Monday, November 14, 2011

What were you labled as back in the 1980's

Advertisers gave a whole range of acronyms to groups of consumers in the 1980s. Looking at these acronyms does help to understand how advertisers identified recognisable groups in society in the consumer driven world of marketing 1980s fashion.

A typical acronym was DINKY which described an increasing section of society, the couples not necessarily married, but who were 'Double Income No Kids Yet.' The Dinky was the type of consumer that might be targeted for spending on fashion and status symbols like perfume, label goods and stylish kitchen items that might never be used. The couple could even encourage each other in achieving their lifestyle of aspiration. Other labels advertisers favoured include Empty Nesters, Grey Panthers, Ladettes and Tweenies. The guppies term has since been hijacked by other groups.

Acronym Table for 1980s Fashion and Marketing Terms!

Yuppies-Young Urban Professionals

Yummies-Young Urban Mother

Dinkies-Double Income No Kids

Sinkies-Single Income No kids

Minkie-Middle Income No kids

Poupie-Porsche Owning Urban Professional

Swell-Single Woman Earning Lots Of Loot (Miss Yuppie)

Guppies-Greenpeace Yuppies (The original meaning of the term)

Bobo-Burnt Out But Opulent

Woopie-Well Off Older People

Jollies-Jet Setting Oldsters With Lots Of Loot

Glams-Greying Leisured Affluent Middle Aged

Deccie-D.I.Y Decorators Who Drag Stipple and Marble

Splappie-Stripped Pine Laura Ashley People

Drabbie-Ethical Urban Quaker With Anti And Pro Views

Dockney-East Docklands London Yuppie

Tweenie-Between 5 And 12 Years Old

Ladettes-Young Women Who Act Like Loutish Lads

Grey Panthers-Senior Citizens With Opinion

Empty Nesters-Couples Whose Children Are Grown Up And Away
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Yuppies

Yuppie was a 1980s acronym for 'Young Upwardly Mobile Professional Person'. The word was coined by the advertising industry to capture the essence of a particular type of work hard, play hard, ambitious minded city career person of either sex. The hectic lifestyle of a yuppie meant that after long hours of work, rare free time was spent in a self indulgent way frittering away the cash earned on anything, from expensive make up and perfume, to a bottle of fine champagne. Conspicuous wastage was part of the attitude.

For day Yuppies sported wide shouldered jackets and for weekends they wore a Barbour to effect a country aesthetic or a ball-gown to assume the appearance of a more advantaged lifestyle.

Take a look at all the 80's clothing I have for sale!
http://debkwek.ecrater.com/c/535780/clothing-accessories?&srn=4

2 comments:

Roger's Stuff said...

Great blog Deb. I'm going to put Ads on mine too. :)

Unknown said...

Thanks Rog :)