Global Consumer Trends: Age Complexity

Published by: Datamonitor

Published: Sep. 29, 2009

Table of Contents

Overview

Catalyst

Summary

Table of Contents

Table of figures

INTRODUCTION: THE IMPORTANCE OF TREND-TRACKING

Tracking consumer mega-trends is fundamental to long-term success

Trend-tracking insight 1: mega-trends can be classified in two ways according to desirable benefits and societal complexities

Trend-tracking insight 2: trends are aligned with pre-existing, but evolving human values, attitudes, needs and behaviors

Trend-tracking insight 3: mega-trends can be broken down into trends and sub-trends highlighting that trend frameworks provide structure and clarity at a time of 'information overload'

Trend-tracking insight 4: manufacturers, retailers and researchers/futurologists perpetuate trends

Trend-tracking insight 5: adopting a broader, global perspective to trend-tracking facilitates better decision making by overcoming 'category myopia'

Trend-tracking insight 6: trends have longer-term implications than fads and can be categorized by evolvement

Trend-tracking insight 7: for every trend there is a 'counter-trend' while 'trend-crossover' is also and important phenomena

Takeouts and implications: a trend framework boosts the quality and frequency of insight generation ensuring maximum return from the broader market research processes in place

THE FUTURE DECODED: DECIPERING THE AGE COMPLEXITY MEGA-TREND

MEGA-TREND SYNOPSIS: Age-related attitudes and behaviors are polarizing, reinforcing and defying stereotypes

TREND: The trend for ""down-aging"" continues to shape consumers' attitudes and behaviors

SUB-TREND: Consumers are attempting to prolong or revisit their youth

European Mid-Lifers in particular support the idea of remaining in the family home until your late-20s

Down aging behaviors have become well-established in the markets of the Americas

Strong familial bonds in Asia Pacific enable consumers to be dependent on their parents for longer

Key takeouts and implications: Extended youth and greater commonality in consumers' attitudes and behaviors offer opportunities to grow demand

SUB-TREND: Consumers are shifting their reference points towards age definition

Growing old is perceived with less negativity and from a more youthful perspective among Europeans

Consumers in the Americas feel younger than their actual ages

Many Asia Pacific consumers feel younger than they are, showing the trend to be a truly global phenomenon

Key takeouts and implications: traditional age definitions are in decline, adding to the down-aging trend

TREND: Fear of aging is driving 'age anxiety' and proactive attempts to prevent the manifestations of aging

SUB-TREND: Many consumers are anxious about aging and age portrayal

Older consumers are less appearance conscious than their younger counterparts in Europe

Consumers in the Americas show above average levels of concern for age and appearance-related issues

Body image issues impact all ages groups in Asia Pacific, but the young are more influenced by beauty portrayals

Gulf consumers of all ages exhibit high levels of satisfaction with their appearance and health

Key takeouts and implications: Aging is a cause for concern among consumers based on both societal values and pressures, and personal fears

SUB-TREND: Consumers are increasingly taking preventative steps in face of the fear of aging

Anti-aging products have a strong reception among older consumers in Europe, while beauty foods are more appealing to the young

Brazilians stand out in the Americas as consumers focusing on their personal appearance and driven to preemptively tackle the signs of aging

Asia Pacific consumers show a keen interest in aging prevention

Consumers in the Gulf exhibit above average concern for taking action against the signs of aging

Key takeouts and implications: preventing the signs of aging is itself undergoing a process of down-aging as ever younger consumers are motivated to respond preemptively

TREND: Age as a badge of identity: consumers are also embracing the aging process

SUB-TREND: Age pride is a counter-trend to the fear of aging

Older consumers in Europe are keen to live life to the full and adopt an as old as you feel approach

US consumers stand out internationally due to their dissatisfaction with their current ages

Age satisfaction shows significant variation with age and country in Asia Pacific

Key takeouts and implications: More positive views of aging necessitate greater understanding and nuanced targeting of marketing messages

SUB-TREND: Older consumers are showing adventurousness that breaks with commonly held preconceptions

Older European consumers seek to enjoy life just as much as younger age groups

Emerging market consumers in the Americas are more likely to be experience seekers, taking advantage of new opportunities

Many consumers do not want to slow down in old age in Asia Pacific

Key takeouts and implications: stereotypes of older consumers as unadventurous can threaten to beguile marketers out of potential sales opportunities

SUB-TREND: The paradox between age pride and fear of aging explains why older consumers do not relate to many adverts

While demand is there for products designed for their own needs, older consumers in Europe remain skeptical about associated product claims

Brazilians contrast Americans in their persistent interest in brands that match their outlook and belief in the credibility of product claims as they get older

Older consumers in Asia Pacific are keen on products designed for their personal needs, but anti agers have not yet gained their trust

Key takeouts and implications: marketers need to understand the nuances within the Senior age group and the changing ideas of what aging means within it

TREND: The speed and extent of 'consumer socialization' has increased

SUB-TREND: Brand awareness and associated demand is manifesting at ever younger ages

Key takeouts and implications: Targeting Kids can be a dangerous game for marketers but offers long-term advantages

SUB-TREND: Pester power demonstrates the significant influence of children on household spending

Key takeouts and implications: pestering parents yields results but engendering greater collaboration and common ground between them and their children in purchase decisions can yield greater positivity

SUB-TREND: Kids' autonomous spending power is rising although parents still pick up the tab for bigger ticket items

Key takeouts and implications: understanding when and how Kids transition into more independent consumers is key for marketers

SUB-TREND: Appearance consciousness is impacting younger cohorts

Key takeouts and implications: sensitivity to Kids' and Teens' appearance concerns is essential

SUB-TREND: Kids are increasingly experiencing concerns usually associated with adulthood

Key takeouts and implications: look to achieve balance between feeding the KGUY trend and childhood needs

APPENDIX

Definitions

Methodology

Further reading and references

Ask the analyst

Datamonitor consulting

Disclaimer

List of Figures

Figure 1: Datamonitor's mega-trends are having a long-term and substantive impact on the marketing landscape and can be grouped into two categories

Figure 2: Consumer behavior and the innovations targeting it inevitably fit into a 'trend hierarchy'

Figure 3: Trend tracking can be a source of (comparative) competitive analysis

Figure 4: Datamonitor's mega-trend framework helps set the agenda for the specific topics covered in the New Consumer Insight (NCI) research stream

Figure 5: Trend development is dictated by both 'consumer pull' and 'manufacturer push' and Datamonitor offers the intelligence tools to capitalize on this reaity

Figure 6: In a consumerist global culture, the broad consumption spheres/segments transcend borders

Figure 7: Several factors distinguish a trend from a fad

Figure 8: Consumers' age-related attitudes and behaviors are polarizing, reinforcing and defying stereotypes

Figure 9: Down aging reflects both the desire to hold onto aspects of youth out of nostalgia and also the reality of consumers feeling younger than their actual ages

Figure 10: The Swedish have the lowest toleration for consumers in their late 20s living in the parental home

Figure 11: Consumers of all ages in the Americas have comparably favorable views of children remaining in the family home until their late-20s

Figure 12: Asian family-oriented culture influences the positive views towards twenty-somethings living at home

Figure 13: Consumers' aspirational ages reflect their fear of aging and desire to be younger, as well as down-aged attitudes

Figure 14: The markers of old age are shifting towards issues and behaviors associated with greater ages

Figure 15: Many older consumers in Asia Pacific do not feel their age

Figure 16: Consumers' anxieties about aging are translating into attempts to seek preventative measures

Figure 17: Older age groups feel less pressured to look good in Europe

Figure 18: Dutch consumers under 25 are the most satisfied with their appearance

Figure 19: Looking one's best in day-to-day life is held in high regard across the full age range among Europeans

Figure 20: Russian and German consumers are particularly prone to think attractive people have more opportunities in life

Figure 21: Younger consumers are more satisfied with their bodies than older consumers in Europe

Figure 22: UK under 25s are particularly prone to feel that beauty adverts make them feel self conscious

Figure 23: The over 50s are less satisfied with their health than younger consumers in Europe

Figure 24: The amount of pressure that consumers feel to look good diminishes with age in the Americas

Figure 25: Levels of satisfaction with personal appearance show differing trends in the US and Brazil

Figure 26: Looking your best in day-to-day life is important to consumers of all ages in the Americas

Figure 27: The majority of all age groups in the Americas agree that physically attractive people have better opportunities in life

Figure 28: Satisfaction with body shape is low among all age groups in the Americas

Figure 29: Younger age groups are more likely to feel self-conscious when presented with personal care advertisements

Figure 30: Younger consumers, particularly in South Korea, tend to feel under pressure to look good

Figure 31: Indian consumers are the most satisfied with their appearance in Asia Pacific

Figure 32: South Korean under 25s feel the most pressure to look their best

Figure 33: Younger South Koreans feel most strongly that attractive people have more opportunities in life

Figure 34: Dissatisfaction with body shape grows with age most markedly in China

Figure 35: Middle aged consumers are particularly self conscious about beauty portrayal in adverts in Japan and India

Figure 36: Older consumers in Japan are the least happy with their overall health

Figure 37: High levels of satisfaction with appearance characterize Gulf consumers across all age groups

Figure 38: Looking your best in day-to-day life is also valued highly by a large majority of Gulf consumers

Figure 39: Belief in attractiveness affording greater opportunities in life rises with age in the Gulf region

Figure 40: Saudi over-50s stand out as the most satisfied consumers globally with their body weight and shape

Figure 41: High levels of satisfaction with health later in life belies the work still required on public health education in the Gulf region

Figure 42: Younger consumers spend more time on their appearance than older people in Europe

Figure 43: Younger consumers in Europe are more inclined to consider cosmetic surgery

Figure 44: Greying hair is of more concern to the over 50s in Europe

Figure 45: Thinning hair is not actively tackled by many Europeans

Figure 46: A high proportion of Europeans in all age groups value taking care of their skin

Figure 47: Older consumers place higher importance on anti-aging skincare products in Europe

Figure 48: Anti-aging cosmetics are perceived as more important by the over 50s in Europe

Figure 49: The majority of consumers in Europe strive to eat healthily

Figure 50: The importance of exercise increases with age in Europe

Figure 51: Beauty foods are more appealing to younger consumers in Europe

Figure 52: US Young Adults are ahead of the international average in increasing time spend on personal appearance

Figure 53: Brazilians are considerably above the global average in terms of their openness to cosmetic surgery

Figure 54: Graying hair is a below average concern to US consumers but appearance conscious Brazilians become particularly concerned in Mid-Life

Figure 55: Thinning hair is also an above-average concern to Brazilians, contrasting their US peers

Figure 56: Skincare is a consistently important issue across all ages in the US and Brazil

Figure 57: Anti-aging benefits in skincare have particular appeal among Brazilians from Mid-Life onwards

Figure 58: Anti-aging cosmetics are similarly popular to their skincare equivalents among Brazilian Mid-Lifers

Figure 59: Health eating messages have been particularly well received among older Brazilians

Figure 60: Exercise is seen as important across all age groups in the Americas

Figure 61: Beauty foods and drinks are particularly attractive to appearance conscious and experimentally open Brazilians

Figure 62: Younger consumers spend the most time on their appearance in Asia Pacific

Figure 63: Cosmetic surgery would be considered by under a third of consumers in Asia Pacific

Figure 64: Chinese and Indian consumers are more interested in products for grey hair than others in Asia Pacific

Figure 65: Products for thinning hair are of interest to many consumers in India and China

Figure 66: Skin care is perceived as an important ritual for many Asia Pacific consumers

Figure 67: Anti-aging skincare is particularly valued by 35-49 year old Asia Pacific consumers

Figure 68: Japanese consumers are less concerned with anti-aging cosmetics than other nations

Figure 69: Older consumers in Asia Pacific generally make more efforts to eat healthily than the young

Figure 70: Exercise is perceived as being of importance by all ages in Asia Pacific

Figure 71: Younger consumers generally find beauty foods the most appealing in Asia Pacific

Figure 72: Consumers in the UAE of all ages are above the global average in seeing skincare as important

Figure 73: Anti-aging benefits in skincare are particularly important to Saudi and UAE consumers of all ages

Figure 74: Anti-aging cosmetics grow in importance with age among Gulf consumers

Figure 75: Healthy eating is actively pursued by high numbers of older Gulf consumers

Figure 76: Age pride is strong among consumers across the age spectrum although older consumers feel that their needs are not being met effectively

Figure 77: Many older consumers are content with their age in Europe but the UK stands out due to the rapid decline in satisfaction with age over time

Figure 78: Self expression is important across the age range in Europe

Figure 79: US consumers are exceptional in their dissatisfaction with their present ages

Figure 80: Individuality and self-expression remain very important throughout the lives of consumers in the Americas

Figure 81: Japanese consumers aged over 50 are the least happy with their age

Figure 82: Self expression is important to many consumers in Asia Pacific

Figure 83: Many older consumers, particularly in Sweden, value experiencing new things

Figure 84: Older consumers in Germany consider trying new things to be important to their wellbeing

Figure 85: Russian over-50 consumers are particularly desirous of finding more excitement in life, deeply contrasting the low priority accorded to this in Germany and the UK

Figure 86: Emerging market consumers in Brazil of all ages show strong affinity for trying new things

Figure 87: Brazilians also increasingly place importance on new experiences as a driver of wellbeing as they age

Figure 88: Trends in Brazil and the US are contrasting as Brazilians continue to seek more excitement in life as they age

Figure 89: Many older consumers in Asia Pacific want to experience new things

Figure 90: New experiences are perceived to be important to the wellbeing of many older consumers in Asia Pacific

Figure 91: A high proportion of older Asia Pacific consumers are desirous of finding more excitement in life

Figure 92: Many consumers in Asia Pacific believe that they should reward themselves in retirement for the years of hard work providing for others

Figure 93: Older Russians place the most importance on brands that match their outlook on life

Figure 94: Credibility remains low for anti-aging products among over-50 Europeans in particular

Figure 95: Brazilian consumers contrast their US and global peers in the consistent desire to choose brands that match their attitudes and outlook as they get older

Figure 96: Anti-aging claims have particular credibility among younger consumers in the Americas preempting the signs of aging

Figure 97: Older consumers are not as keen on brands that match their lifestyles as other age groups in Asia Pacific

Figure 98: Credibility for anti aging claims remains low among Australian and Japanese over 50 year old consumers

Figure 99: Consumer socialization is occurring at younger ages as ""Kids Grow Up Young""

Figure 100: Pester power is an important factor in childhood market dynamics and Kids' influence on household spending

Figure 101: There are differences between consumer values and attitudes

Abstract

• Detailed trend analysis outlining what constitutes 'value' for consumers (trends are, after all, a reflection of what's important to consumers)
• Global in focus, but also offers country-by-country and sector insights thereby catering to top-line or more specific information needs
• Covers all major FMCG sectors, but also with applicability to wider consumer goods audiences
• One of 10 dedicated mega-trend reports outlining the most important issues shaping global consumers' buying behavior both now and in the future

• Understand the significance of the different age-aligned trends across territories and FMCG sectors to help support market diversification plans
• Save time and gain maximal insight by using this 'one-stop-shop' resource which offers a clear and up-to-date framework for understanding consumers
• Access data from two waves of global primary research to increase the likelihood of being 'on-trend' with NPD and marketing activities

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