It’s time to change

If you think about changing your brand’s positioning, now it’s the time.
In fact, the entire world has changed: markets have changed, costumer’s habits have changed and the perceptions also changed. People are ready to receive changes, solutions, new breath of air (actually, they expect it).

Why not take advantage of this period to get closer to your target, or, get a new one?

With this crisis, costumers try news products, news brands, new ways of life. They try to adapt to this new context. This period transforms the costumers and their way of buy: they search more; they look for alternatives, for substitute products. So, they are open, they are ready to listen new messages; more than that: they are ready to see brands changing with them and start to speak their new language. In the other way, they will look out for brands that already do so. In other periods, costumers don’t look over so much. Now they are less loyal to their habits of consumption.

Yes, we all know that to do a repositioning we need money and money is not so available like in the other times… But don’t forget that who approaches you when you need or desire, is who you’ll remember later. To conquer costumers in this time could be a start of a loyal relationship.

All changes in this moment are investments!! Costumers expect and are looking for it.
Don’t miss the opportunity.

Opinion is money

Several brands have a lot to learn whit magazines with online presence. Let’s analyze:

Paper magazines and journals are practical. They can be read everywhere and every time. To read in paper is also easier than in monitors. It’s true that the physical support is comfortable.

So, why do people search so much online papers and magazines, even after having read the print version?
Answer: Opinion.

In internet readers can give their opinion, they are listened. Readers can exchange opinions, pose questions and make an identity and to be recognized.
Online press subscriptions are already a big market; readers, after have read the free print journal, go to online version to see comments and leave their owns.
And opinion is money. Online papers make money and bring loyal readers.

We see brands with great web sites, dynamic and with design, user friendly and also with tips. But, nowadays, people search for more. They want to give their opinions and take part in the brands/products development. Like news in online papers. Don’t forget that developing a customer’s loyalty is usually cheaper than conquer new ones.

Skoda for gourmets...piece of cake

I fond this great film made by Skoda, or by the creative agency Fallon London. An imaginative and ambitious campaign, with soundtrack the classic of Julie Andrews singing “My Favourite Things”.

A pure moment of pleasure!

The future media world

I found this video in internet. It was made in 2005. I think that it's interesting to see it:

In my opinion this vision is a little bit radical. I don’t think that tv will disappear in10 years, but that tv and pc will be integrated.

When we talk about advertising what will change in the next 10 years is not advertising itself but the way to segment people. We will have more and more access to the ways of life and know where our target is at each moment. Target will be more fragmented, what is good for advertisers. Advertising will be more efficient because we know with more precision where our target is and which are they motivations.

It’s true that contents are becaming free, but all of us known that actually they aren’t free. Advertising pays these contents:

1 – More contents sources means more target fragmentation by interests, thinking ways, live styles, ages…so, became easier planning media campaigns in the more efficient approach;

2 – All of us also know that there will always be a market for the paid contents. There is always a target that is willing to pay to have something different.

In the other side we have to think in the entire world and not only in the “developed” world. I don’t believe that in the next 20 years all people will have pc. But I believe that in many nations, tv and radio will be more developed than today. These nations will consume more and more products from “developed” world. So, “developed” world will need to communicate, to advertise, for this people.

I also believe that internet’s group leaders will make space missions not to find new worlds for virtual life, but more probably, to put servers in the space. Information grows in gigabytes each day. It’s starting to be difficult to have space for all this information.

It’s an interesting film to make us to think. I assure you that advertising will never stop. Me, like other communication professionals, have many ideas for new advertising supports. We only need the opportunity to put them in practice.

WARNING:

Marketers:

Today everyone is “green”. Now this positioning is in vogue and it’s well succeeded. But, being ecologic is no more a strategy but a need. These times will pass: it’s the moment to think in what will come next; which is the next strategy.

Today, all brands are “green”. There is no more difference between brands. Respect the environment is no longer an innovation: all brands like all citizens should protect the environment. It’s a duty! I’m looking for a job and when I have an appointment, I don’t say that I pay attention to lights, water, or I take the public transports and I separate garbage. That’s normal; it’s what I should do as citizen. For brands is the same: they should respect environment by nature; it should be an acquired point for society and no longer a brand positioning. Furthermore, when all brands have the same positioning. Positioning should be to differentiate! If you want to differentiate your brand you should go out from this vogue.

So, what can brands do to differentiate them?
Brands should specialise their “green” positioning by finding a new perspective or they can just consolidate this vision between consumers and start thinking in the next step.

If you don’t do it, some one will do it before you.

What consumers do while watching tv?

The North-American consulting BIGresearch brought out a study where only 5,5% of the tv watchers pay attention to tv advertising. More: the number of tv watchers visualizing other media at the same time is increasing.

I think the BIGresearch article very interesting:

11^th Simultaneous Media Survey:

"COLUMBUS, OH – (MARKET WIRE) – 1/22/08 - How much media can any one person consume? According to BIGresearch’s (http://www.bigresearch.com) latest Simultaneous Media Survey (SIMM 11), in which 15,727 people participated, the only way for people to keep up with the deluge of media options is to multitask with other media. The level of simultaneous media usage in SIMM 11 increased over SIMM 10 for all major forms of media.

“Technology is creating new media options faster than most people can assimilate and is causing more multitasking,” said Gary Drenik, President of BIGresearch. “Unfortunately for marketers faced with the challenges of an uncertain economy and the need to increase marketing ROI, new media options are impacting how consumers use traditional media. Specifically, TV’s influence on consumers to purchase products declined, whereas new media options such as web radio, satellite radio, instant messaging and blogging all increased. Consumers seem to be seeking information from digital platforms while TV has traditionally been viewed as a brand building medium, which isn’t providing the requisite information,” said Drenik.

This does not mean all traditional media are declining in influence. Media that can target, be timely, and deliver value to consumers, such as coupons/direct mail, radio, yellow pages, newspapers and newspaper inserts all increased in influence to purchase as consumers are looking to stretch budgets in a slowing economy.

Other Key Findings from SIMM 11 include:

• Regular simultaneous media consumption for online, newspapers, magazines, radio, TV and direct mail is up from 1% to 35%, depending on the medium.
• Channel surfing remains the #1 regular activity engaged in during TV commercials with 41.2% doing so followed by:
• 33.5% talk with others in the room or by phone
• 30.2% mentally tune out
• 5.5% regularly fully attend to commercials
• In SIMM 11, eating continues to be the #1 activity people engage in while using media followed by doing housework, doing laundry, cooking and talking on phone.
• Top simultaneous media used when reading a newspaper are: watch TV, listen to the radio and go online.
• For people listening to radio, other media simultaneously used are (top 3): engage in other activities, go online and read the newspaper.
• Web radio usage is up in all dayparts.
• Cable is where most TV viewing takes place.
• Dayparts which had highest number of media types increase usage over SIMM 10 – 1:00 am to 6:00 am, Noon to 4:30 pm, 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm, 7:30 pm to 11:00 pm and 10:00 am to Noon.
• Top 3 In-Store Promotions for influence of purchasing a product: Product Samples, Shelf Coupons and Special Displays
• Top 3 Media for triggering an online search: Magazines, Reading an article on the product and TV.
• Blogging increases in all dayparts.”

What I ask me is if all the money that brands dispense in tv commercials is actually well spent. TV still being the principal media for a lot of brands: are they reaching maximum efficacy with these strategies? I’m afraid that many actors in the market still tied in cultural factors.

About BIGresearch
BIGresearch is a consumer intelligence firm providing solution-based insights of consumer behavior, present and future, in areas of products and services, retail, financial services, automotive and media. BIGresearch conducts the Simultaneous Media Survey (SIMM) bi-annually and the Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey (CIA) monthly. More information is available at www.bigresearch.com.

Audio spotlight

(following the post "is not your imagination")

I want to write a little bit more about this technology. I’m still thinking about the Audio spotlight and what it can involve.

Can we imagine the effect that can produce a little voice inside consumers head? This voice doesn’t come from outside; no one is speaking with them: but it is a real voice, as the conscience voice. Then, it is a technology that brings new experiences to consumers. And when we give new experiences to consumers, the persuasive effect will be superior.

Imagine this situation: you go work, and when you walk, a voice inside your head says: “is my home safe? Did I close every thing?”. Certainly you will think about this all day. I would! And then you are exposed to an assurance ad (no matter which mean of communication is used). It’s normal that you will give more importance to that ad, because, now, you are worried about it. The same, for example, for all healthy food products; after lunch, I listen: “did I have a healthy lunch?”. I remember that no one speaks with us; it’s all inside our head.

I don’t think that the Audio spotlight can be efficient by itself, but it can be a powerful and very persuasive marketing mean. It’s not difficult to imagine its success in supermarkets or in consumption spaces.