Double bonanza

'Double income two kids' families are the latest to be wooed by the advertisers.They are invading the malls with a newfound confidence, they want the best of everything for their children, and they are living life to the fullest. Predictably, the 'double income two kids' (DI2Ks) families are wooed by advertisers, who see in them a growing potential.That the advertisements - from popular holiday resorts to car makers and posters on malls etc - are harping on a happy young couple with their two kids, is a testimony to this fact.
Ad film maker Ravi Deshpande confirms the onset of this trend. "Be it holidays or insurance , the target group for most lifestyle products is that of young couples with two kids. Not only do they have disposable incomes , but they want the best for their children," he reasons.
The increase in the number of malls and multiplexes in the city, too, has invariably been proportionate to the rise of DI2Ks. "Earlier, one would see only the guy paying, but now, we get to see the woman paying as well. A lot of young couples don't come alone to watch the film, they come with their kids too. This trend has been on the rise since two years. Sometimes it's only the mother accompanying the kids. It is surely a result of double income families ," says Neerav Panchamia , vice president, operations , of a city multiplex. To cash in on this trend, most multiplexes also serve ice creams and chocolates at the food courts to entice little ones.
Shopping malls, too, have started paying special attention to these consumers frequenting their shops. Small wonder, clowns, hair braiders, toy vending machines are common sights in most malls. Roch D'Souza , deputy manager, marketing, of a city mall, affirms , "We definitely have a lot of young couples coming in with their kids, especially on the weekends. That is the reason we organise activities specially for kids during weekends. These young parents are very proactive and involved in whatever their kids do."
Not only are the young urban professionals busy climbing up the corporate ladder, they also want the best life possible for their children. Shilpa Gokhale, a design engineer and a mother of two, says, "We mostly spend on our children and on food. We go out for dinner at least once a week. We spend a lot on our children like buying them games, toys and clothes. We recently bought a house to ensure that our children have a secure future."
punetimes@timesgroup .com