Implications of the Rise of the Millennial Woman for the Luxury Market

Special Guest Moderator - Lionel Tiger

At 86 million strong, millennials make up the largest population group that the United States has ever seen, accounting for 21 percent of total annual consumer spending or $1.3 trillion according to Boston Consulting Group, which defines this cohort as ages 18 to 34.

Millennial women promise to a particularly powerful force in coming years and one that marketers may be well advised to embrace. American millennial women have more education than the men of their generation and in about a third of marriages, they have higher incomes. Globally, millennial women are founding more new companies that are reporting higher average income and profit margins than their male counterparts.

Please join us for what promises to be an especially enlightening conversation about some of the implications that the rise of the millennial woman portends for the luxury market and how some companies are already adjusting their game plans while we celebrate the world launch of a remarkable new global platform and catalyst for women buying from women and women selling to women.

Jon Birger is an award-winning magazine writer, a contributor to Fortune magazine, and the author of DATE-ONOMICS: How Dating Became a Lopsided Numbers Game (Workman Publishing, September 2015).

Drawing on economics, psychology and demographics, DATE-ONOMICS makes the case that increasingly lopsided gender ratios among college graduates — 4 women graduating for every 3 men — are what's really behind the rise of the hookup culture and the worsening marriage prospects for educated women. Jon argues that the problem with modern dating has little to do with Tinder or porn or women’s unwillingness to follow some dating expert’s “rules.” The real problem boils down to a numbers game. The dating market for college-grad Millennials now has one-third more women than men, which means men have all the leverage.

Jean Chatzky, financial editor of NBC's Today Show, calls DATE-ONOMICS “the Moneyball of dating,” adding that “college-educated women wanting to improve their odds in today’s wacky marriage ‘market’ will be dog-earing its pages.” New York Times best-selling author A.J. Jacobs lauds DATE-ONOMICS as "a fascinating look at romance and what’s going on with the mating rituals of homo sapiens today.”

A sought-after speaker, Jon discusses the challenges of modern dating as well as on the origins of the college gender gap and its impact on college life and on the economy. His recent speaking engagements include The Cato Institute in Washington, D.C.; South By Southwest 2016 in Austin, Tex.; The Economic Club of Florida in Tallahassee, Fla., New York City’s 92nd Street Y, and “The Great Love Debate,” a comedy show touring the nation. Jon will return to South By Southwest in 2017 to lead a panel with Acura’s advertising director. Their topic: how the college gender gap and the rise of Millennial women portend big changes in how luxury cars, jewelry and other premium products—all once purchased mainly by men—will be marketed in the future. Translation: opportunity for advertisers who recognize the shift and peril for those who don’t.

Jon was a senior writer at Fortune from 2005 to 2010, where he wrote feature stories on Apple, Priceline and Royal Dutch Shell. Silicon Valley's AlwaysOn Network named him to its list of “Power Players in Technology Business Media.” Jon's writing has also appeared in The Washington Post, Fast Company, Barron's, Money, Time Magazine, The Daily Mail, and New York Magazine. Jon is also a familiar face and voice on television and radio, discussing topics ranging from the dating market to the stock market on ABC’s Good Morning America, BBC World Service, CNBC, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and National Public Radio.

Jon is a graduate of Brown University and lives with his family in Larchmont, New York.

Jason B. Cohen is Chief Creative Officer of The O Group, a premier marketing agency based in New York City that helps luxury brands to develop a point of view and to create an emotional connection with people who value aesthetic and experience.

A specialist in Design and Luxury branding, Jason has overseen and personally developed creative direction for a multitude of high-end clients, including Belvedere Vodka, Ciroc Vodka, Chef Michael White’s Altamarea Group including Ai Fiori and Vaucluse Restaurants, Diageo, Donald J Pliner, Fetzer Vineyards, Garrard, Glenmorangie Scotch Whiskey, Godiva Chocolatier, the Guggenheim Museum, Hennessy Cognac, Lacoste USA, Marriott International, Moët & Chandon, Piaget, Rémy Martin Cognac, Robert Marc Eyewear, Salvatore Ferragamo, The Pierre – A Taj Hotel, VOSS Water and more.

From formulating initial strategic concepts and shaping brand identity to directing photography, website design and campaign execution, Jason motivates and guides his design team to do their very best work in order to meet and exceed client expectations and meaningfully impact his clients' business. His specialties are Creative Direction, Luxury Branding, Identity Crafting, Brand Repositioning,Graphic Design and Packaging.

After graduating from The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) with a BA in Art: Graphic Design, Jason worked as an architectural signage and wayfinding designer. He's a foodie, loves cars, watching football and snowboarding. An admirer of Mid-Century Modern architecture, he resides in a 1959 “never-ending work-in- progress” with his wife and son in Millburn, New Jersey.

Tam St. Armand is Co-Founder and CEO of Iter. Founded in New York City in 2017, Iter’s mission is be the global platform and catalyst for women buying from women and women selling to women. Iter’s basic tenant is to affect change and foster positive outcomes for all women involved. In addition to its commerce aspect, the Company offers solutions for personal and professional development. Iter provides women with global access that they can use to create their own success. The Company intends to break down well established barriers while empowering and enriching women from all cultures, religious beliefs and political systems.

As a serial entrepreneur, Tam’s wide range of experience, interest and dedication to be fully in the world gives her an exciting and remarkable perspective on life and business. Tam is as intrigued and passionate about the people as she is about the issues and this is demonstrated in everything she does.

Tam has more than 30 years of experience in Property & Casualty Insurance & Risk Management, and has extensive experience in risk architecting, brokering, placement and service implementation. Tam has also lead teams in underwriting, complex sales, marketing and consulting. Tam has served in senior level positions as EVP and CEO and currently is the principal of an insurance brokerage that specializes in high-risk areas.

Tam has a unique ability to work collaboratively with others and this is reflected in her relationships with global influencers and disrupters. She is in the distinct position of being a well-known connector who puts people and companies together to achieve great results. Above all, in her work, Tam enjoys directly relating to people, listening to what they say and helping them through their greatest challenges.

Lionel Tiger is a leading anthropologist and consultant. His first book MEN IN GROUPS in 1969 introduced the term and concept “male bonding” and was influential in eight languages.

THE IMPERIAL ANIMAL in 1971 has appeared in 11 languages and is still in print. It was a fundamental contribution to understanding human evolution and how our biology affects our daily lives and our old and new social systems.

His THE PURSUIT OF PLEASURE of 1992 tells us why we enjoy what we enjoy, why pleasure is a central feature of our biology, and how ancient human appetites influence today’s bistro menu and tomorrow’s sales floor.

Lionel has analyzed the evolution of human patterns of dominance and ambition and how they affect daily and nightly lives. He has parsed male aggression, female competitiveness, the food of China and the sparkle of artistic skill. He has consulted to Swiss restaurateurs, makers of English biscuits, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense in the Pentagon. He has undertaken research in West Africa, the Israeli Kibbutz, the Canadian pulp and paper industry, and has led a parade of other insights into how the nature of our species stimulates and inhibits but is always a factor in our behavior.

Lionel studied at McGill University in Montreal, the London School of Economics and Political Science and has received awards from foundations such as Ford, the John Simon Guggenheim, The Canada Council, The Maison des Sciences de L’Homme in Paris and the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation, where he was Research Director. He was been named a Cultural Landmark of New York City. He lives in New York City and Millbrook, New York. He is the Charles Darwin Professor of Anthropology Emeritus at Rutgers University.