rhc advantage joins Race Online 2012

rhc advantage is now an Official Partner of Race Online 2012, the campaign to increase internet usage in the UK. Led by Martha Lane Fox, who was appointed UK Digital Champion by David Cameron in June, Race Online 2012 aims to get as many people as possible online by the end of the Olympic Year, and everyone of working age by 2014.

Martha launched the ‘Manifesto for a Networked Nation’ on July 12th. This can be downloaded at www.raceonline2010.org. and the key points are summarised below:

• Internet use declines with age – which is why we’re involved. However, it’s not as simple as that - “the links between social disadvantage and internet non-use are strong” and the key factors are age, health, employment and income.
• Non-users of internet include: 45% of people aged 65-74; 48% of people with disabilities; 50% of people where household income falls below £11,500; and 75% of people aged over 75.
• The 10 million people in the UK who have never been online are said to be missing out in a number of ways. They will become increasingly isolated and disadvantaged as ‘digital’ becomes the main channel for access to private and public sector services.
• An ‘overwhelming’ economic and social case for a ‘networked nation’ is made (by PWC).


Digital exclusion is not simply about age. For example, other studies have found that 88% of ABs aged 55-64 (but only 29% of DEs) use the internet, and that 93% of people aged over 70 with a degree use the internet

And encouragingly, it is now older people who are driving the growth in internet usage. UKOM (Nielsen) found that 1 million of the 2 million new users (y/e May 2010) were people aged 50-64, an age group which now accounts for 25% of all internet users (but only 15% of the population).

Once again with marketing and older people, it comes down to that old marketing mantra, STP (segmentation, targeting and positioning).

To read more articles about marketing and older people, visit www.rhcadvantage.co.uk/news.

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