Shopper Culture

How Will Brands Partake in the Social Olympics?

With Olympic coverage in high gear, many brands seem to be part of the action—from NBC and Visa to P&G and Subway. However, there are only eleven worldwide Olympic partners and NBC, Subway and many other brands are not among them. But that has not stopped them from making a presence and gaining mindshare among shoppers watching the games.

Having Olympic ties (official or unofficial) is powerful. Personally, Subway’s ties to Apolo Ohno and other Olympians has reminded me to stop by my local Subway.  And the heartfelt P&G ads remind me of the importance of the little things in life—from hugs to paper towels and batteries. As I follow the games this year I expect to see messages from the usual sponsors as well as many other “unofficial” ones. Why? Because this year the games go beyond the television set and become the “social games.” One in which athletes, fans and brands will be leveraging Facebook, Twitter and other social platforms to connect and follow the games.

So, how will brands choose to use social media? And will it affect shoppers?

Having a Go at Winning London 2012 Olympic Games Tickets

With the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremonies just around the corner, a few of us at the newly opened Integer London office thought we would have a go trying to win some tickets from two of the official sponsors.

Shopper Insights For At-Home Baristas And Other Housewares Buyers

What do single-serve coffeemakers and vacuum cleaners have in common? Both products make shoppers chatty after they buy them.

In a considered purchase survey conducted by The Integer Group^® and research partner Decision Analyst, 40 percent of single-serve coffeemaker shoppers said they have recommended their new coffeemaker to friends after their purchase.

• Fifteen percent have written an online review about their experience — higher than all other categories in the study.
• Eleven percent of vacuum cleaner shoppers surveyed said they were likely to write a review.

But don’t expect those shoppers to seek out your brand and write glowing Facebook posts or retweet product mentions. That’s just not how they’re engaging with brands.

The new “Plugged-In” report offers insights and suggestions on how brands can increase engagement with shoppers at retail, online and through social networks. 

 

Gearing up for the Olympics: Is ‘Made In America’ Important to Shoppers?

We are two weeks away from the London Summer Olympic Games. There is a lot of excitement in the air as Americans get to know the athletes of Team USA including their life stories, gold medal potential and even what they will be wearing to the Opening Ceremony.

This year Ralph Lauren is outfitting Team USA in a classic American style. While it is very patriotic in aesthetic, the fact that the garments were made in China has not been well received. Many have voiced their disapproval including designer Nanette Lepore and Senate Majority Leader Henry Reid. Though there is a lot of negative press about where the garments were made—it is uncertain if this will affect shoppers’ desire to purchase this year’s Olympic Games gear. 

In my experience, Olympic gear has always been a hot item for American shoppers—and not all the goods have been American. During 2002 when the Olympics were in Salt Lake City, Team USA berets became an unlikely runaway hit. Shoppers could not get enough of the berets or the other Team USA gear despite the fact that it was made by Canadian manufacturer Roots. So, how important is “Made in America” to today’s shoppers?

A Sunny Take on the Ubiquitous QR Code in Korea

The effectiveness (along with the proper use) of QR codes is debatable, but we found one retailer that is making brilliant use of them.

Korean mass retailer E-Mart suffered from weak mid-day sales. Inspired by this very specific business problem, they created sculptures that—only during the sunniest part of the day—enabled a QR code shadow that could be scanned for discounts and coupons.

While the QR code took shoppers to the E-Mart app and encouraged online purchases, the E-mart malls saw an increase in traffic as well.

Called the “Sunny Sale,” E-Mart saw a 25 percent increase in lunchtime sales and significant media coverage.

On top of that, they saw a 45% increase in membership and gave shoppers an incentive to experience the convenience of shopping for household products online.

All of this means that a Quick Response code could also equate to longer-term business change.

See more here: 

 

Contributed by Integer Asia-Pacific

Hot Dogs Are the Hot Item for the Fourth of July

Like many Americans, I equate the Fourth of July with hot dogs, hamburgers, and beer. Despite the abundance of Fourth of July sales by retailers attempting to turn this patriotic holiday into a shopping holiday, I think the spotlight truly shines on the good-ole hot dog.

Almost 90% of adults will celebrate the Fourth of July with an estimated 40 million cookouts (BIGInsight^TM Monthly Consumer Survey June 2012). This is expected to generate a lot of demand for hot dogs. Last year, shoppers spent $1.7 billion in supermarkets just on hot dogs. That’s a lot of hot dogs. In fact, while enjoying the festivities, Americans will consume an astounding 150 million hot dogs, enough to stretch cross-country from D.C. to Los Angeles more than five times. That’s more than seven times as many hot dogs as Major League ballparks will serve during the entire season.

The End of Bar Codes in Tokyo?

Shoppers and retailers, rejoice! A new technology from Toshiba Tec that visually recognizes merchandise—vs. scanning a barcode—is being tested at grocery stores in Tokyo.

Much like “Google Goggles,” the object-recognition scanner uses a camera and pattern-recognition technology to identify items from produce to packaged goods. The device processes items based on color and pattern and is nuanced enough to tell the difference between two very similar-looking types of apples. And, let’s be honest, many humans can’t even do that.

This technology has many potential benefits for both shoppers and retailers, including a faster checkout process, fewer self-checkout errors, and reduced employee training time. Click here to see the scanner in action.   

Contributed by Integer Asia-Pacific

Strappy Technology Helps Brands Reach Tokyo Commuters

Many subway riders spend their commutes glued to their mobile phones, which makes in-transit mobile media a lucrative opportunity for brands to connect with shoppers. 

Until recently, underground signal issues might have impeded this type of technology in subways. But networks are working to overcome this hurdle, and advertisers are already tapping in to this mobile opportunity. 

The latest in-transit media technology, Strappy, comes from printing company Shunkosha. Strappy is a cover that fits over subway hand straps and uses a near-field communication (NFC) reader to give passengers access to content simply by holding their mobile phones over it. Advertisers can provide various types of content to passengers including websites, coupons, and videos. 

Because the Tokyo subway transports over 8 million passengers daily, Strappy could be a great way for brands to reach a very wide—and captive—shopper base.

Contributed by Integer Asia-Pacific

Photo Source: Shunkosha 

Shoppers Respond to QR Codes that Deliver Value

The first time I saw a QR code was on the corner of a Lion King poster in a New York City subway. Though I had no clue what it was, my friend eagerly whipped out her BlackBerry, ready to give her recently downloaded QR code reader a test drive.

QR Codes (short for Quick Response Codes) like the one I saw on the subway popped up everywhere in 2011, from subways to product packaging, magazines to department stores, and even on cookies. It was so popular that it seemed like brands slapped codes on everything without thinking about how it would be used and its value to the shopper. 

For example, Austin-based restaurant Juan in a Million sports a QR code on their dine-in menu. When scanned, the code takes you to a Google map of the restaurant’s location. How does this bring value to the customer if they’re already there? As awareness of QR Codes grew, I felt as though many brands were misusing them. I saw a QR code on a highway billboard once. How am I supposed to scan that at 65 mph? The many QR code failures frustrated me. However, one year later, I think that some brands are finally getting it right.

Which Has Greater Influence—an Expert’s Opinion or a Friend’s?

Shoppers are increasingly demanding a more personalized shopping experience. According to eMarketer, half of shoppers would like retailers to offer promotions tailored to their past purchases. And 46% would buy more if the shopping experience was personalized across retailer channels. This shows that personalization is not only important in-store but online as well.

While consumers express their individualism on social sites such as Pinterest^(R), they are also looking for their personal style and interests to show up more directly within their shopping or browsing trips. Pickie, the iPad Magazine that was recently introduced at TechStars^TM NYC Demo Day, fulfills this need by curating personal recommendations for the user based on whom they follow within their social network. On the other hand, e-commerce site ModCloth^(R) offers personalized expert advice. The site allows users to live chat with stylists who suggest products based on user history and profile information. So the question becomes, which personalized experience do online shoppers prefer—an expert opinion or a friend’s social mentions? 

We may not know the answer just yet, but it is likely to become clearer as more retailers incorporate personalization into their operations, both online and in store. The one thing we do know today is that to be more personal with our shoppers, we must make it comfortable for them to share more personal information. As with Modcloth^(R) and Pickie, the more they know about their audience, the more helpful they are in offering individualized input per shopper.

Contributed by Jillian Kyle, Planner, Integer Denver

Shoppers Turn to the Internet for Father's Day

While running errands this past week, it was obvious that Father’s Day was upon us. My grocery store prominently displayed cakes decorated with golf clubs, Target^® made the card section hard to miss, and every other retailer (big and small) seemed to be pushing grilling supplies. It made me wish I were closer to home and able to show up with a cake, a card, and some hamburgers for my dad this past Sunday. Instead, I made due with a nice phone call and some online shopping. And I am not the only one.

A recent Google Ipsos survey reports that 70% of people used the Internet to shop for Father’s Day gifts this year. And one in three of them purchased a gift online. It can be hard to find that perfect gift for dad, so the Internet is becoming a go-to for many shoppers. In fact, Google^® searches for “gifts for Father’s Day” have increased 20% since 2010.

Though “personalized golf balls” are still a top search, it’s interesting to discover that searches are not only becoming more unexpected but also regional. People in New York were Googling “spa gifts for men,” while Oregonians sought “leather belts,” and Californians searched for “hiking stick.” Shoppers are broadening their scope of gift considerations for dad and using the Internet to help them.

I often turn to the Web to find gift ideas for my dad. It’s more helpful than most retailers because he’s not the typical golfing, football-loving father. Have you found the Web to be helpful when you’re shopping for your dad? And did it influence what you purchased this past Father’s Day?

New Moms in Asia Change Online Shopping Habits

According to Mom Central Consulting, in the U.S., new moms go online at almost twice the rate they did before giving birth. They are also willing to spend more to make the best possible purchases for their babies, on everything from infant seats and strollers to baby formula.

The landscape in Asia is showing signs of a similar trend, as evidenced by brands and websites zeroing in on the new-mom audience, in particular in the social and e-commerce space.

For new moms, social networks are places to seek advice and support, while sharing knowledge and experiences. For example, Webtretho.com in Vietnam, the largest women’s and parenting portal in Vietnam, boasts 4 million monthly visits. 

It seems that many of their conversations revolve around brands and products, and as a result, moms are assuming a role of brand ambassador with growing influence. According to “Secret online lives of Asia’s mothers,” a research study by Microsoft^® and Starcom MediaVest Group^®, 80% of surveyed moms agree that, “good brands are worth talking about.” Furthermore, 59% of Asian moms say they could “always” persuade their family and friends to buy the same items they buy, with 72% Indian and Malaysian moms saying the same. Interestingly, mothers in China even trust online communities more than their own friends and relatives when it comes to product recommendations for children.

Does Lifestyle Photography Really Stop Shoppers?

I feel that lifestyle photography is always a topic of debate in advertising—especially in store. Will it pay off the brand’s message? Will it disrupt shopper behavior? And if it does, will shoppers relate to it? Or will they say, “that’s not me”? I believe lifestyle photography can affect shopper decisions, but it must be the right image.

Though shoppers are used to seeing ads with Photoshopped families, toned athletes, and supermodels, there is an increasing risk that shoppers are tuning them out in favor of more authentic, relatable images. With the rise of Facebook, Instagram^TM, and Tumblr^®, people are getting their fill of “authentic” images and can more easily spot those who try and fake it (e.g., marketers). And let’s be honest, we like to see pictures of ourselves, our friends, and friends of our friends—even if we’ve never met them. So when it comes to imagery, being real and authentic is intriguing and attention-getting.

Dove^® had success using real people in their Real Beauty campaign in 2004. The idea that it could be someone you know hit home with shoppers. Currently, the Foot Locker^® Stand Out in the Sun campaign put people you might know in the spotlight. It asks shoppers to tag their summer Instagram photos with #kickstagram and @footlocker for a chance to be showcased in Foot Locker ads.

While photographing real women or crowdsourcing Instagram pictures might not work for every brand, it shows that there are many options when it comes to lifestyle photography. What images are most effective with shoppers? I think it is a question that’s still up for debate.

The Checkout: Mobile Shopping Behaviors

Shoppers in the US have evolved significantly in the past few years in the realm of digital shopping tools. So much so, that the term "The Digital Shopper" has effectively lost meaning as about half of all shoppers in the country have adopted some type of digital behavior to aid in their shopping.  As many of the tools in this space are related to the boom in smart phones, mobile shopping tools are of special interest.

In this issue we take a look at many aspects of mobile and other digital shopping behaviors across different shopper segments to understand which shoppers are adopting what tools and how they are using them. What are the differences and similarities across gender or cultures and what is the impact of children in the household?

For example:

• Almost as many shoppers are using coupons from email and enewsletters (49%) as they are clipping them from the Sunday paper (57%).
• Men might be the traditional lovers of tech toys, but in using technology to enhance shopping, women are ahead of the curve.
• Having children in the household drives accelerated adoption of digital technologies to deliver shopping solutions.
• African-American and Hispanic shoppers adopt new shopping technologies at a faster rate than Caucasians do.

Click here to download the Mobile Shopping Behaviors Issue of The Checkout.

MASH-UPS

It's a mad, mad, mixed-up world we are living in. The linear path to anything — jobs, family life, purchases — is now a long and winding road with change lurking around every corner. How are brands adapting to this chaos? They are reinventing themselves by partnering in unexpected ways and creating “mashed-up” new products. Partnering with other brands isn’t unprecedented, but refreshing old categories and creating new genres with innovative mash-ups ensures that in this “new normal world,” the shopper doesn’t see your brand, product or service as ... the same old thing. 

Click here to read more on MASH-UPS and who's doing it well, in the latest edition of the Integer Pulse.

eCommerce in Asia: On the Verge of Something Big

Although Internet penetration in Asia lingers at only 26%, it seems likely that Asians will be faster to adopt online shopping habits than their counterparts in Western Europe and the United States. In fact, according to eMarketer, ecommerce sales in China are expected to lead global growth with a forecasted 94.2% compound annual rate from 2010 to 2015, in contrast to the U.S., which is forecast to grow 12% during the same period, despite boasting an Internet penetration rate of 78%.

Clearly, what Asia lacks in penetration, it makes up for in sheer volume.  Emerging markets with huge populations like China, India, and Indonesia help Asia account for nearly 50% (44.8%) of all Internet users in the world. And each active online shopper in the Asia-Pacific region spends an average of $607, up almost $80 from 2011 (eMarketer).

Brands and e-retailers might struggle with the vast disparity between emerging and developed markets throughout Asia, but the affordable access mobile technology provides is sure to help close the gap. While smartphone penetration varies throughout Asia (currently 20% in Japan and 30% in China), a 2011 Nielsen study indicated that nearly 50% of respondents in South East Asia planned to purchase a smartphone in the next twelve months.

Growth is inevitable in the eCommerce space, and opportunities abound in Asia. Is your brand ready?

Contributed by Integer Singapore

 

In Booming Skin-Care Market, Korea Takes a Unique Approach

Skin-care is a booming market all across Asia, but nowhere more so than in Korea, where female beauty regimens on average include as many as 18 different products. This focus—or perhaps obsession—with flawless skin dates back to royal aspirations of yore, according to Dr. Seung Yoon Celine Lee, a dermatologist based in Seoul. “Bright skin meant that you came from a noble family. The concept carries on,” she explains.

Korean manufacturers respond to this demand, and as a result, the rest of the world has begun to look to Korea for skin-care trends and technologies. “They're [South Korea] about 12 years ahead of the States in terms of technology,” said Mary Schook, New York-based owner of M.S. Apothecary.

On a recent visit to Korea, we noticed an interesting category trend: brands using male celebrities and models in female skin-care retail communication, even packaging. Additionally, we observed that the salespeople employed by these brands were often male. Certainly it’s feasible that male celebrities are being used in skin-care communication simply because they have great skin, but we suspect brands and retailers might be employing some different strategies to motivate their female shoppers. And, seeing as Korea is the top market for men’s skin-care, there is a good chance that these brands might be looking to appeal to male shoppers as well.

Contributed by Integer Singapore

 

Memorial Day: Making Savings Patriotic

Memorial Day weekend is not only known for barbeques, Americana and traffic but also huge sales. Retailers of all kinds kicked into high gear this past weekend, aiming to attract shoppers looking to purchase items ranging from ketchup and mustard to kayaks and cars. But isn’t Memorial Day weekend supposed to be a patriotic holiday? Why has Memorial Day become a shopping holiday? Obviously, the deep discounts and 3-day sales encourage it. But, I actually think it is because being thrifty is (and has increasingly become) part of the American identity.

The U.S. is home to Wal-Mart, eBay, LivingSocial, and extreme couponing. Shoppers today are addicted to deals and have come to expect them. This past weekend, shoppers even got to have a bit of fun in the sun when it came to shopping sale goods. Retailers big and small moved merchandise outside and created themed sections in store to highlight their solutions for weekend and summer fun.

Though Memorial Day savings last just a few days, Americans will continue to seek savings and ways to make thrift fun. Retailers see this occurring and are getting in on the fun. Target recently mailed out “haiku-pons,” a booklet of poetry and savings designed to allow the shopper to make haikus as they clip. How will other retailers appease thrift hungry Americans post Memorial Day?

Memorial Day Weekend: Planes, Trains, Automobiles and Shoppers

Memorial Day is devoted to the men and women who died serving our nation. It also represents the beginning of the summer travel season, and this year, 34.8 million people plan to travel 50 miles or more away from their home over the long weekend. Also during this time, shoppers start to change their focus toward family trips, social outdoor activities, and purchasing summer essentials.

Memorial Day weekend is a social time, and marketers should take note, because it affects shopper behavior. According to The Checkout’s 2011 summer survey, 82% of shoppers indicated that their main source for gathering summer activity information is from friends and family. Therefore, this is the time to start marketing campaigns that generate buzz and create shopper engagement. To do so, marketers may consider using digital and social marketing to create shopper connections. Part 3 of the study, Untangling the Social Web, by The Integer Group and The North American CCRRC, reports that shoppers are using the social web to not only engage with brands and retailers but also learn about and discover new products, services, and experiences.

Though travel and socializing are a focus for shoppers during Memorial Day weekend, price is still an important consideration. In fact, it's the most important consideration for shoppers when they plan summer activities (The Checkout’s 2011 summer survey). Keep your eyes peeled this weekend for interesting retail and brand executions that engage shoppers in conversation, ignite the summer spirit, and provide cost-effective solutions.

Contributed by Kim Chatman, Marketing Research Analyst, Integer Denver

Integer Nordic Releases The Checkout 2012, Part 1

The Nordic Checkout 2012, Part 1 is the second iteration of The Nordic Checkout study. This release is the first of four parts for 2012. The study was conducted in partnership with Research Insight in Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. All in all, 2,000 shoppers were interviewed in March of 2012. This issue covers Nordic shopper profiles (the Price Seeker is shown below), as well as digital and mobile behaviors. 

You can download The Nordic Checkout here.

Contributed by Integer Nordic