On the Outside, Looking in

I used to be cool?at least in

my own mind.

In fact, I thought I would be hip and "with it" for the rest of my life. As a 25- or 30-year-old, I was in the midst of the latest culture and styles. I would never be like my parents' generation.

Boy, was I wrong. Today, more than a decade after I first said that I would always be in the midst of coolness, I'm on the outside looking in.

Whether it's music, fashion or even consumer electronics, it seems that the hottest products are geared toward the Generation Xers or Yers, not me, the aging baby boomer already on the wrong side of 40.

Take the music industry, for example. There was a time that I could walk into a music store and find 10 to 20 different artists and albums that I had an interest in. Now, with the hottest groups carrying such foreign names as Red Hot Chili Peppers and Smashing Pumpkins, I usually walk out of a music store with a Frank Sinatra or Barbra Streisand album, rather than a title straight from the Billboard top 40.



Did I change, or was it the rest of the world? The answer is both. As I age, my tastes are becoming a bit more conservative. The world, meanwhile, continues to get more and more progressive. Each generation takes more risks and accepts the previous generation's risque actions as the status quo.

Music and fashion are not the only categories that are dominated by Xers and Yers. Younger consumers also set the ground rules for such vital nonfoods categories as hair care, oral care and cosmetics.

Look at the first aid category. Today, even the most staid brands offer a wide selection of colors and styles to attract younger consumers. Kids decide what products are hot in these categories, and the rest of us, searching for the Fountain of Youth, simply follow along.

Hair care and skin care are other HBC segments dominated by youth, or at least those wanting to feel young. Once again, products are designed to overwhelm teenagers and young adults. The rest of us simply go along with their decisions.



On the edge of the 21st century, the retail community must realize that it is in the same situation as I am. Teenagers and consumers in their 20s drive style and fashion, while most retail buyers are middle-aged and, like me, set in their ways.

While we all wish we could get a bit younger, we can't. What we can do is pay attention to the needs of these younger shoppers and gear our mix to fulfilling their desires. Remember, in the equation of youth or experience, at least we are ahead on one account.