Agenda - Economic Development Authority - 08/25/2011 - Special Meeting

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Buton /Dentifylug Customers Group K: Urban Essence Segment K04: Urban Diversity Young and mobile multi -ethnic singles and single -parent families living in inter -city neighborhoods in a mix of rowhouses and high-rise apartment buildings Demographics With nearly half of households containing minorities, Urban Diversity is known as a transient world of young, multi -ethnic singles and single -parent families. In these inter -city neighborhoods, residents struggle against challenging economics in a mix of rowhouses and high-rise apartment buildings. Most adults have completed high school or some college, with many working at entry-level jobs in retail, health care and food services. With a high unemployment rate, the median income is a third below the general population, and sometimes it's a stretch for households to make the rent for their less -than -lavish apartments that nevertheless cost more than the U.S. average. Young and mobile, a disproportionate number have lived in their units less than a year and mostly alone. Lifestyles Modest incomes haven't kept the young members of Urban Diversity from leading vibrant lifestyles. They have high rates for going to nightclubs, theme parks, comedy clubs and bowling alleys. They enjoy an impressive number of athletic activities, from soccer and basketball to weight lifting and jogging. Residents describe themselves as the first among their friends to try a new store and fashion, but they also frequent retail chains like Old Navy, Marshalls and Mervyn's. With a third of households having children, this is a strong market for kids' products including toys, books, dolls, board games and easy -to -prepare foods such as lunch kits and frozen pizza. They buy consumer electronics for themselves and their kids, including video game devices, MP3 players and digital cameras. They claim they're not good at saving money, but prefer the safety of short-term CDs versus stocks or other investments. Media The households of Urban Diversity are omnivorous media fans. They describe themselves as TV addicts, radio lovers, regular movie-goers and Internet surfers. Television is still their entertainment source of choice, and they watch sitcoms, reality shows, evening animation and late -night talk shows all at high rates. On their radios, they gravitate to talk stations, Spanish programming and urban contemporary music. Residents alternate between reading ethnic -targeted magazines and mainstream titles covering music, parenting and popular culture. They pick up a daily newspaper for job and TV listings. These young households typically go online each day for a variety of activities, from finding sports scores and job openings to listening to streaming radio and trying their luck at gambling sites. ©Experian 16