On the evening of the 14th at around 6 p.m., the Crystal Ballroom of Lotte Hotel World in Jamsil, Seoul. Inside the spacious room, 65 round tables seating nine people each were arranged. Among the attendees, 70-80% were middle-aged individuals in their 50s and 60s.
As instructor Kim Chang-ok took the stage, applause and cheers erupted. The lecture covered 'communication' and focused on healthy family life for couples entering their senior years. The audience was constantly laughing due to Kim's witty delivery.
The dinner that followed featured high-end courses including appetizers, main dishes, and desserts. A dinner show performance by popera singer Koo Bon-soo, who gained fame from 'Phantom Singer,' was also held. Every time a song ended, the room was filled with applause. After the event, smiles of satisfaction spread across the faces of those exiting.
The event, held under the name 'Showcance' (a blend of show and vacation), was hosted by Lotte Home Shopping. It is part of a 'senior marketing' strategy aimed at their key customer base of individuals in their 50s and 60s. Last month, they accepted applications from their customers from the 14th to the 20th for a week and invited 600 people (300 people with 2 tickets each) through a lottery. A total of 30,000 people applied, resulting in a competition ratio of 100 to 1, with the 50s and 60s demographic making up nearly 65% of participants. Winning customers received a free talk show, dinner, and accommodation at Lotte Hotel.
Kim Jae-hyun, head of the promotion team at Lotte Home Shopping, noted, 'We planned content particularly appealing to the 50s and 60s demographic, and after conducting internal surveys, we invited instructor Kim Chang-ok to conduct it in a talk show format. On-site reactions indicated that customer feedback was positive, which is satisfying.'
Lotte Home Shopping restructured its paid membership 'L Club' last year for the first time in six years, implementing healthcare services as the industry's first initiative, thus introducing customized benefits for the 50s and 60s demographic. This change reflects the growing demand among middle-aged individuals interested in health management. The number of 'L Club' members has doubled from before, with more than half of them being customers aged 50 and 60.
These individuals possess significant assets and stable income before and after retirement, and they have a high rate of television viewership, making them the core audience for home shopping channels. In fact, among Lotte Home Shopping customers, the proportion of those in their 50s and 60s surpassed half in 2022 and continues to grow each year.
Lotte Home Shopping is also actively pursuing strategies to enhance customer loyalty by providing satisfactory experiences to the 50s and 60s demographic. Last October, the company held its largest shopping event since its inception, offering a lottery opportunity for a concert featuring five famous trot singers, including Lee Chan-won, Kim Hee-jae, Park Ji-hyun, Son Tae-jin, and Enoch. After a lottery for a total of 3,000 people (2 tickets per person), they invited 6,000 customers, receiving approximately 400,000 applications. A representative from Lotte Home Shopping stated, 'Those who participated in the event are sharing their experiences with acquaintances, greatly benefiting the company through viral effects.'
Other companies are also focusing on the 50s and 60s demographic. Hyundai Home Shopping established a dedicated team for 'young seniors' through an organizational restructuring last year, actively seeking out products from overseas brand imports, designer brands, and healthcare that this demographic prefers. Next month, from the 14th to the 16th, they will host a popular park golf tournament centered around the middle-aged demographic in Jeju.
CJ OnStyle is also providing services to enhance convenience for the senior demographic, such as dedicated counseling for middle-aged customers and discounts on medical devices. The company noted that about 70% of those over 40 have presbyopia, but there had been a lack of related products in live TV broadcasts, leading them to introduce the rental medical device 'Davichi Glasses Progressive Multi-focal Lenses' for the first time at the end of 2023. GS Home Shopping is also strengthening its offerings for senior products in healthcare and beauty sectors.
A spokesperson for the home shopping industry stated, 'As new viewing platforms such as OTT emerge, individuals in their 50s and 60s are establishing themselves as the most important customer base of the home shopping industry based on their purchasing power,' and added, 'Companies are also moving away from simply providing senior-customized products, focusing on marketing that offers substantial experiences to enhance customer loyalty.'