Parents and Youth
The family dynamic, even among traditional families, is a different operation than a decade ago.

• 44% of moms say that in their family, parents make the ultimate decision but actively seek kids' input
  
  
• Decision-making styles that families use now are not the ones most marketers speak to: Parents like to empower kids, but prefer to be active partners in decision-making, rather than leaving kids on their own

The Moms Market
The United States has 82.5 million mothers; 55% of women 15-44 are moms. There are 10.4 million single mothers living with children younger than 18, up from 3.4 million in 1970.

• Women control $1.6 trillion in household spending (Engage: Moms – 09/02/09)


• Moms control 85% of household spending and are worth more than $2 trillion to U.S. brands (Marketing to Moms Coalition, 2009)

The Dads Factor
Today, almost one-third of men are now the principal shoppers in the household. Men’s share of retail shopping trips increased across all outlets from 2008-2009, while women’s share declined in all outlets. Retail channels with the greatest relative importance to men include convenience/gas outlets, warehouse clubs, and grocery stores.

Grandparents Market
There are about 70 million grandparents in the U.S., heading up 44 million households. Some 4.7 million children live with their grandparents. Of those, 2.2 million are under age six, 1.4 million are aged 6-11, and 1.1 million are aged 12-17.