Patrick A. Barbro
Lifestyle marketing in the lifestyle. Marketing academics have long ignored a group of consumers that represent a growing aspect of the population that provide an opportunity for both businesses and academic research. Consensual non-monogamy (CNM). CNM is an umbrella term used to describe a wide range of behaviors in which members of a relationship agree to engage in sexual, romantic, or emotional relationships with other parties. There are many subsets within this group that could provide interesting segmentation opportunities for marketers. Other academic fields have begun to conduct research concerning CNM, but the marketing field has not yet approached the topic nor examined this large and growing set of consumers that likely have unique characteristics making them appealing to both researchers and practitioners. Perhaps many marketing academics consider the topic taboo or insignificant to add to their research stream, but the author points out that the market is real, growing, and too substantial to ignore despite apprehensions about discussing the topic in our field. Consumer interest and spending related to CNM are on the rise and should be of greater interest to marketers. Consumers that participate in CNM represent a group with significant economic clout as well as unique and sometimes counter intuitive behavioral traits that require further examination. By reviewing the extant research, it becomes clear that CNM, attitudes toward it, and traits of consumers who engage in it, are prominent issues being explored by scholars in several fields. It also becomes clear however that the subject has not yet been embraced by marketing academics or the broader business community. The author calls for further research and provides an agenda and research questions regarding how to approach this long ignored and yet important group ovf consumers.