“18-49 is the butter demo, that’s the people who spend money on what they want instead of what they need.”
“Spend money on what they want instead of what they need...” You’re just restating advertising agency self-serving conventional wisdom like it came from Cal Tech.
There’s no scientific foundation to back that assertion up. None. There isn’t one verifiable fact contained in that statement that’s one hundred percent predictive of buying habits. So it’s meaningless.
The only reason the nets want 19-49 is the advertisers have told them that’s what they want. Because advertising agencies have told the advertisers that’s what they want.
Network execs just haven’t figured that out yet.
Typo... the nets want 18-49, not 19-49.
Nothing is 100% predictive, because people are unique. But within that uniqueness demographic DO have identifiable TENDENCIES that are predictive enough you can build campaigns and plans around them. I suggest you read the book The Power of Habit, ESPECIALLY the chapter about the Target maternity ad campaign. The power of demographic predictiveness is pretty astounding, kind of scary even.
Networks want the 18-49 demographic because SELLERS have learned that’s the prime demo. It’s not a myth, it’s a known fact supported constantly through loyalty card, credit card, and the myriad other ways every store you buy at uses to know which demographics you fit in and how your buying pattern matches, or changes, previous established patterns.