How many times have you heard mainstream media mention the word blog this week? Probably never, because you either cut your television cable subscription or you were passed a remote in hand, at someone’s home from a previous generation. The blog is disruptive and opens new markets for the unknown 50 percenters. There has never been an economic or marketing term, that defines the 50 percenters in terms of individuals, belonging to a certain type of consumer class cohort more likely to buy unique items based on blogs.
I thought that creating a new term to define the 50 percenter consumer class, is the avant-garde way of creating a class of consumer before it even exists. My abstract observations sometimes end up uncovering a trend that exists in the marketplace that has yet to be tapped. Several years ago, I began to keep tabs on the age of individuals in my circle of influence that were more likely to purchase from obscure online shops. I found that people 40 years of age and under, were more likely to shop on Etsy or IndieMade, than someone who was above 40. With my limited anecdotes I further deduced that 40 roughly translates to the median age of an individual. So, I chose to define the younger half as the 50 percenters. Albeit, the 50 percenters can include anyone of any age, one day we will update this post with a survey to back up this unproven theory. You might eventually find that you are one of them. They are the ones that are more likely looking for that uniqueness that only exists outside of the mainstream and inside the blogosphere. The irony is that while the mainstream wants to sell big brands to the other half on the TV network, they use content like Dragon’s Den as a counter balance, to prove that the Queen of QVC can sell your wonderful unique items to the TV generation.
Image By Matthew Lightstorm
I think we can say that the veil has been lifted, as in the Wizard of Oz, when it comes to deciding who influences trends for unique products. The blogs have won the battle of selling unique products back to the consumer with a particular taste and discernment. So the question remains; what will we call the other hypothetical 50% that are staunch mainstream buyers? I think time will tell on how consumer behaviours will shift, as more individuals begin to read posts like these, but the Blog Revolution Will Not Be Televised (Scott-Heron, 1974, track 1).
References:
Gil Scott-Heron (1974). The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. On The Revolution Will Not Be Televised [vinyl LP]. USA: Flying Dutchman Records.
The Blog Revolution Will Not Be Televised -How do you buy your products? https://bit.ly/2LKtq3y #etsy #indiemade
The Blog Revolution Will Not Be Televised #etsy #indiemade How do you buy your products https://bit.ly/2LKtq3y
Algonquin College Social Media Certificate Program 