YOLD
YOLD (short for the English “young old”) is the name used in Polish marketing for the youngest part of the 50+ group: people aged roughly 50–65, in work, affluent and using the internet just as younger people do.
In the segmentation we use at Silver TV, YOLD is the first of three segments of the 50+ group. It is followed by Silver (65–75) and Senior (75 and over). We describe them in more detail in YOLD, Silver, Senior: three generations in one 50+ group.
Where does the term come from?
From gerontology. In the 1970s the American researcher Bernice Neugarten used “young-old” for people between 55 and 75, healthy and active, as distinct from the oldest. The abbreviation “yold” was popularised in 2020 by the weekly The Economist, writing about the decade in which this generation would start to drive consumption.
Why is YOLD 50–65 in Poland, not 55–75?
Because in marketing the boundaries follow purchasing decisions, not dates of birth. In Polish industry materials YOLD usually means people just past fifty who are still working and have the highest incomes. When citing someone else’s data, check which boundary the author used, because sources outside Poland sometimes use the same name for people aged 65–75, a group a decade older.
What does this mean for campaigns?
Within the 50+ group it is the YOLD who have the most money, and they are the least likely to recognise themselves in advertising aimed at “seniors”. A message written with a 75+ person in mind reaches them as if it were addressed to someone else.
See also: YOLD, Silver, Senior, silver marketing, Poles 50+ in numbers.
Sources
Bernice L. Neugarten, “Age Groups in American Society and the Rise of the Young-Old”, The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 1974 (the term “young-old”)
The Economist, “The World in 2020” (popularisation of the abbreviation “yold”)
Silver TV, segmentation of the 50+ group into YOLD, Silver and Senior, based on talks by B. Borucka and market practice (a convention, not an industry standard)
Quick answers
What does YOLD mean?
YOLD is short for the English “young old”. In Polish marketing it means people aged roughly 50–65, in work and affluent, that is the youngest part of the 50+ group.
How old is a YOLD?
In Polish industry materials, usually 50–65. In the original, gerontological sense, “young-old” means older people, roughly 55–75, so when comparing figures check the boundary the author used.
How does YOLD differ from a “senior”?
In age, work situation and the way they shop. YOLD usually work, have the highest incomes in the 50+ group and shop online, and rarely recognise themselves in advertising aimed at “seniors”.
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