Shopper Culture

Co-Created Holiday Cups Connects Shoppers to the Brand

Shoppers want more and more every year. More transparency, more value and more connection to the brands they like.

This year, Starbucks opens its doors for connections and creativity from its consumers. Their iconic holiday cups are back and this year the company co-created the famous red cups with input from fans. Thirteen holiday themed cups are adorned with artwork from over 1,200 individual submissions, according to the company website.

The cafe I visited this morning had this dynamic three-dimensional display highlighting all thirteen designs. Definitely starts to get you in the spirit of the season!

Image Source: Integer ShopPicTM

This 4th of July, It’s All About the Red, White, and Blue

Happy Fourth of July! This year, America will be more red, white, and blue than ever before. Consumers will showoff their patriotism with themed clothing and products alongside traditional celebrations like BBQs and fireworks.

According to the National Retail Federation, 214 million Americans will celebrate the U.S.A.’s birthday and will spend $6.8 billion, up 1.4% from last year. The majority will celebrate with time-tested traditions like cookouts, BBQs, and picnics (64.5%) and fireworks (42.6%).

America is back in style, as more Americans will wear their red, white, and blue proudly to show off their patriotism. Two-thirds of Americans own a U.S. flag, half own a patriotic t-shirt, one-third own patriotic decorations, and, if they don’t, almost 25% will purchase patriotic gear for the holiday (nrf.com). According to online retailer, Shinesty, sales of patriotic clothing are up 500% this year (Today.com).

Picture Perfect: The Power of Insta-Worthy Products

Brands are continuously innovating products to catch consumers’ attention. They’ve made them smaller, smarter, easier to hold, and longer lasting. But the latest round of product innovations has less to do with functionality. Instead, they’re all about buzz-worthiness, social clout, and shareability. With almost 1 million posts on Instagram, hashtags like #foodporn have set the expectation that products and services shouldn’t just be functional, they also need to be visually interesting and attention grabbing.

Take Sonic’s square shakes, for example. Instead of launching the same, old expected milkshake, Sonic catered its new product to Instagram by creating beautifully artful shakes in square glasses. The brand advertised them on Instagram and encouraged consumers to share their photos of the product in exchange for free shakes.

 

The Power of Mood Marketing

It’s no secret that humans are emotional creatures and that moods can oftentimes influence shopping behavior. In fact, a recent trip to Whole Foods reminded me of how powerful feelings can be while shopping. In this instance, a specific kombucha drink grabbed by attention because of it’s promise of a “clear mind”. While this wasn’t necessarily a functional benefit the beverage could offer, it’s name was enough in that moment to convince me to purchase. It was an aspirational feeling that I of course wanted—I mean, who wouldn’t want to have a clear mind?

What's In A Name?

In its third installment of American-themed summer campaigns, Budweiser is going all in by changing the name on its cans to “America.” Other classic branding items from the can will also be Americanized and covered in red, white, and blue. Instead of “King of Beers,” it will read “E Pluribus Unum.” The phrase “The World Renowned,” will now say, “Land of the Free.” Even the word “Registered” will be replaced with “Since 1776.” In the midst of patriotic events and holidays like the Summer Olympics, the election, Memorial Day, and the 4th of July, the campaign’s goal is to inspire drinkers to celebrate their country and their favorite beer’s shared values of freedom and authenticity.

The move to completely remove the Budweiser name from the hero product could be a risky proposition. Without a clear name on the package, the brand threatens the possibility of shoppers not being able to find its product in the store. But it also presents an opportunity to stand out in the crowd.

Retailers Continue To "Borrow" National Brands' Equities

Walking through an Aldi last week, I saw two oddly-familiar products. 

You'd be forgiven if, at first glance, you also thought these were name brands. 

These are, in fact, Aldi products. They use the Millville brand name for their cereals and Savoritz for their crackers. And these are just two of the many brands Aldi has created, each one playing on the familiar cues of each category.

 

The Force Has Awoken

It's finally here! After many months of anticipation, 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' is finally in theaters and everyone from celebrities like Rain Wilson to kids and super fans are excited.

The LA Times reports that "It's projected to gross between $180 million and $220 million through Sunday in the U.S. and Canada alone, according to pre-release tracking, putting the record for highest domestic opening in sight."  It's going to be an undeniable a box office hit. But it has already proven to be a retail craze.

Numerous retail experiences like Target's Share the Force and a large portfolio of licensed merchandise have flooded the market in the months leading up the premiere. From coffee creamer and soup to toys and Christmas decor, 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' has consumed the shopping experience to the point where shoppers are almost unable to escape from the force. Has it become too much? For some, yes. The most recent internet topic of debate is about the use of Star Wars on packaging for fruits and vegetables where many argue that it is giving into the dark side. 

What's a GMO?

American shoppers are showing more interest than ever before about the food they buy and eat, where it comes from, and how it's made or sourced. However, they're not as well versed when it comes to defining and understanding the many marks and certifications that dot their food labels.

Case in point: 

 

A new study from BFG shows that Americans are "concerned, but confused" when it comes to what they're eating. 

Halloween: A Month Long Shopping Event

While Halloween always falls on October 31st, it can be a daily holiday for shoppers once October comes around. Shoppers begin to get in the spirit early, with one third of shoppers staring their Halloween shopping before October even begins. Much like the winter holidays, building the excitement toward Halloween is as much fun as the day itself.

Throughout the month shoppers are not just looking for decorations, costumes and candy for the big day, they are also looking for little “treats” to get them in the spirit all month long. Brands and products of all kinds from food to pet supplies and more are finding a means to connect to the holiday.

How Hues, Tints, and Tones Can Influence Shoppers

Artists and designers typically master the power of cohesive color palettes. This seemingly overlooked area of study can also provide account managers and retailers with insights into the art of shopper persuasion.

Whether the shopper is browsing a brick-and-mortar store environment or trawling the web for their next hot purchase, the visual cues they find strongest and most persuasive is color. Recognizing how color influences shoppers sheds light on the human cognition process from a strategic and creative perspective.

Neuroscientist Bevil Conway examined neural processing of colors and suggested that the brain includes specialized clusters of neurons that primarily tune to red, followed by green, and then blue, with a small proportion of cells caring about yellow. These clusters of neurons act as a mechanism that further signals behavioral experiences and emotions. With 93% of consumers placing visual appearance above other factors when shopping, marketers’ ability to understand how humans are hardwired to respond to color could convert potential buyers into lifelong customers.

To make visual appearances even more complicated, the success of a retailer in turning shoppers to buyers is not only influenced by the chosen color palette, but by whether the scheme is appropriate for the intended target audience. Conway’s study revealed that shoppers are conditioned to be visually stimulated and that perceptions are shaped by the viewer’s expectations, cognitive development, experiences, and varied cultural exposures. Hence, understanding the fascinating neuroscience of color in coordination with understanding target market wants, needs, and shopper behavior is imperative to positive brand and retailer ROI. 

 

Conway Hue Study 2007

What does Low Price Look Like?

People instinctively and universally believe that high-quality products are higher priced. But the first signal of quality is the quality of the packaging itself.

Walmart's no-frills packaging for its Great Value brand clearly says "low price". 

But they've recently started using packaging that mirrors the conventions of category leaders.

DIY Gift Packs Balance Convenience and Personalization

Gift packs come in many shapes and sizes. The come in variations for him, for her and for nearly any occasion. And though gift packs are convenient for shoppers they often lack a level of personalization that I personally like about gift giving, until now.

While checking out the latest packaging trends in store I came across an interesting Butter London gift pack that asked shoppers to add their own touch—inviting them to select the fourth and final product to complete the set (see picture at right). This fun, DIY gift pack balances convenience and personalization, which I think is important when it comes to gift packs because creating one from scratch can be very intimidating or difficult for many shoppers.

Making easy to select and/or assemble gift packs is particularly helpful this time of year when kids are shopping for Mother's Day and Father's Day gifts. What other shoppers do you think value the ease and convenience of gift packs?

Brand Experiences Come to Life at the Sweets and Snacks Expo

Walking into the 2013 Sweets and Snacks Expo was eye-popping fun. The Expo was full of color, design, giant characters, and treats to taste. But, while the Expo was not lacking in variety, popular trends could be detected at the show. Innovation and health and wellness were brought to life through a sense of discovery, which allowed attendees to truly experience differences across brands.

Innovation Alley was home to unique treats including peppermint-chocolate flavored popcorn from 479° Popcorn or the reverse popcorn flavored chocolate from Chuao Chocolatier®. The combination of different flavors and sampling showcased how manufacturers are using temptation and taste to encourage exploration and discovery.

The shift to a more health-conscious culture was also popular at the Expo. The sweets and snacks category is helping shoppers tap in to healthier options—despite that it’s a category not typically described as healthy—by labeling products with key words such as non-GMO, gluten-free, and allergen-free and always allowing the option for miniature sized bars and bags so consumers can indulge with less guilt.

Through innovation, taste, texture, and brand presentation, the Sweets and Snacks Expo attendees were able to experience brands first hand. It will be interesting to see how these manufacturers continue to bring their brands to life in store to maintain the stopping power at shelf that they had at the Expo. Have you been tempted by a new flavor in store lately?

Are Your Shoppers Actually Connoisseurs?

Have you noticed that your friends have recently transformed into "experts" on everything? They demand the best in all their purchases, from craft beers to video games and running shoes to food carts. Having an endless supply of information at our fingertips has resulted in everyone becoming "experts on" everything with a minimal time investment. We're looking to fast-track our way to Gladwell's 10,000 Hour-Rule. A recent New York Times article explored this phenomenon that has resulted from a simple equation: consumerism plus information equals the rise of the connoisseur.

Consumers, overwhelmed by choice, are looking for the “best” of everything. Time and money constraints have made the traditional road to connoisseurship too difficult for most; however,

How brands compete with private label competition in Australia

Here in Australia, the grocery retail landscape is tough. There are two huge, fierce retail competitors dominating our grocery lives.

These retailers are tough on their supplier brands. In the next 4 to 5 years, retailers will have up to 30% of their own brands on shelf, which means further supplier-branded product rationalizations.

Retailers have been driving shoppers to switch from their preferred brand products to their own private label equivalents that come at a lower price. Heinz has vocalized that the pressure from grocery retailers in Australia (among other things) is causing factory closures and forcing them to move operations off-shore. But this sentiment appears to have cooled in recent times.