Russell Davies: Assignment 3 - Five ways to talk to the over-50s

Righty-oh, here's the next task. I've tried to learn from previous exercises, so this one's a little different.

Ben's suggested that we think about the 'grey market', which is a good idea, and we're going to practise thinking about precis, summary and writing quickly and powerfully.

So this is the plan, I want you to answer the five questions below, in less than 30 words per answer. I don't want any pictures, or any fancy fonts, infact I don't want any attachments, just put your answers in an email.

1. A leading retailler wants to create an equivalent of The Gap aimed at the over 60s. What should the key communications idea for that store be?

2. A leading car brand wants to create a loyalty programme that ensures their over 50s customers come back and use authorised dealerships for their service and maintenance. They want to use direct mail to do it. What should the main idea for that be?

3. An innovative entrepeneur wants to create a fast food or coffee bar chain targeting affluent over 50s. What should their strategy be?

4. Most people in their 20s aren't investing in pensions or thinking about how they'll finance their retirement - how would you persuade them to do so?

5. A health care company has realised that the affluent, demanding boomer generation in the US is starting to need critical health care, retirment communities and hospices, but they don't want the grimey, depressing places where their parents went to be cared for and to die. How would you position a total health-care business for this generation?

The quality of the ideas and the thinking is important, but what's especially important is the clarity, power and memorability of your writing. And if you don't need to use the full 30 words per answer, then don't do so.

Does that all make sense? I hope this seems interesting. Deadline is midnight (GMT) on January 20th.