I, along with tens of thousands, saw The Hunger Games on opening weekend and, according to Entertainment Weekly’s Inside Movies box office update, the opening day box office for the film was the best for a non-sequel.  Hoping to avoid the seemingly inevitable throngs that would be lined up to see this movie that’s all the rave and taking the nation by storm, a friend and I made a plan to see the earliest Saturday morning showing at a nearby ‘hundredplex.’

For the most part, I’m not the kind of girl who likes the idea of queuing up to see anything … at least not since I lined up outside Radio City to attend that Jackson Five concert in the 80′s or that Christmas Day (in the 1990′s) when I stood in the cold to be among the first to see Godfather Part III  or … OK, I’m no longer that girl except when I am.  Anyway, I digress.  My friend and I joined a modest line-up of eager fans and saw the 9 AM showing of The Hunger Games on opening weekend which, I suppose, makes me part of the latest movie phenomenon.

Honestly, I had not heard about The Hunger Games until last year when a guest chef contributed a Culture Casserole to The Daily Special feature.  Even then, all I knew was the name and that it was a book.  So, my decision to go was based on 1) walking past a Barnes & Noble bookstore and seeing a throng of kids and adults, patiently waiting to purchase the book and get it signed, and 2) the spirit of adventure, curiosity and discovery that I possess.

So, there we were, watching The Hunger Games in IMAX, not knowing exactly what to expect and going along for the ride.  While I watched I found myself intrigued by many aspects of the production as well as the plot.

From a production standpoint, the film-making is grand, sweeping, worthy of an IMAX experience. In this day and age when movie goers are balking at high ticket prices ($18 per ticket for IMAX in New York City!) and opting for the small screen to watch movies, (or converting a living room wall into one’s own personal drive-in with the use of a movie projection system and watching movies streamed from NetFlix or DVDs borrowed from the library like a friend did recently), it is no easy feat to get fannies into the seats when there are so many options available to a technologically savvy population.  Mission accomplished on the part of the producers of The Hunger Games–it is definitely the kind of movie that truly benefits from the big screen experience–it is a visual smorgasbord of delight. And, at the before-Noon ticket price of $11 (full price for IMAX IS $18!) offered by the AMC Theatres in my city, it was a steal!

In terms of the plot, there were many themes that speak to where we are in life and who we need to be in the face of life’s circumstances.

At the macro level, there is the historically significant theme of children being called upon to bear the brunt of responsibility for past conflicts of adults; this is clearly reminiscent of the way armies press young people into duty (some are driven by patriotism, others looking to escape poverty) to fight the wars the adults have wrought.  Then there was the very topical theme of the 1% being supported and entertained by the 99% whose main focus in life is on survival.  Further, the disposability of young people by a satisfied, even decadent elite class whose concerns go to simple pleasures like having dessert or making light of matters of life and death might be viewed as indicative of the way many in our society are lacking in compassion for others. Witness the youthful ‘prank’ played by the Rutger’s student on his roommate who felt it was harmless to film his roommate having sex with his partner and acceptable to invite his friends and tweeps at a designated time to the viewing of this personal act between friends.  It was only because the young man, whose privacy was violated, committed suicide that this blatant disregard, even trivializing of such an action, was brought to light.  The fact that there was such blatant disregard for the privacy of another,  might be viewed as indicative of how we as a society have become so insensitive to the needs and boundaries of others.

At the micro level, we see the main protagonist, Katniss, playing the role of hunter-gatherer for her family, expressing strength by volunteering (and in all probability sacrificing her life) to protect her sister and reflecting classic role reversal when she as the child feels the need (based on past experience) to demand that her mother stay responsible and take care of the home and her sister while Katniss participates in the 74th Annual Hunger Games.  This theme in particular resonates with me and many of my friends of a certain age who are being called upon to  provide support to elderly parents, support that is often financial or physical or emotional, or all three.

With all that said, The Hunger Games is a riveting film and a worthy view.  And, at the end of the film, when the stage is set for the sequel, I realize I’m vested in what’s to come and, while I might or might not read the books, I will see the next theatrical installment.

Most people spend some part of their adulthood as singles – as young adults bounding out of their parents’ homes or through circumstances, as divorced people or as widows and widowers.  Historically, being single was short-lived, but things are changing. 

The Facts

The US Census reports that over the past 25 years, the median age for first marriage has increased nearly 4 years for men to 27.1 and 5 years for women to 25.8.   Single-person households grew from 17% to 28% over the same time period.  And a small (9.2 million adults), but growing group is not marrying at all. 

Whether people are staying single longer or not marrying at all, dynamics leading to the growth of the single segment may include:

• Greater economic achievement by women has freed them from needing to marry for financial stability
• De-stigmatization of single parenthood, in fact 11.6 million single adults have children living with them (either through divorce or because they have chosen to have and raise children on their own)
• Increasing acceptance of homosexuality has freed many gays from sham marriages
• Marriage or partnering is not viewed as the only lifestyle option when you have reached a “certain” age

With these factors at play, how singles are currently marketed to (looking to be paired up) or not marketed to (mostly absent from marketing/communications efforts) needs to be reconsidered.  The group of singles we are spotlighting here might be a minority now but they represent an untapped consumer segment that could be a new source of opportunity for marketers of a wide range of products and services.

Dove, Volkswagen and Ikea (to name a few) demonstrate the value of intelligent engagement with newly uncovered consumer segments.  Dove celebrated the diversity of women by featuring “real women” in their successful Campaign for Real Beauty**.  Volkswagen and Ikea effectively reached gay/lesbian sensibilities with smart marketing.

New Singles Defined

For New Singles, singlehood is not a stop on the way to coupledom and/or wedded bliss, but rather a choice.  It may or may not have been planned at the outset of adulthood, but over time, single is now their chosen state of being.  Being single for this segment is a lifestyle, not merely a lifestage. 

While there are some people who have not necessarily chosen to be single, as noted in a highly touted September 2006 New York Times article highlighting the dilemma of middle-aged male high school graduates who are still seeking suitable life partners, others truly are “Single by Choice.”

In 1999, magazine publisher Sasha Cagen came up with the term “quirkyalone” on a Brooklyn subway platform on New Year’s.  Quirkyalone is a mindset, a movement which has grown into an international community and speaks to singledom as a celebrated option that is the equal of coupledom rather than solely something people back into.

She later expanded on this concept in an essay in the first issue of her magazine To-Do List which was republished in the Utne Reader in 2000.  Cagen was surprised by the fervor of responses from readers who felt their lives had been validated by her work.  As a result of these responses, Cagen opted to expand her essay into a 2004 book, titled Quirkyalone: A Manifesto for Uncompromising Romantics.

In 2006, social psychologist Bella DePaulo (PhD, Harvard) published Singled Out: How Singles are Stereotyped, Stigmatized, and Ignored, and Still Live Happily Ever After . Using social science data Dr. DePaulo challenged the stereotypes of people who are single.  In addition to offering seminars and workshops on the science of singlehood, Dr. DePaulo’s writings have appeared in professional journals and other publications. Her latest book, Single with Attitude (2009), is a compilation of essays that originally appeared in Living Single, Dr. DePaulo’s popular blog for Psychology Today and other writings which were first published in the Chronicle of Higher Education, Forbes.com, the Huffington Post, and the New York Times.

New Singles have even made its way into popular culture, reflecting the new reality of this segment.  According to the Urban Dictionary, Single by Choice is a person who does not wish to be in a relationship.  They value their independence and do not feel they need to have a boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife to gain validation.  People who are single by choice may  go out or date casually, but do not choose to be in a long term committed relationship.

In recent years, the blogosphere has become populated with optimistic and expansive perspectives on singles including Living Single, Singles by Choice, Singletude,  MySingleSpace, to name a few.  And then there’s National Singles Week (also known as Unmarried and Single Americans Week) which was just celebrated (September 20-26).

The Opportunity

As with any other marketing niche, there might be targeted efforts to reach them, but, how they are portrayed, addressed and communicated to, are the most important elements to for an effective campaign.   To win with New Singles, here are some keys to bear in mind:

Messaging Key:  It is not enough to include single people in advertising.  Messaging and tonality needs to be uplifting, welcoming, even celebratory – remember New Singles enjoy rich, fulfilling lives.  They are at ease with their status and do not consider being single as an affliction.

Image Key:  It goes without saying, stay away from stereotypes.  New Singles are diverse.  They come in a range of demographic and socioeconomic flavors.  They don’t exist in a vacuum, they have family and friends.  New Singles live in urban centers and in the suburbs. You get the picture.   

Product Key:  New Singles are consumers of as vast an array of activities, products and services as the larger population, not just dating services or singles cruises.  They have homes and apartments that need furnishing, upgrading or repairing.  New Singles take vacations and dine out but only couples/families are promoted to.  They appreciate fine wines and champagne but half-bottles available on-premise are rarely found at retail.  New Singles need insurance to provide for themselves now and in the future, but families are the focus for most insurance products.  And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Value Key:  Clearly, having a better understanding of this segment is important to convey relevant New Singles values.  So remember to include this consumer mindset in the research process whether the focus is on new product development, branding or other marketing efforts.

Whether promoting restaurants, hotels, cruises, vacation destinations, insurance products, home furnishings or alcohol beverages, remember going solo is a chic and powerful choice. 

By stepping up to the plate with a plan that includes New Singles and is spot on attitudinally, marketers stand to gain substantial credibility and incremental market share among this untapped and sizeable consumer population.  Said another way, treating New Singles as a center of influence could pay huge dividends for your business!

**Read this marketing case study on the impact of Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty.

I’ve noticed, with some trepidation, how acceptable it has become for celebrities young and old to transform themselves not just with makeup but with photoshopping—the new rejuvenator.  We have become virtual beings.  Hips are being slimmed, waists are being trimmed, bodies are being made ‘perfect.’  And, age is no longer the primary reason to airbrush or photoshop. 

Whether it’s Jessica Alba, Kelly Clarkson or  Madonna, each is happy to project their photoshop best on magazine or CD covers. 

Then the editor of Self–a magazine I’ve always respected as a publication that celebrates the ‘real’ best in women–defended the magazine’s decision to photoshop Kelly Clarkson who appeared on their recent cover.  I knew then that the standards of beauty and health had merged.  The other thing I realized was this—airbrushing and photoshopping is moving downwards.  In other words, even the youngest celebrities with their resilient skin and flexible bodies are still not good enough.  I was gender neutral, what I meant to say was the youngest women!   This is an issue–looking young and perfect–that is primarily the domain of women.  Men are accepted as they are for the most part but women always have to look better, even if it means that photo images are an illusion of you!

That’s what is going on at a surface level.  But, on the product front, I think we’ve tapped into something deeper—a desire to take the best care of ourselves as early as we can.  When speaking to some older women, the common cry is, “I wish I had paid more attention to taking care of my skin when I was younger.  I wish I had used some form of protection when I was in the sun but I didn’t know any better.”  These women have made it their mission to encourage their children to be more conscious about the damaging effects of sun exposure and to be proactiverather than reactive.

Introducing Clarins Multi-Active Day coming to a retail shelf near you in September 2009–a line of anti-aging products targeted to younger consumers.   As other brands follow suit, it is clear that anti-aging products are no longer the domain of hopeful ‘older’ consumers.  It is also the domain of ‘younger’ women who are looking to prevent the ravages of aging.  Self-Care is being promoted at earlier ages these days and being your best you is a positive thing at any age!