Attn: Marketers, the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population is centenarians; Jeanne Louise Calment's sets a trend

In developed countries, the number of individuals living over 100 years ("centenarians") has been doubling every five to seven years. The top age they are able to reach is increasing too, from 110 in 1930 to 122 in 1997 (when record-setter Jeanne Louise Calment passed away).

Calmert's story is amazing. She is the first person documented to reach 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121 and 122 years old. Her date of birth and life have been well-researched and documented.

She was born in 1875. At age 14, she met Vincent van Gogh in her father's shop, later describing him as "dirty, badly dressed and disagreeable." She took up fencing at 85 and was riding a bike at 100. She entered into a reverse mortgage at age 90 that guaranteed a fixed income for the rest of her life. It turned out to be quite a good deal for her and she outlived the other party (whose widow had to continue the payments).

Remarkably, she was a smoker and only quit when she was 117 years old. Longevity ran in her family. Her father lived to 93 and her mother 86. Calmert's daughter died in 1934 and her grandson who was killed in 1963.

Calmert and her fellow centenarians are not the only ones living longer. The average life-expectancy in the United States is increasing as well (as it has for the past 100 years). In 2004 it was 80.4 years for women and 75.2 years for men. (See chart for global life expectancy increases since 1950).

Will this spawn a new marketing focus on the super-old? Doubtful. While the percentage increases are impressive it is coming off of an incredibly small base. Even if there were millions it probably wouldn't matter since marketers are still figuring out if it's worth targeting the 77 million baby boomers (just ask Dick Stroud).