Direct Marketing Campaign to 10,000 Older Citizens in Munich: Analysis of Mobility Behaviour and Needs Completed

I want to stay mobile. But how? Further information on the campaign >>

[Munich, May 2009] The City of Munich is planning a direct marketing campaign in order to influence the mobility behaviour of older people towards more sustainable modes. In a first phase of the project the mobility behaviour and especially the needs of older people was analysed. Therefore focus-group interviews took place with 13 older citizens of Munich.

The conclusions drawn from the focus-group interviews are a very important base for the further project design. Most interesting was the fact, that older people don't want to be addressed as 'senior citizens'. Another important finding is that older people frequently underestimate their mobility problems and subsequently refuse assistance and help offers. The implication for the project design is to address the senior citizens in the campaign neutrally and to offer a wide range of services which are not only designed for the elderly.

The campaign will address approximately 10.000 households in Munich and will concentrate on the 60-75 aged, as the potential for a shift towards more sustainable transport modes is supposed to be quite hight in this age group.

The next step of the project will be to transmit the results and findings of the analysis and appraisal phase into an attractive brochure which compiles useful information about mobility in Munich. In addition there will be an online survey about the needs of older internet users with regard to the mobility portal www.muenchen.de/mobil.
 

Johanna Balthesen
E-mail: johanna.balthesen[at]muenchen.de
Tel: (49-89) 233-22442
Landeshauptstadt München, Kreisverwaltungsreferat
(City of Munich, Department of Public Order)