Consumers themselves aren’t behaving as they should.
It’s a bold statement that Trend Watching made a year ago – and it still rings true. From young people drinking less than ever before to Waitrose shoppers who also shop at Aldi and Lidl, people are constructing their own identities more freely than ever.
As a result, people’s shopping behaviour is becoming less defined by traditional demographic segments such as age, gender, income and social classifications. We’re now seeing more “post-demographic” shoppers.
Fundamental changes in the shopper mindset were kick-started by the 2008 recession; shoppers became increasingly happy to shop high and low, and bargain hunting became a social norm. The recession gave shoppers permission to step outside of society’s expectations. The resulting behavioural changes aren’t reverting back.
In parallel, the internet and social media is providing access to increasingly ubiquitous information, creating universal experiences that span generations, while at the same time providing people with access to niche or personalised products in ways not previously possible.
The resulting changes have created dramatic shifts for both brands and retailers. One only has to look at Aldi and Lidl’s success to see this in action. Or the emergence of Kickstarter, where people are buying products that don’t even exist yet.
Creating ideas that challenge shopper behaviour now requires thinking well beyond demographic based audiences; we’re now approaching briefs with a focus on understanding the broader drivers of change, emerging shopper expectations and the shared experiences and values that influence shopping.
For some, the rise of the post-demographic shopper is another obstacle in the way of achieving a sale. For us, it’s a real opportunity to create ideas that resonate at a far deeper level – one we’re excited about developing further in 2016.
Chris Cooper is planner at smp
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