First, of course, is the demographic axiom that the baby-boomers will be retirees in another few years. And they wil be retirees with money -- a massive cohort that will shape and drive consumption throughout Japan. Others are: - Elderly consumers have an ingrained awareness of the benefits and attractions of the local shopping streets lined with specialty stores and think of such "main street" shopping as part of the local community.
- Retirees are very interested in local community life and are moving to create networks for community communication.
- Old people do not think of themselves as old people. They are very much alive and well, and they are interested in the best goods and services available.
- They are the market leaders for such leading-edge products as flat-panel televisions and DVD equipment.
From all of this, I am concluding that the single-brand specialty shop and its 1-to-1 marketing model have a bright future. It is time to rethink and revive the model. The ones that get it right will define marketing's future.
Iwasa Saburo Strategy & Systems Consultant
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