THE REAL-TIME RED ZONE

February 5, 2013 – 2:01 pm

thumbnailby Robert van Alstyne

Although the Super Bowl is always the biggest moment of the year in the American advertising industry, this year’s spots were largely lacking in memorable sizzle (particularly since so many brands opted to serve them up online in advance of game day). Sure, cleverly comedic spots from Samsung and Audi hit their mark, and a fiery up-with-farmers message from Ram Trucks got people talking, but the real excitement happened online and in real time.

When half the stadium lights unexpectedly cut out in New Orleans’ Mercedes-Benz Superdome, the result was a lengthy delay — and a boon for fast-acting brands, who used the blackout as a backdrop for clever Twitter marketing. Over the course of the 34-minute delay, branded tweets ranged from Tide’s cheekily touting its stain-removing power (“We can’t get your #blackout, but we can get your stains out. #SuperBowl #TidePower”) to PBS’s saucily suggesting another viewing option (“This might be a good time think about alternative programming. #SuperBowlBlackOut #WeHaveDowntonPBS”).

The crème de la crème of the blackout quips was Oreo’s. Just minutes after the power went out, the brand tweeted “Power out? No problem” and posted a photo of an Oreo with the tagline “You can still dunk in the dark.” The bit of instantaneous social-media marketing went viral fast, to the tune of more than 15,000 retweets.

Formal Super Bowl spots will always require serious scratch, but brands can still win consumers’ attention with a timely one-liner for a fraction of the cost. Marketers intent on making waves during live events must ensure that their social-media teams are properly set to pounce when unexpected and noteworthy events occur. Just be sure there’s some considered thought before hitting send, as brands that are overly eager to insert themselves into the news have seen their efforts backfire (see: Gap and American Apparel’s disastrous Hurricane Sandy outreach).

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

CEB Iconoculture’s Big Ideas 2013 Series: Meet 5 of 5

February 4, 2013 – 1:42 pm

by Hans Eisenbeis

Since about the turn of the Millennium, the developed nations of the world noticed that outsourcing to places like China and India was having an interesting effect: It was creating tens of millions of jobs in those countries, raising the standard of living there, and helping convert traditional, rural economies into modern industrialized ones. The Big Four emerging economies — Brazil, Russia, India and China — came to signify both opportunity and threat, since the vast majority of the planet’s human population lives in those countries, especially India and China.

But it’s only recently that executives in mature markets have recognized the tremendous opportunity for growth in their own business; they look at BRIC and they see tens of millions of nascent middle-class consumers who are just now establishing the income and the appetite to engage with consumerism in a way that any good capitalist would recognize. Until now, though, BRIC has been looked at as, well, too much of a single block. Populations are not just a collection of wallets waiting to open to international business. There are important differences among emerging middle-class citizens in the nations that make up BRIC. Some attitudes are informed by history, others by tradition, still others by religious and social constraints.

Any brand that needs to keep an eye on long-term global trends (and that really should be all brands) will want a more sophisticated understanding of the kinds of consumers who are going to drive explosive growth for the next two decades and beyond. How individual Brazilians, Russians, Indians and Chinese view saving and spending is going to drive important nuances in each of these markets, and will undoubtedly have reverberations in Europe, North America and the Pacific Rim.

Iconoculture’s BRIC Savings and Spending report is one of the first significant research efforts to fill in some of the blanks on the consumers who will demand and drive innovation in products, services, distribution and marketing for the next 20 years. This is not a story for economists or geographers; it’s a story of how business itself will change and be changed by the emergence of a whole world of new consumers.

By Iconoculture | Posted in Consumers, Global, Money/Spending | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

CEB Iconoculture’s Big Ideas 2013 Series: Meet 4 of 5

January 30, 2013 – 5:16 pm

by Nissa Hanna

The end of the year presents a poignant opportunity to reflect on the dynamic and exciting changes in the retail landscape. In a continual state of evolution, every year looks different from the one before. Iconoculture’s retail team is immersed in tracking the changes in consumer mindsets and behaviors, helping clients to understand what shoppers are doing, and why, and how they’re engaging with the ever-growing and -changing channels, services and tools.

In this past year, the elements of shifting consumer geography, market saturation and shopper empowerment converged, creating conditions that brands and retailers — of any size or category — cannot ignore because they’re giving new shape to today’s buying routines.

In our Six Shopper Missions report, we offer an in-depth analysis of the major modern shopping routines — Keep Up, Stock Up, Respond, Hunt, Gratify and Enjoy — and highlight how small and alternative-format stores are developing relevant solutions. It builds a framework around these shopping patterns and presents a values-led approach to identifying consumers’ needs. Examples from small-format-aggressive countries like Germany, the UK, Argentina and Brazil provide global context for how small footprints and alternative formats offer solutions for the changes in the US market.

While more retailers and consumers are thinking “small” to solve their shopping needs, that doesn’t mean big boxes are going to be shut out. As we illustrate in the report, consumers are shopping with a mindset, not with a tape measure. Brand and retail opportunities exist for delivering on the small-oriented values that make shopping missions more efficient, accessible, relevant and convenient.

By Iconoculture | Posted in Consumers, Retail | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

China’s online malls hope shoppers pick up on package pickup option

January 30, 2013 – 7:29 am

thumbnailby Si Chen

WHAT’S HAPPENING

  • Chinese consumers are enthusiastic about the ease of online shopping, but dealing with packages has not been so simple. Two large online malls are helping to solve that inconvenience problem by offering package pickups at — where else? — convenience stores.
  • Tencent’s Buy QQ started an O2O (online to offline) service in partnership with three such stores — 7-Eleven, VanGO and OK, what Circle K is sometimes called — in Hong Kong (Sootoo.com, 10 September 2012). With this option, shoppers can have their packages delivered to one of 1,200 participating retailers. For now, the service is available only for deliveries to the island. Handling deliveries to convenience stores is Dimbuy, a HK logistics and e-shopping company.
  • Alibaba’s Tmall (Taobao Mall) is doing much of the same, but on the mainland. The service started in late October 2012 and covered just 5 cities and 580 convenience stores (TechinAsia.com, 25 October 2012). Tmall’s plan is to grow to five provinces and 1,300 collection points.
  • Picking up online purchases at a store means greater convenience, security and peace of mind for consumers. Retailers like it because it drives traffic; while in the store, consumers might buy snacks and sundries. Online shopping sites hope that this option will drive even more enthusiasm for e-commerce.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

  • Alongside the rapid growth of online shopping in China are complaints about delivery problems. This package pickup model brings even more convenience to an already convenient method of shopping: Instead of having to wait at home or worry about packages getting stolen, consumers can opt for delivery to the C-store closest to their home.
  • For Chinese consumers on the fence about whether e-commerce is worth the hassle, Buy QQ and Tmall have removed yet another barrier.
  • Many Asian convenience stores already sell more than snacks and drinks. (They offer fresh produce, and some even have baristas, free videogames and exclusive products like Hello Kitty desserts.) Adding a package pickup service seems like a natural thing to do.

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

Eye chart inspires “visionary” package graphics

January 30, 2013 – 6:48 am

thumbnailby Kate Connolly

WHAT’S HAPPENING

  • OJO Fortified Eye Care Nectar is a dietary supplement, but package graphics for the product line keep it from looking medicinal.
  • To quickly convey the beverage’s eye-health benefits, graphics on the 8-oz. OJO bottles simulate an eye chart. Not surprisingly, the North American product was developed by an ophthalmologist.
  • Fruit juice-based OJO products are formulated with Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) vitamins, plus B vitamins, omega-3s, lutein, antioxidants and other eye-friendly ingredients. OJO comes in three flavors: Mango Blackcurrant, Orange Cranberry and Peach Blueberry.
  • The products were developed as an alternative to AREDS vitamin pills, which are large and can cause an upset stomach. OJO, in Spanish, means “eye.”

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

  • These package graphics catch the ojo. Consumers understand instantly that the brand is geared toward protecting and preserving vision.
  • The OJO brand name, rendered in orange, contrasts vividly with the bottles’ white background. It’s a clean, crisp package design that exudes confidence and connotes wellness.

RESOURCES

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

Digital photo sharing goes analog in Polaroid Fotobar stores

January 30, 2013 – 6:45 am

thumbnailby Cree McCree

WHAT’S HAPPENING

  • Before there were Instagrams, there were Polaroids: instant snapshots you could share with friends, no processing required. Now the company that invented analog photo sharing enters the Instagram age with Polaroid Fotobar stores, where consumers can turn their smartphone snaps into keepsakes.
  • Beginning in February 2013, when the first Fotobar opens in Delray Beach, FL, consumers can belly up to bar-top workstations and wirelessly transmit photos from their phone (Marketing Daily, 3 January 2013). They can then edit and enhance those pictures and choose materials and framing options.
  • Slated to open in at least 10 markets, including New York and Las Vegas, Fotobars will be staffed with savvy “phototenders” and will also host private parties and photo classes.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

  • Polaroid didn’t abandon ship when it stopped making instant film; it jumped into the fray with hybrid digicams that spit out physical prints. But with Instagrams now enshrined in art galleries, Polaroid’s latest move amps its retro cred with young digital natives, who want to keep it real by de-digitizing.
  • The sharing, not the gadgets, drives Millennial photo obsession. By taking sharing out of the cloud, Fotobars are poised to become the next singles bars.

RESOURCES

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

EUROPEANS SWITCH OFF TO CHARGE UP

January 30, 2013 – 6:42 am

by Gwyneth Holland

Europeans are famed for their love of the good life, but the influence of global commerce and always-on tech toys and tools (plus the need to improve productivity in the wake of the eurozone crisis), has compromised their easygoing pace. While connectivity is key for harried midlifers and three-screen teens alike, they can have too much of a good thing. In February 2012, we identified a key shift in the US: More consumers were opting to go offline, Pulling the Plug to find a little quiet. Now we see a host of European services helping consumers to recharge by switching off.

On technology holidays, remote Scottish isles and Alpine resorts encourage (or even force) guests to keep their gadgets switched off for the entirety of their stay. At Volkswagen HQ in Germany, management switches off the BlackBerry email servers at the end of the working day so that workers can have a silent night. Other brands are using lack of connectivity as a selling point to consumers. In Amsterdam, Kit Kat has launched Free No-WiFi zones, which block WiFi signals within a 5-metre radius so that consumers can enjoy a rest from constant connectivity. Even retailers are hoping to offer shoppers some serenity. The No Noise concept store, open at UK department store Selfridges during January and February, strips branding and logos off famous products from Levis 501s to Heinz ketchup, also offering “no-brand” products from minimalist fashion labels like Maison Martin Margiela, Jil Sander and Acne. The no-Muzak space also includes meditation services and a Silence Room for an escape from the bustle of shopping.

Consumers asked for anywhere-anytime tech, and they got it. Now, overwhelmed and overstimulated, many are beginning to recognize that there’s such a thing as too much connectivity. The response is a conscious movement toward activities that emphasize undivided attention, community, balance and real-life experience. Marketers, take note: While your brand can offer more features and more choices to consumers, sometimes all they want is a stress-free and straightforward shopping trip, without all the noise.

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

Silvercar strips down the car rental process

January 22, 2013 – 4:08 pm

thumbnailby Stefania Revelli

WHAT’S HAPPENING

  • Silvercar simplifies the airport car rental process to four steps and one 2013 silver Audi A4 — one  make, one model, one color, one choice.
  • Users make an online reservation, download the Silvercar app, access the car for their needs, and return it when they’re done.
  • Separating it from traditional car rental centers, the rental process is all done via the company’s smartphone app, which manages everything from unlocking the car and driver settings to preferences (e.g., favorite radio stations) and consumer profile and payment.
  • Silvercar is available in Dallas-Fort Worth, with more airport locations coming soon.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

  • Consumers will never tire of traveling through with greater ease. Bypassing lines and wait times, plus the guarantee of the car they want, mitigates disappointment and maximizes the experience.
  • Sometimes choice is not an option — and in a choice-fatigued world, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

RESOURCES

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

“Mommy penalty” pushes women’s wages down even further

January 22, 2013 – 4:05 pm

thumbnailby Hans Eisenbeis

WHAT’S HAPPENING

  • Even though women have made big strides in recent decades relative to education and career, they continue to make less than men — on average about 7% less for comparable positions. And a recent survey by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found that women with children typically make a whopping 22% less than men doing the same work, a gap that’s being called the “mommy penalty” (NYTimes.com, 17 December 2012).
  • Though ubiquitous around the world, the mommy penalty is worse in some countries than in others. While the US falls in line with the global average, Japanese women are penalized 63% for having children.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

  • 2013 could be a watershed year for women’s rights and advocacy around the world. Even with major improvements in equality and access, there remain structural biases against women and mothers, many of them economic.

RESOURCES

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

THE BEAUTY BUSINESS GETS INTERESTING

January 22, 2013 – 4:02 pm

thumbnailby Stefania Revelli

Unretouched makeup ads. Plus-size models. Airbrush bans. In the last few years, the beauty category has experienced some radical image changes. But many of these shifts were still suggestive of beauty based on physical attributes. Today, sometimes-contradictory character traits like strength, vulnerability, authenticity and individuality are getting more notice as part of a beauty image that’s less about looks and more about spirit and substance.

At the 2012 Summer Olympics, beauty played a strong role alongside athleticism. From nail art to winged eyeliner, athletes defied stereotypes and illustrated that performance, strength, creativity and femininity could coexist. MAC’s new Strength collection positions itself as “fearless, elegant and strong” and features a muscular female model.

And multifaceted models are now not only seen but, increasingly, heard. Model Coco Rocha is frank and outspoken and has millions of social-media followers across multiple platforms. Model Cameron Russell invited everyone to meet the woman behind the glamour in a TED Talk. The Columbia graduate compared side-by-side photos of herself in “real life” versus the industry’s “constructions,” and revealed that she is dorky and even (gasp) insecure.

Beauty definitions are still in makeover mode, but more evidence indicates that marketers need to think well beyond the facade to inspire and connect with women. Applaud a woman’s aspirations. Empower her uniqueness. Encourage her to display her experiences and accomplishments. With new rules redefining what’s attractive, beauty is much more than a pretty face.

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

CEB Iconoculture’s Big Ideas 2013 Series: Meet 2 of 5

January 22, 2013 – 8:22 am

by Stefania Revelli

Since 2008, Iconoculture has been following consumers as they get more health-smart, more health-oriented and more proactive. In a few short years, health and wellness has evolved from a purposeful need-to-know basis to a lifestyle expectation. A glance at hotel bedbug registries, anti-allergen car upholstery, breast-cancer-detecting fitness bras, antibacterial nail polish and salmon at the sports stadium are indicative that the business of supporting consumer health is quickly becoming every category’s business.

A combination of factors — an uncertain healthcare system, an aging population, societal epidemics like obesity, potential physician shortages, increased costs and an overall shaky economy — make convenient health support not only appreciated and essential, but increasingly expected. But a one-size-fits-all message doesn’t resonate with every consumer. To better understand how health-oriented a consumer is, Iconoculture has created the report Health Pulse —a quantitative measure of a consumer’s health sophistication, and a tool for helping brands market to consumers in an increasingly health-conscious world.

The strength of a consumer’s Health Pulse will illustrate how much a person values health and how healthy he or she feels. In marketing terms, it will dictate the efficacy, usefulness and complexity of a health message. What does having a strong or weak Health Pulse mean in the everyday world? Iconoculture’s report explores the values that correlate with an individual’s Health Pulse, lifestyle behavior beyond the health space (e.g., museum-goers, tablet owners, savvy investors, etc.) and best practices in and out of the health category. Consumers are recognizing that the quest for better health is not a burden they can take on alone. Health and wellness isn’t on your radar? Think again.

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

MEAT Podcast, Episode 16: The Consumer Electronics Show download

January 17, 2013 – 7:09 am

thumbnailby Mike Garrison, Andrew Hawn, Katie Elfering and Traci Croft

Media, Entertainment and Technology Strategists give a download of the Consumer Electronics Show 2013. For more information and to listen, click here.

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

BRAZIL BEYOND SAMBA

January 15, 2013 – 1:53 pm

thumbnailby Becky Sun

Brazil is more than samba, futebol and rainforest. It’s a rising economic powerhouse — not only because of agriculture and natural-resource exports, but increasingly because of its beverages, fashion, personal-care products and more. China is one country that’s discovering this Latin American giant. Brazilian Gate, a bar in the trendy pedestrian-only zone of Xintiandi in Shanghai, promotes beverages like Organique energy drink (made from organic Brazilian fruit), Weber Haus artisan cachaça (a clear brandy), Café Papagallis coffee, Casa Valduga sparkling wine, and beer by DaDo Bier. Veggi Fever, a luxury shoe retailer, makes its entire collection in Brazil using Brazilian leather. The brand hopes to have 6 to 10 stores across China by the end of 2013.

Brazilian fashion is more than just bright flip-flops and skimpy bikinis. Initially disregarded by the international community, fashion weeks in São Paulo and Rio have recently matured and are holding their own against those in Milan, New York and Paris. After tweaking their dates to better align with the global fashion calendar, the Brazilian events are now the world’s fifth largest (Guardian.com.uk, 22 November 2012).

In the beauty and personal-care space, Brazil’s Natura Cosméticos is already in nine Latin American countries. Now the company is buying 65% of Aesop, a high-end beauty brand operating in APAC, Europe and North America (TheAustralian.com.au, 22 December 2012). QOD, a professional haircare brand out of Brazil, exports 85% of all it produces to 60 countries. All three brands emphasize quality and sustainability; in addition, Natura uses local fruits like açaí, buriti and cupuaçu.

Brazilians are increasingly more confident when producing products for the international market. For inspiration in product development, new ingredients or messaging, savvy marketers should take a closer look at the trendsetting styles, tastes and scents of Brazil.

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By Iconoculture | Posted in Consumer Trend, Food/Beverage, Global, Health/Beauty, Retail | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

CEB Iconoculture’s Big Ideas 2013 Series: Meet 1 of 5

January 14, 2013 – 2:56 pm

by Charlotte Beal

Iconoculture’s food and beverage team thinks, breathes and dreams in comestibles trends in order to keep marketers on their toes. When we take stock at the end of every year to come up with the biggest of the Big Ideas, sometimes the waters seem a little murky – flooded with niche, stale or unscalable market examples. This year, however, one big consumer behavior in the food space was undeniable, practically begging us to put a finer point on it: More people have become live-to-eat types, but they’ve also entered a Get Real stage that calls for compromise. No one likes a pretentious snob, but nor does anyone like a poorly made food product that disrespects modern consumers’ sophistication and expectations. Everyone appreciates a delicious dish, but they don’t always want to spend hours making it happen.

The Third Wave of foodieism is here. In the first wave, relatively affluent bon vivants ate up luxe ingredients and tracked down authentic wares, devoting many hours and dollars to those pursuits. In the second wave, food-related passion mainstreamed to more socioeconomic spheres and morphed into merit badges based on expertise rather than price tag. DIY effort continued to ramp up. In the current third wave, which we peg and explore in our Foodie Recalibrate report, “foodies are everyone” shifts to “(recalibrated) foodieism is everywhere.” In other words, the high/low (niche/mass) arenas are fair game as long as quality, convenience and authenticity are present and preciousness is not. Mushroom foraging and jam making have their place, but cutting oneself some slack is increasingly refreshing.

Big Food, don’t fret. Every food-and-beverage business has a role to play in getting third-wave foodies engaged. The big takeaway: Marketers will win by emphasizing quality convenience at every turn (think the genius of Trader Joe’s or Chipotle). But our full report details the examples, demographic nuances and quantitative data that will create the roadmap for that delicious destination.

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By Iconoculture | Posted in Food/Beverage | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off
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