Shopper Culture

New Integer Pulse: What's Heating Up in the Kitchen?

What’s at the heart of most homes? The kitchen. And in 2013, anything goes as long as it makes sense for the homeowner and their style of living. Below are five intriguing kitchen trends from Susan Serra on Countertalk and our thoughts on why they should matter to your business.

Modernizing classic styles: A good example of a classic reinterpretation is the new country kitchen. Forget the ducks with red ribbons. New modern country design elements include natural finishes, such as slate or matte, and engineered stone to bring an authentic look into the space. Those who are still into modern and austere will add antiques in small collections, oversized statement pieces or a touch of an urban/industrial vibe here and there to soften and warm the modern edge. Putting it in perspective: By making ads, displays and products topical to this trend, we can sync with shoppers’ design desires.

Click here to read more in this issue or here to read past issues of the Pulse.

The Other CPG—Considered Purchase Goods

While there is significant insight data on CPG because of the frequency of the buy, there is very little on more considered, big-ticket items because of the gap between purchases (weekly vs. monthly vs. annually vs. every five years). BUT...these other CPGs (Considered Purchase Goods) share MORE SIMILAR BEHAVIORS than you might think. As part of Integer’s Complex Shopper research – which investigated how people shop for big-ticket purchases – we looked at behaviors or attitudes that are consistent no matter the frequency or size of the purchase.

SHIFTING SHOPPING PRIORITIES

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The new normal has changed the importance of VALUE to a shopper. Now, saving money, even if it takes more time (more consideration), is a priority. A HUGE PRIORITY. From July to September 2012, nearly half of our respondents had reduced the number of items they buy, AND THEY SHIFTED FROM CREDIT TO CASH...saving up for that item is another form of consideration. You want to make sure that you are not forgotten while they are waiting to buy.

Click here to continue reading more on CPGs or here to read more editions of The Pulse.

INSIGHTINGS 2013

Those most adaptable to change are the ones who survive ... and thrive.
To stay on top of the rapidly changing marketplace, trends help you see what shoppers are seeking, why retail is reinventing how they sell and how brands are behaving. Take a look at what Integer is looking at trendwise in 2013:

1| SHOPPERS AS SALES ASSOCIATES

No longer is it just the sales associate standing between you and the shopper. You now have shoppers ready and willing to give advice, help you sell, provide input and get rewarded for doing so.How do you ensure they add value to your brand? Make sure they have the right information. Leverage their social shopping power. Speak the same language (e.g., Are they talking about you on Twitter? Tweet back). Think about retraining your sales staff. And most importantly, never let the conversation die.

Click here to continue reading more 2013 Insightings and more from the latest edition of The Pulse.

 

Shopper Culture 2012: A Year in Review

In case you missed it; here’s what happened on Shopper Culture during 2012.

Market Posts Demonstrating Seasonal Agility

In this digital age, shoppers are thirsty for real-time ‘newness’ in the market. Seasonal fun appears to be one way retailers and brands are keeping things fresh. This year we saw more Super Bowl activity in store, innovative Valentine’s Day merchandise in Asia, retailers embracing less publicized holidays (National Mom’s Night Out) and brands playing in to current events like the election.

Shopper Posts Highlighting Behavioral Economics in Marketing

Psychological concepts such as social proof became hot topics for shopper marketers this year. Various posts demonstrate how these concepts have manifested in the market in the form of popularity and scarcity messaging—especially during the holidays.

Hyperpersonalization

RED BAR: TRACKING THE TRENDS

This is an exciting time for brands, retailers and shoppers. As our technological devices become smarter, so has our ability to better understand them and offer shoppers what they truly want to buy, not just what we want to sell. Consumption is no longer curated solely by arbiters of style, but also by our own previous purchase information. Here are some examples of hyperpersonalization in action:

Click here to read more examples of hyperpersonalization including "Hyperpersonal Hidden Messages", a mobile app from Kraft Foods' Lacta brand:

Lacta Mobile App - English from LactaFilms on Vimeo.

Click here to read past issues of The Integer Pulse. 

MASH-UPS

It's a mad, mad, mixed-up world we are living in. The linear path to anything — jobs, family life, purchases — is now a long and winding road with change lurking around every corner. How are brands adapting to this chaos? They are reinventing themselves by partnering in unexpected ways and creating “mashed-up” new products. Partnering with other brands isn’t unprecedented, but refreshing old categories and creating new genres with innovative mash-ups ensures that in this “new normal world,” the shopper doesn’t see your brand, product or service as ... the same old thing. 

Click here to read more on MASH-UPS and who's doing it well, in the latest edition of the Integer Pulse.

Beyond Content

There’s no shortage of support for social media. It’s no longer a question of “Should we?” but rather “How should we?” When people talk about social media they often focus on two things: content and Facebook. Both are drivers within this medium, but ultimately, who’s really in the driver’s seat? Your audience. That’s why you need to keep their desires, wants and needs at the center of your marketing strategy and understand how that relates to their shopping behavior.

LISTEN... DON'T JUST POST

Click here to read more on Beyond Content and optomizing social strategies in the latest edition of the Integer Pulse.

 

Shift To Thrift

The surge to save is huge. But it isn’t just about dollars — it’s also about saving energy, time and even the world. Shoppers are rethinking their buying behavior to include more than cost. Convenience, quality and service, are all tipping points to purchase. Before buying, the big picture comes into play. Will that product save me hours in assembly time? Is the costlier brand worth more in the long-run? Does the company “do right” within an eco-system that’s about economics as well as ecology? Finally, do I need it now?

Shoppers seek to trade off various resulting positive and negative experiences in order to obtain a balance that translates into their price/value equation.¹ Click here for examples of how the SHIFT TO THRIFT trend is in-play today and and continue reading the latest edition of the Integer Pulse.

The Socialization Of Shopping

Shopping is now happening everywhere … 24/7. And shoppers are wielding more power by searching, sharing, connecting, interacting and transacting. The key for marketers is to intersect shoppers in their realm.

Because 58 percent of shoppers feel that brands and retailers are only trying to “sell me, but not understand me,” 96 percent compare almost everything before buying and 40 percent embrace the recommendations from friends¹ (we’re talking online influencers here, not only the people they hang out with in the real world). Whew! It’s a brave new way to sell, and brands need to understand this profound shift in the marketplace that has given birth to Shopping 2.0!

LoyaltyTruth.com defines social shopping as “A system in which shoppers collaborate to share information, opinions and recommendations, thereby impacting future purchase decisions.”

Click here to see three aspects of these social shoppers and how to engage their interests in the latest edition of the Integer Pulse.

 

 

Collaborative Consumption

Borrowing has become big business. Throwaway products have led many to throw out traditional relationships with “stuff” they thought they just had to have — but it’s also led to a willingness to spend more if they can share that item. Collaborative Consumption shoppers will buy, but often don’t really own — think iTunes, Netflix and the Hyundai Assurance program. Commitment is a scary thing in uncertain times.

So how do shoppers get what they want without paying the price of long-term obligation? They find ways to reduce, reuse, recycle, redistribute and, yes, rent. Find a new connection with your audience by offering ways to ease them into a new kind of sale. Click here for brand and retailer examples along with more on Collaborative Consumption in the latest edition of the Integer Pulse.

 

Ideas That Stick

Want to make sure your ideas stick? Want them to change your audience’s opinions or behavior and have a lasting impact? Then you need to communicate in a way that ensures people care. In Made to Stick, Chip Heath describes several principles that make ideas spread and “stick” in people’s minds: Simplicity (strip it down), Unexpectedness (disrupt expectations), Concreteness (explain with human actions), Credibility (carry credentials), Emotions (make ’em feel something) and Stories. 

A Simple Unexpected Concrete Credentialed Emotional Story can be repeated, and will be repeated, making your message more SUCCESsful with your shopper. Click here are some stick-worthy SUCCESs stories worth sharing in the latest edition of the Integer Pulse.

Five Things Sticking Around Post Recession

As the recession slowly winds down, what new realities have become “naturally sticky”? And by that we mean the changes that will have a lasting impact on shoppers’ opinions or behaviors. We’ve identified five “stickworthy” macrotrends every marketer should know about in 2011. Each one feeds into the other to affect brands, retailers and shoppers alike as they connect and reconnect within the Shopper Continuum™.

1. THE NEW BUSY
Routines have been shattered. One in 10 out of work means shopping is no longer... 

2. COLLABORATIVE CONSUMPTION
Borrowing has become big business. With a multitude of rental options for all, walking away... 

3. SHIFT TO THRIFT
The surge to save is huge. But it isn’t just about dollars — it’s also about saving energy...

4. REVOLVING DECORS
The winds of change are blowing sales your way. With shoppers sick and tired of...

5. “LUXYOURY”
Being rich has been reconfigured. It’s no longer only about having money: it's also about... 

Click here to read more on these 5 recession wind-down realities in the latest issue of the Integer Pulse.

Ideation Nation

In our corner of the world, ideas are our sustenance. Here are three trends that have nourished our thinking and creativity this year and will continue to be relevant in 2011. We hope it’s a gift that keeps giving throughout your New Year.

SMART CODES? SMART MOVE.

Google has made a really smart move in advancing usage of QR codes from a branding and selling perspective by sending out window decals to the top 100,000 most Google-searched local businesses in the U.S. Why is this so smart and such a big idea? Because it actively connects the power of Google’s search online to the offline world in real time. Plus, with Google’s recent $5.3 billion bid for the local coupon site, Groupon, the company is going to be even more focused on local businesses and their paid search offerings. Where could a smart code be a smart move for your business? And what would you feature — more information, a game, an incentive, or even a live body to talk to? Whatever you decide, it’ll be a move toward connecting to your target audience at the point of decision. And that’s always a smart idea.

COUPONS A-GO-GO

Online and mobile coupons are all the rage with the growing tech-savvy population. Digital couponing not only provides instant gratification, but is becoming even more accessible, secure, interactive, dynamic and intelligent. As companies receive detailed data about their redeemers, this allows them to customize future offers that are more appealing to that shopper and more monetarily efficient for that brand, making it a win-win for all. Want to put some couponing into your marketing plans? Ideate on ways to make coupons instantly cool by making them more instantaneous. This is a great way to shorten the time between seeing and buying as well as to give consumers — more on-the-go than ever — a reason to go in-store ... and BUY!

Click here to read more about Ideation Nation in the latest issue of the Integer Pulse.

 

Multi-me

As marketers, we're no longer faced with simple segmentation. Today, the mass market has not only shattered into different demographics and psychographics, but the individuals within the segments have fragmented as shoppers. In other words, that gatekeeper that you're trying to reach —mom— has multiple personalities that are sometimes contradictory and at odds with one another.

A white paper created by E.B. Lane and researched by Sense Truth entitled "Middle Class Moms and the Recession" explores the fundamental shift of how moms think and feel as a result of the recession. The findings are summed up in these five personalities:

• Family-self: The most rewarding of all facets is her role of being a mother.
• Work-self: Her feelings toward work vary from frustration to fulfillment depending on her level of financial responsibility.
• Social-self: This is the first part of a mom’s life that is neglected and sacrificed when time and money are limited.
• Public-self: This aspect of mom causes her to be self-conscious and aware of what other people think of her.
• Material-self: The recession is causing all moms to evaluate and reset their values of needs versus wants.

Click here to read more about the multidimensional mom in the latest issue of the Integer Pulse.

 

Retail Rebranding: You Forgot to Move the Bodies!

This is part 4 of 10 in a series by Craig Carl, SVP Creative Director, The Integer Group.

In the original Poltergeist movie, a new housing subdivision was built over a graveyard. The houses went to Hell, literally, because they moved the headstones but didn’t actually move the bodies. Their ghosts eventually got even, and so will yours.

You approved a new logo, put up a new sign and ran new advertising, but you forgot to rebrand your sales associates. I’m not talking about dressing them in a trendy polo shirt and a new pair of khakis. No matter how good or bad they are at actual selling, the sales associates remain the human connection. They are the brand with a heartbeat.

A hotel guest who registers a complaint and has it taken care of to his satisfaction tends to regard his overall experience better than the hotel guest who never encountered any problems. At the supermarket, how many times in the past month have you been asked, “Did you find everything you were looking for today?” If you say no, the reaction usually rests somewhere between a deer caught in the headlights and a cerebral hemorrhage. Inadequately trained sales personnel are like parrots with their wings clipped: they're birds but they can't fly. Before the first logo concept is presented, ask yourself, how do our employees bring the brand to life in the store daily?

 Next Week, Retail Rebranding: The Name Game