Black ‘twirties' take moonlighting to the next level

The study shows that while the general trend amongst this group is a global one of being incredibly driven, what separates the black Twirties from their white counterparts is that they often have ‘side businesses' outside of their normal working hours. Many in this group feel that they cannot support their lifestyles and their aspirations with their ‘day job' and have created businesses ranging from deejaying, catering to cleaning businesses and clothing ranges.

Spirit of Ubuntu

The spirit of Ubuntu can also be seen in these operations as they sometimes provide opportunities for unemployed family members who manage the day to day running of these businesses while they provide the business expertise and funding, and of course, tend to their nine-to-five jobs. The motivation behind these businesses is a salary boost but the main driver is passion and developing something that will hopefully mean they can dump the nine-to-fiver altogether.

The qualitative study, conducted amongst 60 respondents of all races and between the age of 20 and 35, also shows that age may just be a number but key shifts are apparent in the twirties' approach to life as they mature from their early 20s, through their late 20s and on into their early 30s. Interestingly, while this group may appear to be egocentric and materially driven, they are not without both substance and conscience and they spontaneously talk about environmental and health concerns starting to impact on their consumption habits.

Eleven key trends

The series revealed 11 key trends amongst the twirties that are relevant to brands wishing to strike a chord with this audience. OmniVision has multi media reports available on the Twirties Series. For more information, contact Jacqui Stammers at +27 (0)21 701 2679, email , or go to www.omnivisionsa.co.za.