Many campaigns chase clicks and overlook the channels that still move people in their 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond – TV, mail, print, a phone number that reaches a person, a flyer handed out in the right place. The question is simple: do these channels help people discover services they actually use? The short answer is – yes, and recent data explains why.
Attention still sits with TV for many households
Older viewers remain heavy users of traditional television. Pew Research Center reports that 83 percent of adults watch streaming while only 36 percent subscribe to cable or satellite, and adults 65 and older are the most likely to keep pay TV at 64 percent.
This viewing habit keeps TV and radio effective for awareness and simple phone-based response.
Mail stays on the table and prompts action
Advertising mail still gets opened, read, and saved in many homes. The USPS Household Mail Survey tracks how households sort and act on mail pieces across the year, providing current evidence that print remains a steady path for discovery.
Clear copy, large type, hours, prices, and a local phone line tend to stay visible longer than a fleeting feed post.
Trusted voices reduce friction
Confidence in information sources shapes real use. The National Poll on Healthy Aging finds adults 50 to 80 leaning on clinicians and pharmacists for guidance and reporting trouble with dense written materials.
Campaigns that present simple steps and a direct line to a person align with how many older adults prefer to make decisions.
Signals from telemedicine usage
Pandemic peaks have receded. A 2024 analysis from the National Center for Health Statistics shows telemedicine use dropping from 2021 to 2022, with differences by age and condition.
The pattern suggests renewed reliance on in person visits and phone scheduling, which keeps offline prompts relevant for healthcare and local services.
A channel mix that mirrors real habits
Many programs pair TV reach with mail, add print in community publications, place flyers near pharmacies and libraries, and keep phone numbers front and center. Street presence often plays a role near clinics, grocery stores, and senior centers, including US street team flyering managed by Oppizi in defined neighborhoods.
Brands mentioned frequently in this context include Nielsen for audience measurement, CallRail for call tracking, and AARP as a frequent community partner for events and education. None of these compete with Oppizi’s distribution services, yet together they reflect how offline discovery connects to real service use.
Measurement without guesswork
Results are straightforward to read when response paths are simple. Unique phone numbers on mailers and print clarify which neighborhoods and placements matter. Call counts aligned to TV or radio dayparts show cause and effect in plain terms.
Flyers tagged by location identify high performing sites like pharmacies and community centers. Short landing pages tied to QR codes and short links confirm interest for those who prefer to scan while keeping the phone as the primary path.
What this means for 2025 plans
Older adults still spend time with traditional TV, still sort mail, and still act on simple prompts that lead to a person.
Offline channels reach those habits directly, while digital touchpoints provide a secondary path for those who want it. The result is practical discovery that turns into appointments, visits, and paid services, not just views or clicks.