In our 10 Trends for 2011 report, we noted that the rise of Hyper-Personalization would mean more campaigns focused around individual consumers, like the Old Spice Guy videos that responded to fans who tweeted at him. “It’s all about you,” in other words, and two recent initiatives offer new, fun ways to execute the approach.
Kit Kat, whose marketing revolves around the concept of taking a break, held a Live Global Break over Facebook each Friday in March during which four artists drew caricatures based on photos submitted by people worldwide. (JWT Milan launched the event.) Consumers had to “like” the brand to enter and were encouraged to share their caricatures, which can be seen via Kit Kat’s BreakTimeFriday Facebook app. Pepsi is also using Facebook as a platform, to personalize the taste test concept for its new Pepsi Next product. The idea is that comedians will impersonate the consumer in question (potential subjects sign up on Facebook) and sample the beverage on their behalf. “We’ll analyze their Facebook persona,” Pepsi’s head of digital, Shiv Singh, told Mashable. “It will be very close to who they actually are.” A dozen improv actors will participate in a five-day shoot.
While these types of campaigns can focus only on a tiny sampling of consumers, the hyper-personalized effort is likely to spur widespread sharing and help forge more personal connections to the brand.
There’s a lot being written about the trend toward brands offering up warts-and-all glimpses behind the scenes or bleeding heart Twitter mea culpas. In Australia, McDonald’s has taken this to a new realm: A long-form piece of branded content titled McDonald’s Gets Grilled, which aired on Channel Seven, aimed to address concerns that its fast food is produced through horrific industrial methods (think the recent pink slime scare). Produced by an independent company that says it insisted on editorial control, the show follows six everyday Australians touring McDonald’s operations (from farm to factory to retail), sometimes asking challenging questions.
The show’s senior producer says McDonald’s execs “squirmed quite a lot” upon seeing the program, and on the face of it, McDonald’s appears to have been quite open with their methods and presented potentially unsettling practices along with their more reassuring and familiar methods. Some viewers were unswayed (judging by a few reader comments), and various observers dismissed the objectivity on view. Nonetheless, the program actually won its time slot nationally, perhaps pointing to the demand for fuller disclosure, or at least a desire to see brands “unwrap the process,” one of our 100 Things to Watch in 2012.
As a follow-up, McDonald’s in Australia says it will launch two programs later this year that further unwrap the process. Members of the public will have a chance to become “Quality Scouts” and, like the documentary participants, gain access to the supply chain and restaurants. And an Open Doors Program will let anyone take a tour behind the scenes at a restaurant or even a supplier facility. The company also set up a FAQ page to answer questions about the show, from how it was made and funded to specific issues raised by the program (why sugar is added to french fries, why phosphates are added to chicken, etc.).
-A digital divide between countries is widening, according to the World Economic Forum’s annual Global Technology Report, with the BRICs still lagging behind North America and the Nordic nations, as the FT reports.
-McKinsey argues that global pharma companies are failing to fully capitalize on Brazil’s growing middle class.
-The number of people living solo is skyrocketing across the globe, according to Euromonitor research, and The Guardian takes a look at what’s driving this trend.
-The FT looks at new opportunities for investors, and reasons for concern, as Myanmar opens up.
-Private jets are becoming popular among China’s jetsetters, according to Worldcrunch.
-With the Eurozone still struggling, The New York Timescovers the rise of the working poor across the continent, even in Europe’s more prosperous nations.
-Intermarriage among Americans is increasing, according to the Pew Research Center, with 15.1 percent of new marriages in 2010 crossing racial and ethnic lines.
-BBC News suggests bamboo (one of our 100 Things to Watch in 2011) could be the next “super-material” and looks at how the developing world is embracing its potential.
The mobile is fast becoming a complement to or distraction from most other types of media platforms and content, with consumers hopping between screens. According to Q4 2011 research from Nielsen, almost 9 in 10 smartphone owners in the U.S. said they used a tablet or smartphone while watching TV at least once during a 30-day period, and significant percentages do so more frequently. U.K. consumers are a little less likely to media-multitask, while German and Italian TV viewers have a much more singular focus on the TV.
Nielsen reports that the most common second-screen activity is checking email. But as we see wider use of apps like GetGlue and Shazam—which is currently shifting focus from music to TV—more consumers will be integrating their consumption of online and on-screen content. For more on media multitasking and other mobile trends, check out our report 15 Ways Mobile Will Change Our Lives, available for download here.
While researching our recent report on FOMO, we caught up with Victoria Clark, co-founder of the new app timeRAZOR, which promises to help users “never miss out.” Launch partners include Chrysler SRT, L’Oreal Active Cosmetics Division and Marriott Renaissance Hotels. Clark previously focused on digital marketing for business-to-consumer brands. If you don’t want to miss out follow her on Twitter @NotVicki. Here, she discusses the inspiration behind timeRAZOR and how brands can tap into today’s heightened FOMO.
How did timeRAZOR come about?
We wanted to build a product that addressed the struggle that everyone has of finding a balance between what they have to do versus what they need to do. How do you ensure you get done what you’ve set out to do but still have time for what you want to do?
We believe we address that with a very geo-relevant and predictive element of timeRAZOR that’s different from what’s out in the marketplace. It helps you discover what you want to do while you juggle what you need to do; it’s really a “never miss out” platform. So it’s something a lot bigger than what you typically think of when you say an app.
Which demographic do you think timeRAZOR will appeal to the most?
We’re focused on working professionals in all industries, but then we see this spreading out to everyone. You could easily see parents using this, heads of households, everyone, because FOMO doesn’t live in any one segment, right? You can have work FOMO, and you can have social FOMO with your friends, or you can have it in terms of entertainment. So FOMO lives everywhere. It’s extremely contagious.
One of the initial barriers to online shopping was consumers’ reluctance to buy something without seeing it. Shoppers tended to research products online, then go to a physical store to examine them and make purchases. But as people have become more comfortable with e-commerce, and with smartphones enabling research and shopping on the go, a reversal in behavior is under way: Shoppers are going into physical stores to examine products, then using their mobile device to price-compare, frequently completing the purchase online.
It’s called “showrooming,” and more than a few shoppers are doing it. A 2011 Codex Group survey found that almost a quarter of respondents who bought a book online first saw it in a physical store. The Pew Research Center estimates that 5 percent of mobile phone owners who bought online in the 2011 holiday period did so from a physical store after comparing prices. In the U.K., almost a fifth of in-store shoppers check competitors’ websites on their mobile, with 30 percent of that cohort saying they’ve purchased from a rival while inside a store, according to Intersperience. And a ClickIQ study found that nearly half of participants who shopped online in the past six months had first seen the product in a store; some of them patronized that retailer’s e-commerce site, but almost half ended up buying from Amazon.
Amazon is eager to encourage showrooming. Its Price Check mobile app lets shoppers scan in-store products to easily look up Amazon’s prices. A one-day holiday promotion, offering up to $5 off for shoppers who used the app in a physical store, had brick-and-mortar retailers crying foul last year. They’re starting to fight back. In January, Targetasked its suppliers to create products exclusive to the retailer, thwarting shoppers ready to compare prices online. Nordstrom, already known for its customer service, now offers free shipping for in-store shoppers.
The rules of retailing have changed. Showrooming already appears to be partly responsible for Best Buy’s current woes. For the most cost-conscious consumers, physical retailers will need to add more incentives (e.g., bonus products with in-store purchase). But while online retailers have the advantage of low overhead, brick-and-mortar offers immediate gratification, hands-on customer service and, in some cases, memorable experiences. Retailing as a Third Space, one of our 10 Trends for 2011, emphasized the need for retailers to create unique experiences and environments that are only partly about shopping. Ultimately, these could make the difference between a loyal customer and one with a wandering Web browser.
-Some good news from around the globe: The New York Times reports that German citizens are more willing to spend. And a year after Japan’s earthquake and tsunami, Bloomberg Businessweek reports that consumer confidence is rising.
-New Nielsen research examines socially conscious consumers around the globe.
-The Guardianreports that global warming is bringing “an unprecedented onslaught of deadly and costly weather disasters,” per a report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
-The McKinsey Quarterly outlines why Bangladesh might be the next apparel-sourcing hotspot.
-Western companies hiring executives in Asia have started favoring locals over expats, says The Wall Street Journal.
-Reuters details how poverty and EU membership have driven an exodus out of Central Europe.
-The Atlantic delves into reasons why young Americans aren’t buying cars.
-In an HBR blog, author Tammy Erickson outlines characteristics of the “Re-Generation” cohort, those born between 1995-97, whose lives will be profoundly shaped by the recession.
-The Atlantic looks at how the wave of Chinese students at private American high schools is changing the definition of success back home.
-Bloomberg Businessweek reports on a new study that suggests rising student loan debt could be one driver behind delayed first marriages and children.
The socially conscious consumer is one who’s willing to pay more for products from companies that give back to society: While two-thirds of respondents to a 56-country Nielsen study said they prefer to buy from socially responsible companies, fewer than half (46%) would actually spend more to do so. As this chart shows, this cohort feels most strongly about environmental causes, and majorities believe companies have some responsibility to provide relief for extreme poverty/hunger and natural disasters.
Interestingly, these consumers are more likely to feel companies should help enable people to thrive in today’s economy—by supporting STEM training and education, access to technology and small businesses/entrepreneurs—than try to combat core health problems like widespread diseases (AIDS, cancers, etc.) and child mortality. This seems to be a sign of falling faith in governments’ ability to give their citizens the tools they need to get a leg up.
For more on what’s trending in social good, and actionable recommendations for brands, see our September 2011 report, available here.
The environmental impact of our food choices will become a more prominent concern as stakeholders—brands, governments and activist organizations—drive awareness around the issue and rethink what food is sold and how it’s made, an idea laid out in one of our 10 Trends for 2012, Food as the New Eco-Issue. We’ve recently seen Chipotle take up the cause with a short animated video, to rave reviews. Now a sushi restaurant in Portland, Ore., is bringing the impact of commercial fishing to the fore in a four-minute film, “The Story of Sushi.”
The film, from Bamboo Sushi, which says it’s the world’s first certified sustainable sushi restaurant, opens on a beautiful sushi spread. “There’s real magic in a table that brings together fish from around the world,” begins the voiceover. “The entire planet in front of you, captured in a noble hunt, part of thousands of years of tradition.” But the animated film warns it’s now more complicated than that: “How did the fisherman pull the seafood from the ocean? Did they kill the eco-system to catch the fish, only to lie and sell it as sustainable? … And what about all the by-catch that doesn’t make it to your plate?” It’s impossible for a viewer not to think twice about which fishy foods touch their lips. “We can do better than this. There is a better way,” the voiceover urges, arguing that by shifting to sustainable methods, the commercial fishing industry can preserve the health of the ocean and one our biggest protein sources.
While most food consumers don’t think too much about the longevity of our food supply systems as a whole, they’ll slowly start to consider the complicated issues around this topic as advocates and some marketers make the ecological costs more transparent. And as they slowly begin to change their habits, they will expect food brands to evolve as well.
In researching our recent report on FOMO, we had a chat with Priya Parker, researcher and founder of Thrive Labs, which aims to help develop Millennial leaders. Drawing on 10 years in government, social enterprise and diplomacy in the U.S., India and the Middle East, Parker works with companies and leaders to zero in on their core purpose and build out smarter strategies.
Parker is an expert in residence at the Harvard Innovation Lab and serves as faculty for the MIT Sloan Innovation Period and for Mobius Executive Leadership. She co-founded the international Sustained Dialogue Campus Network to help universities develop future leaders and also speaks on Millennials, most recently at TEDxCambridge. She talked to us about how the fear of missing out is becoming a way of life, how people can combat it and how marketers can tap into it.
Can you tell me a bit about your background and your work?
I run a company called Thrive Labs and conduct what I call visioning labs, particularly for Millennial and young leaders. We work both with large organizations and very early stage startups that are just formulating or securing round one funding. We create experience design labs in which we come in for two to three days to very crisply help them ground, articulate and implement their vision.
The other aspect of the work I do is spending time researching, investigating and talking with Millennial leaders in the U.S. and abroad. My most recent research has to do with the leading edge of the Millennial generation, aged 29 to 30, as well as Millennials who have decided to go into dual degree programs—master’s programs in which they’re taking two different degrees. Sort of a proxy of people who have many choices and who prefer not to choose just one.
In a post last October, we looked at innovative ideas for crowdfunding movies. The new film Iron Sky, a sci-fi comedy involving Nazis on the moon, was financed both by traditional crowdfunding (from some 10,000 contributors) and crowd-investing (around 200 people are shareholders and stand to benefit from any profits, according to Wired.co.uk). And Finnish writer-director Timo Vuorensola, who amassed fans with a low-budget Star Trek spoof, also involved the crowd in the creative process—e.g., to help with historical research, props and visual effects. This had the added benefit of creating evangelists, he told The West Australian: “When people are contributing to a film, they take ownership of it and spread the word.” Iron Sky is playing around Europe, in Australia and a few other markets, and has a North American distributor lined up. —Marian Berelowitz
More flat surfaces are becoming screens, and more screens are becoming interactive, as we note in our 10 Trends for 2012 report. In one recent manifestation of this trend, the upscale Hong Kong Jockey Club installed several 10-by-4-foot touch-screen tables, where members can view videos and see updated race results, as well as gamble, using RFID-enabled smart cards to place bets. The tables, which each accommodate eight players, can also interact with members’ digital devices.
The Club is looking to install the tables at other tracks around the world, according to Possible, the WPP agency that created them. “Designed to resonate with the always-on tablet and smartphone generation,” screens such as these will increasingly replace formerly static flat surfaces. —Will Palley
While some are questioning how much potential remains in the Facebook gaming market, a batch of celebrities are turning out their own apps for the social network. Oprah’s Thank You Game, which aims to “help spread gratitude around the world,” was designed by game maven Jane McGonigal’s SuperBetter Labs. Jay-Z’s new Empire is based around his rise to fame, with players creating a Sims-like avatar before running empires of their own. Another famous rapper is behind 50 Cent’s Blackjack, basically a version of the casino game. And Jersey Shore’s Snooki beat them all to the punch with Match Game in February. —Will Palley
Brands are increasingly using Twitter in innovative ways—e.g., via “micro-affiliates” or for e-commerce. To help manage demand for sought-after new sneaker editions, Nike recently debuted a Twitter RSVP process that allows customers to reserve a shoe at any of a dozen U.S. stores, avoiding long lines and mayhem. Sneaker fans must follow the Twitter account of their local store, which sends a tweet at a random time on the designated day. Consumers must then direct-message the store within 60 minutes, including the product-specific hashtag, their name and shoe size. Shoes are awarded on a “first respond, first serve” basis and can be picked up on the launch day. —Will Palley
Launched in late 2011, BackBid.com is a booking site that pits hotel against hotel to gain a client’s business—in the end helping the consumer to win out above all. Here’s how it works: Users book a room and post the details to BackBid.com. From there, other hotels in the area can outbid the current booking, offering lower rates or room upgrades and more amenities. Users can then accept one of the offers and rebook at the competing hotel. The model offers hotels an opportunity to fill empty beds without resorting to heavy discounting—which could ultimately cheapen the brand’s image. Instead, hotels can make savvy travelers feel like VIPs by offering a seemingly personalized discount package. But it’s a potential catch-22, since those beds might be empty due to would-be guests defecting to competitors with better bids. —Jessica Vaughn
It’s one thing for a brand to have millions of followers on Twitter; it’s another to have that army doing some work for you. American Express recently started offering a credit to customers who tweet an Amex-related promotion (e.g., #AmexWholeFoods, to receive $25 off a $75 purchase at Whole Foods). U.K.-based Park Resorts, similarly, is offering savings and credits to brand followers who share promotional links.
“It’s simple and frictionless,” as Ed Gilligan of American Express told The New York Times. The ease of getting consumers to send a brand’s message certainly saves on media costs, and the message is more likely to be noted (Nielsen reports that 92% of consumers around the world trust recommendations from friends and word-of-mouth more than any other form of messaging). “Micro-affiliates,” as these consumer participants are sometimes termed, is an idea that fits well in a post-Groupon world, where deal-loving consumers respond to offers to save money they may not have spent otherwise. —Aaron Barr
With businesses like TOMS Shoes and Warby Parker, we’ve seen the rise of the “Buy One, Give One Away” business model—a strategy we highlighted in our 2011 100 Things to Watch List. Now, we’re seeing more brands linking customer purchases to tangible do-good initiatives. Apparel maker United by Blue, a certified B Corp, says it has “one hand in the apparel industry and the other hand in waste management.” That’s because UBB vows to remove a pound of trash from oceans and waterways for each item sold (since launching in 2010, they’ve removed some 83,000 pounds of junk). The company proudly “does its own dirty work,” as the UBB website lays out, and the brand-organized cleanup events serve as organic community-building experiences for the volunteers, typically local residents. With more cause-minded products and CSR activities launched every day, socially focused efforts will increasingly need to promise tangible results so that customers associate each purchase with a measurable benefit. —Jessica Vaughn
TV networks aren’t the only ones experimenting with complementary mobile apps. Big-screen producers are seeing potential in the second screen, with movie apps that go beyond the outtakes and commentary of classic DVD extras. A $4.99 iPad app that debuted along with the Blu-ray edition of Monty Python and the Holy Grail yields the screenplay, Michael Palin’s diary and more. And if synced with a Blu-ray player, the app doubles as a remote control and surfaces pertinent extras at key points. Kids flicks are a particularly good fit: Warner Bros.’ free Happy Feet Two app, for instance, helps viewers “sing, dance, and play along” in sync with the Blu-ray. Disney offers free second screen apps for Bambi, The Lion King and Lady and the Tramp that include extras like stills, storyboards and flipbooks along with Blu-ray syncing. These apps provide a window into a future where viewers access augmented content across synced screens. —Deanna Zammit
Formerly known as Miss Bank$, 20-year-old rapper Azealia Banks has been garnering significant attention since she released her debut single, “212,” in December. She topped NME’s 2011 cool list and came third in the BBC’s Sound of 2012 countdown. The New Yorker’s first EPis set to launch April 17, and she’s working on a full-length album, Broke With Expensive Taste, while collaborating with Kanye West and Lana Del Rey. —Will Palley
Hang on to your popcorn. Another “dimension” is being added to the theatrical experience: physical effects. In some cases, theaters are installing seats that shift, rumble and otherwise move in sync with the action. “We are trying to reflect everything you would feel in real life without crossing that line of being like a theme park ride,” Guy Marcoux of high-tech seat manufacturer D-BOX told The Guardian. Around 3,000 D-BOX seats have been installed in theaters across North America, Japan, Germany, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand. Other 4D experiences incorporate “in-theater special effects,” like Broadway 4D, a permanent musical theater attraction planned for a long-vacant historic Times Square theater.
It seems the entertainment industry is working ever harder to create experiences that manage to entice viewers away from the big screens and high definition they already have at home. —Deanna Zammit
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