The Invisible Consumer

Q - How many MBA, statistical marketing pros does it take to find me, and everyone out there like me, in current consumer data?

A - None. I'm not there!

Not so funny when it's your marketing budget is it?

So who am I?

I am a professional, educated, fairly sophisticated and informed woman in my mid 30's. I am socially liberal, fiscally moderate and tuned in to current global and national affairs in that order. All my friends are fascinating and unique individuals who happen to be just like me and, it occurs to me that we are incredibly low profile in terms of our activity as consumers.

We don't watch much TV and turn our noses up at advertising. We actually pride ourselves on being brand resistant, and don't think of shopping as a recreational activity. Actually, we are just as likely to buy our clothes in consignment and vintage stores and we pluck custom gems off eBay when they show up through our pre-programmed searches. We don't like being sold to and believe we have transcended the need for gaudy and obvious symbols of our status and wealth such as labels and luxury cars. It's actually almost impossible to pick us out of a crowd because we don't try to differentiate ourselves based on our appearance.

My friends spend money on things like flying lessons and pick up free t-shirts at museum openings and opera fundraisers. They spend on travel but are just as likely to be found hitching a ride across Malta as they are ensconced, in the spa, at the Four Seasons, Anywhere. Their focus in on value and quality but that could mean anything from finding the best burrito in town to spending thousands on top quality surround sound or the latest electronics. It's just so hard to nail them down.

The bottom line is they don't create recognizable consumer patterns and they are effectively invisible to statistical marketers. When companies ask you to quantify these guys because they represent a new breed of consumer, your going to have a tough time doing it, unless I am missing something. What they are is savvy, affluent, and about to come into a lot of money courtesy of their baby boomer parents. They represent an increasingly important segment to marketers because they're where all the money went. You know, the money that the mainstream, middle class used to spend at the gap and upgrading to HDTV at BestBuy before they went broke.

So how do you sell to folks like us. The answer is you don't. We spend a little bit of time getting to know each other and then embark on a relationship in which you, the company, meets my lofty ideals and I, the people, reward you by consuming within the shared value space you have created for me.

Simplistic and vaguely silly to be sure but not totally off the mark..... Pitch in and help me out.