This article was originally published in 2001 and was last updated on June 28, 2025.
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Tension: Older adults are often assumed to be digitally disengaged, but their behavior shows a deeper desire for human connection—especially when technology supports it.
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Noise: Marketers still cling to outdated assumptions about seniors and email, focusing on promotions over meaningful engagement.
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Direct Message: Seniors don’t just want perks—they want purpose. Marketing that treats them with dignity and offers real-world value drives action.
To learn more about our editorial approach, explore The Direct Message methodology.
In 2001, Oticon—a leading Danish manufacturer of hearing aids—ran what seemed like a modest email campaign.
Two emails went out to older adults through their doctors: one offered a free set of hearing aid batteries, the other encouraged recipients to schedule a demo of Oticon’s latest product.
You’d think the giveaway would’ve won, right?
Wrong. The demo invite outperformed the freebie by a wide margin: a 61% open rate versus 40%, and double the click-through rate (14% vs. 7%).
The follow-up campaign? Even better—nearly 90% open rate.
More than two decades later, in a marketing world shaped by machine learning, hyper-targeted content, and obsession with “personalization,” this story still cuts through.
Because Oticon didn’t just offer a product—they offered purpose. And that makes all the difference.
The real tension: It’s not about tech, it’s about trust
Marketers often frame older adults as lagging behind in digital fluency. But the real disconnect isn’t technological—it’s relational. When brands fail to see older consumers as active decision-makers, they communicate in ways that patronize or overlook them.
Oticon flipped that script. Instead of treating older adults as tech-averse, they leaned into the assumption that seniors would respond to an empowering offer. And they were right.
More than 3,000 new contacts were collected from just nine clinics. Those weren’t just leads—they were people raising their hands to say, “Yes, I want to take action on my hearing health.” In a time when email open rates are lucky to hit 25%, that’s gold.
And remember: this was in 2001. Broadband was still spotty, smartphones weren’t yet in pockets, and most marketers weren’t even thinking about email as a primary channel.
The only real difference today is that we have better tools. The principle still holds: people don’t want noise; they want meaning.
The noise: Myths that still plague email marketing
Let’s talk about the outdated playbook that refuses to die.
Too many campaigns still lead with perks, discounts, and urgency hacks. There’s a time and place for offers, sure—but they can’t replace substance. And personalization? Most of it still stops at names and basic segmentation. It feels hollow because it is.
Then there’s the myth that seniors are digital outsiders. Yet in 2025, the fastest-growing demographic for tablet usage is 65+. Voice-assisted tech adoption is booming among retirees. Older adults aren’t behind—they’re just underserved.
Oticon’s campaign was successful not because it tricked people into clicking. It offered something helpful and assumed the audience could follow through.
That mindset is still rare. And it’s why so many campaigns fail today—because they’re trying to game behavior instead of respecting it.
The Direct Message
When we shift from selling to supporting, engagement becomes a byproduct—not the goal.
What modern marketers can learn from this
Oticon’s hybrid strategy—email, mailers, in-clinic experience—reflects a principle now more relevant than ever: touchpoints must align with trust. Today, we can enhance this with:
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Data-informed empathy: Use behavioral data not just to predict clicks, but to uncover needs. What past behavior tells you someone values hearing health? Use that.
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Journey-based engagement: Instead of isolating tactics, map a meaningful sequence—an email that leads to a video testimonial, which leads to a self-assessment tool, followed by an invitation to consult.
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Community over conversion: Seniors, like all audiences, want to feel part of something. Use stories, not just stats. Invite them to see others like them who took action and benefited.
And don’t underestimate lifetime value. That first hearing test appointment might lead to follow-ups, referrals, product upgrades, or even advocacy. Oticon wasn’t building a moment—they were building a relationship.
Email engagement isn’t about generation. It’s about intent.
The best marketers today borrow from behavioral psychology, not just analytics dashboards. Oticon’s results—while impressive—weren’t accidental. They tapped into something most email campaigns overlook:
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Curiosity, not obligation
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Agency, not urgency
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Participation, not persuasion
The simplicity of the offer—“Come in for a demo”—created a low-friction, high-relevance ask. No complicated form, no dozen-click funnel. Just an invitation to experience a possible improvement in quality of life.
Today, we talk about accessibility in marketing mostly in technical terms (contrast ratios, alt text, screen readers). But what about emotional accessibility? Are we making people feel seen? Are we communicating that we trust them to choose?
Oticon’s demo invitation wasn’t just a tactic. It was an ethos.
A new rule for modern email strategy: Connection first, conversion later
Here’s something more brands should ask themselves in 2025:
“Would this message still make sense if we removed the CTA?”
If the answer is no, your message might be too hollow. The most effective emails educate, encourage, or empower—even without the click. When you offer that consistently, the click becomes inevitable.
Oticon showed this back in 2001, and the lesson’s only gotten louder: If you build campaigns with care, the response will follow—not just in metrics, but in momentum.
Conclusion: Still hearing the message loud and clear
The Oticon email campaign is proof that the fundamentals of great marketing haven’t changed—only the format has.
Seniors didn’t need clever subject lines or scarcity tactics. They needed a reason to act, and a brand that treated them with dignity. In return, they gave attention, engagement, and trust.
Today, when every inbox is overflowing and attention spans are fragmented, we have a choice: chase gimmicks or choose clarity. The brands that will win aren’t the loudest—they’re the ones who listen best.
So maybe the question isn’t how to get better at email marketing. Maybe it’s how to get better at listening. Oticon did. And their audience responded—loud and clear.
