Dos y Dos: TV learning for Spanish-speaking toddlers

August 16, 2010 – 8:41 am

thumbnailby Rocio Zamora Arzola

WHAT’S HAPPENING

  • We’ve told you about Latino toddlers lagging in basic cognitive skills: vocabulary, listening and problemsolving. Research shows that TV programming can aid in early childhood development. Putting two and two together is Dos y Dos, a bilingual live-action show for Spanish-speaking preschoolers.
  • Kids are drawn to the live four-person cast that sings, plays, dances and educates in Spanish and English (SpanglishBaby.com 6.29.10). Each half-hour show, broadcast on LATV, features three music numbers performed in Spanish, with one of those also performed in English.
  • Dos y Dos is designed to build skills deemed critical for early childhood development. The show also teaches core values like sharing, helping and the importance of teamwork.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

  • With educational budgets being cut back, parents look to the media to pick up some of the slack, particularly in teaching basic skills that they themselves lack.
  • Parents will make sure their kids are tuned in to an entertaining program that educates, while they gain awareness of the sponsoring brands.

RESOURCES

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By Iconoculture | Posted in Consumer Trend, Latino, Television | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Better-for-you coupons incentivize consumers who have chronic conditions

August 13, 2010 – 7:55 am

thumbnailby Stefania Revelli

WHAT’S HAPPENING

  • Nonprofit healthcare management company Healthfirst has partnered with Linkwell Health to offer “better for you” nutrition guidance coupons to its underserved, lower-income members (ProgressiveGrocer.com 7.12.10).
  • Food and product coupons will be mailed directly to members’ homes in an effort to influence healthier purchases among those suffering chronic conditions, like diabetes or heart disease.
  • Linkwell can track coupon redemption to show behavior changes, purchasing patterns and program impact in the short and long term.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

  • For underprivileged consumers, cost is a big obstacle to quality and wellbeing. A third party that addresses both financial needs and health factors educates and motivates.
  • Custom-tailored coupons feel especially relevant for those suffering from specific conditions.

RESOURCES

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By Iconoculture | Posted in Consumer Trend, Health, Money/Spending | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

The Red Rail: Designer duds paid for in blood

August 12, 2010 – 6:05 am

thumbnailby Abby Shannon

WHAT’S HAPPENING

  • Emerging fashion label the Red Rail is out for blood. Encompassing 20 unique ensembles by 18 up-and-coming Dutch designers, the Red Rail label will award consumers limited-edition fashion in exchange for blood donations.
  • Making its debut at the Amsterdam International Fashion Week in July 2010, the collection is now being advertised online and consumers eager for the exclusive garb have six months to give blood and subscribe via email (with donor number included) to their favorite item through Red Rail’s site.
  • Entrants will be placed in a lottery and winners of the line of personally tailored items will be announced in January 2011.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

  • A brand that promotes exclusivity and only accepts blood donations as a form of payment could find a new generation of (fashion-forward) donors and cause consumers.
  • Open your wallet? Passive payment. Open your veins? Bloody creative.

RESOURCES

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By Iconoculture | Posted in Consumer Trend, Fashion | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Flipboard: An iPad magazine edited by social networks

August 11, 2010 – 6:33 am

thumbnailby Robert van Alstyne

WHAT’S HAPPENING

  • Consumers can now be their own Charles Foster Kane with Flipboard, a free iPad application that produces a personalized magazine experience.
  • Essentially a turbo-charged social media aggregator retro-fitted to mimic an online magazine, Flipboard pulls all the content being shared by Facebook friends and Twitter associates into one convenient location. Users flip through the content with finger swipes and taps.
  • Those eager for more than their immediate social circle’s input can add content to the application from a range of other pre-selected media sources.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

  • Consumers are primed to devour media applications that curate and refine bustling social media streams into a more easily navigable shape.
  • For the iPad to truly take off, it’s going to require unique applications that can’t be replicated on its smaller screen brethren or a netbook. Count Flipboard among that game-changing lot.

RESOURCES

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By Iconoculture | Posted in Consumer Trend, Media, Technology | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

OLD-WORLD PACKAGING

August 10, 2010 – 11:55 am

thumbnailby Lisa Pierce

This year for summer vacation, my best friend, Flora, is exploring her roots. With dad and son in tow, she traveled to the picturesque mountain town of Alessandria del Carretto in southern Italy — her father’s birthplace.

Not much has changed since the town was established, sometime in the 1600s. They’re staying in the three-room house where Peppy grew up. No shower, no hot water and a toilet you flush by dumping a bucket of water into it.

Not exactly the Ritz, but they sort of have room service. Neighbors welcomed the visiting Americans with gifts of homegrown produce — and a surprise dropped off by the woman across the street while they were out one afternoon. Flora writes on her blog: “So I open the fridge, and there is a blue bowl with a handkerchief over it … [Inside] in all its glory is a fully skinned, intact rabbit, head, eyes and all, staring at me.”

A hankie-covered blue bowl. What a quaint package. It did the job of getting the meat to the home, but, as Flora put it, “It’s not like I bought it at the grocery store and it’s USDA approved.”

When it comes to packaging — its modern conveniences, its reassurances of safety — we pretty much take it for granted … until it’s gone.

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By Iconoculture | Posted in Consumer Trend, Packaging | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

Art therapy at the office?

August 9, 2010 – 7:00 pm

thumbnailby Nancy Ludwig

WHAT’S HAPPENING

  • Paintballing and outward-bound weekends could soon be replaced by graffiti art, sculpture and pottery as the most popular team-building pursuits among forward-thinking employers (Guardian.co.uk 26.6.10).
  • As staff angst about possible layoffs and pay freezes reaches an all-time high, creative pursuits that encourage them to express their thoughts and feelings in a hands-on way — by (legally) spray-painting a wall or throwing a pot — could, says the British Association of Art Therapists, relieve the tension, increase co-operation and generally make for a more stimulating work environment.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

  • An artful alternative to the team away day can be soothing and stimulating and a sure-fire way for businesses to show they care about staff. Creativity, experimentation and self-expression enable a fresh approach to the daily grind.

RESOURCES

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By Iconoculture | Posted in Consumer Trend, U.K., Work | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

Pink stinks: Why parents have had enough of it

August 9, 2010 – 6:55 pm

thumbnailby Sairica Rose

WHAT’S HAPPENING

  • Blue for a boy, pink for a girl? Not anymore, according to PinkStinks, an organisation that challenges media and marketing messages that affect children’s self-esteem, aspirations and body image. And brands are listening.
  • The organization successfully kicked up a stink in April 2010, when the Prince’s Trust withdrew from a joint campaign with San Tropez tanning products. The reason? The organisation disapproved of the role model, Kelly Osborne, and the message that beauty on the outside is important for self esteem (PinkStinks.co.uk 5.10).
  • In March, PinkStinks confronted Sainsbury’s on outdated and gendered labelling of kids’ dressing up clothes (such as doctor outfits for boys, nurses for girls). From July, Sainsbury’s will apply new labels.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

  • Traditional is fine … till it does more harm than good. Forward-thinking consumers have moved beyond old rules and roles — and companies that haven’t, have some catching up to do.

RESOURCES

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By Iconoculture | Posted in Consumer Trend, Fashion, Retail, U.K. | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Five U.S. Latinos Go Forth in a Levi’s-branded adventure

August 9, 2010 – 5:40 am

thumbnailby Abelardo de la Pena Jr.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

  • In 2009, Levi’s challenged consumers to “Go Forth” in a campaign embracing the brand’s pioneering spirit. In 2010, five young U.S. Latinos are heeding the call, traveling along the Pan-American Highway to learn about their heritage, engage in community projects and record their adventures for viewing on TV and online.
  • The exploits of the five young iPhone-equipped travelers — a musician, an entrepreneur, a graphic designer, a fashionista and a photographer — will be televised on Norte a Sur: Una Ruta, 5 Experiencias (North to South: One Route, 5 Experiences), a ten-episode series airing on Discovery en Español (WiredLatinos.com 7.15.10).
  • Consumers can keep tabs on the youths’ journey online to see status updates, engage in conversations, check out photos and videos, and help the travelers with town-specific projects and tasks.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

  • Travel, heritage, community service, smartphones, social networking and fashion — all passion points resonating with young Latinos — are at play in this campaign that hits its target viewers in both of their preferred languages: Spanish via the TV show and English on the online component.
  • Young U.S. Latinos have an earned rep for being young pioneers and early adopters. Levi’s socializes that concept by making its campaign interactive.

RESOURCES

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By Iconoculture | Posted in Consumer Trend, Fashion, Latino, Television | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau becomes a reality

August 6, 2010 – 5:34 am

thumbnailby Hans Eisenbeis

WHAT’S HAPPENING

  • For what may be the first time, consumers will now have an advocate in the federal government who will ride shotgun on the financial services industry with an eye out for scams, abusive and deceptive practices, and other excesses.
  • The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will be based in the Federal Reserve and have the power to define and enforce new rules on major banks, private lenders, payday loan operations, credit card issuers and others.
  • Any company that defies the CFPB could be fined up to $1 million per day for violations. The bureau will also be a first-stop for consumers looking to file complaints about any financial services company, service or product.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

  • The power has apparently shifted back to the side of consumers — if we stick with the old model of hostile dependency. Rather than skirting the rules or trying to find loopholes, good brands will embrace regulation as a sign that it’s no longer business as usual. They will profit when their customers profit.

RESOURCES

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By Iconoculture | Posted in Consumer Trend, Money/Spending | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

This CSA vineyard takes requests and delivers

August 5, 2010 – 7:40 am

thumbnailby Tory Davis

WHAT’S HAPPENING

  • Enlightenment Wines, in New York’s lush Hudson River Valley, claims to put the “alchemy back in alcohol” with its Community Supported Alcohol delivery program — it’s so community friendly, members can even suggest new wines (TastingTable.com 7.12.10).
  • Winemaker Raphael Lyon hand-delivers a dozen mixed bottles to members four times a year, and encourages them to stop by and lend a hand on his farm. He uses no pumps, sulfites nor filters; the self-taught vintner eschews most modern vineyard technology in favor of old-fashioned production.
  • The latest wines include a dandelion-infused Memento Mori and an elderberry and cherry-infused sparkling mead called Cuveé Anguis Singularum.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

  • As wine has gone the massclusivity route, serious drinkers will crave more of the personal touch.
  • More consumers keep seeking all things small-batch and handmade. Winemaking has traditionally been perceived as romantic and bucolic; a vineyard that invites its CSA members to spend a day on the farm only deepens consumers’ appreciation for the final artisanal product.
  • Just as many Top Chef viewers now fancy themselves a chef, many oenophiles feel they could make a fine wine if given the chance. A vineyard that takes suggestions will attract enthusiastic wine lovers aplenty.

RESOURCES

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By Iconoculture | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Plug-in gives users control over personal data

August 4, 2010 – 8:12 am

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

  • Internet users leave a digital trail behind them with every click, enabling companies to target them with online ads. Bynamite hopes to shift the balance of power by rewarding consumers for supplying personal data.
  • Unlike ad blockers or privacy software, Bynamite doesn’t interfere with commercial data-mining. The free plug-in merely monitors what advertisers and e-commerce sites are collecting, and lets users tailor their own profiles to better reflect their needs.
  • If Bynamite catches on, personal-interest profiles could act as virtual currency, enabling consumers to trade their data for discounts or other rewards.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

  • Web-savvy consumers are well aware they’re being tracked; witness the recent outcries when Google and Facebook shared personal data. Bynamite puts a new spin on the burgeoning market for privacy software, offering an alternative to “just say no.”
  • Consumers don’t like companies spying. They also love loyalty rewards. If they could use their data as a bargaining chip, instead of giving it away for free, they might be much more willing to share it.

RESOURCES

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By Iconoculture | Posted in Consumer Trend, Media | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

THE DOG DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

August 3, 2010 – 1:30 pm

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by Tim Henderson

Thanks to the Lenox “12 Days of Christmas in July” promo, I recently nabbed my first 2010 stocking stuffer — with free shipping. Lenox wasn’t the only jolly elf hawking holiday wares. From the much-discussed Target, Sears, Kmart and Toys R Us campaigns to the debuts of Tiffany’s holiday jewelry line and Hallmark’s Keepsake Ornaments to sundry promos from Boscov’s, Hobby Lobby, Solutions, Ballard Designs and others, July was time to ponder who’s been naughty or nice.

Apparently even the humidity of August can’t dampen holiday shopping desires. In 2009, Retail Forward found that 10% of back-to-school shoppers were also buying holiday gifts (ShopperScape 9.09). Likewise, a National Retail Federation survey revealed that 13.4% of consumers began holiday shopping before September (NRF/BIGresearch 10.20.09).

Admittedly, those aren’t the numbers that put the black in Black Friday, and many consumers give any pre-November holiday promos a hearty “bah, humbug.” Still, what the promos and surveys do indicate is a further shift in holiday shopping behaviors. The recession-induced rise of practical gifting is most certainly moving some consumers to buy the bargain when it’s found. Equally important, today’s consumers are more flexible about shopping outside the traditional calendar timeframes long held by merchants. Holiday shopping can’t be reduced to six weeks at year’s end.

The purveyors of Christmas in July understand that it’s smart to target key consumers like bargain and toy shoppers, holiday ornament collectors and home decorating fans. Sure, the no-white-shoes-after-Labor-Day crowd will protest, but the tactics have worked: QVC reported a 14% increase over last year’s Christmas in July results (QVC.com 7.28.10). Holiday shoppers shop in and out of season. It’s up to brands to offer the goods when gift buyers want them, not when the calendar says it’s time.


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By Iconoculture | Posted in Consumer Trend, Retail | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Broadway sets the stage for bigger black audiences

August 2, 2010 – 8:00 am

thumbnailby Lisa Parks

WHAT’S HAPPENING

  • The bad news: Broadway attendance was down 3% for the 2009-10 season (NYTimes.com 6.27.10). The good news: Producers are using diverse strategies to draw African Americans, and it’s starting to pay off.
  • The Tony Award-winning musical Memphis used focus group feedback to develop a tagline — “His Vision, Her Voice. The Birth of Rock ’n’ Roll” — and now credit it, along with strong word-of-mouth among African Americans, with helping the show stay afloat during slower weeks. Fences, Race and Fela are also drawing large numbers of blacks.
  • Watch for more shows with diverse appeal. On the 2010-2011 season lineup: Unchain My Heart: The Ray Charles Musical and The Scottsboro Boys.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

  • If quality shows feature diverse characters, a larger audience will show interest.
  • Companies can develop marketing strategies that center on building diversity among their customer base. Feedback from minority customers gives insight into how cultural differences affect buying practices.

RESOURCES

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By Iconoculture | Posted in Consumer Trend, Entertainment, Multicultural | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Eulogy: The world’s first magazine to celebrate life and death

August 2, 2010 – 3:00 am

thumbnailby Nick Chiarelli

WHAT’S HAPPENING

  • Fresh on the shelves of U.K. newsagents and supermarkets this month, Eulogy magazine promises something entirely new: a celebration of life and death.
  • Editor Alfred Tong and Jim Thornton, one of the magazine’s founders, had previously found reasons to skirt the issue of death, but when circumstances brought the issue closer to home they found the British habit of avoiding the subject — for example, by using euphemisms and platitudes — was extremely unhelpful.
  • Eulogy magazine launched with the promise to provide “Advice, support, encouragement and a much-needed laugh.”

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

  • Midlifers and seniors find themselves confronting their own mortality as serious health issues affect them and those nearest and dearest to them. They are in the process of learning how to do it and are grateful for resources that Get Real about the good, the bad and the ugly.
  • Bette Davis was right: Getting old isn’t for sissies. But sometimes laughter is the best medicine — lightening the mood can help lighten the load for consumers faced with uncertainty and loss.

RESOURCES

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By Iconoculture | Posted in Consumer Trend, Media, U.K. | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off

Money can’t buy happiness, but controlling it can

August 2, 2010 – 2:40 am

thumbnailby Lindsay Paterson

WHAT’S HAPPENING

  • We’ve always been told that happiness doesn’t come from a wad in the bank, and now it’s official. Feeling in control and understanding their financial reality is what it’s all about for consumers: 68% of those with high self-esteem understand and feel in control of their finances, and they’re not all high earners (Guardian 16.6.10).
  • Life’s not a bed of roses for those with higher salaries: 22% of those earning £50,000 or above have low self-esteem. 70% of those suffering from low self-esteem do not feel in control of their finances.
  • A lack of financial understanding actually contributes to poor health, as the small print and hidden charges tip consumers over the edge. And it turns out that health is now twice as important to consumers as earning more money.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

  • Minding money is a matter of good health — recessionary struggles increase stress and tax wellbeing. Consumers want to understand and control their finances but they need simple, transparent help to achieve these goals.
  • Giving consumers more control will benefit both their health and that of the financial sector.

RESOURCES

Guardian article

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By Iconoculture | Posted in Consumer Trend, Money/Spending, U.K. | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off