Dragon’s recent mid life women seminar provoked some surprises for the audience when we looked at what really mattered - in life, in products, in services. 

Beware the marketer who gets it wrong – they take no prisoners and have a long memory.  ‘Crunch’ notwithstanding, they’re still putting money and time with brands that earn their loyalty and they’re old and wise enough to anticipate the green shoots of recovery and plan forward, without compromising quality of life.

Whether full time mums, empty nesters, newly single or going it alone, strong themes emerged for brand owners from all sectors to sit up and listen to…. 

The care crunch

Most women never stop being mothers. The care burden simply shifts its focus: the older generation, quasi dependent kids or those that won’t fly the nest.

Mind the Thelma and Louise gap

Mid life can be the new teens – over 25% of our sample were both planning and actively travelling. Backpacking, hostelling, going off the beaten track, they defy their kids mockery to have a second youth or the youth they never had.

The power of no

Older, wiser, at peace with their age – these ladies have embraced ‘permission to decline’.  They’ve dropped universal people-pleasing traits.  No is no longer a dirty word.

Mrs and Mrs Smith

Whether happily married or newly single, the most common life partner is the girlfriend.  From city breaks to new skills, these women are spending more time with girlfriends and spending more with them too.  Are marketers missing a trick targeting the empty nester couple?

Bringing change to the change

Historically the ‘elephant in the room’, MLW is up ‘n’ at ya when it comes to The Change. They want change to negative preconception, obtuse language and hours of online research. They approach this stage of life positively, with a ‘business as usual’ attitude.  Significantly, all wished to firstly approach managing menopause naturally – not medically.  Through diet, supplements, exercise, positive mental attitude.

You must be Ms-taken

If there’s one thing that gets MLW’s collective goat, it’s being taken for a ride when there’s no man about.  So speak to them like they make the decisions. They make more purchasing decisions than ever, cherry picking those of interest and handing over (a heavily edited) set of duller tasks to their other halves. 

New world order

For a time of life laced in stereotypes, MLW are least easy to classify by lifestage.  They could be in multiple life stages simultaneously: restarting education, a carer, newly dating and menopausal.

The MLW has proven to be the most fascinating and promising audience – so we ask the question – are mid life women actually your future hero consumer?