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The critical 1%

Forbes, 8/28/07

Abstract:

The big story today is small trends. Really small trends. These so-called "microtrends" are often counterintuitive, usually followed by 1 percent or less of the population, but they are pursued passionately and are fundamentally reshaping our society.

Think about it. On a planet of 6.6 billion people, or in a nation of 400 million, 1% is more than enough to generate a new social movement, a successful product, a best-selling book, a new religion or a significant political force...

...In fact, the whole way we look at people and their choices are changing. In the old model we assumed that consumers made their choices in their 20s and 30s and stuck with them for the rest of their lives...

...But today the baby boomers are making a whole new set of choices and are up for grabs again. They are living second lives after their kids leave for college — working more years, adapting to technology, sometimes dating again — some are even having a new round of kids.

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