By Caroline Yap and Sofianni Subki
08 January 2001
The facts stare us right in the face. Blame the Spice Girls and their war cry of "girl power", blame the girl teens who launched the likes of Leonardo de Caprio and the Backstreet Boys by deciding who stays and who goes. Yes, we're talking about the force - female force of young, vibrant women with buying power.
Story by CAROLINE YAP and SOFIANNI SUBKI
SHEILA Pandian's not worried about getting married but her parents are. She's 30, a qualified accountant and drives a Citroen ZX. She's happy but her parents cling to the old-fashioned view that a woman is not complete without a man. Sheila begs to differ.
"Subservient wife and mother? No way," she says. With a gang of hip friends and challenging work, she doesn't have time to mope around thinking of the missing man.
"Right now, my career is my top priority and I love earning my own money!" she says. It's money that gives her the lifestyle she leads. Shopping splurges, nights out with friends and travelling - being financially independent is everything to her. She even has two credit cards.
"It's for security," says the well-travelled woman. She's not one who wants to be stuck with no cash whether in a foreign country or at the local shopping mall. Sheila is not a rare find these days. More young women are earning their own income and are becoming an important consumer market. Gone are the days when women depended on husbands to provide.
"We did not look closely at the female market before as there wasn't much demand for financial products from women," says a spokesperson for Citibank.
"For instance, most credit card applications from women in the past were requests for supplementary cards made by their husbands or fathers.
"However, it has changed over the last three years. Since 1997, the proportion of female primary cardholders has increased to 30 per cent. We have also seen an increase in the number of women applying for our new Citibank blue credit card. In fact 50 per cent of new blue cardholders are women."
This new breed of young women hold a buying power that is stronger than ever.
"More women are going out to work. They make up about 50 per cent of the labour force. This means women have more purchasing power and disposable income not just for cheap products but more expensive branded items," says Mary Assunta, media officer of the Consumers Association of Penang. Before, the fashion and beauty industries were the only ones which took an interest in women.
However the rise in women's levels of income and education has made them a valued and lucrative market. According to statistics from Citibank, 60 per cent of university graduates are now women compared to 47 per cent a decade ago. And the percentage of women employed in administrative and managerial positions grew from 0.1 per cent in 1970 to five per cent in 2000.
This rise in women's overall status has affected marketing strategies. This is clearly evident in Volvo's recent focus. At a Press conference, Lena Olving, Volvo Car Malaysia managing director, explained:
"There is a global trend of more well-educated women, women professionals, women starting their own business, and many who are selecting and purchasing their own cars."
Volvo has seen it fit to skew some of its marketing strategies to woo women. Based on a survey conducted in America, women either buy or influence the purchase of 85 per cent of new vehicles sold. And it is a trend that is catching up with Malaysian women as well. One good example is the new Lux
detergent tablets advertisement.
Unlike in past advertisements featuring detergents and the kampung makcik, this one portrays a sassy urban young woman whipping out the tablets at a laundrette to the envy of the other women there.
Dr Rohana Ariffin, a gender studies lecturer at Universiti Sains Malaysia, agrees that "young women are a force to reckon with because Malaysia has a young population, and half of them are women."
"It has definitely influenced marketing and advertisement strategies."
She says the media gives priority to the younger population in terms of theme as well as models used. The media tends to portray the world as belonging to the young. 3R, a new TV programme aimed at young women, has been sponsored by the likes of Southern Bank and Siemens.
These companies have recognised that the growing numbers of young women are a good market to buy into.
Explains Lina Tan, producer of 3R: "All these companies see women as a niche and growing market. They see their association with 3R as a step towards building an image of a company that is sensitive to women"s needs. It is not so much having a special product to target women but they feel that women are an important market share."
Even the premise of the show was based on the fact that young women are an important part of society.
"We felt that issues which concern young women like harassment at work and overcoming gender bias should be discussed. It's about time their voices were heard," says Tan. And it's not just single women who have buying clout. Young married women too constitute a significant portion of the market and are the
primary decision-makers for their families.
"A study in America shows that women made 80 per cent of such decisions. As the main carer of the family, women determine the food, clothing, household items and toileteries," says Rohana.
The trend is also not restricted to the urban areas of the country. According to Rohana, it is nationwide although the divide between cities and small towns affects what is bought.
She explains that rural women are mainly influenced by the Malay media and therefore have local or regional tastes. Urban women, on the other hand, are more exposed to the West and develop a cosmopolitan choice of products.
Despite the varying socio-economic backgrounds, young working women are acknowledged to have buying power that can sway marketing directions.
In this respect, a trendsetter is the instant coffee advertisement of a woman waking up late, rushing to get ready, rushing out to work and rushing right past the morning cup of coffee... dutifully made for her by her man.
The table's turned - swung over with legs up in the air.
* Logistics executive Rathika Alagirisamy, 25, says: "A career equals independence. I would not give that up. It lets you explore different roles and you have a separate life away from home."
She feels that with financial independence she gets to "buy her own stuff" without depending on others.
Having moved to Kuala Lumpur from Malacca, she says: "Things are more expensive here. When I am back in my home town, I buy simpler things."
She still finds it important for a man to be stable and secure financially.
"But whether or not you can support yourself is a different matter," she adds.
* Jessica Tan, 30, is an executive at a finance company. Her career is important to her.
"Women now are more ambitious and educated and they would like a better lifestyle," she says.
Marriage will not deter her from working simply because she finds satisfaction in earning her own money.
"Besides, a combined income will increase purchasing power and standard of living!" she adds.
Financial independence is important to her. She also feels that it helps to keep the relationship between husband and wife healthy, "especially during difficult times".
Hailing from Malacca, Tan says that Kuala Lumpur definitely changed her lifestyle. "Fashion is more updated here. There are more malls, brands and designs," she says.
* Sharon Goldman believes that women should have their own careers and not rely on their husbands.
"There are no guarantees in life," says the 32-year-old, an account manager at Getty Images, a stock photo and film library.
"You might end up marrying a rich man but nobody knows what the future holds. It’s best to have your source of income. That way, you can be prepared for anything."
Her twin sister, Karen, who works in real estate, agrees. "Making my own money is important to me because I love shopping and travelling. And I have a gold Amex charge card to prove it!
"I want to enjoy life while I’m young and the only way I can do that is to be financially independent."
She says that unlike many women from previous generations, women nowadays are not content staying at home to look after kids.
"Women today know what they’re worth and want the same things that men want."
* Establishing her career is Khaizura Ibrahim’s top priority.
"I know this sounds cliched but I want to have what I want without having to rely on anybody," says the 24-year-old law graduate.
She plans to settle down some day but admits that at the moment, her job as a legal assistant is taking up most of her time.
"But I do intend to start a family when the time is right."
What if her future husband wants her to give up her job?
"Well, hopefully, I wouldn’t have to deal with that as I feel that I am perfectly capable of dividing my time between work and family."
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