Genworth Goes to Hollywood for Age Simulation Suit to Market Insurance 

thoughtblazers' commentary
Genworth Financial Inc. has developed a suit simulating the physical effects associated with aging, designed to bring greater awareness of the need for Long Term Care Insurance.

The Genworth R70, billed as the first of its kind, is an age-simulation suit that Genworth says will “help raise awareness about the need for long-term care planning and educate the public on the physical effects associated with aging.”

The suit, according to the company, “provides consumers with a powerful experience, allowing them to understand and empathize with what it feels like to grow old.” 

The state-of-the-art helmet that is acoustically muffled, simulating age-related hearing loss. It also sports lenses that “simulate declines in vision plus the common vision disorders that occur with aging (e.g. glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration).” 

We think this is also state-of-the-art marketing that brings the virtual reality experience to a whole new level. Expect more of this type of marketing in the future as part of the "Wearable Revolution."

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Photo - Courtesy Genworth Financial
Genworth turns to Hollywood to develop age-simulation suit | Read the Article from BenefitsPro.com

Why Customers' Social Identity Matters

thoughtblazers' commentary
This fascinating study from Harvard Business Review delivers a very thought provoking conclusion: When it comes to a purchase, the group you identify with at the time of the transaction is a very important factor in your decision. The researches share stories on how marketers can either facilitate or actually create new social identities to get buyers in the right social mindset to purchase their products and services (does the annual Doritos Crash the Super Bowl contest ring a bell?).

Although the article is somewhat long, it is well worth it, as it can tell you how to create new social identities for buyers in just 20 minutes. I'm putting this one in the must read category.

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Image by Automotive Social Media Marketing (Creative Commons)
Why Customers' Social Identity Matters |

Read the article from Harvard Business Review

Baylor Study: Employees of Small, Locally Owned Businesses Have More Company Loyalty

thoughtblazers' commentary
In November of 2014, Baylor University announced research findings, employees who work at small, locally owned businesses have the highest level of loyalty to their employers.

What can employers and bosses learn from these findings? Is the loyalty driver the culture that might be present in many small towns? Or is it that workers have fewer options in these towns, so loyalty is more of a necessity? While the study doesn't pinpoint causality, it's can be a useful tool to help begin or advance a meaningful dialogue in your workplace.
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Employees of Small, Locally Owned Businesses Have More Company Loyalty | Read the release from Baylor University