Boomer tones

Just when you thought the ringtone craze had reached its peak, a new ringtone provider springs up and grabs your entrepreneurial attention. Although it also offers popular―some would say hackneyed―classics like Für Elise, Booseytones' main attraction is its wide range of less overworked ringtones.

Being the world's largest publisher of classical music, Boosey & Hawkes can draw from an immense catalogue of music by such distinguished 20th century composers as Stravinsky, Shostakovich, Britten, Adams, Reich and Prokofieff. Previous centuries are represented by a host of venerable composers, from Handel to Tchaikovsky.

After replacing Nokia's Gran Vals with a truetone version of Adam's Short Ride in a Fast Machine, dedicated followers of classical music will also be pleased to swap standard cellphone wallpapers with a photograph of a pensive Prokofieff, or an engraving of Mozart's dapper silhouette.

The opportunity? Ringtones seem to be one of those ‘new’ ideas that even after many years continue to inspire marketers to innovate. In Booseytones’case, the ka-ching may come from tens of millions of boomers who are as addicted to their cell phones as the next teen, but have been completely overlooked by ringtone providers. (Naturally, boomers aren't the only ones interested in classical music. Booseytones will also be a welcome relief to younger consumers who'd like a change from 50 Cent and Gwen Stefani.)

Expect this market to be even bigger when the next wave of senior citizens hits the market; they will not only cherish their cell phones, and have a slightly more mature taste, they’ll also view downloading ringtones as an integrated part of buying music. It never hurts to take a close look at how your current and loyal customers evolve as they age and become more experienced: grow your business by growing with them.