We have been variously told that we live in a world that is postmodern, post-postmodern, post-irony and post-industrial. It’s time to add post-demographic to the list, because the 21st century has rendered many of our traditional consumer demographic sectors—age, income, gender, location—largely moot. It’s not to say that these segments no longer exist, but that they exist in much more fluid terms than they ever did before.
A number of factors have contributed to the rise of post-demographic consumerism. First, through the Internet, consumers from Memphis to Manila now have access to the same information, culture and ideas, and are targeted by the same mega-brands. An increase in urban living, rising affluence in the developing world and an overall desire by worldwide audiences to know and consume more have also contributed to a much more shared global experience. The world is flatter than we thought.
Instead of this being something for brands to wring their hands over, the post-demographic landscape has created an opportunity for them to make headway in areas they never would have otherwise considered. This summer, Lululemon, a brand most often equated with soccer moms and downward dogs, partnered with a Vancouver brewing company to create its very own lager. In a vein similarly out of the box, EA Sports’ FIFA, the popular soccer video game series, added 12 women’s national teams to its newest version of the game, the first time that female squads have been featured in the series. These are the types of moves that engage people—people whom you wouldn’t normally consider your target demographic—with your brand.
Cross over. Ignore the boundaries that you think define your brand. The audience outside of your audience is far bigger than you imagine. Consumers have left their comfort zones. It’s in the best interest of brands to do the same.
Trends inspired by trendwatching.com/premium