Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Alison DaSilva, Ana Maria Irazabel, Ben Goldhirsh, Carol Cone, Cone, Edelman, Good, Good/Corps, IBM, KFC, Kirk Souder, Pepsi, PR Watch, Sebastian Buck, Starbucks, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, TBWA/Chiat/Day, The Pepsi Refresh Project, Toyota Prius
Andrew Adam Newman reports in The New York Times (May 12, 2011) that Good, the integrated media platform for people who want to live well and do good, is launching an agency, Good/Corps, to work with other companies on philanthropic initiatives.
Good is credited with helping to develop The Pepsi Refresh Project, which awarded more than $20 million to approximately 1,000 projects in 2010. The Pepsi Refresh Project encourages humanitarians to promote their causes on the Pepsi website and on Facebook, and consumers decide who should be awarded money by voting online. Now in its second year, Pepsi Refresh has been recognized by Forbes magazine as one of the five best social-media campaigns. (more…)
Although many marketers still think that women are responsible for the lion’s share of household purchasing decisions, a recent study about male shopping habits proves otherwise. Tanya Irwin of MediaPost’s Marketing Daily (April 25, 2011) reports on a new survey which shows that men play a crucial role in purchasing decisions, defying many of the stereotypes about them.
A web-based survey of 13,000 American adults who listen to rock, alternative, classic rock and sports radio stations, reveals that companies targeting mass audiences need to reconsider their long-held views about the value of men in their marketing communications’ and media buying strategies. (more…)
Filed under: FASHION, RETAIL | Tags: Alexander McQueen, American Express, Bain & Co, Balmain, Brad Pitt, Brooks Brothers, Cary Grant, Ermenegildo Zegna, Gene Kelly, Gilt Groupe, Gilt Man, Golden Globes, J. Crew, Jeremy Langmead, John Lobb, Mr. Porter, Natalie Massenet, Neiman Marcus, Net-A-Porter, NPD Group, Richemont, Saks Fifth Avenue, The Wall Street Journal, Toby Bateman
A herd of new websites have hit the e-commerce trail targeting the elusive male shopper. As Ray A. Smith and Paul Stone reported in The Wall Street Journal (February 10, 2011), websites like Mr Porter are “aiming to crack the notoriously tough men’s market when it comes to clothes shopping.”
Mr Porter, a cousin of Natalie Massenet’s widely successful Net-a-Porter site for women, plans to appeal to men by featuring profiles of men from real life, including a banker, a painter, a motorbike designer, all of whom are wearing stylish clothes. Marketing efforts will differ from the Net-a-Porter women’s site which features “must-have” items and magazine style spreads. Mr Porter will only offer a select number of brands to men, based on their own internal research which suggests that men prefer a quicker, more selective shopping experience. (more…)
Filed under: TECHNOLOGY
MediaPost (April 12, 2011) reports that MGH recently commissioned a study among smartphone users to determine the usage of QR codes. More than seven in ten (72%) respondents indicated that they would be likely to recall an ad with a QR (Quick Response) code. A QR code uses barcode-like images containing messages that can be unlocked by using an application (e.g. Micrsoft Tag, Google Goggles, Stickybits, etc.) on a smartphone. (more…)
Filed under: RETAIL | Tags: Business Week, gillette, JWT, Ken Featherston, Ogilvy, The Hub, Tide, Wharton, Yahoo
Ken Featherston, senior partner, activation strategy and planning for JWT/OgilvyAction writes in the March/April 2011 edition of the marketing newsletter The Hub that the male shopper has evolved because of changing societal roles and perceptions, and therefore, needs to play a greater role in retailers’ marketing mix.
Mr. Featherston implores brands to open the aperture and include men in their marketing messaging, citing the missed opportunity as men too frequently are a marketing afterthought. “This is a big miss if you look at the important role that men play in today’s household tasks, decision making and routine shopping,” writes Mr. Featherston. “Changing spending habits due to the recession and the ever-evolving male shopping role, marketers must think beyond conventional wisdom to succeed. Marketers have the opportunity to empathize with these men and their new roles in the household, empowering them to be successful without sacrificing their masculine qualities.” (more…)
Gen Y, the 75 million Americans age 12-29, represents the largest generational cohort since those much-ballyhooed baby boomers. Erik Sass of MediaDailyNews reports that a new study was conducted by L2, a think-thank which specializes in digital innovation, to examine Gen Y’s media consumption habits, specifically the cohort’s most affluent members.
The L2 study was based on an international survey of 535 young adults who expect to be earning more than $80,000 per year in the near future. Of particular importance, the study delved into the implications for luxury marketers aiming to connect with Gen Y consumers who are more focused on premium brands. The study provides several compelling trends and statistics that should be of significant import for marketers who are planning their media strategy over the next 12-18 months. (more…)
Filed under: Uncategorized
Even though consumers do not always care to admit it, celebrity endorsements in print advertisement generate meaningful impact by raising awareness and driving purchase intent. According to the Starch Advertising Research, print advertisements containing a celebrity endorser generated 9.4% higher consumer readership than ads without a celebrity endorser. Additionally, print ads containing an entertainment celebrity garnered 15.1% more readership, on average, than ads without a celebrity.
“In general, very few consumers will admit that a celebrity endorsement influences their decision to buy a product,” said Anne Marie Kelly, SVP Marketing & Strategic Planning at GfK MRI. “However, in terms of helping with the first task in filling up the purchase funnel–getting consumers to read your ad–these data show that a celebrity endorsement moves the readership needle in magazines.”
The New York Times (February 28, 2011)
Filed under: RETAIL
In a survey among nearly 9,300 shoppers, Zappos.com was selected as the top retailer for customer service in the sixth annual NRF Foundation/American Express Customers’ Choice Survey, conducted by BIGresearch in Sepember 2010.
“In a time when many retailers are competing on price, customer service becomes an oustanding way to stand out in the eyes of the consumer,” said Kathy Mance, Executive Director of the NRF Foundation. “These retailers have done a great job of distinguishing themselves from their competition.”
“One of the most interesting trends we’ve seen is that the list of retailers continues to evolve as customer service changes with the times,” added Christopher Hollins, Vice President, American Express Global Merchant Services.
Top 10 Retailers in Customer Service
- Zappos.com
- Amazon.com
- LL Bean
- Overstock.com
- Lands’ End
- JC Penney
- Kohl’s
- QVC
- Nordstrom
- Newegg
Source: NRF/American Express 2010 Customer Service survey, conducted by BIGresearch (September 2010) among 9,291 respondents
Filed under: MASCULINITY | Tags: ADT Security Services, Arm & Hammer, Church & Dwight Co., CVS, Depend, Diamond Foods, Emerald Snack Nut Line, Invesco, Kimberly Clark Corp., Kleenex, Kohler, Ocean Spray, Sherwin-Williams, Walgreen
The baby boomer generation – born between 1946 and 1964 – is turning conventional wisdom about marketing to seniors upside down. With the oldest boomers of this generation getting set to turn 65 and retire this year, corporate America is recalibrating the marketing of their products and services to accommodate their best customers’ needs. The most important thing for companies to remember when targeting these aging boomers is not to remind them that they have aged. Even the oldest boomers still feel young at heart, and desire be marketed along that vein. (more…)
Filed under: TECHNOLOGY | Tags: Biz Stone, Coca-Cola, Conan O'Brien, Dick Costolo, Evan Williams, Facebook, Fred Wilson, Google, Microsoft, MySpace, Starbucks, Stephen Colbert, Twitter, Virgin America
Jessica Guynn of the Los Angeles Times (January 30, 2011) reports that 2010 marked the year that Twitter became a worldwide phenomenon, and 2011 will be the year that Twitter tranlates its cultural impact into meaningful revenue. EMarketer estimates that Twitter will reel in $150 million in revenue in 2011 – triple its revenue of $45 million in 2010. By 2012, revenue is estimated to hit $250 million. (more…)
