Demographics

Everybody talks about "demographics" but do they know what demographic variables really are? "Demographics? is a term in the marketing literature that has gotten so generalized as to be bland beyond belief. I blogged about the term "demographics" December 30, 2008, so it's time to do it again.

The term comes from the science of demography a branch of the social sciences with studies the nature of and changes in populations. Demographic analysis focuses on the following variables: the birth rate, the death rate, and net migration. They also incorporate other variables such as age at marriage, socio-economic status, social practices, attitudes and norms, etc., in trying to understand demographic phenomena. But these three variables are the key independent variables in a demographic analysis.

You can go on talking about demographics, which has been taken to mean "personal characteristics," but just be clear about what you mean. But also realize that demographic groups don't buy products. Interconnected individuals in networks buy products.

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