Q1: The target group...

Demographic: 25 - 35 age group

Key Things To Consider

The Middle Youth age band encompasses every possible lifestage imaginable – singles, co-habitors, married with kids, married without kids, divorced etc.

25-34's aren’t all getting married and having kids. Some are settling down while others are still enjoying their independence.

But regardless of lifestage, this age group is settling into the routine of life. There are more responsibilities than when they were students and with the onset of work and long-term relationships, life has become more regimented. TV is used primarily as a form of relaxation.

The Middle Youth is the first generation to grow up in the technology era. They were taught to use a computer at school, had computers at home, and have always known a workplace to be equipped with computers.

Who are they?

There are over 8 million 25-34 year-olds who make up 14% of the population. This number is projected to remain stable for the next 20 years.

Marriage and parenthood are being put off until later. The average age of marriage has increased by around 5 years since 1961, to 30 for men and 28 for women.

Over two-thirds of this group are either married or living with a partner – 30% are still single and 4% are either divorced or separated.

1/3 of women in their mid-thirties have yet to have their first baby. The mean age of women when they have their first child is 27.

While marriage is being put off, living with a partner has grown in popularity. Co-habiting is most popular among men in their early 30s and women in their late 20s.

Since 1971, the gap between people leaving school, settling down to get married and starting a family has grown steadily and young people are now enjoying freedom from responsibility for longer than ever before.

25-34's are more upmarket than the overall population – 58% are ABC1 compared to 52% in the population overall.

25-34's are too busy to sit down and watch the news everyday; instead they are more likely to keep up with only the big stories. The Sun is their most popular paper, but they are more likely to get their news from the internet rather than from a newspaper.

A new life-stage is emerging. Traditionally, there was adolescence followed by adulthood. Now turning 21 doesn’t mean accepting the burden of adulthood – starting a career, buying a house, settling down, etc. These activities are being deferred to the late twenties and beyond.

Between the ages of 25 and 34, individuals are in a range of different lifestages. It is a time when the lines between the values of being young and the values of being parents are blurred. Two-thirds are married or co-habiting, but the remaining third are still very much single.

This age group tends to fall into two key lifestages – the younger (who are still single) and the older (who are co-habiting or married).

At the younger end of the spectrum, individuals tend to be:

Independent and self-reliant. Many have a ‘work to live’ attitude.

Big spenders. What is earned is spent on themselves – and what they buy usually doesn’t come cheap. Cars, mobile phones, broadband, DVD players, designer clothing are amongst the typical items – most of which they consider basic necessities.  

Self-indulgent. This lifestage is a selfish one where things are ‘all about me’.

At the older end of the spectrum, individuals tend to be:

Settling down. Many are either settling into long-term relationships or getting married. Life is calming down and individuals are settling into a routine.

Moving away from the self. Priorities are changing and concerns move towards partners, the home or even children. It’s about compromising and balancing your own needs with those of others.

Establishing their interests. You learn what you like and what you don’t. Whether it’s cooking or history or gardening, individuals are developing their interests in specific genres.

These interests are unlikely to change as they grow older.  

25-34's grew up in the late '70's and '80's.

Among the influences that have left their mark are:

Growth of PCs and the internet
Mrs. Thatcher
Fall of Berlin Wall
Live Aid
AIDS
Ready meals
Ecstasy and rave culture
Property boom
The walkman
Sky TV and Channel 4
Supermodels
Microwaves and CDs
The Premiership
Brit Pop

They don’t remember a world without:

Colour TV
Computers and calculators
Single parents
Student loans
Foreign holidays
Fresh Orange juice, tuna, pizza, and pasta

(Source: BBC Commissioning)