Are Baby Boomers late adopters or worse yet, laggards, when it comes to technology? That may be the perception, but is that the reality? It seems that Baby Boomers have a PR problem as it applies to competing with younger generations in the coming years.

1. Kevin M. Brett, J 641
Diffusion of Innovation Theory:
Attitude Analysis of Baby Boomer
Communicators Toward Social Media
Kevin M. Brett
March 2011
University of Oregon

2. Kevin M. Brett, J 641
My Generation
“People try to put us d-down
“(Talkin' 'bout my generation)
“Just because we get around
“(Talkin' 'bout my generation)
“Things they do look awful c-c-cold
“(Talkin' 'bout my generation)
“I hope I die before I get old…”
Pete Townshend, 1965

3. Kevin M. Brett, J 641
Magic Bus
• Sex, Drugs, Rock and Roll
• Satisfaction, Purple Haze, Lucy in the Sky
• JFK, RFK, MLK, Civil Rights, Women’s
Rights
• Vietnam, Cambodia, Woodstock
• “One Small Step…”
• Burned Down Administration Buildings
• Burned Draft Cards
• Burned Bras
• Burned Flags
• Burned…Well You Know…

4. Kevin M. Brett, J 641
See Me, Feel Me, Touch Me
• Graduate Teaching Fellow, University of Oregon
School of Journalism and Communication
• Nearly Three Decades in Public Relations
• Govn., Corp., Non-Profit, Agency PR
• Author of Almost DailyBrett Strat Comm Blog
• Facebook Twitter, LinkedIn etc.
• Baby Boomer, Born in 1955

5. Kevin M. Brett, J 641
Who Are You?
• Baby Boomers (1946-1964)
• 1959: Integrated Circuit Invented
• 1964: First Baby Boomers Enter Workforce
• 1981: PC Pioneered by IBM
• 1982: Last Baby Boomers Enter Workforce
• 1986: Microsoft Founded
• 1990: World Wide Web (Web 1.0)
• 1997: First Blogs (Web 2.0)
• 2011: First Baby Boomers Reach Retirement
Age

6. Kevin M. Brett, J 641
Won’t Get Fooled Again?

7. Kevin M. Brett, J 641
Pinball Wizards?
• Pew Research (2010) Social Network Site Use
• Millennials (18-33), 67% 2008; 83% 2010
• Gen X (34-45), 36% 2008; 62% 2010
• Younger Boomers, (46-55), 20% 2008, 50%
2010
• Older Boomers, (56-64), 9% 2008, 43% 2010

8. Kevin M. Brett, J 641
This Song Is Over?
• Pew Research (2010) Changes in
Blogging?
• Millennials (18-33), 20% 2008; 18% 2010
• Gen X (34-45), 10% 2008; 16% 2010
• Younger Boomers, (46-55), 6% 2008, 11% 2010
• Older Boomers, (56-64), 7% 2008, 11% 2010

9. Kevin M. Brett, J 641
I Can See For Miles?
• “ICT (Information and Communications
Technology) Poverty – “Digital Divide”
• Motivational Difference Between Younger and
Older Workers (Tobola, 2010)
• Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)
• Task-Technology Fit (TTF)
– Perceived Usefulness
– Ease of Use
– Management Motivation (Kuo & Lee, 2010)

10. Kevin M. Brett, J 641
Behind Blue Eyes
• Constructivist Approach
• Analyze and Provide Explanations for Degrees of Baby Boomer PR
Practitioner Social Media Acceptance
• IRB Approval Sought and Obtained
• Interview Guide Developed
• Extensive Note Taking, Memoing, Journaling
• 24 Intensive Interviews in PDX and DC Markets
• IABC and PRSA Assistance Sought
• Silicon Valley, Austin, TX, Route 128 Avoided
• Initial, Axial and Theoretical Coding
• Workable Conclusions / Can Be Used for Upcoming Gen X Issues

11. Kevin M. Brett, J 641
Meet the New Boss
…Same As The Old Boss?