"Best Agers" Study: TBWA\Zurich Decodes the 50+ Demographic
The 50+ generation has more purchasing power than any other age group—yet it is still overlooked in marketing. TBWA\Zurich and the Institute for Limbic Communication and Strategy have published «Decoded: Best Agers in Switzerland,» the most comprehensive consumer study to date on this target group.
’Best Agers" Study: 1,200 Respondents, 30 Topics, a Clear Picture
They are the age group with the highest purchasing power in Switzerland—yet they are regularly overlooked in marketing. TBWA\Zurich and the Institute for Limbic Communication and Strategy (IFLK) wanted to change that and, in the second quarter of 2026, conducted the most comprehensive consumer study to date on Swiss «Best Agers»: ’Decoded: Best Agers in Switzerland.” The study surveyed 1,200 people between the ages of 50 and 74 on 30 topics—ranging from brand preferences and technology use to travel and health behaviors, as well as values and the spirit of the times.
At the heart of the study’s methodology is the combination of traditional demographics and the neuroscientific segmentation method LimbiCODE®. This provides in-depth psychographic insights into personality types, thereby enabling a more nuanced understanding of the 50+ generation, known as the “Best Agers.”.
Open to all technologies, but overlooked by the tech industry
A key finding of the Best Agers study is likely to give some marketing strategists pause: Four in ten Best Agers already use AI-powered apps such as ChatGPT or Gemini. According to the study, many are even willing to integrate AI into the most personal aspects of their lives. Yet the tech industry has largely ignored them—and it’s not alone in doing so. Best Agers are severely underrepresented in marketing communications, and they’re well aware of this. A large majority would like brands to pay them more attention, show them more appreciation, and present a more realistic portrayal of their generation.
Freedom, Escapism, and Transience
The study paints a picture of a generation that knows exactly what it wants: 66 percent want to be free from age-related expectations, and another 60 percent long for escapism—even into old age. It is also noteworthy that two out of three “Best Agers” consciously grapple with the topic of mortality—a subject that most brands still avoid today.
The study paints an equally clear picture when it comes to media: At 65 percent, television is the most frequently cited hobby among Best Agers. At 42 percent, television advertising remains the most frequently cited channel through which Best Agers discover brands. Social media is not entirely irrelevant, but it reaches only 25 percent of the target group.
Not a homogeneous group
«Just like all generations, the »Best Agers« are not a homogeneous group, and anyone who treats them as such is squandering enormous potential,» says Lukas Diem, Chief Strategy Officer at TBWA\Zürich. “Our segmentation approach takes this diversity into account, and the results show just how differently this generation really thinks, lives, and makes decisions.”
The study was presented on June 10 at the Brand Congress. Lukas Diem and Ursula Kaspar, owner of the Institute for Limbic Communication & Strategy, presented the findings together. Matthias Kies, CEO of TBWA\Zurich, opened the forum.
The full study is now available for download: https://www.bestagers-decoded.ch
Contact at TBWA\Zurich: Lukas Diem, Chief Strategy Officer; Matthias Kies, CEO. Study partner: Ursula Kaspar, owner of the Institute for Limbic Communication & Strategy (IFLK).
