new normal in marketing (demographics are dead)

 


 

Demographics are dead.

Successful products, services and brands will transcend their initial demographics almost instantaneously.

As a result, executives who continue to attempt to navigate using demographic maps, with borders defined by age, gender, location, income will be ill prepared for the speed, scale and direction of change.”

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Trendwatching.com

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So. I have argued positioning by demographics and generational labels (Millennials, Boomers, etc which is simply demographics with a twist) is both lazy marketing AND ineffective marketing. I have said it because while gobs of people talk about the effect of ‘social media’ on marketing <which is kind of crazy because it is simply another tactic and not a strategy> not many people discuss how people’s attitudes are shifting and how that effects HOW marketing approaches the voodoo it does.

thinking attitudes changeWhat do I mean?

Well. Not many people talk about the impact of globalization on marketing this way, but, an overall impact of a more connected global world is that marketing is a shitload less about demographics than it is about attitudes.

Ok. That thought is going to make a shitload of people in the marketing business tear their hair out.

Why? Because targeting via demographics is much much easier than targeting attitudinally. In addition the foundational attitude everyone is tapping into is actually unlearning <wow … that sucks for marketers> which means targeting has to accommodate some natural shifting. Unlearning? What I mean is that as we become more globally aware we also then begin challenging conventional wisdom more often <and change what we think more easily>. That is the new normal. Conventional ways, or even just “what I think” thoughts, of thinking about things are increasingly being overturned as we encounter a new normal. The new normal attitude is more often reflected in “why?” … instead of “of course.” To a marketer this can seem disconcerting.

Shit. To someone looking from the outside in with regard to the world this can seem disconcerting.

But while it may seem like you may be suffering from a mild form of chronophobia <fear that time is moving so fast I’ll never be able to catch up> the reality is that most people like the changes occurring around us and are quickly changing their behavior to accommodate what, overall, they see as improvements.

Therefore as a marketer <or business in general> this behavior shift is less about convincing anyone to do anything it is more that the bulk of the people are simply seeking permission to do the changed behavior or even the behavior they are doing. This should change how marketers view what they are doing and how they are encouraging change … because permission is significantly different than convincing.

It becomes more about reducing barriers and embracing less negative product impacts for a consumer.

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Understanding consumers’ needs and wants remains critical. However, it will be those that take a broad view and learn from innovations that are satisfying consumers by reducing negative issues in seemingly dissimilar or even opposing demographics that will succeed, regardless of which ‘traditional’ demographic(s) they serve.

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In today’s world people can <and increasingly do> pick and choose what products and services they purchase, and the brands they identify with, without any regard to demographic ‘conventions.’ They are sharing a product, and the product experience, regardless of age. This means the only way to sell <or give them permission to buy or do> is to tap into some ‘shared attitude’ of a group you have identified of interest to your product or service.

Now.

This will confuse a lot of marketing people because, well, shit … they are already confused.

Huh? … Why do I say that? If you stay focused on demographics it becomes easy to become confused when looking at behavior. Sticking with a simplistic demographic it looks like consumers are constantly not behaving as they ‘should.’ That said I come back to attitudes and permission versus convincing. Trendwatching called a version of the idea I am discussing – POST-DEMOGRAPHIC CONSUMERISM.

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People – of all ages and in all markets – are constructing their own identities more freely than ever.

As a result, consumption patterns are no longer defined by ‘traditional’ demographic segments such as age, gender, location, income, family status and more.

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Now, to be clear on demographics, in general younger, affluent people are the most likely earliest adopters of new products and services. They are certainly more open, more experimental and have fewer commitments. This would suggest a demographic target <with a persona overlay>. The problem is that now innovations are being rapidly adopted by, and almost instantly reshape the expectations of, any and all demographics. Society is now too fluid, ideas now too available, the market now too efficient, the risk and cost of trying new things now too low for any and all people to ‘up their game’ with products & services. The ability to experiment and, ultimately, identify personally with a wider variety of brands and products fuels increased personalization and yet creates a larger collective attitude <whew … there is an interesting dichotomy>.

Just look at smartphones. While we look at the disconnected/connected world as a ‘young person issue’ … smartphones has an almost 75+% penetration of people aged 12 to 54.

Yes. I just said almost ¾ of anyone under the age of 54.

 

bond smartphone why attitude

Anyway. If you end up skipping the whole demographic thing and are not clear where to startlet me help you out. An attitudinal marketing world actually almost begins not with the people but the enabler.

Huh?

If I am selling an app I look to smartphones <and attitudes of smartphone buyers>

If I am selling a book I look to amazon <and attitudes of amazon users>.

If I am selling a car I look to car lots <and attitudes of car lot shoppers>.

Attitudes get driven by who uses, and likes to use, the enabler.

Well. This actually makes this whole attitudinal thing slightly easier because now I have a place to at least start … some existing behavior <and the attitudes attached to that behavior>. The enabler also enhances a latent ‘purchase desire’ for other things.

What do I mean? The enabler enhances a desire to ‘do more like this’ or a desire wrapped around a sense of ‘shit, if I can do this this way … why can’t I do this thing this way?” That is a powerful desire to tap into.

perfection looking at htings differentlyThat innate desire simply comes down to ‘permission to do’ rather than ‘convince to do.’ This attitude is an odd <interesting?> aspect of democratization of purchasing.

This attitude also bleeds into a larger ‘how will I enter the world’ type attitude. Let me explain. Because there is this democratization of the purchase it almost eliminates an aspect of early adopter <which has a “get ready for me world’ attitude> and instead almost forces a mass of people into more of an ‘I need to get ready for this world’ attitude.

This democratization of purchasing impacts attitude so significantly <creating this ‘new normal’> because the overall ‘heads of the people’ has changed at the same time. The ‘head change’ has been driven by a world where, increasingly, conventional <traditional> basics can no longer be taken for granted. What I mean by that is because people perceive they are facing a seemingly never-­‐ending onslaught of challenges and issues, people tend to see today’s world as a tough, difficult place where someone needs to focus on survival long before someone can consider ‘thrive’. And, once again, this is not a demographic thing, this is a pervasive attitude among all demographic groups. This is the new normal.

I would note the new normal attitude leads to some rebelling against, or complete rejection, of conventional beliefs, conventional way of ‘doing things’, conventional thinking and also traditional businesses products & services. As people reluctantly adjust to today’s version of a maturing new reality, all the while professing they will never lose touch with how it feels to be young and relevant, the democratization of purchase feeds into an ‘I can be young & old at the same time.’

This attitude is easy, and difficult, to track because while almost all the ‘individuals’ carry this mindset around wherever they go … the actual ‘individual’ chooses when & where to apply it in Life.

“They choose when and where they will attack.  If the issue seems below their threshold of importance, they save their energy and let it go entirely.”

Neil Howe, Demographer

Well. This means that if the issue seems below their threshold of importance, they save their energy and let it go entirely. This thought captures an overall attitude among all people. Ok. Maybe not everyone … but it is an increasing attitude among a significantly increasing amount of people. We could call it simply … a survival response.

Survival?

Well. The world has shown people that shit happens <and some pretty screwed up shit> that you can’t plan for … but you can kind of prepare for. Ok. Sort of prepare for.

Anyway.

With this new normal attitude and the fact marketers have to focus on tapping into attitudes and not demographics … I feel the need to say that edges matter when you talk about attitudinal. No. I am not talking doing something ‘edgy’ … I am talking about drawing some lines in the sand. Avoiding fluff and focus on the fold. Eliminate ambiguity and dial up some certainty.

Why does it matter? Raised on a steady dose of truth <and untruths>, straight talk <and double talk>, honesty, and some heavy doses of reality, people today expect the world to be a tough place. They’ve been taught the motivations of brands, corporations, and institutions are seldom what they seem. This translates into the fact that if businesses that pander, condescend, or rely on lazy stereotypes … they will not connect.

Speak truth, the harsh truth, or die. Get out of the gray. Place an edge on everything you say and create some distinct feelings about whatever it is you 19 speak the truthwant to sell or say. Avoid ambiguity. Clarity & certainty are almost mandatory <and, please, do not confuse this with ‘simplicity’ because one can provide clarity without overt simplicity>. In fact. Standing out, being distinct, may matter more than success.

I would note this is a reflection of an overall societal thing … kids are more and more raised by parents less obsessed with winning or their kids obtaining traditional status symbols of ‘success’. This results in an attitude more focused on standing out rather than being #1. Suffice it to say being distinct matters. Not being better or being ‘unique’ but instead simply being clear with regard to who and what you are.

Distinct differentiates in a fluffy grey world.

Both of those things, edges and distinctness, matter when it comes to attitudinal marketing. I say that because while the world may feel overwhelming on occasion <mostly driven by what social media fake journalists keep telling us we should be overwhelmed> most of us are becoming quite good at judging … well … the turn on, tune in, or drop out choices. Frankly it’s a survival mechanism people have honed as a reaction to the babbling insanity that surrounds everyone and which can eat life away if permitted. We actually have learned relatively well on how to choose wisely with regard to what to pay attention to.

Anyway. If you are a marketer, shit, if you are a business owner success may often not be found in focusing on some ‘demographic appeal’ to what you are selling or saying. Success may actually be found in tapping into some attitude.

The business world is becoming more and more ‘age democratized’ and therefore you are just as likely to piss off potential customers focusing on a demographic as you are in appealing to the demographic you are trying to attract.

More importantly? You are probably leaving potential customers at the table if you use a demographic focus.

I can’t remember the source but I know I have read that attitudinal marketing & targeting can be 6x more effective than a demographic approach.

I imagine if I wanted to close this article with a factoid that’s a good one. Look. Demographics may not be dead but attitudinal marketing & positioning insures becoming a “because you are this age you should buy” type of brand.

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Written by Bruce