Advertising Age - American Demographics

Mobile-Home Market in Flux, but Warren Buffett Finds a Road to Profit

LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) -- Warren Buffett this decade became the nation's No. 1 manufacturer of mobile homes -- or, as the industry prefers to call them, manufactured housing -- by acquiring Clayton Homes and bankrupt Oakwood Homes in 2003 and 2004, the two worst years for mobile-home shipments in decades. Good timing by a famed contrarian? We'll see.
As the Wealthy Splurge, Overall Spending Jumps

LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) -- Consumer spending keeps surging as the rich keep splurging. Consumer spending on goods and services last year jumped 6.9%, according to Bureau of Economic Analysis data. That figure, which compares annualized, seasonally adjusted third-quarter spending vs. 2005, marks the biggest growth since the bubble year of 2000.
Consumers Cite Past Experience as the No. 1 Influencer When Buying

LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) -- It's time to rediscover the true meaning of Christmas: shopping. So how do consumers decide what to buy? In a survey by GfK Roper Consulting, 83% of adults cited past experience with a brand as the most important factor in their purchase decisions. Quality and price -- issues often promoted in advertising -- ranked second and third. Personal recommendations came in fourth, highlighting the importance of word of mouth.
Cloudy Housing Forecast Could Mean Dark Days for Consumer Economy


According to National Income Data, Blue Is the Real Color of Money

LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) -- Democrats are the party of the ... rich? It might seem that way, judging from new data on the richest and poorest states. Eight of the 10 states with highest median household income went blue in 2004, backing Democrat John Kerry. All 10 of the poorest were red states, voting for President Bush.
New Census Data Details Major Changes in Language Landscape

LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) -- If you want to communicate with California, you may need to try a language other than English or even Spanish. A full 42% of Californians speak a language other than English at home, with two-thirds of that group (28%) speaking Spanish and the rest speaking some other tongue.
Online Methods Upend Consumer Survey Business

LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) -- Want to know what consumers think? Go online. Internet-based questionnaires this year will account for nearly one-third of U.S. spending on market-research surveys, according to the newsletter Inside Research. Marketers get their results more quickly and -- aided by a brutal price war-for less money.
The Fastest-Growing Counties Could Be Closer Than You Think
LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) -- Looking for where consumers are going and growing? You may not need to leave your state. The nation's 100 fastest-growing counties are spread across 28 states, with hot pockets of growth far from the Sun Belt.
U.S. Population Weighs in as the World's Most Obese

LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) -- One-third of the global population age 15 or older is overweight or obese, according to an American Demographics analysis. And, not surprisingly, the U.S. is the world leader, with nearly 23% of the world's obese population age 15 or older, according to the analysis.
Recession's Long Gone, but Average Income Isn't Budging

LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) -- It's the day of reckoning for taxpayers and not a bad time to assess the state of finances for the average American family. How are consumers doing? It's a mixed picture.
Understanding the 'Generation Wireless' Demographic
Parents foot the bill, but Generation Wireless set to consume new services
Connected and Craving: Teens Hungry for Latest Cellphone Technology
A majority-57%-of teens age 13-17 now have a cellphone, but that's far below the 80% of adults 18-plus who own a phone. Still, for a glimpse of the future, look no further than Generation Wireless. Cellphone users age 13-17 are connected to their phone...
Rising Debt and Job Worries Stress Consumers
An American Demographics Report LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) -- Unemployment is down to 4.7%, the lowest since 2001. The economy has added 7.8 million jobs since the recession. White House advisers last week said the economy is enjoying "sustained expansion" and is near the definition of full employment. So how come one-third of workers are worried about layoffs?
The Buying Patterns of Rich U.S. Households
American Demographics Report LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) -- Give credit to the rich: They make more, spend more -- and owe more. The top 20% of U.S. households by income collectively spend more than the bottom 60% on goods and services, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2004 Consumer Expenditure Survey, released late last year.
Wealthy Buying Their Share-and Then Some - to Propel the Economy
Give credit to the rich: They make more, spend more-and owe more. The top 20% of U.S. households by income collectively spend more than the bottom 60% on goods and services, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2004 Consumer Expenditu...
Charts: The Consumer
See printed publication for the following charts Where the money goes: The average U.S. household spent $43,395 in 2004. What got bought: More info: bls.gov Source: American Demographics analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2004 Consumer Expen...
American Consumers: The World's Biggest Spenders
LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) -- Americans spend more than anyone else on earth. But there are ominous trends that marketers must understand as well as cause for optimism. An American Demographics special report.
Inside the Christmas-Shopping Mind
LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) -- For all the changes that have rippled across the holiday retail landscape in recent decades, statistics indicate that consumers have remained remarkably consistent in their Christmas-shopping attitudes and behavior.
The Consumer
HOLIDAY SHOPPING The retailing industry has changed dramatically over the past 35 years-discounters, retail consolidation, online-but the portion of annual sales that comes during the holiday period-November, December-and the share of holiday sales tha...
Where Consumers Shop Changes, but When They Do it Stays the Same
In 1970, U.S. consumers could browse at 11,011 shopping centers, translating to 7 square feet of retail space for every man, woman and child (think phone booth). Department stores ruled the land, an upstart discounter from Bentonville, Ark., held its init...
The Consumer
Down time U.S. home prices have increased every year since 1950, says Freddie Mac. But prices fell in seven of the past 25 years after factoring in inflation. Local and statewide drops are common, typically tied to recession or regional shocks. ATM...
House Call: When the Bubble Pops, Consumers Will Scale Back Spending
What happens when the housing bubble bursts? Best case: prices level out. Worst case: recession. Either way, consumer spending is set to take a big hit. Consumer spending drove this economic recovery, and a surreal estate market fueled that spending. T...
Understanding the Meaning of Consumer Confidence
LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) -- Here's a shocking prediction: Consumer confidence numbers this month will take a hit from Katrina. That's a problem. But the bigger question is what happens to confidence and the indicators it represents -- jobs, spending and GDP -- in the months ahead.
The Consumer
Dueling indexes The University of Michigan began its confidence survey in 1946, and the Conference Board followed in 1967. Each survey asks five questions. The Michigan survey emphasizes spending; the board looks more at jobs. Beige shading=recessio...
How Consumer Confidence Provides a Window into the Overall Economy
Here's a shocking prediction: Consumer confidence numbers this month will take a hit from Katrina. That's a problem. But the bigger question is what happens to confidence and the indicators it represents-jobs, spending and GDP-in the months ahead. Shor...
Marketers Adjust to American Disdain for Haggling
LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) -- As increasing numbers of American consumers make it clear that they are not interested in haggling over the price of big-ticket items, increasing numbers of national marketers are changing their business models to accommodate them.
No-haggle Pricing Climbs Higher, Finds Fans Among Affluent, Educated
Last month you could buy a Samsung plasma TV at Circuit City for $2,249.99, a Chevrolet Tahoe for $36,934 or a new Pulte home in Tucson for $690,990, all at no-haggle prices. Fixed-price retailing has moved up into the biggest purchases as consumers embra...
The Consumer
What's real in real estate In 2004, the typical U.S. home sold for 99% of the original asking price, according to the National Association of Realtors, leaving little room for haggling on price. In the West, more than one-fifth of homes sold above aski...
Implications of Latest Baby Boomer Milestone
LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) -- Boomers will reach a milestone at the end of the next TV season: More than half of baby boomers will be age 50 or older. They will leave the 18-to-49 demographic so coveted by advertisers. Bad news for marketers? Not really.
Half of Boomers Hit the 50 Mark, But Spending Not Likely to Slow Down
Two decades after "Thirtysomething," get ready for 50-something. Boomers will reach a milestone at the end of the next TV season: More than half of baby boomers will be age 50 or older. They will leave the 18-to-49 demographic so coveted by advertisers...