Half Birthday" Trend Emerges as Serious Marketing Business
Franceinfo reports that the "half birthday" trend—celebrating 24.5, 36.5, or 50.5 years—has become a significant marketing phenomenon. Etsy searches for half-birthday cards and decorations have jumped nearly 60% in a year. The global birthday market (cakes, decorations, party organization) was worth 68 billion by 2033. The half-birthday effectively doubles the number of spending occasions in a year. Major brands including Publix, Chipotle, Baskin Robbins in the US and TGI Fridays in the UK have integrated half-birthday offers into their loyalty programs. Harvard Business School professor Michael Norton explains: "Major traditional life milestones (marriage, home purchase) are arriving later and later. The calendar is empty, and in that void, people invent celebrations"
