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アラフォー世代に注目
20年ほど前、マスコミの注目を浴びていたのは、消費意欲の盛んな10代から30代半ばの若い層だった。
彼らは年を取り、いまや「アラフォー」世代の中心を占めている。
この世代、今は自分の生活を楽しむには一番良い時期にあるのだ。
Part Nine — Arafo?
At some point in Japanese history, the majority of media and advertising started focusing its attention on the young generation. By young, I mean people from their teens to their mid-30s, the age group with the most aggressive consumer needs, but with the least cash in hand. The limited attention span of youth provided a never-ending market for new and easily-replaceable consumer goods. A young, newly-married couple has to furnish a new place to live, prepare their living space, and more often than not, welcome a new baby into the world. For years the Japanese media was obsessed with this age group, until recently when everyone started to realize that the young people of 20 or so years ago are now much older, have very different needs and desires than before and a lot more money to spend.
I'm sure anyone over 40 years old living in Japan has at one time or another been in the same kind of conundrum. Faced with a limited amount of restaurants, clubs and stores that appeal to their lifestyles, they instead choose to stay home. This obviously is not good for the economy, and when the numbers show that one out of every three women in Japan is over the age of 60, it's just plain economic suicide.
Recently, we have all seen a new wave of marketing, focused on older people. My favorite is "arafo" or "around 40." Only 20 years ago, people over 40 were considered old and out of touch. Now it's OK to be around 40. By looking at some of the marketing campaigns, it almost seems like it's cooler to be "arafo" than in your 20s, because you now have the time to do things other than work. You are now able to really "enjoy yourself."
Fortunately, this has always been the case in the West. It is common knowledge that a woman reaches her best at 40 and a man at 50. If you go to restaurants or resorts outside of Japan, you will see many older people enjoying themselves as couples or in groups, and the overall feeling is one of "now is the best time of my life." Couples that are in their 80s still hold hands and stroll through town at night, take in a show, eat ice cream, or have a late night aperitif.
As the human dynamics of Japan change, so will its attitude toward its citizens. It is good to be young. Working hard and playing hard are all good to a point, and then it comes time to look back at your accomplishments and enjoy the second half of your wonderful life.
- monologues
- 独り言
- rants
- 長広舌
- raves
- 熱弁
- media
- マスコミ
- focusing its attention on 〜
- 〜に焦点を当てる
- age group
- 年齢層
- consumer needs
- 消費者ニーズ
- (group)with the least cash in hand
- 手持ちのお金が最も少ない(グループ)
- limited attention span
- 移り気なこと
- replaceable
- 別のものに取って代わる
- consumer goods
- 消費財
- furnish
- 〜に家具などを備え付ける
- was obsessed with 〜
- 〜で頭がいっぱいだった
- at one time or another
- 過去のあるとき
- conundrum
- 難問
- economy
- 景気
- or
- つまり
- out of touch
- 遅れている
- marketing campaigns
- 販売キャンペーン
- cooler
- よりかっこいい
- common knowledge
- 周知のこと
- overall feeling
- 全般的な雰囲気
- hold hands
- 手をつなぎ合う
- stroll through 〜
- 〜をぶらつく
- take in 〜
- 〜を見に行く
- aperitif
- お酒
- human dynamics
- 人間の動態
- attitude
- 態度
- to a point
- ある時点までは
- look back at 〜
- 〜を振り返ってみる
- accomplishments
- 業績