When there are good times, men spend. When the market turns south they put the brakes on 100%. Women cannot afford to do that. They make 92% of all decisions regarding home and family. They have to put food on the table, get kids to school, make sure everyone plays sport and most hold down a vital job to support the family.
So women cannot stop spending. In bad times, all women start making better choices. The trend will be to eat at home, cutting the trips to restaurants. That means buying healthier foods such as organically produced milk, meats and vegetables. So food sellers are looking to have a good year and the early numbers are showing that.
When all car sales are down almost 40% across the board, one car company had a record year in 2008; it was VW. Why, we have to ask? Look who's driving that VW - 90% of the time it's a woman. Other car companies should have a serious rethink about who is actually their market. Almost all are focused on the male market and very few really engage the female buyers.
The next sector that will be healthy in 2009 is the pharmaceutical and wellness sectors. When people are stressed, this market sector booms because stress leads to illness. Staying healthy becomes a priority. So the sale of vitamins and supplements grows. So do memberships at health clubs and dance studios as women maintain the strength and build resistance to illness. Simply, they cannot afford to be ill.
The packaging industry is also likely to boom this year. The trend will be to green and eco-friendly packaging. Less packaging and those fewer materials that are used will all be biodegradable. Those packaging companies that get it will see huge growth.
That leads to President Obama's green crusade. He wants to create over 3 million new jobs in turning America green. This means solar- and wind-generated electricity. Denver International Airport has already gone green. It has a solar farm between the runways that generates enough power to operate this huge airport, all the related businesses and more than 10 000 homes. Amazing what can be done when people stop talking about projects and just do them.
By 2010 we will see the entire auto industry turn to green technology. If they don't, they will not be around. More than 50% of the cars offered by Detroit will be electric or hybrids by the end of next year.
It's women who will drive this new agenda. They will be making good decisions about food, energy-saving devices at home, buying clothing only at sales, making sure the family stays healthy. They will question their men when it comes to choosing that next car.
The Mayans talk about the world ending on 21 December 2012 and they may be right - this world, as we know now. The world after 21.12.2012 will not be recognisable to this greed-driven opulent planet we have sunk to in 2009.
I see a world where women have found their voices, and taken a more commanding role. Where true sustainability is the order of the day. A world where compassion overrules greed, family values take precedent and every decision made is good for our planet and not leading to its destruction.
