'Life stage' is what counts, not your age
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Age is out, "lifestages" are in, according to advertising and marketing groups studying new ways of defining our behaviour and spending patterns.
Age is out, "lifestages" are in, according to advertising and marketing groups studying new ways of defining our behaviour and spending patterns.
A recent report questions "the value of age as a marketing planning tool" and suggests a new list of lifestage categories, from people who "live with parents", through those who have "children in household, majority of pre-school age" to those who "live with partner only - no children".
The new categories, says the report, reflect the fact that, these days, people rarely move through a given set of life experiences which correlate with age. A few do the traditional thing of leaving home, getting married, having children.
But the report, for the Newspaper Society, says that there are clear correlations between lifestages and behaviour and attitudes. "Those with pre-school children are more likely to be heavy commercial radio listeners," the report states, and: "People living with their partner only, have the highest index for the statement 'I read the financial pages of my newspaper'".
Similarly, "people with children are more likely than average to use mail order" and "heavy Channel 4 viewers" are most likely to live with their parents or to have children who have left home.
Advertising executives welcomed the attempt to find new categories. "Newspaper sales executives can tell you the age, sex, class and wealth profile of its readers," said one, "but beyond that we mostly rely on our own research".
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments