Retailers Covet Young Demographic's Money

BND.com

By Hugh R. Morley

Published:  December 2008

The recent success of the movie "Twilight" showed the power of both a vampire romance and the tween dollar.

A big part of the movie's success -- it had the fourth most lucrative weekend opening of the year -- came from female moviegoers in the teen and so-called tween demographic, usually described as being between 8 and 14.

When the movie's female lead, Kristen Stewart, appeared last month at a store in Paramus, N.J., hundreds of star-struck girls waited for hours for an autograph and a few seconds of time with the actress.

Paul Pflug, spokesman for Summit Entertainment, the film's producer and distributor, said the movie showed that the girls' young teen demographic -- and younger -- is worth targeting.

"I think it made people aware that this really is a segment of the audience that would go out and support a product that's made directly for them," he said.

That wasn't news to fashion retailers, for whom malls present a particularly sweet spot.

Anna Martini, president of fashion retailer Groupe Dynamite Inc., said the company conducts extensive demographic studies before opening its Garage stores, such as one at Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus this fall.

"We tried to target malls that had a high density population of teenage girls," Martini said. "Whether you are selling iPods, or apparel or are in the cell phone business -- it's a pretty influential, important demographic. Because to a large extent they are trendsetters. In that demographic, you are in or you are out. They get influenced by their peer group, by music, by movies such as 'Twilight.'"

EPM Communications Inc., a New York-based market research firm, estimates tween spending power nationwide at $43 billion.

Irma Zandl, president of New York-based The Zandl Group, which tracks market trends and consumer insights, said some marketers try to tap into the tween market hoping to build customer allegiance that will last as the consumers age.