Shopper Culture

Earth Day Reminds Shoppers to Make a Change

When it comes to changing people's habits, sometimes seeing is believing. But what if you cannot see the problem? What if it's so glacier in nature that it goes unnoticed or is downgraded in the minds of the people? Environmental issues such as pollution, are one such thing. They often go unnoticed by culture and are accepted as the status quo.

In the wake of Earth Day, environmental concerns remain high despite ongoing efforts to educate people and encourage sustainable and eco-friendly purchases. Beyond big facts and stats, people are looking for new ways to raise awareness and hopfully prompt people to change how they live and shop for the good of the planet.

Recently, British artist Michael Pinsky created an installation of five geodesic domes, or pollution pods, in London intended to replicate the atmospheric conditions in Beijing; São Paulo, Brazil; London; New Delhi; and Norway’s Tautra Island by recreating the air using safe chemicals. The installation put the spotlight on the issue of pollution and helped people truly see and experience air quality across the globe. The reactions he received proved that sometimes it takes seeing an issue in a new light to really make an impact.

It’s Prime Time for Brands to Air Their Dirty Laundry

At a time when people are scrutinizing how much the media can impact perspectives (and…elections) like never before, some brands are taking the opportunity to showcase past mistakes with the hope that, by doing so, they will be able to demonstrate their commitment to rectifying past mistakes and win over shopper loyalty. The overarching sentiment is, “that’s who we were, but not who we are anymore. Trust us.”  

One great example of this is National Geographic’s recent race-themed issue. In it, National Geographic explores how race defines, separates, and unites us, while also taking a look at the role the magazine’s own content may have played in driving our ideas about race. To do this, National Geographic recruited historian John Edwin Mason to analyze its photos and articles published over the past 130 years. Mason found that subjects of color were typically depicted as “savages,” and bare-chested women were often photographed to entice male readers. In Mason’s words, National Geographic promoted the view that the “black and brown world was primitive and backward and generally unchanging.”

This content is running in National Geographic current issue because—in its words—“For decades, our coverage was racist. To rise above it, we must acknowledge it.”

The Vegan Shopping Revolution

One of the most striking food trends of 2017 was flexitarianism, with one in three people saying they were trying to reduce their meat intake. But in 2018, the vegan food revolution is sweeping the U.K. and becoming a mainstream movement that affects not only what shoppers buy but also how retailers approach their product mix.

According to The Vegan Society, more than half of U.K. adults are now adopting “vegan buying behaviour,” while the number of full-time vegans has grown fourfold in the past 10 years. Veganuary—a pledge to not eat animal products during January—is one example of this growing trend, and we are seeing supermarkets across the U.K. embracing it.

For example:

— The Wicked Kitchen, the largest supermarket-owned brand of 100% plant-based meals, from crispy carrots pastrami to sourdough pizza, went on sale in January in 600 Tesco stores.

— Online grocer Ocado has added 90 products to its dedicated vegan site.

Genderless Beauty On The Rise

The face of beauty today is vastly different than where we've been. And as culture embraces the many faces of beauty, we are seeing genderless beauty become mainstream. Unisex cosmetics, skincare, razors, fragrances and more are hitting the market with bold, simple design and that suits the needs of the consumer regardless of gender. 

For example, Mio Skincare's 'Gym Kit' is does not target men or women but rather health conscious consumers who love fitness. 

Similarly, companies like Basik are offering genderless razors and other household items. The founder of the company explains, "I learned that there, in fact are physical differences in the razors for men and women. Though, these differences are related only to the function of the product, which isn’t always related to the gender of the consumer. For example, the blades are different for shaving beard than for shaving legs, but this doesn’t mean that they should be marketed only towards one gender.” Basik reflects this sentiment through design stating that the company "sees gender-neutral packaging as a factor that can encourage gender equality and create a more sustainable world." 

As gender norms continue to evolve, we expect to see more beauty products align with needs and benefits rather than gender. Shoppers are reacting positively to these new offerings, embracing unisex options that have sleek modern design. But with genderless brands on the rise will classic brands and retailers have to reconsider their communication? Their aisle configurations and shelf sets? Or how they think about beauty overall?

Contributed By: Kira Walstrom, Integer Denver

Image Source: Hellsten

Prepare for Plastic-free Shopping

The Dutch chain Ekoplaza has just launched Europe’s first plastic-free supermarket aisle. Shoppers can choose from more than 700 products wrapped in biodegradable materials that look similar to plastic at no extra cost. This initiative comes at a time when the debate around reducing plastic waste from supermarkets and manufacturers is experiencing a new push, with initiatives such as the LADbible Trash Isles and the U.K. government putting the reduction of plastic waste at the heart of its environmental plan.

24% of Britons express “extreme” concern about plastic packaging in grocery stores and 42% want food and drink manufacturers to make recyclable packaging their top priority. What so far has been an issue for a niche audience of committed environmentalists has grown to become a concern for the mainstream shopper. Fueled by small “zero-waste” or “plastic-free” stores popping up all around the U.K. and the fact that recent findings revealed that U.K. supermarkets produce around 1 million tonnes of plastic waste each year, the issue has slowly been picked up by brands.

What Do Millennials Want From Pharmaceutical Brands?

Millennials can make for tough customers. Especially when it comes to the pharmaceutical industry. Most millennials distrust “big pharma,” with a whopping 59% opting for alternatives to medication. So, it is not particularly surprising that the average pharma marketing budget allots a mere 9-12% for millennials. But why leave such a market untapped when it’s so rife with potential? According to the MM&M/KNect365 Millennial Pharma Marketing Study 2017, 73% of millennials would rather be “healthy than wealthy.”

So, what do millennials want from pharmaceutical brands?

Embracing The Machines: Part 3 Correction

Shopper Culture would like to inform you of a correction to Part 3 of Embracing the Machines, which was released on March 12. There was an error in the chart on page 8, which has since been corrected. We apologize for the mistake and encourage you to re-download the study here.

Stay tuned for Part 4 coming soon.

What if the Most Unbelievable Experience Was Reality?

Virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality… Technologies are being multiplied with one common promise: to help us live enhanced experiences.

Virtual experiences can be highly beneficial in many ways. For example, they can help cultivate untapped imaginary territories, provide immersive learning experiences, or simply provide a new dimension of entertainment. These experiences are dependent, however, on fictional devices that are limited by time and space. The technological equipment and materials needed to provide a virtual experience are physical obstacles in the way of total immersion. And the cost of such deployments as well as ensuring these technologies are accessible to a wider audience can further complicate matters. Due to this, some brands and retailers are shifting their strategies by proposing exclusive experiences of real… reality! Below are a few experiences.

Presentation for Download: Second Self, How E-Me Is Influencing Preference

The P2P Summit is in full swing in Chicago and Integer's own Craig Elston was there live to discuss AI's impact on shopping leveraging insights and learnings from our study, Embracing the Machines: AI's Collision with Commerce. 

Based on inputs from over 3,500 shopper respondents, Craig's presentation addresses issues like:

 - How comfortable consumers and shoppers are with AI and allowing machines to make decisions that affect their everyday lives.

- Consumer and shopper expectations for AI and how the anticipated benefits and drawbacks differ among demographic groups.

- What marketers, brands and retailers need to consider in regards to AI when planning future strategies.

Click here to download Craig's P2P Summit presentation and explore Parts 1-3 of the study here.

NEW AI STUDY: Embracing the Machines Part 3

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is a hot topic and its infiltrating our daily lives and even our shopping. Finding a lack of pre-existing consumer or shopper research, The Integer Group undertook an extensive study in the U.S. with over 3,000 consumers to understand how shoppers feel about using AI today and how willing shoppers are to have machines shop for them today and in the future. The result, a four part series, Embracing the Machines: AI's Collision with Commerce.

Today we release Part 3 of the study, in which we examine how attitudes, usage and perception of AI differ based on retailer shopped. Examining finding from the vantage point of the AI-receptive Walmart shopper, Target shopper, Amazon shopper and grocery channel shopper exposes interesting considerations for brands and retailers as they incorporate AI into their world. 

Click here to download Part 3, AI By Retailer

Click here to download Part 1: AI Today and Part 2: AI Tomorrow.

And make sure you are subscribed to Shopper Culture to receive Part 4 of the Study as well as other publications from Shopper Culture straight to your inbox. Click here to subscribe.

Instead of Chasing Millennials, It’s Time to Get Real about Seniors

Most brands and retailers today are trying to gain favor with the ever elusive and appealing Millennial target. Marketers hope that by engaging this unspecifically broad group, they will be able to rejuvenate their brand by earning the sort of virality, fame and success that Gucci made with this group over the last few years. But the focus on younger generations often overshadows a growing target group that is hardly mentioned in industry case studies – seniors. While the 50+ crowd may not seem as desirable as younger groups they do represent a tour de force that should not be ignored.  In the U.S. alone, 80 million people will be 65 or older within a few decades, compared to around 50 million today. In the UK, nearly one in seven people will be over 75 by 2040 and life expectancy currently grows by five hours a day.

While some companies recognize this and offer new products and solutions for older audiences, very often the way such products are approached and communicated is biased. Many fall into the trap of thinking with clichés, using stereotypical portrayals of older people, resulting in oversimplification of a diverse target group. While some may be happy to retire and look after their grandkids, others may want to keep working well into their 70s. Still others may be looking to do things they never were able to before, such as traveling or engaging in the community. For example,  Australian seniors are more active than ever before.

Understanding these needs of older audiences becomes crucial at the point of sale as well. American retirees spend 25% more time shopping on every dollar they actually spend than younger people. While we often talk about creating shopping experiences for the latter, it is the former who have more time to spend on shopping.

Navigating the Complex Path to Purchase in 2018

The need for brands to adopt an omnichannel marketing approach is essential in a world where shoppers are increasingly living in the digital space and constantly on the go. The variety of channels and media used by these shoppers makes it challenging to map a shopper’s journey, as the starting point could be unintentional and/or solely based on convenience to the shopper at the time. Though the path to purchase is more complex today, there are a few tips to consider that may help marketers better understand how and where to connect with shoppers.

Tip 1: Experience the journey yourself

Amazon Continues To Reshape The Retail Landscape

Amazon is testing “free 2-day delivery” using its own shipping service in Los Angeles, signaling even further displacement of online retail by shifting more control of the shopping experience and e-commerce channel to Amazon, which already owns 43% share of the market.

What many do not realize is that this is not a new initiative. Amazon started developing this latest enhancement in shipping capabilities two years ago in India with the goal of lowering costs and relieving warehouse backups. Even more importantly, the move not only gives Amazon greater control over more of the touchpoints affecting customer experience, but also provides wider options to merchants using the platform to sell products locally.

In the near future, it will not just be mail carriers who will feel the pressure to deliver; retailers will continue to lose sales to Amazon, which has more power to drive lower costs and convenience for customers. In the meantime, while Amazon makes the move to grow its logistics and operations capability, other carriers like UPS and Fedex have already expanded their own local and regional capabilities by partnering with convenience stores and other locations that hold packages and allow for safe pickup – offering more flexibility to customers who may not want a stack of boxes sitting on their porch.

What all of this means for shoppers is that prices will continue to fall for basic necessities found on Amazon, while specialty stores like The Home Depot will maintain themselves as destinations for those looking for specific items. Meanwhile, retailers like Walmart, which have the size and scale to compete on price, will continue to thrive while smaller stores may be forced to find an e-commerce niche to continue their relationship with customers.

Contributed By: Dennis Wakabayashi, Integer Dallas

Image Source: Amazon Press Kit

Commerce Takes Social Issues Into Its Own Hands

In 2015, Doritos and Oreo stood up for LGBT rights. In 2017, brands from various sectors joined forces to support the Paris accord despite the U.S.'s exit. This year, gun control conversations are causing change at Dick's Sporting Goods and Walmart with these retailers personally taking it on themselves to raise the purchase age to 21.

Social issues are a powerful way for companies to not only live their mission and reinforce their values, but also connect with shoppers. Stacy's support for women's rights became consumer-facing in the past few years when they choose to change their packaging for the movement during March, which is also Women's History Month. Outdoor brands like Patagonia and REI let consumers know about their passions through initiatives like 1% for the planet and #OptOutside. And companies like Mattel and Campbell's are expressing their values through commercials that feature modern expressions of Barbie for girls today as well as same-sex parents sharing soup with their son. 

While social issues can be powerful in breaking through the clutter in the marketplace, it can also be controversial. Companies that choose to take a stand must do so consistently and without falter. Supporting social issues cannot be seen as a stunt. Rather it must be woven into the brand values, CSR and more in perpetuity in order to truly make an impact on culture and with shoppers. 

Contributed By: Kira Walstrom, Integer Denver

Image Source: Unsplash

Brands Captivate & Inspire During 2018 Olympics

At its core, the Olympics are about pushing the boundaries of human limitations. The primordial elements that cement the Olympics in our hearts and minds center on perseverance, competition, achievement, and even defeat. It’s the rugged path to Olympic victory, often requiring seemingly superhuman skills, that captures viewers’ attention across the globe for two straight weeks. It’s a powerful ethos and brands jump at this opportunity.

A lot of the advertising during the Olympics attempts to harness the triumphant spirit of the event and is ultimately designed to pull at our heart strings. Brands do this to create an emotional bond with their viewers, establishing a deeply rooted link between what people are feeling and the brand itself.