’s ethnographic research project that rejects the ad industry’s obsession with generational groups in search of more meaningful consumer insight. It aims to get closer to understudied consumer groups with high spending power, so brands can better connect with them.
First stop, D.I.N.K.s
Dual Income, No Kids •
Couples with dual income and no kids.
More and more Americans are choosing not to have kids or having kids later, with the fertility rate reaching its lowest level ever last year.
And they’ve got money. DINK households have, on average, 2.3X the net worth of households with children.
But beyond this, we don’t know a great deal about their culture. Not having kids does not define these people, but it has a huge impact on how they live their lives - and spend their money.
That's what this project is all about.
The only thing that frustrates me about our lifestyle is that sometimes people assume we don’t want to be invited because we don’t have kids. Like, I still want to go! I want to run around and shoot nerf guns too!
-DINK
DINKs say a top misconception is that they don't like kids
Having a name means you’re being seen. And for a lot of DINKs, that feels great… But is DINKs is the right name? Money is just one of so many reasons DINKs are DINKs.
“Simply having a term for our community feels like a good thing. It means we are being seen. More of a norm than an outlier”
“I don’t know, I don’t like how it's all about money. It’s not about financial freedom for us, it’s about freedom”
“We don’t want them.
And that’s a full sentence”
DINKs are anomalies… and being an anomaly can be liberating AF. The DINK story is simply not one that’s told in culture, which makes life feel like an adventure, free from the expectations of others. DINks told us that once you reject one convention (having kids), others feel optional too, leaving you feel free to create your own milestones in life.
“It feels like an adventure - because not many people have done this before. I don’t really see the story of couples that talk about not having kids and why they’re not having kids. It’s just not a story that’s told. So we don’t really know what the future looks like. We find it really exciting not knowing what’s coming. When you have kids it feels like if your life is laid out for you.”
“Once those milestones are taken away, your progression isn’t as clear and linear any more.. but that’s liberating. I can quit my job if I want to. I can go work in Thailand for 3 years.“
“We don’t really have a routine, or a plan. We can just get up and go. Whenever and wherever we want. It’s total freedom to experience and enjoy life.”
CONSIDER ADVENTURE A TOP LIFE VALUE
ONLY ¼ DINKS THINK CONVENTION IS IMPORTANT, 20% LESS THAN NON DINKS
True ethnographic research with 20 D.I.N.K.s in April and May 2025.
2 hour in-home interviews
“Show and tell” of significant items
Values exercises
Bank statement reviews
Thanks to our recruitment partner, WatchLab, for helping us reach DINKs across a diverse range of US regions, urbanicity, sexuality, ethnicity, and future family planning intentions.
A broader survey of 2000 Americans to validate our findings, carried out via Pollfish.
Audience 1 (DINKs): Couples, who both work, with a combined household income of $100k+, with no kids
Audience 2 (non DINKs): Couples, who both both work, with a combined household income of $100k+ with kids
BBH believes when the world zigs, zag.
Which is why we’re rejecting our industry’s obsession with generational groups in search of more meaningful and useful consumer insight.
Want to learn how your brand could access DINKs or interested in working with us? Drop us a line.
Website: https://www.bartleboglehegarty.com/
Email: hello@bbh-usa.com
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