . yet, there are many myths and misconceptions about them.

>> here to tell us what she's learned about her generation is "today" contributor and host of "rltv's boomers 2.0, a generation reimaged" and rethink 50 plus is our good friend jane pauley .

>> hi, jane .

>> a little cleavage in the morning.

>> that is what we like.

>> that's the way we like our jane . let's be honest.

>> thank you for pointing that out. thank you so much for pointing that out.

>> that's what we're here for.

>> by the way, my generation is our generation .

>> right, exactly.

>> you, hoda, are the trailing edge . she's on the cusp. you're the trailing edge . i'm the leading edge of the baby boomers .

>> i'm right there with you.

>> you're ripe.

>> oh, boy am i ripe.

>> we've done these two programs on the next week on the 14th. wednesday, i think, re-evaluating the impact of our generation . i mean, everybody knows the impact we have had, but that we continue to have is the issue, and the numbers would surprise you. boomers have about almost three-quarters of the wealth in this country.

>> wow.

>> boomers spend on consumer goods annually -- my boomers, i'll key dine them people 50s and 60s.

>> why do advertisers --

>> spend $2 trillion annually on consumer goods .

>> so --

>> why do at thessers go for the young kids then?

>> so one of the panels that is part of this program, one of the networks, researchers, is a giant in the field, points out that the sweet spot that we're all familiar with, the 18 to 49, and, by the way, it was created because of baby boomers .

>> that used to be the sweet spot .

>> it is a shrinking demographic. even the gen-xors are five years from starting to turn 50. 18 to 49 is a shrinking demographic, and he asked rhetorically why would you continue marketing to a demographic that you know is getting smaller?

>> what is the answer?

>> dying off.

>> i think the answer is that people are re-evaluating who is out there and --

>> who has the disposable mc.

>> who is spending it. people who are 50 and 60 buy four times the tablets, for instance, and technology than 20 to 29-year-olds.

>> that's one of the myth that is they're not technology-savvy.

>> three-quarters of us are on the internet, and one-third are heavy users. we use it to shop. we use it to learn things, and we really use it to stay connected. this idea of connectedness and community.

>> i think people get stuck in their ways of buying, and they keep buying the same --

>> that was our parents. we have far more in common with our kids and a closer affinity with our kids, who are sometimes still living with us --

>> some don't have the opportunities financially that we did.

>> no, they don't. oftentimes -- someone called us not the sandwich generation , but the club sandwich . i pointed out that and we're the bacon.

>> much better.

>> yes, we are.

>> so we -- it's a different world, but what -- you know, i'm on the "today" show once a month or so with the aarp, you know, your life calling, life re-imaged series that we do. i think that my generation , our generation , will be the last to be talking about reinvention. what we're doing is creating a new image of what it means to turn 50. it's aspirational. it's the time of life when independence is in sight. when you can do what you want when you maybe don't have to have a boss anymore. the highest demographic that is starting new businesses are women over 50, and believe me, they don't want a boss.

>> we know that. they've been bossed.

>> isn't that great? thank you, jane .

>> good news out there for all of us.

>> hallelujah.

>> you can catch boomers 2.0, a generation reimaged and rethink 50 plus next thursday night