Want 6 Consumer Trends To Watch In 2011?

2011 Spring's "Hot Color"

My brief Christmas day sneak peak list is based on talking, reading, and visiting different companies in this last month as a passive observer. Nothing scientific on this last 2010 blog, just some things to put in your hat while I take a break from the grandchildren running around playing with their new toys:

*RAK - Random acts of kindness are more prevalent than I have ever seen and it’s a nice touch to boot in a struggling economy. I witnessed a few days ago a company that catered a lunch in for all workers. It didn’t stop there, a “Mystery” thank you plastic ball was passed out to all.  Inside were crisp 50 dollar bills, brand new gold one dollar minted coins, and gift cards, all opened together as a group. I had never seen this before, smiles were everywhere! Major WOW!

*ECO-SUPERIOR- When it comes to “the green consumer” in 2011, expect a rise in ECO-SUPERIOR products: Green products need to be the real deal and not just lip service, better than polluting products in every possible way.

*"IT"S ABOUT ME" Marketing- Personalization and One to One marketing are getting stronger and stronger.  

*TWITTER-SUMERS and SOCIAL-LITES- Expect even more consumers to become cub reporters: broadcasting, sharing, commenting, and recommending, purchases, content, products, and consumer experiences to both their friends and beyond.

*PANDEMONIUM PRICING- Always-on connectivity is changing consumer spending habits in myriad ways. For example “NOWISM” is a constant handheld PDA online activity. Pulling out one’s smart phone at the counter, getting the latest low price via GPS, or barcode scanning is very smart. 

*HONEYSUCKLE (PMS-18-2120) is "the" color for Spring 2011 per the Color Marketing Group and Pantone.

Merry Christmas!

Are Some 2010 Olympic Athletes And Sponsors Guilty Of Questionable Hidden Persuasion?

*As a long time alpine ski/snowboarding family, dad, and believer in brand marketing, there are some questions I have for the ski /snowboarding gear industry.  My beef is regarding over all brand honesty this year (Truth in advertising) and photo ops showing name brand equipment by winning athletes.  As I watched every night, with Home theater HD joy, the Vancouver Winter Olympics had a few questionable use of logos on shifting equipment models and overreaching shots in the winner's circles.

To be sure,  I looked up at my walls to see my own OCD personality displayed in my recreation room decorated with "real" ski/snowboarder race gear circa 1996.  It’s not a “sports bar”, but my own home version of one with a winter sports tilt from "back in  the day".  I noticed something odd  at what I was seeing on my TV vs my "wall" and  now have a few questions for today's advertisers and athletes using product placement photo ops after a race.:

• In the Women's Downhill, did Lindsey Vonn race on “long traditional, old,  dated Head men’s racer downhill ski’s and at the bottom  show "new" short wide Head recreational level skis for the cameras? (Hence a brisk discussion at my house with hard core skiers who were upset at this illusion and deceitful promotion… see photos).

• Allegedly, did some of the top skiers spray paint their long time racing ski boots with the current and future colors as they did not want to use the newer equipment? (Look closely at the paint chipped boot photos).

• At what point are sponsorships going to be called on  regarding dishonest brand  and model manipulations? How many times are after race photo ops misleading consumers to believe the winner actually used that equipment shown?

• Check out the entire photo’s of this year’s games and ask youself; did Ad agencies and sponsors go over the line this year advertising their brands? Could it be getting a little tacky and intellectually deceitful? Just a little bit? Is it getting worse?

• On a personal note, can NBC ever put their logo on the bottom right of the screen like most TV stations? It is very distracting  on the upper right and HDTV really sharpens how annoying this positioning is…. JMHO.

• Gotta Love Apolo Ohno’s values and ethics, he is “old school”. No goggle glass sponsorship or preening for the cameras with brands…. He is the brand! I would look at buying what he advertises and represents, based on his “story”. The really great ones always are the brand!

All in all, I am a very big fan of the Winter Olympics, all the athletes, America’s team, and the NBC coverage this year. My rant is minor, but in hopes that this blog brings some  attention to this exagerating practice to get more truthful in the future of product placements.  Bravo to all the athletes, we are all very proud of you and what you did in Vancouver! Ad agencies and agents, please don't cheapen our national treasure of current olympic youngsters, they deserve better!

*Photo by Doug Mills/NY Times

2010 Consumer Trends, An Interview With A Former "Luxury Brand Only" Shopaholic.

Amazing statements from a “Brand only” Lady on what she will buy this coming year.

Just got done interviewing Leslie ( changed to protect the innocent) who , for the record, proudly owns 3 Prada, 2 Louis Vuitton, 1 Hermes Birkin, 4 Gucci, 3 Bottega, 2 Chanel, 2 Burberry, 1 Leiber, 3 Tod and a whole lot more real (as opposed to knock offs) handbags. Collectively these handbag values would rival some home mortgages. Leslie gave me an interesting insight to 2010 and what a “brand” now means to her in 2010 in a recent sit-down:

1) The 2010 brands are the “Unbrand”
2) Brands that speak “perceived value”, not luxury will grow this year, Luxury is on hold.
3) Authentic marketing, not speaking to the consumer through a megaphone will win the day.
4) Differentiation 2010 means anything that is not like generic like overstock clothing stores who now have limited choices due to inventory depletions, she says “just junk now”.
5) Mid to upscale Department stores are coming back. Leslie points to Macys who has turned to promotions (BOGO, GWP, and credit card use discounts of 20% which are fun to a shopaholic) which make private label brands more differentiated and a new outlet for “Brands at an affordable price". She says “Macy’s is the brand, it’s affordable, better brands at a lower prices than overstock clothing stores etc. Fun, Fun, Fun........ "
6) Celebrity personalities and brand values need to be in synch, Tiger Woods, where are you today?
7) The “story” of the brand has to be “not ostentatious" and more politically correct.
8) A brand from the street can wipe out millions in Madison Avenue spending by going viral on social media. Gota have it is more and more a grass roots thing…….
9) Social networking is just getting started. Online community connecting is not a fad; it’s the way today's connected community consumers do business.

Leslie is now more into the hunt of shopping, and actually promoting herself as a “brand”, she screams: "I'm a socially responsible consumer". The brands she buys have to project giving back. Of course she still "occasionally pulls out the Birkin when a “statement” is required" !!!