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Most Marketers Ignore An Oversized Demographic

Ad Age, New York Times, Tuesday, September 21, 2010 10:54 AM

More than 68% of Americans are overweight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and nearly 35% are obese. But, writes Matt Carmichael, few marketers are taking notice except clothiers. (It should be pointed out, ahem, that most people are wearing the rose-colored glasses of denial themselves.)

Overweight consumers certainly don't need a different kind of toothpaste, Carmichael points out, but how about more spacious restaurant booths, wider desk chairs and more leg- and shoulder-room on airplanes? (In fact, Joe Sharkey's "On the Road" column in the New York Times would indicate that the situation in the air is about to get a lot worse for even the most svelte among us.)

Ryndee Carney, manager of dealer and marketing communications at General Motors, flat out admits that the automaker is blind to the issue. "There is no strategy about how we market to obese people," she tells Carmichael. "I can assure you no one is taking obesity into account when we create marketing plans." Envirosell president-CEO Paco Underhill evidently thinks such disregard is shortsighted. Says he: "Until we as a nation go on a diet, being conscious of our size is simply good business."

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2 comments about "Most Marketers Ignore An Oversized Demographic ".

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Ryndee Carney from General Motors Corp., September 21, 2010 at 1:12 p.m.
While Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac do not specifically target plus-sized people in our marketing efforts, we certainly offer many products that completely meet their transportation needs. Cars and trucks represent totally different types of consumer purchases than buying a pair of jeans or a seat on an airplane. I would argue that overweight people want exactly the same things in their vehicles as underweight people -- great styling, safety, reliability and durability, and good fuel economy -- all can be found in GM products. -- RYNDEE CARNEY, GMC
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Sandy Barris from Business Marketing Services, September 22, 2010 at 11:09 a.m.

By the way, if you watch any TV at all you are seeing many more over weight people being represented in more and more spots.
In fact, we are seeing more TV shows where the main characters are over weight people.

Now, it makes sense to add the over weight population to any marketing plan because that segment of the populations is growing every year (sorry, no pun intended).

Any ideas who offers lists of over weight people or what publications they may be reading?

Sandy Barris
Business Marketing Services
Fast Marketing Plan
http://www.FastMarketingPlan.com