Adam Sternbergh wrote a fun and insightful piece for the April 3, 2006 issue of New York magazine, entitled “Up With Grups*.” In it, he writes…
…about “a brave new world whose citizens are radically rethinking what it means to be a grown-up and whether being a grown-up still requires, you know, actually growing up.”
As I read it, I laughed and nodded my head in agreement (for I, too, find little connection between how old I am and how old I feel) and then realized, this is a phenomenon that marketers, at big brands or small stores, might want to keep in mind. You can’t assume that “mid-30s woman in heels and a suit” is going to be relevant for your office supply store customers. Maybe your market is a lot more “mid-30s woman in designer sneakers, $100+ jeans and yoga studio t-shirt,” for example.
As the market research has started to show, for many, many people…age is just a number. It is no longer all that helpful to segment markets by generations. In fact, pollsters and What Women Really Want authors Celinda Lake and Kellyanne Conway put “Generational Compression” seventh in their list of trends for women in the coming years. As they put it:
“For the first time in memory, women across generations have remarkable commonality, expressed in their daily concerns, their values, and even their youthful, optimistic spirits.”
So, this generational compression happens across the board, but the particular transition from youth into adulthood has never been more blurry (especially in urban areas, as is the focus of the New York article). As Sternbergh points out, this phenomenon could be considered “evidence of the slow erosion of the long held idea that in some fundamental way, you cross through a portal when you become an adult…” But, as he continues, “This cohort is not interested in putting away childish things.”
From music to fashion to the way they are raising their kids and the type of work they do (or the jobs they are not willing to take), this hardly-aging group is not holding on to “youth” as they knew it. Rather, these people are staying in touch with whatever is currently youthful.
If 60 is the new 50, and 50 is the new 40, and so on down the line, does this make it harder for marketers? Yes. Does it further inspire you to ditch your old research methods or any of your company’s long-held “truths” about the 30 – 50 year old consumer (and beyond…)? It should.
This just in: As I was finishing off this post, a story on car marketing in Brandweek popped into my in-box, and I quote:
“Unlike generations before, the baby boomers are not a group that will go gently into the night,” said Jim Hopson, a Pontiac rep. “The young-oriented car ads draw the boomers as well, and I think we are underestimating how youthful baby boomers remain.’”
I totally agree, Andrea. It amazes me though, in spite of the phenomenon of some Boomers finding appeal in today’s youth-oriented messaging, Boomers still embrace the “old days” of rock ‘n roll, freer times and maybe even revolutionary thought, if even for reminiscence purposes. Companies like Ameriprise are only a handful capitalizing on it, with their new ad campaign using “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” by Iron Butterfly. As a Boomer, I can tell you that the psychedelic graphics and melody captured my attention. I’m always amazed why more companies aren’t milking this style of attention-grabbing.
There was a great story on NPR yesterday about how people sort of stop trying new things (in general) after their 14 – 25 year range. That included the music they listened too… so that people like me (early 40s) are stuck loving New Order and The Cure if they don’t force themselves to branch out. Thus – you are so right. Think of the possibilities for marketers? Every time I hear New Order, I have fun/fond memories – and I’ll look at that ad.