Yes, that’s the term Nielson has coined after reviewing the results of their latest Christmas “wish list” survey.  Apparently our kids and teens are more about tech gadgets than ever before.  Apple devices are dominating the letters to Santa.

44 percent of kids ages 6-12 want an iPad.  30 percent want an iPod touch, next comes the iPhone at 27 percent.  Teenagers are also so hoping for iPad (24 percent). You would think gaming consoles would be way up there, but the second most wished for item among teens is a new computer. Interestingly, (or perhaps reassuringly), teens are also showing a strong interest in eReaders this year (18 percent).

After studying the infograph, I couldn’t help but think how lucky some kids are, and it made me consider the Private Pampering™ wave. This wave’s Human Truth™ is: “I don’t need it but I’m worth it.”™ I mean, besides the new computer, these electronics are probably more of a “want” than a “need”.  I remember losing my mind when I woke up Christmas morning to find a bike.

Maybe owning something like a bike or skateboard is just a “given” these days?  Perhaps that’s also why Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, or Wii consoles are far down on the list this year… I mean do you know an American kid that doesn’t have at least one of those?  Jeeze, a bunch of kids these days grow up with at least one parent who’s a gamer.

We marvel at our iBabies that intuitively navigate iPads and operate the iPhone with an ease that makes their grandparents heads spin.  It seems this iHoliday Season will continue to arm our techy kids with the tools of the future.

Some may even argue 3d movies are Private Pampering™.  I mean, you CAN watch a “normal” film, but you want the sensory appeal of the 3d experience.  If that’s your “M.O” then you may just be the kind of person that wants to commit to investing in a pair of 3d glasses that are much slicker and fashionable than the generic (now practically defunct) red and  blue lenses.

“Moviegoers in California have the option of purchasing the 3D eyewear featuring Marchon3D’s patented, circular lens technology, which allows users to tilt their heads or look around without affecting the 3D perception. The vending machine sports an user-friendly touchscreen interface and stocks a number of EX3D glasses in various colors and styles. Prices run from $22 to $70 for limited selection varieties. The glasses are compatible with most 3D televisions, gaming systems and laptops as well, so users can take them home for future uses.”

I know quite a few people who indulge in Private Pampering™.  The Human Truth™ is “I don’t need it, but I’m worth it.”™ They make the point to me (their penny pinching friend) that it’s about an investment, a commitment to a lifestyle that makes them happy.  So I totally “get it”, it’s not always about extravagance, it’s about spending your money in a way that you see fit.  It doesn’t have to be about Cartier watches and Lambourgini’s, it’s sometimes about finding indulgence in the everyday.

Lately I got excited about this amazing video of a transparent plane – it was a concept piece about visualizing the future of flight.  I loved all the biometric tech and the merging of well-being & travel.

I wasn’t alone in loving it, but more than a few people were fairly ba-humbug about it:

“Ugh, a bit over the top”, “how bout something that just gets me where I’m going?”

That made me think about the nature of innovation.  I’m the kind of person who LOVES thinking about what’s around the corner… (not surprising given this job).  I feel inspired by visionary ideas, even if they are a long way from becoming reality.  Not everyone feels that way though.  Some people are more of a “if it aint broke, why fix it” mentality.

The Private Pampering™ wave has heaps of examples of thins kind of thing.  The Human Truth™ is “I don’t need it, but I’m worth it.” I guess people’s needs and wants… really do vary a lot.

Take this gravity salt & pepper shaker for instance. Ok, it’s more than you actually need… but is it cool enough to pay more?  The feedback was:

“Unnecessary.” “Gimmicky”  “manually grinding s&p is a part of the ritual of eating. Why roboticize it?”  “Can they invent a fork that puts the food in my mouth? A handle-less shovel?”

Then there were others who dug it and thought it would be a talking point at the table.  One friend said “I have an electric one with a light too! Love it!”

So I guess when it comes to the Private Pampering™ wave, it’s really a matter of personal opinion.

When you consider this wave, remember: it can be a fine line between pampering and “over the top”.

It’s an article about an extreme example of luxury in the bottled water market. Yes we are talking about a $2600 bottle of water. And the amazing part is that BlingH2O is being completely transparent about the fact that its water is sold under about 90 brand names in the U.S.—including one that prices its bottles at $2.49 each, available at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store locations. But according to Kevin Boyd, the founder of Bling, the “couture” packaging justifies its price, because of its hand-applied crystals and customizable designs. “I’m not just selling a water,” he says, “but a lifestyle.”

That’s Private Pampering™ in a nutshell. The Human Truth™ is “I don’t need it, but I’m worth it.” It’s about the moment of feeling like: “Hey I know I could do this on the cheap, but I feel like being extravagant!”

Now, most of us will probably never feel that way about a bottle of water… however many crystals are on it… but the point remains; a lot of people have that moment of celebration where any expense is necessary in that moment. This might be an extreme example, but heaven knows, when we have a WIN in this day and age it’s worth indulging!

Really?

You know, people are drawn to certain waves because of their personality or natural behavior tendencies, and I have to admit I’m not a Private Pampering™ kind of gal.

The Human Truth™ of this wave is “I don’t need it, but I’m worth it”.  It’s not like I don’t have the self-esteem, or belief that I’m “worth” nice things.  I guess I get more of an esteem boost by finding a great bargain.  I’m too much of a miser to enjoy something that I think is over priced and flippant.

However, this wave, and this kind of “upscale bandage” is all about indulgence.

It’s finding luxury in the mundane.  Who knows, maybe this band aid would be perfect for someone that has a potentially disfiguring wound and needs an extra esteem boost.  There are all kinds of reasons that people need “SPECIAL TREATMENT”.  Even if it doesn’t come naturally to us, we should keep an open mind with this wave.

One of the many bloggers that have been discussing this ad had this to say:

“What was particularly interesting to me was the fighting nature of the commercial.  For decades Midwestern cities have been beaten up by the media as their stagnating growth and economic woes have made them look inept in the face of explosive growth in the Sun Belt.  While Midwestern cities have envied the growth seen in the Sun Belt, those southern cities have often been envious of the culture and history found in the Midwest and Northeast.  This commercial highlighted just that and said, we’ve got a lot of fight left in us and you’ve already thrown your best shot.”

What I want to focus on is the link to our Private Pampering™ Wave.  For many quarters we have been tracking the changing face of what luxury really means.  We sometimes refer to it as new luxe.  The esteem boost one feels when purchasing a luxury item is increasingly about the story behind it.

This ad is telling a stirring story of survival and pride. It’s inviting fellow Americans to be apart of the story and invest in this city’s future.

The copy says: “When it comes to luxury it’s as much about where it’s from as who it’s for…”

As Detroit’s most successful export says:

“This is the Motor City and THIS is what we do.”

A new service is being talked about that would offer you streaming movies the day they come out in theatres. So if you don’t like the lines or dealing with someone rubbing elbows with you two hours into an awkward romantic comedy, or you just have an extra $22,000 to spend (yes, that’s right) this is perfect for you.

The Prima Cinema plan would stream movies to your home theater for $22,000 for the initial setup and first title, then an “affordable” $500 for every movie after. What I think is interesting is trying to get to the real understanding of this. Is it because we don’t want to deal with people (which both greatly destroys and makes the movie going experience) or is it because we keep going down the direction of micro-gratification and an “I want it now!” attitude?

Regardless of which it may be, one thing I know, I’ll stand in line for a few hours at midnight on a Thursday, because the experience as a whole outweighs the movie sometimes. After all, I’d be pretty pissed if I paid $22,000 for a terrible movie.

“The Obscura CueLight is coolest pool table ever, features sensors and a projector that projects an image only where the balls are on the table. The pool table and projections system will cost $200,000! Currently you can found it at Esquire’s ultimate bachelor pad in NYC.”

Now we are talking Private Pampering™ here: “I don’t need it, but I’m worth it.”™ So you don’t NEEEEEED this awesomeness but if you want an ESTEEM boost (and can afford it) then this a pretty powerful version of “in-your-face” luxury.

Sexy Stuff!  I personally can’t wait for the rest of the jaw droppers that will reside in Esquire’s ultimate bachelor pad to be revealed.

That’s right! Your Celebritot (as the Aristabrat website refers to them) can now enjoy the exclusivity and absolutely dumbfounding experience of drooling on a Swarovski studded pacifier- or shaking a rattle worth more than my groceries every week. They can even bash all the cute little crystals off of it into the sidewalls of a crib, since babies have no sense of value and everything that’s cute and shiny will inevitably get destroyed.

Who would outfit their children like this? Who would have the gall- or senselessness- to showcase their baby, or as they grow up, their tween, in more money than most people spend on their weekly cost of living? The average cost of a full outfit for a tween( that’s a twelve year old for those of you keeping score at home!) from this abomination of common sense is right around US $838.00. That’s over half of what the average single male spends monthly just to get by.

I don’t care h0w cute you think your kid is, it doesn’t need a $300.00 onezie set.