ORGANISERS
Launching the first ever consumer show aimed at midlife women has nothing to do with being a certain age - Nicole Cooper – is quick to reassure me .
But on 19-20 May , Cooper ’ s company Touchpoint Live Media will open the doors to Postcards from Midlife Live at the Business Design Centre and the driven CEO is confident she has tapped into a valuable market catering to a previously hidden demographic .
With more than 20 years in exhibitions behind her – launching Grand Designs Live for Media 10 , leading marketing at Reed before moving to Brand Events where she launched DogFest in 2014 , Cooper is an expert in spotting a profitable niche – and is convinced there is plenty of scope for growth within the market .
Explaining the idea behind the show she says , “ I had been thinking for the last four years that there ’ s a real gap in the market for women aged 40-plus . There ’ s lots of discussion and conversation that ’ s been building up . And in the last two years since Covid especially , midlife has been put quite firmly on the agenda , politically and socially . There have been a lot of celebrities who have really embraced it which I think that has really driven the conversation .
“ Whereas before it was maybe a bit taboo , people really didn ’ t talk about it .
“ Midlife is not old anymore . The conversations are about careers , about finance , menopause . I was following those conversations
“ I could spot that there wasn ’ t anything like that in the way of a show . There ’ s never been an actual event to bring women together ”
and interested in it , because I could spot that there wasn ’ t anything like that in the way of a show .”
Women aged over 40 control 95 % of household budgets and control £ 15trillion in assets . Yet despite a boom in podcasts , online education events and social media influencers discussing issues faced by women aged 40 to 65 , there were no dedicated exhibitions – amongst a demographic with disposable income and a desire to learn . The concept of the show lends itself to multiple subject areas not least careers and finance , fashion , beauty and design and health and well-being .
“ There ’ s never been an actual event to bring women
Lorraine Candy and Trish Halpin
Meet in the middle
DogFest organiser Touchpoint Live Media has launched a new consumer show to bring together midlife women with the first ever event of its kind . Founder Nicole Cooper tells Emily Wallin how the concept taps into a hidden demographic , empowered to learn , engage with others and shop
together ,” Cooper says . “ Women like a community . They want to do things together and they like to have fun as well .”
As Cooper was brewing the idea for the boutique consumer show , she started listening to the podcast
Postcards from Midlife – hosted by former Marie Claire and Elle editors Lorraine Candy and Trish Halpin . With a ready-made engaged audience of listeners , the partnership was a nobrainer .
“ They have quite an
54 — Summer