Trends
Global branding, design and consumer trend observations from In-a-Nutshell
Michael Owen - For Sale
According to the Creative Review blog, Michael Owen, former Liverpool and England football legend, now at relegated Newcastle United, is advertising himself for sale in a 32-page brochure.
The brochure runs through Owen's career to date, goalscoring record and press cuttings. It also includes a page listing his 21 "Brand Values", which include such meaningless words and phrases as: Fit & Healthy, Good Looking, Clean & Fresh, Cool, Young, Technical and Global.
And then there are several pages that Creative Review says are "seeking to reassure potential buyers that he really isn't injured all the time".
Monday, 29 June 2009 15:31
The consumer decision journey
A must-read article from the Harvard Business Review. Here's the summary:
"Marketers commonly think of consumers’ purchase decisions in terms of a funnel: customers start with many product options and systematically narrow in on a decision, based partly on marketing messages directed at them. But a more sophisticated approach is required to help marketers navigate today’s environment, with its proliferation of digital channels and increasingly discerning, well-informed consumers. This new consumer decision-making process is less linear and more complicated than the funnel suggests and must be understood by marketers if they are to reach customers not only at the right place and time but with the right message".
The article includes a narrated interactive explaining the consumer decision journey.
Thursday, 25 June 2009 10:05
Packaging can be more than just wrapping
Great packaging can help set your brand apart from others. Consumer insights and looking outside your own category might provide inspiration. Here are some themes (improved utility, sustainability, engagement, personalisation and novelty) and examples that I have spotted recently:
Improved utility:
Amazon's Frustration-Free Packaging - Amazon's Frustration-Free Package, available only in the USA, is recyclable and comes without excess packaging materials such as hard plastic clamshell casings, plastic bindings, and wire ties. Amazon currently offer a selection of toys and consumer electronics products in Frustration-Free Packaging, but says its vision is to offer our entire catalogue of products in Frustration-Free Packaging
Flexa - Dutch Akzo Nobel has launched Flexa Premium Paint Pot that incorporates a paint tray into the paint pot (it is also responsible for the automated Dulux Paint Pod)
Kellogg's Drink'n'Crunch - breakfast for consumers on-the-go. Designed to fit in a car cupholder, the pack comprises an inner cup which contains the cereal and the outer cup which contains the milk. Cereal rolls into your mouth from the inner cup while milk flows into your mouth through the ergonomically designed mouthpiece sip hole - "your mouth is the bowl". Available in the US
Monday, 15 June 2009 14:15
Pound/dollar stores
Business is booming at dollar stores in the US such as Dollar General and Dollar Tree.
Much of the increase is due to the poor economy as financially-challenged consumers looking to save money wherever they can. However, Nielsen reports that while lower income shoppers still represent the core business, high-income shoppers spent 18% more at dollar stores in the second half of 2008 compared to the prior year, and that growth at these stores is outpacing other shopping channels at both and high and low income levels, attracting an estimated 65 million US consumers in 2008.
In the UK, pound shops such as Poundland and Poundstretcher are also booming during the economic downturn, benefitting from a widening customer base as well as a growing number of suppliers as they buy up stock from companies in administration.
Tuesday, 09 June 2009 12:08
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