Lets Go Case Study
ISSN 1940-204X
Let’s Go Aero Travel Trailers: A Case for Incorporating the New Model of the Organization into the Teaching of Budgeting
Sally Wright University of Massachusetts-Boston
INTRODUCTION
Let’s Go Aero manufactures travel trailers bought primarily by young families and retirees interested in a light, low-cost trailer that can easily be pulled by a mid-sized family car. The market for travel trailers has expanded nicely over the past few years due to the number of families seeking a relatively low-cost, outdoor vacation experience. But in the view of Let’s Go Aero’s president, Mark Newman, the real growth in the future is in the retiree market. Newman believes the vigorous health of the average retiree, coupled with the national trend toward a return to nature, will translate into continuing sales growth for Let’s Go. As Newman loves to say, “camping recently moved from number seven to number six on the list of top 10 leisure activities in the United States, and the baby boomers are getting older every day.”
U.S. population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2006 baby boomers represented 26% of the populace. In that year there were just under 78 million boomers living in the United States, with the largest populations living in California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Pennsylvania. Research indicates that for an organization to meet the needs of the senior market, including baby boomers, the following must be addressed: Independence and control, • Intellectual stimulation and self-expression, • Security and peace of mind, • Quality and value.
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Seniors respond to benefit-driven messages; to attract them, advertising has to communicate tangible benefits rather than features and amenities.
THE RETIREE MARKET
Baby boomers (born between 1/1/46 and 12/31/64) carry a lot of consumer clout. According to the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, 74% of boomers (aged 47—65) own their own home, 46% are satisfied
Let’s Go Aero Travel Trailers: A Case for Incorporating the New Model of the Organization into the Teaching of Budgeting
Sally Wright University of Massachusetts-Boston
INTRODUCTION
Let’s Go Aero manufactures travel trailers bought primarily by young families and retirees interested in a light, low-cost trailer that can easily be pulled by a mid-sized family car. The market for travel trailers has expanded nicely over the past few years due to the number of families seeking a relatively low-cost, outdoor vacation experience. But in the view of Let’s Go Aero’s president, Mark Newman, the real growth in the future is in the retiree market. Newman believes the vigorous health of the average retiree, coupled with the national trend toward a return to nature, will translate into continuing sales growth for Let’s Go. As Newman loves to say, “camping recently moved from number seven to number six on the list of top 10 leisure activities in the United States, and the baby boomers are getting older every day.”
U.S. population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2006 baby boomers represented 26% of the populace. In that year there were just under 78 million boomers living in the United States, with the largest populations living in California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Pennsylvania. Research indicates that for an organization to meet the needs of the senior market, including baby boomers, the following must be addressed: Independence and control, • Intellectual stimulation and self-expression, • Security and peace of mind, • Quality and value.
•
Seniors respond to benefit-driven messages; to attract them, advertising has to communicate tangible benefits rather than features and amenities.
THE RETIREE MARKET
Baby boomers (born between 1/1/46 and 12/31/64) carry a lot of consumer clout. According to the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, 74% of boomers (aged 47—65) own their own home, 46% are satisfied