Age and consumer identity are strongly linked, as people tend to share experiences and preferences with others of similar ages. Marketers recognize age cohorts - groups that have undergone shared experiences based on their age, such as children, teens, Generation X, baby boomers, and the elderly. They modify marketing strategies and messages to effectively target specific age groups. As people move through life stages, their consumption patterns, values, and lifestyles change predictably.

1. 1 | P a g e
Age subculture
Age and Consumer Identity:
The era in which a consumer grows up creates for that person a cultural bond with the millions of
others born during the same time period. As we grow older, our needs and preferences change,
often in unison with others who are close to our own age. For this reason, a consumer’s age
exerts a significant influence on his or her identity. All things being equal, we are more likely
than not to have things in common with others of our own age
General marketing strategies are often modified to fit specific age groups. Why? Age and
Consumer Identity Age exerts a significant influence on identity
Consumers undergo predictable changes in their values, lifestyles, and consumption patterns as
they move through their life cycle.
Marketers need to know how to communicate with members of an age group in their own
language.
In other words, consumption patterns change.
An age cohort consists of people of similar ages who have undergone similar experiences:
 Children
 Teens
 Present Generation X (1965 and 1980)
 Baby Boomers (1946 –1964)
 The Elder
Marketers often target products and services to one or more specific age cohorts. They recognize
that the same offering will probably not appeal to people of different ages, nor will the language
and images they use to reach them. In some cases separate campaigns are developed to attract
consumers of different ages. For example, travel agencies throughout Europe target youth
markets during the months of May and June for low- cost summer holidays to Mallorca, and then
target middle-aged, more affluent con- sumers for the same destination during September and
October.

2. 2 | P a g e
How do Children impact the Marketplace?
Directly influence the spending of their parents. § 67 percent of families buying a new car base
the purchase decision on advice from their children § 80% of the time when parents purchase a
brand their children have heavily influenced the final decision? 1.Indirectly influence the
spending of their parents –necessities 2. also have substantial spending power and purchase
several products.
Children as Consumers in Training:
Consumer socialization: process by which people children acquire skills, knowledge, attitudes
relevant to theirfunctioning as consumers in the marketplace.
How does it Occur?
Observation
Television
Direct experience
Parental influence
Shared shopping experiences
Teenager in the marketplace:
Teenage Marketing and Lifestyle Survey found children 12 to 19 spent more than $153 billion in
1999, up from $140 billion in 1998 Teens also spend $56 of their own money and $28 of their
parents’ money per week. Most can be spent on discretionary items like movies, CDs, and
electronic games. 2005 40% of movie tickets bought by teens the number of kids and teens
online increased from 26.6 million in 2000 to 34.3 million in 2003. In fact, the under-18
demographic now comprises over 20% of the US online population 2005 teens influenced $400
billion of parents spending in US.
Teens also influence substantial additional family spending by expressing their preferences for
certain products or brands that their parents then purchase
Teens are trendsetters both for their peers and for younger children who emulate them
Teens are future consumers. By winning the business of a teen, a company may be able to create
a lifelong loyal customer.
Teens are a growing market; last estimate 29 million; expected to be 35 million by 2010.

3. 3 | P a g e
Teen values and conflict:
Teens use products to express their identities, explore the world and their new-found freedoms
in it, and rebel against their parents.
Marketers often do their best to assist Teens in the above decisions.
Joost’s rejection of his father’s suggestion to buy ‘classic’ skates, and his choice of ice-hockey
skates which fashionably matched his Fila jacket, are mild expressions of these sorts of
expressive consumption behaviours
1 Autonomy vs. belonging.
Teenagers need to acquire independence so they try to break away from their families. On the
other hand, they need to attach themselves to a sup- port structure, such as peers, to avoid being
alone. A thriving internet subculture has developed to serve this purpose, as has text messaging
via mobile phones.4 The net (World Wide Web) has become the preferred method of
communication for many young people, since its anonymity makes it easier to talk to people of
the opposite sex, or of different ethnic and racial groups.
Rebellion vs. conformity.
Teenagers need to rebel against social standards of appearance and behaviour, yet they still need
to fit in and be accepted by others. Cult products that cultivate a rebellious image are prized for
this reason. Skeleteens, a line of nat- ural soft drinks in flavours like Brain Wash, Black
Lemonade and DOA, developed such a following thanks to its ‘dangerous’ mystique. This
underground product was first discovered by California bikers in America, who were drawn to
the images of skulls and crossbones on the labels.
3 Idealism vs. pragmatism.
Teenagers tend to view adults as hypocrites, while they see themselves as being sincere. They
have to struggle to reconcile their view of how the world should be with the realities they
perceive around them.
Narcissism vs. intimacy.
Teenagers can be obsessed with their appearance and needs. On the other hand, they also feel the
desire to connect with others on a meaningful level.

4. 4 | P a g e
Baby busters:
"Baby Busters" is a term which is used interchangeably with "Generation X" and "13th
Generation" to describe those people born between approximately 1965 and 1979. Others define
it as the "post-peak Boomers", the long steady decline of Baby Boomer birth rates starting in
1958 and ending in 1968. Awareness of this generation began in the early 1990s, with cultural
touchstones like the Lollapalooza Festival and grunge band Nirvana's song Smells Like Teen
Spirit, and Time Magazine's 1990 cover story titled "Twentysomething", signaling the advent of
a new generation coming of age.
Although the income of this age cohort is below expectations, they still constitute a formidable
market segment – partly because so many still live at home and have more discretionary income.
Busters in their twenties are estimated to have an annual spending power of $125 billion, and
their purchases are essential to the fortunes of such product categories as beer, fast food and
cosmetics. Because many busters have been doing the family shopping for a long time, marketers
are finding that they are much more sophisticated about evaluating advertising and products.
Segments:
Cynical Disdainers.
Most Pessimistic and Skeptical About the World
Traditional Materialists.
Upbeat, Optimistic About the Future, and Actively Striving for the American Dream
Hippies Revisited
Tend to Espouse the Nonmaterialistic Values of the 60’s
Fifties Macho
Believe in Traditional Gender Roles, Politically Conservative, and Least Accepting of
Multiculturalism
Baby boomer:
Baby Boomers, those in their mid-thirties and fifties, exert the most impact on consumption
patterns.
The reason: Power in Numbers.
The “Woodstock Generation” created a revolution in style, politics, and consumer attitudes.
Consumers aged 35 to 44 spend the most on housing, cars, and entertainment.
Consumers aged 45 to 54 spend the most of any age on food, apparel, and retirement programs.

5. 5 | P a g e
These consumers have created a new baby boom of their own called Baby Boomlets and they are
part of a new emphasis on children and family.
Gray market
The Gray Market includes people over age 65 2nd fastest growing segment, only behind the
Baby Boomers. By 2010, one in every seven Canadians will be over 65. Today there are more
than 70 million Americans over the age of 50. By 2015 that number will grow to 108 million
Thisgroup is more diverse than any other market segment, spanning those at the peak of their
careers, to active, independent seniors, to the elderly in need of care. They control over 50% of
all discretionary income and in USA spend $60 billion annually.
What values motivate the Gray market?
Autonomy: want to be self-sufficient
Connectedness: value bonds with friends and family
Altruism: want to give something back to the world.
Guideline for Effective Advertising to the Elderly
Keep Language Simple
Use Clear, Bright Pictures
Use Action to Attract Attention
Speak Clearly, and Keep Word Count Low
Use Single Sales Message
Avoid Extraneous Stimuli
Refrences:
http://crab.rutgers.edu/~ckaufman/ConsumerbehaviorCultureSubculturenotes.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_generations
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_50/b3963001.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_Boomers
http://www.dav.org/news/images/The_Silent_Generation.jpg

6. 6 | P a g e