There’s been some buzz about a new breed of consumer, the ‘simplifier’. Simplifiers are described as emerging middle-aged shoppers that realize they have too much STUFF, and are now re-evaluating their notions of status, success, and space.
Simplifiers sound a lot like ‘awakening consumers’, which I had the good fortune of learning about from The Green Team‘s Mr. Hank Stewart at this 2008 Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference a couple weeks ago. They also sound a bit like my Gen X lot, a generation of floaters who didn’t really see the value in their parents’ (the boomers) material success… except with more money in the bank.
I’m pretty sure simplifiers have always been around – those who rejected the typical yuppy lifestyle as a symbol of success… but I’m glad that simplifiers are getting attention and that marketers are paying attention. Pay attention:
Simplifiers want a legacy of experiences, not things. To live with meaning. That could mean that we only buy from businesses we believe are doing something good for this world. Or that we prefer to spend money on life-enhancing experiences like the arts, travel, or dining out with friends.
Economy’s the sh*ts and businesses are in trouble. If anyone is still willing to put money into the economy, it’s the simplifier.
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