As co-existing drivers cross over the generations, they’re creating trends emerging out of a see-saw effect that apply to them both:
Hi-Lo Synergy
Hi-brow” versus “lo-brow” consumption in which consumers at all income levels are buying no-frills, but functional, budget products. They are not apologetic about mixing and matching these purchases with high end ones.
“Nikos greeted me and my grandma graciously and showed us a magnificent pair of curvy bronze earrings he just completed. And then he showed me an even larger row of rings in the same style of the ones in the window. I tried on about a dozen of them appreciating the details and technique. After choosing a favorite, Nikos said he would like to make me a special one similar to the one I liked best, but with a bit more flare. And the magic price for such a custom piece of his wearable art was $60!” -- Shannon R., Yelp.com, June 20, 2007
Despite working like the proverbial hound, Ramona managed to whip up this brooch before work on Friday, which we might add, 'cottaged' up the Stella Mcartney cardigan no end. The brooch was so hot, that even under the ghastly fluro of the evening train she still looked an absolute treat. -- HandMade For Life, BlogSpot, May 27, 2007
Back-to-Basics vs Conoscente
A “back to basics” sensibility confronts a “conoscente” approach in which consumers are looking for simple things. At the same time, they are looking for things with provenance and history that they can add to their personal knowledge base.
“I pledge that I shall abstain from the purchase of "new" manufactured items of clothing, for the period of 2 / 4 / 6 months. I pledge that i shall refashion, renovate, recycle preloved items for myself with my own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium for the term of my contract. I pledge that I will share the love and post a photo of my refashioned, renovoated, recylcled, crafted or created item of clothing on the Wardrobe Refashion blog, so that others may share the joy that thy thriftyness brings!” -- Wardrobe Refashion, Typepad, June 21, 2007
“Granted, I'm not the world's biggest fan of German steel for knives.... they make awesome steel -- but for cars, not knives .... but just to see such a massive array of stuff is pretty cool. They stocked mostly Wusthof and Henckels (big surprise here lol) ... was nice to see something "exotic" like Messermeister tho (and I was impressed!) ... on a side note I would have been very nice too see a Cermax or two but I suppose that's too connoisseur-ish (one can hope tho) Although now it's got me thinking about flatware...” -- Perfect Gentleman, BlogSpot, June 20, 2007
Take-Me-As-I-Am vs The Ideal Me
Real beauty versus a concept of wishful thinking presents a personal ideal version of self in conflict with a take-me-as-I-am approach.
I've decided to "fly solo" this summer. Ha not that its really up to me. But I'm not going to be looking for a boyfriend or any kind of attachment. Thats so lame. If someone come and sweeps me off my feet, great. If not, who cares? I don't need a silly boy to make me happy, you know? I'm perfectly content with flirting with cute people and not caring about what I look like and what one person thinks of me. That makes life so boring, and I'm not into being bored, you know? :) -- kaitparker24, Live Journal, June 20, 2007
“Osun is a goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, debate, sanitation, and art. The scent is of honey and "herbs of love, passion, and desire." When I tried this the other day, Osun smelled even more honey-licious than O. Today, I caught a bit of the green herb scent while it was still wet... but as the scents meld with my body chemistry, O becomes warm spicy honey-vanilla, and Osun remains a vibrant honey with just a hint of cool green herbs. I impulse-bought a partial bottle of Osun I spotted on LJ, and I think I will not regret it.” -- TwoTone, Live Journal, June 21, 2007
Work Overload vs Collective Intelligence
“Work overload” overlaps “collective intelligence” where consumers are overworked and time-pressed, yet they collaborate to seek more information than they know what to do with.
“Work is, as ever, work. We've been moved and reorganized under a different workcenter, but little has changed functionally. We're still understaffed, underprepared and overworked. At the moment we're intensely busy, busier than we've been in years, and management is finally realising that, gosh, maybe they should have gotten us more people and fixed the other problems we've been talking about for months back when we had the time to fix them.” -- Nukewolf, Live Journal, June 21, 2007
“I have always thought it would be an interesting experiment to get to the end of a Sunday service and say ‘ok folks - that’s it - we’re done - church in this form is over for ever. But we’d love you to keep serving in the community and meeting together, so why don’t you figure out what you’d like to and make it happen?’…My good mate Stuart Wesley has been able to pull of a shift of this kind at Network Vineyard but that was in a 7 year old church with 100 people. They have re-invented themselves as a genuine network but they do still meet every Sunday.” -- Backyard Missionary, July 23, 2006
| Table of Contents 1 Ironic Consumption 2 Trend Forces at Work ___a) Hi-Lo Synergy ___b) Back-to-Basics vs. ___Conoscente ___c) Take-me-as-I-am vs. ___The Ideal Me ___d) Work Overload vs. ___Collective Intelligence 3 Consumption Scenarios ___a) Finance ___b) Food ___c) Entertainment ___d) Travel |
Who? • Baby Boomers (born 1946 to 1964) • Generation Y (born 1982-2000) What's Key? • Activation that leverages ironies. Why? • No one wants to be marketed to in regard to their age anymore. It’s insulting. |
| Strategies that Cross the Generational Divide 1) Leverage the ability to collect, aggregate and share information that can then be turned into something useful for users, such as for decision making or to find information. 2) Leverage the confidence required on the part of the consumer to consciously make strategic decisions involving brand cherry picking, as well as mix-and-matching price points. 3) Leverage that it is okay to celebrate yourself, however you want to be. It’s the authenticity that matters. 4) Leverage the great amount of effort that goes into the seeming “basics.” Sometimes, it’s the smallest tasks like finding real food or moving money that trip us up. These are the times when we don’t even think to ask for help. |
