Baby boomers: who they are, their characteristics and how to communicate with them
The generation born between 1946 and 1964: the years it covers, what it is like and how to reach it with your emails
Baby boomers are people born between 1946 and 1964, during the birth-rate explosion that followed World War II. In 2026 they are between 62 and 80 years old.
They are also called the boomer generation, the baby boom generation or simply boomers.
What does baby boomer mean?
The term comes from the English baby boom, literally an “explosion of babies”. It describes the huge rise in births that the United States and much of Europe experienced at the end of the war.
A baby boomer is therefore someone born during those high-birth-rate years. In Spanish, the English word is almost always used.
What about Spain? The baby boom came later. There, the birth rate soared between the late 1950s and the mid-1970s, which is why many Spanish studies extend or shift the dates.
What years does the boomer generation cover?
The most widely cited dates are those of the Pew Research Center in the United States:
| Generation | Birth years | Age in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Silent Generation | 1928-1945 | 81-98 years |
| Baby boomers | 1946-1964 | 62-80 years |
| Generation X | 1965-1980 | 46-61 years |
| Millennials | 1981-1996 | 30-45 years |
| Generation Z | 1997-2012 | 14-29 years |
The boundaries are not exact: each study adjusts them slightly.
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Characteristics of baby boomers
They grew up with television. They were the first generation raised in front of the TV screen, and traditional advertising had a strong influence on them.
They lived through a period of great economic growth. Many became homeowners and had stable, long-term jobs.
They value effort and hard work. They tend to associate success with perseverance and a professional career.
They are loyal to brands. Once a brand wins them over, they tend to stick with it.
They prefer direct communication. They value personal attention, the phone and clear, straightforward dealings.
They adopted technology as adults. They are not digital natives, but today they use their phones, WhatsApp and email every day.
What does “being a boomer” mean?
On social media, “boomer” is sometimes used to mock someone who seems old-fashioned, regardless of their age. It became popular in 2019 with the phrase “OK boomer”, an ironic way of shutting down an argument between generations.
Outside that informal use, the word only indicates which generation a person belongs to. It is not an insult or a description of how they think.
Baby boomers in marketing
This generation has a lot of purchasing power: almost all of them are at the end of their careers or already retired, and many have savings. Even so, brands tend to aim their advertising at younger audiences.
To reach them, these work well:
- A clear, specific message, without jargon or abbreviations.
- Detailed information about the product, the price and the terms.
- Trust: customer reviews, guarantees and a visible contact phone number.
- A warm, respectful tone, without age stereotypes.
Knowing your buyer persona well keeps you from treating everyone over 60 as if they were all the same.
Email marketing for baby boomers
Email is one of the channels that works best with this generation. To make your newsletters comfortable for them to read:
- Use a large font and good contrast between the text and the background.
- Write descriptive subject lines that say what is inside the email.
- Use large buttons that are easy to tap on a phone.
- Get to the point: few blocks and a single main call to action.
- Make it easy to get in touch: a visible phone number and address at the end of the email.
Many of these guidelines are the same as those for an accessible email. With good segmentation by age, you can adapt the tone and content without changing your whole strategy.
Mistakes to avoid. Talking to them as if they didn’t know how to use technology, filling the email with buzzwords or hiding the fine print. Sending too often is another one: this generation appreciates it when you respect their time and their inbox.
How Mailrelay helps you
With Mailrelay, you can segment your list using custom fields, such as date of birth, and send each group the message that suits it best. The drag-and-drop editor lets you adjust the font and button sizes in each template.
The free account includes up to 80,000 emails a month and 20,000 contacts, with human support in English on all plans.
Speak to each generation in its own language
Segmentation with custom fields and a drag-and-drop editor, with human support in English on all plans.
Frequently asked questions about baby boomers
These are the most common questions.
Who are the baby boomers?
People born between 1946 and 1964, after World War II.
How old are boomers in 2026?
Between 62 and 80 years old.
Which generation comes after the baby boomers?
Generation X, born between 1965 and 1980.
What does “OK boomer” mean?
An ironic expression that became popular in 2019 as a response to opinions considered old-fashioned.
What is the best channel for reaching baby boomers?
Email works very well, especially with clear messages, a large font and a warm tone. Phone calls and SMS are also good complements.