More on the changing composition of the American family

Observation:   In case you missed it over the weekend, the New York Times had a story about the growing number of women who give birth while unmarried.  For starters, unmarried mom is a title no longer reserved for women in their 30s or 40s who have yet to find a marriage partner and want to make their move before its too late; it is a role increasingly assumed by women in their 20s.  Among women under thirty in the U.S., more than half of all births are to unmarried moms. 

  Click here to see the full story.

Implications:   If you market to families, it is critical that you are aware of changes that are occurring to the family unit.  How should you portray a family trip to the theatre, theme park or restaurant?  How will cost be taken into account when unmarried moms and dads are pricing the family meal alternatives at their local grocery store?  And how will the social, financial and time pressures be different on moms in 2012 than they were in 2002 or 1992?

Mike Anderson, for the Elm Street Economics consumer trends blog. A service of The Center for Sales Strategy, Inc.