Brought to you by Morley SaferThis is not as weird as it seems if you consider that it’s a $3,000 procedure, 46 million Americans don’t have health insurance, and many more are underinsured. I just hope they don’t turn it into a reality show. (source: PROMO, 2/25/09)
That time of the month
CPG companies are starting to time promotions to coincide with pay cycles to get consumers’ attention when they still have money in their pockets. For example, PepsiCo promotes $6.98 snack multi-packs at the beginning of the month and small $2 packages at the end. Kimberly-Clark and Heinz are also trying out various options. (source: Wall Street Journal, 2/23/09)
iSommelier
Need help facing the wall of wine at Lisa’s Liquor Barn or impressing your date with the perfect complement to the strawberry cheesecake she just ordered? Whip out your smart phone and bring up HelloVino.com. Or text hellovino if your phone ain’t so smart. (source: Springwise, 2/26/09)
You ruined my breakfastYou’d think with all that’s going on out there juice packaging would be the least of consumers’ worries. But comments like “ugly,” “stupid,” and “store brand” have convinced Tropicana to scrap the new design they launched in January and return to their straw-in-orange look. Emails, tweets, Facebook page: the vocal minority strikes again. (source: Wall Street Journal, 2/23/09)
Speaking of private label
Tropicana might be better off looking “generic” after all. Private label is flying off the shelves. Some experts predict PL could grow by 7% by the time this recession is over. That would put it at 24% of all CPG dollars from shoppers of all income levels. (source: Ad Age, 2/23/09)
B2Tweet
56% of Twitter’s 6 million members say they use the site for business purposes. Cool example: Korean Taco truck in LA tells where it will be 20 minutes before it gets there. Hundreds of people show up at the stops. (source: Media Daily News, 2/26/09)
The little magazine that could
Bobbing merrily along in a sea of media doom is Draft. First published in 2006, this Cigar Aficionado of beer already has 200,000 subscribers and 70K newsstand buyers, despite its hefty $4.99 sticker. And plenty of advertisers are hungry for its middle-aged, high income male readers. Founder Austin Wilson, who ditched a corporate law career to follow his bliss, says he’s benefitting from both the recession (guys cocoon with beer) and the surging popularity of craft brew (“We respect people who know the difference between a lager and a pale ale.”). Says
Who’s a social networker?
In the
Dear John
Call it credit alimony. Am Ex is offering cardholders they no longer want to know $300 to close their accounts and never call again. (source: NPR, 2/24/09)
When pigs fly
Argan nuts. Humans pay $45 for 8.5 oz. of their anti-oxidant-rich oil. Apparently, Moroccan goats appreciate soft hair and skin, too. (source: National Geographic, 2/09)
2-carat stir fry
Toss the Calphalon. Now you can cook on diamonds. A new nano-non-stick technology that won’t scratch, peel off, or cause cancer (that we know of). I can’t decide if this is a brilliant solution to a real consumer problem or just another way to entice people who don’t cook much to buy another set of really expensive pans. http://www.swissdiamondusa.com/ (source: Iconoculture)
When in
You’ll have to eat Italian. The council of this popular Tuscan tourist destination has passed a ban on “ethnic” foods like kebabs and curries that it thinks are destroying the city’s culture. Although tomatoes, pasta, and couscous all have foreign origins (
Despite the recession, 22% of Americans are still uncomfortable using coupons. Another 57% say they’re self-conscious, but have gotten over it because they need the dollars off. In general, there’s been a 43% upswing in coupon use in the last 6 months. By age group, 57% of those 35 and under have stepped up their coupon use, as have 40% of those between 35 and 54, 36% of those between 55 and 64, and 25% of those 65 and older. (source: ICOM/Marketing Daily, 2/18/09)
I raise my glass
A tiny, blurry shot of this in
Davey Jones nation
The UN estimates there are more than 3 million shipwrecks on the ocean floor. (source: Ideal Bite, 2/17/09)
Make lemonade
When copywriter Erik Proulx got laid off, he decided finding a new job for himself wasn’t good enough. He’s now turning his blog, http://www.pleasefeedtheanimals.com/ , into a free “matchmaking site for out-of-work advertising talent and hiring agencies.” Erik, who’s been laid off three times now, started the blog as a way to vent without making his wife nuts. If he earns any money off his venture, he’s giving it to the web developer and others who’ve given their time to the cause. (source: Ad Age, 2/19/09)
Friend you later
New trend: giving up Facebook for lent. (source: Wall Street Journal, 2/19/09)
A nanosecond saved is a nanosecond earned
The greatest thing since butter in sticks--half-sticks. Instead of 4 big ones you get 8 little ones. Same price. The Land O’Lakes insight: cutting and rewrapping a whole stick when you’re making a recipe that only requires half simply takes too long. Hey, give them a break. How much can you innovate with butter? (source: Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, 2/16/09)
They all did it
Considering best-selling author James Patterson pumped out seven thrillers in 2008, there’s a good chance he’s already leaning on the talents of ghost writers, but his next novel will make it official. He will write the first and last chapters and 28 contest winners will each provide a chapter in the middle. The book will be published in classic serial format, one chapter at a time, online. The only people to receive complete, printed books will be contest participants. (source: Springwise, 2/19/09)
Masterpiece of the day
The Prado has opened its galleries to Google Earth. Now everyone can view their priceless works, up close, without making the trek to
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/mpl?moduleurl=http://pradomuseum.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/themasterpieces.xml&utm_campaign=en_GB&utm_medium=lp&utm_source=en_GB-lp-emea-gb-gns-mp&utm_term=prado
Zapping criminals
Before Tony Hsieh became a very successful shoe guy, he was a very successful tech guy. So when the FBI asked to borrow Zappos’ exhaustive file of shoe photos for a case (seven shots of every style ever in inventory), he built them the most comprehensive database of soles in the world. Helping the feds get their (wo)man, one more reason to keep on shopping. (source: Fast Company, 3/09)
Lego clicks in ‘08
While other toy makers where crying in their soup, Lego recorded a 38% increase in
Inaction Alley
More details of Walmart’s Project Impact are coming to light, including turning “action alley,” the normally display-packed main aisles into no-stuff zones. Shudder. The company believes this policy will draw shoppers deeper into the stores. Details remain sketchy. (source: In-store Marketer, 2/09)
We’re Stepping Up
Who exercises at least twice a week? We do! Doesn’t seem like much of an accomplishment, but that puts
And now for something dull
Just what the world needs, a tenth kind of Cheerios. Word from the Consumer Analyst Group of
Look! There's KarrieInauguration from space as seen by the GeoEye1 satellite. Visit Somali pirates, the Pentagon, and more in ½-meter detail at
http://geoeye.com/CorpSite/gallery/Default.aspx
Recession dating
Match.com now offers a free service, http://www.downtoearth.com/#pagebottom . To keep daters honest, members have the opportunity, ebay-style, to rate the people they meet on the truthfulness of their profiles. (source: Iconoculture)
Why bother?
Common logic among employers is that employees who survive layoffs work harder out of gratitude, but 75% of employees who’ve survived downsizing admit their productivity is declining, and 7 in 10 say that their company’s products or services are in decline since the layoffs, too. (source: Workforce Management, 12/08)
Stockholders be damned
Somebody finally had the stuff to say it. In an interview with the BBC, the founder of Papa John’s told consumers it’s not his pizza’s fault they’re fat. "You can't eat five or six slices," he said. And suggested sticking to one or two would be healthier. (source: Media Daily, 2/9/09)
Tonight, Andorran
According to the Packaged Facts ’09 food outlook, ethnic cuisine is gaining momentum. Expect to see more Spanish, Nigerian, Korean, Japanese, rustic French, Peruvian, Laotian, Ethiopian, and even Somali offerings, as well as cross-over foods like mojito flavorings in your dinner. (source: Marketing Daily, 2/9/09)
Hot night on the town
SuperValue/Albertson’s CEO Jeff Noodle says his best-performing stores are the ones that have been recently renovated. He thinks that people are treating trips to the grocery store as a form of recessionary entertainment or refuge. (source: Christian Science Monitor, 2/11/09)
My cooking Valentine
64% of respondents to a recent survey said that dining at home is more intimate or special than dining out. While 73% said that Valentine’s Day dinner at home, prepared by a significant other, is “more personal, thoughtful, or caring.” Half also cited concerns about the economy and the increased cost of dining out as a reason to stay home during Valentine’s Day. (source: Harris Interactive for Whole Foods/Supermarket News, 1/29/09)
The passive American
As newspaper and book readership continues to decline, during Q4 ’08, we watched about 142 hours per month of TV, up 5 hours from Q4 ’07. Internet use averaged more than 27 hours monthly, an increase of an hour and a half. 31% of internet use occurs while we're in front of a TV. 100 million of our cell phones are video-capable for even more viewing opportunity. (source: Nielsen/International Herald Tribune, 2/8/09)
B’Addy
Worst line extension of the year—Burger King boxers. Took 46% of the vote in an annual survey of marketers, followed by Kellogg’s hip-hop street wear, and Kanye West’s travel site. Best extensions:
Undies with a purpose
We’ll think nothing of toasting our sweethearts this weekend, but a group of fed-up Indians has launched a campaign to protect their right to do just that—without fear of being beaten or worse. They’re asking people all over the world to send pink underpants to the offices of a Hindu extremist group as a protest against values-based violence. (source: Ad Age, 2/13/09) http://thepinkchaddicampaign.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=49641698651&ref=mf
Quote of the week
“In using social media, a company should try to be the most memorable guest at a party, not the guy who’s the most annoying because he won’t stop talking.” – James Burnes, media consultant (source: Rochester Business Journal, 2/6/09)
My least favorite Super Bowl ad for 2009 is “O Americana” from Budweiser. It’s all about being an American ale, so why’re we humming Mozart? My favorite? Taters. Sure it perpetuates a negative female stereotype, but it made me laugh and clearly communicated the Bridgestone promise of performance. http://adage.com/brightcove/single.php?title=9234252001
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV--ISqrMLs
Brand vs. store
Consumers like store brands. 2/3 think that they’re just as good as name brands. And only 39% think that the best new products usually come from name brands. But they trust name brands. When asked what’s their most trusted brand in the grocery store, Kraft was mentioned by 11.1%, followed by
Make lemonade
It snowed in
Hold the high-fructose corn syrup
The recession may make us healthier. In an effort to save money, non-foodies are starting to eat more like foodies. Scratch cooking, whole grains, farm markets, canning fresh produce for later, making up recipes that use what’s in season and on special. Trading processed for more of a process in the kitchen. Iconoculture calls them “scrimpavores.”
WOMers just want to be loved
Customers who participate in loyalty-building efforts, like MyCokeRewards and the Best Buy Reward Zone, are 70% more likely to actively recommend a product, service, or brand than the general population. 55% of those who participated in reward program described themselves as brand champions. 68% of this group said they would recommend a program sponsor’s brand during the course of the next year. When asked why they actively engage in WOM, respondents said: to tell manufacturers what I think (73%), to get smart about products and services (68%), to be the first to discover new items (68%), to get free product samples (63%), and to share my opinion with others (61%). The researchers found that brand champions crave a deep, interactive relationship with their favorite brand. (source: Brandweek, 2/4/09)
Still swank
How to cut prices without cutting image? This spring Rock & Republic will introduce its limited-edition Recession Collection. A nice solution for maintaining their luxe brand without ignoring their consumers’ need for budget flexibility. (source: Iconoculture)
More than discounts
All that info Danny Wegman’s been collecting on you might just save your life. Wegmans, along with Costco and Price Chopper, are sifting through loyalty card data to notify people who’ve purchased recalled products from the latest peanut debacle. They know you bought it. They know when. Let’s just hope you haven’t eaten it yet. (source: Marketing Daily, 2/4/09)
On the other handNo matter what horrible thing was in the spinach, long term, people don’t change what they eat. According to
Punk butter
This TV ad, featuring Johnny Rotten, increased product sales 85%. Wow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mSE-Iy_tFY (source: Times of
Retail disorder
The National Retail Federation says stores are seeing an enormous increase in binge-and-purge shopping. You buy, you stress, you return, you feel smart and relieved. Repeat from step one, over and over again. While some people find it easy to cut back on shopping, many can’t break the consumer addiction--the thrill of the hunt and the endorphin rush of getting something new is simply too strong. Then the fear of the credit card bill kicks in. In response, many stores have adopted stricter return policies.
Now with chamois
P&G needs new revenue streams, so Mr. Clean has had to get a second job. The CPG giant is teaming their guy in white with the 50-year-old Carnett carwash franchise, and counting on Boomers who don’t want to DIY anymore to make it all worth while. (source: Wall Street Journal, 2/5/09)
Top 10 most social media-ed about brands
1. iPhone
2. CNN
3. Apple
4. Disney
5. Xbox
6. Starbucks
7. iPod
8. MTV
9. Sony
10. Dell
(source: Virtue/Ad Age, 1/30/09)
Woe CanadaSierra Club ad. (source: Ad Age, 1/27/09)
Reverse TiVo
1 in 5 people watch the Super Bowl “exclusively or predominately” for the ads. Women (31%) vs. men (11%). (source: Adweek, 1/30/09)
Segregated shoppers
Q: If you could only shop at one department store for the rest of your life, which would it be? A: Walmart 26%. Target 22%. But that’s not the interesting part. All the stores chosen had a very distinct shopper profile.
- Walmart skewed disproportionately toward the lower end of the income scale. 35% identified themselves as born-again Christians; 58% favored John McCain for president.
- Target: a higher-than-average proportion were college graduates (54%), and they skewed younger than the survey sample as a whole (29% are age 18-29). 63% backed Obama for president
- Macy’s (9%): 55% own homes worth more than $250,000
- Costco (8%): 56% also picked Obama
- Sears (5%) shoppers are older than average, with 47% falling into the 55-plus age cohort. A disproportionately high number (84%) are home owners
Quote of the week
“I may be unemployed, but I’m not giving up dessert.” – Recently overheard at a table full of young adults by someone from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Drunken copywriter
Why do I want to sip something called toes? Can anybody explain this name to me? TØZ is a recent product introduction from
Eew, mom’s on Facebook
The percentage of adults who have profiles on at least one social-networking site has skyrocketed to 35%, up from only 8% in 2005. But the young still rule these social websites for now. 75% of people 18-24 years old use them. And yes, this does creep teenagers out. (source: Pew Research Center/Marketing Power News 1/27/09)
Right place, right time, right product
The Snuggie, the blanket with sleeves that makes you look like a fuzzy monk, launched in October and has already surpassed the 4-million-sold mark. The Chinese can’t crank them out fast enough to meet demand. The product’s even got a fan-generated Facebook page with 4,000 friends and over 200 videos on YouTube. (source: Ad Age, 1/27/09)
Desk zen
Why go to a craft fair to create sand paintings when you can visit http://thisissand.com/ . For instructions, click the little grey box. (source: Very Short List, 1/27/09)
Stubby is hotSeems like a no brainer since the big boxes are mostly empty anyway, but cheers to Kellogg’s new materials-saving packaging. Every step forward is a good step. (source: Ad Age, 1/27/09)
Continuing success story of Chuck
Despite it all, last year Charles Schwab added 30K new investor accounts and $100 billion new assets. They say the key is their research. A lot of quantitative, but a lot more qualitative. One example: Schwab used a Gen X community it created to invite consumers on a jargon treasure hunt to flag the huge amount of financial lingo they didn't understand, then find ways to explain it in ways they do. (source: Ad Age, 1/28/09)
Shake it again
In the
The logo of a new generationIt never occurred to me, but ya know, the bloggers are right. They are the same logo.
Companies don’t get customer service
A survey of over 500 senior marketers by the CMO Council suggests that marketers don't know how to use customer input to improve operations, products, and processes.
- 33% said their companies are good at handling customer complaints
- the majority of respondents' companies have no programs in place to track or propagate positive word of mouth among customers
- 23% said their companies track or measure customer emails
- 17% use that feedback to identify potential customer advocates
- 16% monitor online message boards and social networking sites
- 37% gather customer insight from customer engagement situations
- 15% use such situations to identify and cultivate potential customer champions and advocates
- 33% look for ways to turn problems into new sales opportunities
(source: Marketing Daily, 1/29/09)
No centsWalmart’s rounding off. It’s part of “Project Impact,” a program aimed at merchandising transformation, space optimization, and format innovation. (source: Instore Marketer, 1/29/09)
Who does the most unplanned grocery purchasing?
- couples married less than 10 years
- females
- larger households
- people who are generally impulsive
- people who pay with check or credit
- people who aren’t using a list
- people who say they are on a “major shopping trip”
- people who spend a longer time in store
- people shopping in an unfamiliar store
(source: new shopper study from Wharton)
According to a survey by Instore Marketer, half of marketers have not taken any significant steps to develop their expertise in shopper marketing. Most admit they still rely primarily on instinct and experience, not data. (source: Shopper Marketing, 1/09)
To celebrate their 15th year, Taxi designed a jacket that is helping - As few as 13% of Americans trust big business
- 75% of consumers feel companies don’t tell the truth in their advertising
More like busted—wallets that is. Sales of pasta, the quick and cheap go-to food, were up 5% last year, despite commodities-driven price hikes. (source: National Pasta Association/Marketing Daily, 1/21/09)
that sometimes the idea you edit out before the meeting is the right one. Don’t burn it. This ad ran during Wednesday’s “American Idol.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNT2LexnswM
People who grew up watching black-and-white TVs are more likely to dream in BW than those who grew up watching color TV. Will we begin to dream in HD? (source: Discover, 2/09)
