News: 7 Day Round Up
August 26 - 1
August 26 - 1
| "PAYCHECK CYCLE" STILL SHAPING HABITS IN US NEW YORK: The "paycheck cycle" is still exerting a profound influence in the US, indicating that consumer habits which emerged during the downturn may prove resilient. Unilever, the FMCG giant, has adapted elements of its marketing activity this change in behaviour, such as by offering coupons at times when shoppers are most likely to visit stores. "A lot of people are still truly living paycheck to paycheck," said Lisa Klauser, its vp, consumer and customer solutions in North America, told the Wall Street Journal. Suave shampoo, available at a lower price-point than much of the company's portfolio, generally witnesses a spike in demand early in the month, reflecting the fact buyers have just been paid. Comparable patterns also apply to Unilever's Skippy peanut butter and Ragu sauce, two household staples, showing where preferences lie. While this distribution is normal, Klauser warned the scale of contemporary shifts in the marketplace must not be under-estimated. "[It has] heightened during the recession, and it's one of the behaviors we would now call the new normal," she argued. Hormel Foods, the manufacturer of Jennie-O Turkey and Stagg Chilli, is balancing its promotional strategy in a similar manner, partnering with retailers to achieve this goal. Wal-Mart has rapidly responded to the evolving needs of its clientele, who have the objective of extracting the maximum value from tight budgets, throughout the fiscal slowdown. "Consistent with the most recent quarters, customers continue to spend cautiously, especially on discretionary products, and the paycheck cycle remains pronounced," Bill Simon, head of its US arm, said on a conference call. "Government assistance continues to increase as a form of payment, particularly in regions with higher unemployment and credit now only represents about 15% of our tender." Elsewhere, ConAgra Foods reported that sales of goods like Banquet frozen dinners and Hunt's ketchup rise by between 2% and 5% in the opening two weeks of a given month, often bought using food stamps or an equivalent. Diageo, the spirits group, has also seen this kind of rhythm gain ground in relation to "subpremium" lines, such as Gordon's Vodka, typically favoured by shoppers possessing limited resources. Jim Moseley, Diageo's svp for consumer planning, revealed these sequences extended to more expensive items at the peak of the downturn, before fading somewhat. However, the focus on price in the recession, and a widespread emphasis on securing the best possible deal encouraged by the use of promotions and discounts, could endure. "We have created a generation of smarter consumers," Moseley said. Steven Burd, the chairman of Safeway, the US supermarket chain, suggested two further classes of consumers characterise the marketplace. "There are some people that still feel challenged and there are others that don't," he said. "So I think really consumer behavior is a bit bifurcated here. So you see some trading up while you still see some elements of trading down." Jack Kleinhenz, chief economist at the National Retail Federation, agreed the current crisis might have a unique impact on the sector. "Retail tends to be the leading edge of an economic recovery and this hasn't been the case," he argued. "People are finding ways to economise." Data sourced from Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Seeking Alpha; additional content by Warc staff, 01 September 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News StoriesRetail giants testing out interactive tools - Aug 30, 10 US shoppers place trust in traditional channels - Aug 27, 10 "Migration" of US shoppers threatens brands - Aug 26, 10  SPORTS BRANDS GET COMPETITIVE IN CHINA BEIJING: Competition between global sports brands such as Nike and Adidas and local rivals like Li Ning and Anta is intensifying in China, with price one factor shaping this contest. Nike, the US giant, is set to roll out goods matching the budgets of customers in smaller cities and towns, thus expanding its penetration in the country. "We are planning to introduce low-priced products in the second-tier, third-tier and even fourth-tier cities in China to appeal to more Chinese consumers," Charlie Denson, Nike's brand manager, told the People's Daily. The multinational previously focused on urban centres including Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou, which house huge numbers of young, affluent shoppers keen on sports, especially basketball. Adidas, the German firm, is similarly aiming all the way down to the sixth tier, where it currently holds around 5% to 8% of the market, while native organisations take over 60%. "In the near future, we want to bring our innovative products and the Adidas experience to more Chinese consumers," said Christophe Bezu, managing director of Adidas' Chinese arm. "This is why we are planning to widen our product offering in lower-tiered Chinese cities. "Even though we are a premium sports brand, we plan to offer competitively priced products to different segments of the market." UBS Securities, the financial services specialist, has reported trainers costing between 170 yuan and 250 yuan generate the greatest demand in second and third tier cities. By contrast, Nike's sneakers generally retail at 500 to 1,500 yuan, meaning items at the top end of the spectrum cost approximately half of the normal monthly salary of a white-collar worker in Beijing. "[Nike's] launch of low-priced products is surprisingly fast but it confirmed our conclusion that the US brand will compete with domestic brands in low-end markets," Liang Yuchang, an analyst at UBS Securities, argued. "If Nike insists on maintaining the high price strategy in China, it will definitely yield the fast growing market to its domestic rivals Li Ning and Anta." However, Liang also warned Nike's new tactics could exert a "serious impact" on indigenous operators, which have typically been cheaper. Li Ning, the biggest Chinese player in this sector, undertook a rebranding exercise earlier in 2010 to gain momentum among what it called a "new breed" of shoppers. Fang Shiwei, the company's chief marketing officer, stated that it overtook Adidas to claim second position behind Nike last year in sales terms. "To catch up with our rivals, Li Ning is increasing its strength in second- and third-tier cities and also changing tack and spreading its focus in top-tier cities," Fang added. Tom Doctoroff, head of JWT in China, suggested domestic and international enterprises have been active in different spaces to date, but it appears any gap may now be closing. "Li Ning and Anta are not competing directly with Adidas and Nike but the pie they are eating is growing larger and larger, while Adidas' and Nike's pie is not growing at the same rate," he said. "The moment that a local brand can command the same price as a multinational brand is the day that a breakthrough has been made." Data sourced from China Daily/Financial Times; additional content by Warc staff, 01 September 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News Stories"Next billion" web users based in new markets - Sep 3, 10 Asian luxury brand owners aiming high - Sep 2, 10 Many multinationals grow hesitant about China - Aug 31, 10 US MARKETING BUDGETS ARE SET TO RISE NEW YORK: Marketing budgets could increase by almost 10% in the US over the next 12 months, with social media set to benefit as a result, a study has found. Duke University and the American Marketing Association surveyed 574 senior executives representing businesses in the Forbes Top 200, Fortune 1,000, CMO Club and AMA's membership base. When asked to assess the condition of the economy, scores came in at 55.6 points, having recorded 57.8 points in a similar report in February 2010, and 56.5 points in August 2009. The number of respondents more optimistic about revenue prospects for their own firm compared to the last quarter fell from 68.9% in the second month of this year to 63.9% at present. Elsewhere, 62% of contributors thought volume purchase levels would improve, 52% said shoppers were likely to acquire more related goods and services and 50% argued their company was now better at retaining customers. The entry of first-time buyers posted 43%, but increases in unit price registered a rating of just 25%. Most positively, marketing budgets were pegged to rise by 9.2% in the coming year, an uptick on 5.9% in February 2010, 1.1% in August 2009 and 0.5% in February 2009. However, traditional advertising spend was forecast to decline 0.6%, measured against anticipated cuts of 2.5% in the analysis published earlier this year. Customer relationship management was the only other area that witnessed a contraction, sliding 1.6% to 8.3% on six months ago. Online saw growth from 12.2% to 13.6% in this period, figures standing at 3.9% to 7.2% in turn regarding the launch of services , 6.9% and 8.3% for brand building, while new product introductions was static on 9.1%. Social media's share of expenditure is predicted to rise from 5.9% this year to 9.9% in the next 12 months, and 17.7% in five years time, with B2B specialists especially keen on this platform. In establishing the effectiveness of these efforts, 47.6% of organisations use statistics like hits and page views, with repeat visits on 34.7%, conversion rates on 25.4% and the amount of followers on 24%. Sales delivered a total of 17.9%, ahead of revenue per customer on 17.2%, internet buzz on 15.7% and the Net Promoter Score on 7.5%. Looking to growth strategies, improving penetration was mentioned by 46% of those polled as an area due to receive greater funding in the next 12 months. Slightly under a quarter expected new product development to be allocated more resources, as did 19% for market development and 12% when it came to identifying ways to diversify. In terms of measuring payback, 37% of the sample tracked revenue data, falling to 21% for costs, 15% for customer retention, 14% for profits, 11% for brand value and 2% for a corporation's stock price. The average consumer-facing firm utilised 7.4 types of media in campaigns, and 4.6 purchase channels, both above the norm. Approximately 25% of companies evaluate the quality of the insights they receive, and 35% do the same in determining how this information impacts decision-making. Data sourced from Duke University; additional content by Warc staff, 01 September 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News Stories"Migration" of US shoppers threatens brands - Aug 26, 10 Many brand owners failing on pricing policy - Aug 24, 10 "Schizophrenic" view of TV reins in US - Aug 23, 10 OBIT - ANDREW EHRENBERG, MARKETING PIONEER LONDON: Andrew Ehrenberg, the pioneering market researcher and influential academic, died late last week. Ehrenberg's interests centred upon establishing empirical generalisations applicable in areas like brand buying, TV viewing, consumer attitudes and reactions to price changes. (A wide-ranging summary of his contribution to the industry is available here.) Among his landmark findings were the Negative Binomial Distribution (NBD) model of buying, ultimately extended to cover brand choice via the NBD-Dirichlet model. The idea of "Double Jeopardy" proved particularly important, in arguing that a big brand will possess a greater number of loyal customers than a similar, smaller rival almost entirely because of its scale. More specifically, it suggested that repeat buying and other loyalty measures do not vary greatly between individual brands, meaning that increases in penetration are typically behind any growth in sales. One consequence of this finding for marketers was that the most cost-effective use of resources may be to "nudge" occasional customers to buy, rather than trying to "squeeze more out of" dedicated clientele. "With hindsight, I was probably always aiming at findings that were both simple and generalisable," Ehrenberg wrote in an article looking back over his 50 year career, published in 2006. "But this neat aim became explicit only slowly. At first I just unthinkingly did what I did. It seemed natural – like the bits of science I had picked up at school. I didn't set out to be different." Born in Germany in 1926, his family sought asylum in the UK in 1939, and Ehrenberg went on to study at Queen's College, Taunton, followed by spells at Newcastle University and the University of Cambridge. In 1951, he began a three-year stint as a lecturer in Statistics at the Institute of Psychiatry, located at Maudsley Hospital in London. During the late 1950s, Ehrenberg moved to the Attwood Consumer Panel, a precursor of TNS, and then founded Aske Research, working alongside Gerald Goodhardt and Martin Collins. In 1970, he was named as Chair of Marketing and Communication at the London Business School, where he remained for 23 years, in time assuming a Research Chair. In 1993, he took the role of Professor of Marketing at London South Bank University, launching the Centre for Research in Marketing, closely associated with the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Research in Marketing at the University of South Australia. As well as winning the Gold Medal of the UK's Market Research Society twice, in 1969 and 1996, Ehrenberg held an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Statistical Society, and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of South Australia in December 2005. In March 2010, he received the Advertising Research Foundation Great Mind Lifetime Achievement Award. "We are very sad to lose a legendary figure in marketing, market research and the statistics field," said a statement on the website for the Ehrenberg-Bass institute. "Over his life Professor Andrew Ehrenberg's contribution to the development of marketing science has been enormous." All of Andrew Ehrenberg's articles available on Warc can be accessed here. Data sourced from LSBU/Ehrenberg-Bass Institute; additional content by Warc staff, 01 September 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder UK CONSUMERS REMAIN IN FRUGAL MOOD LONDON: Consumer confidence is rising in the UK but shoppers remain unwilling to make major purchases, a survey has suggested. Research firm GfK NOP polled 2,000 adults, with its overall barometer standing at –18 points in August, an improvement of four points month-on-month, and of seven points year-on-year. But consumer sentiment has worsened markedly since the first quarter, meaning the latest rise only cancelled out an equivalent decrease in July, after austerity measures to cut the UK's national debt were announced. "Consumer confidence has been in constant decline for the last five months and a further fall would have made a double-dip recession seem a very real prospect," said Nick Moon, managing director of GfK NOP Social Research. "The government will undoubtedly read these figures with a great deal of relief." When assessing their personal financial situation during the 12 months to August 2010, participants delivered an output of -12 points, compared with –18 points from August 2009. Looking forward, respondents pegged this total at –3 points regarding the coming year, against a score of –6 points in July 2010. Ratings for the general fiscal environment in the last 12 months came in at –43 points, moderating to –14 points concerning expectations about the year ahead. "The single biggest improvement has been in confidence in the economy over the next 12 months and this looks particularly encouraging on first sight," said Moon. "However, this gain merely reverses a similarly large drop in July, and in reality confidence in the economy's future prospects remains below its June level and similar to May 2009 when we were still in the grips of a recession." The climate for major purchases stood at –20 points in August 2010, a four point contraction on July, but bettering the corresponding tally of –25 points posted in August 2009. In judging whether "now is a good time to save", the index registered –6 points, up four points on an annual basis. Data sourced from GfK NOP; additional content by Warc staff, 01 September 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News StoriesASA to monitor brand sites, social media in UK - Sep 2, 10 Shoppers "move from fear to doubt" in UK - Aug 27, 10 Video-on-demand proving popular in UK - Aug 26, 10 INDIA OFFERS HUGE POTENTIAL FOR GREEN BRANDS NEW DELHI: India is becoming an increasingly attractive market for brands with eco-friendly credentials, according to a new report. Datamonitor, the research firm, found that 60% of shoppers believe it is important to buy products boasting strengths in areas like sustainability. Within this group, 95% revealed their main reason for purchasing these goods was in order to look after the environment, and rising numbers of customers view such items as being attractive. "Consumers' concern about the environment has been on the rise in the country," said Gaurav Grover, an analyst at Datamonitor. "Over 85% of consumers in the country consider human activities to be the primary factor driving climate change, and more than half say that air pollution is their primary environmental concern." Elsewhere, a majority of respondents thought the automotive industry should take a central role in cutting carbon emissions. Most contributors also attempted to save energy at home and were willing to pay a premium for utilities generated via renewable or equivalent sources. Women, people living in cities and the 18-34 year old demographic – all key audiences in pushing up expenditure in India – typically displayed the greatest interest in ecological matters. "India therefore, seems to have a large potential for green products and services. Competitive pricing and targeted marketing campaigns are expected to drive the growth of the market," said Grover. Data sourced from Business Standard; additional content by Warc staff, 01 September 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News Stories"Next billion" web users based in new markets - Sep 3, 10 Asian luxury brand owners aiming high - Sep 2, 10 Nokia, Colgate most trusted brands in India - Sep 2, 10 PROCTER & GAMBLE PLANS DIGITISATION DRIVE CINCINNATI: Procter & Gamble, the consumer goods giant, is seeking to become the "most technology-enabled company in the world" to enhance performance across its operations. Writing in P&G's 2010 Annual Report, Bob McDonald, its ceo, argued the shift to a model centred upon "touching and improving the lives" of shoppers was already delivering tangible benefits. "We believe a purpose-inspired growth strategy is intrinsically rewarding and motivating," he said. "It unleashes creativity, commitment and peak performance in P&G people. It attracts talent and partners. It builds goodwill with external stakeholders." The Cincinnati-based firm's organic sales climbed 3% during the last financial year despite the recession, helping reverse an approximately 0.5% decline in global share over the previous 12 months. Moreover, the owner of Pampers and Gillette expanded its customer base by 200m consumers to 4.2bn, moving towards the ultimate target of 5bn in 2015. Per capita expenditure also increased in 70% of its largest markets, compared with 60% for the 2009 fiscal year, and worldwide household penetration jumped by 2%, to 61%. "Innovation has been - and will continue to be - at the heart of our success," McDonald continued, citing the company's annual investment nearing $2bn in R&D as proof. "In fact, we invest about 50% more than our closest competitor and more than most of our closest competitors combined," he added. "This leadership level of investment is multiplied by our global network of external innovation partners, which leads to an effective investment in innovation that far exceeds the reported spending." Procter & Gamble was credited by SymphonyIRI, the research group, with launching five of the ten highest-selling FMCG products in the non-food sector in 2009. This list encompassed Tide Total Care, Gillette Venus Embrace, Bounty Extra Soft, Always Infinity and Secret Flawless. "We have a strong multiyear pipeline that will continue to drive growth in the future. The impact of this innovation program is already evident," said McDonald. At present, P&G competes in just 50% of possible segments in its 50 biggest countries by revenue, showing an obvious way to bolster its reach. "Our objective is to fill out our product portfolio in every category and then expand to the most relevant geographic markets," said McDonald. Innovation also fuelled a surge in marketing activity, with the number of impressions generated by P&G brands rising 20% during the last year. "Decades of experience have demonstrated that making people aware of our innovation and motivating them to try our new products is the key to long-term success," said McDonald. "This is the foundation of brand building, and P&G is committed to investing sufficiently and consistently to support innovation and build brands that thrive for decades." Another major current initiative is the "digitisation" of processes throughout P&G's corporate structure, which will contribute both to trimmings costs and facilitating greater flexibility. "We want P&G to be the most technology-enabled company in the world," said McDonald. "We are targeting a 20–25% reduction in some spending areas and we are looking for a sevenfold increase in real-time data. "By getting the right data to the right decision makers at the right time, we can become increasingly efficient and productive." One form this has taken is a "Control Tower" introduced to manage transport systems, cutting the amount of empty truck journeys by over 15% to date. Data sourced from Procter & Gamble; additional content by Warc staff, 31 August 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News StoriesBrand owners must build new marketing systems - Sep 2, 10 J&J fights to regain trust of US shoppers - Aug 31, 10 L'Oréal anticipates global "sea change" - Aug 27, 10 MANY MULTINATIONALS GROW HESITANT ABOUT CHINA BEIJING: Many multinational corporations are becoming more hesitant about their prospects in China, despite the rapid growth of the country's economy. Vodafone, the telecoms giant, appears set to offload its 3% stake in China Mobile, the world's biggest wireless network operator, at the close of an initial "lock-in" period. This might prove worrying for China Mobile, given mounting concerns relating to stuttering revenues from voice calls, a trend it is attempting to offset by focusing on value-added services. "In the short term, such a move could hit its share price if investors are already worried about China Mobile's growth," Vincent Deng, an analyst at Phillip Securities, based in Shanghai, said. "If Vodafone does sell, there's no reason for anyone to buy China Mobile's shares in the short term." Earlier this year, Jeff Immelt, ceo of conglomerate General Electric, suggested the regulatory environment was creating significant obstacles. "It's getting harder for foreign companies to do business there," he said "I really worry about China ... I am not sure that in the end they want any of us to win, or any of us to be successful." Another issue which may force a rethink among global firms is increasing costs, and GE has shifted construction of its hybrid water heaters from China to Kentucky as wages and shipping expenses surge. Steve Ballmer, chief executive of Microsoft, stated in May that piracy and counterfeiting in China meant its appeal was limited. "China is a less interesting market to us than India, than Indonesia," he said. "India is not perfect but the intellectual property protection in India is far, far better than it would be in China." Ballmer conceded some progress has been made, as Microsoft won a court case against a Chinese insurance provider in April, and four people were imprisoned in Suzhou for copying Microsoft software in 2009. "It's a good start," he continued. "I am not trying to be pessimistic, I want to be optimistic about China." Jürgen Hambrecht, ceo of BASF, the chemicals manufacturer, also argued when meeting Chinese premier Wen Jiabao that the requirement to share valuable information with indigenous enterprises was questionable. "That does not exactly correspond to our views of a partnership," he said. Peter Loescher, chief executive of conglomerate Siemens, similarly warned overseas corporations typically did not "expect to find equal conditions in the fields of public tenders" in the Asian nation. Shaun Rein, managing director of the China Market Research Group, reported that surveys of senior foreign executives have shown financially strong Chinese businesses are actually emerging as a primary concern. According to the company's analysis, Google, the search firm, faced considerable difficulties because it was not branded as effectively as local rival Baidu. To take a further example, Li Ning, the sportswear brand, is gaining ground on Adidas and Nike in the country. "A lot of westerners say Chinese cannot brand and cannot market. That's not true," Rein said. "Li Ning is no longer competing just on price ... Its wide range of products appeals to Chinese consumers, while Adidas has been too slow to introduce new products and has been hit hard by a glut of inventory." Data sourced from Daily Telegraph; additional content by Warc staff, 31 August 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News Stories"Next billion" web users based in new markets - Sep 3, 10 Asian luxury brand owners aiming high - Sep 2, 10 Sports brands get competitive in China - Sep 1, 10 J&J FIGHTS TO REGAIN TRUST OF US SHOPPERS NEW JERSEY: Johnson & Johnson, the healthcare specialist, is seeking to regain the trust of shoppers after recalling several products over the last few months. The company has withdrawn nine non-prescription medicines such as Bendryl and Tylenol Arthritis, as well as contact lenses and hip implants, in just under a year. In April, it followed this course for 136m bottles of liquid medicines aimed at children and infants, in case they contained extremely small metal particles or too much active ingredient. Problems at the corporation's McNeil Consumer Healthcare plant were behind most issues, and this outlet has since closed down. While no major injuries have resulted, the organisation's long-established reputation among Americans is facing unparalleled scrutiny. "We've learned a lot of lessons. They've been very painful," Bill Weldon, Johnson & Johnson's chief executive, told The Associated Press in an interview. "We're doing everything we can anyplace in Johnson & Johnson to make sure this never happens again." Steps implemented thus far include investigating standards at all 120 factories and attempting to identify better ways of sharing "best practice" across its supply chain. A director for quality control and three "chief quality officers" to handle its consumer, prescription drug and medical device divisions respectively have also taken up positions. Weldon revealed he had been sent letters by members of the public, with "some supportive and some not." Johnson & Johnson might run a communications campaign in a bid to re-engage customers, although this would not be prior to the reintroduction of around 40 non-prescription medicines affected by recent events. "I think the best thing we can do is get [these items] back on store shelves for the people that need them," said Weldon. "From there we will have to go back and earn our reputation." Even in this area, Johnson & Johnson has experienced further obstacles, attracting regulatory attention. In late August the company received a warning from the Food and Drug Administration, which stated Johnson & Johnson may be marketing two hip and knee implants in a manner breaking official protocol. Al Ries, chairman at consultants Ries & Ries, argued the "unprecedented" number of recalls should be forgotten in time, but considerable work still needs to be done. More specifically, he agreed ads declaring "everything is terrific" typically only deliver an impact opposite to that intended, meaning resolving problems must be the priority. "If I were the ceo, I would call a special board meeting and I would resign," he continued, suggesting if this motion was rejected, significant other internal reforms are required. Data sourced from Associated Press; additional content by Warc staff, 31 August 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News StoriesBrand owners must build new marketing systems - Sep 2, 10 Procter & Gamble plans digitisation drive - Aug 31, 10 L'Oréal anticipates global "sea change" - Aug 27, 10 UK VIEWERS BACK "ANNOYING" PRODUCT PLACEMENT LONDON: A majority of consumers in the UK would accept product placement if it supports free television content or cheaper pay-TV services, despite the fact many find it "annoying". Deloitte, the consultancy, partnered with YouGov, the research firm, to gauge the opinions of 4,199 viewers, finding that two-thirds of the panel described product placement as "annoying". But 72% were likely to watch programmes if brands paid to appear or not, compared with 5% that suggested they might avoid these shows. The tight product placement restrictions currently enforced in the UK are set to be relaxed later in 2010. According to the Deloitte/YouGov report, 81% of participants in the 18-24 year old demographic foresaw no change in their habits, falling to 70% among contributors at least 55 years of age. Elsewhere, 60% of those polled stated this type of marketing was permissible if it ensured material remains free-to-air, or led to reduced prices on subscription-based alternatives. Once again, 18-24 year olds displayed the most enthusiasm, on approximately 70%, sliding to around a quarter in the 55 year old-plus cohort. "There already is a widespread pragmatic understanding of the trade-off between advertising, in all forms, and the funding of content," said Paul Lee, media director at Deloitte. "Indeed if the economic outlook were to weaken, the public may even urge greater quantities of product placement, if this meant cheaper quality television." Moreover, the existing scheme of "prop placement", which allows the use of "donated products" fitting a particular storyline, had prompted 41% of the sample to buy a featured item, climbing to 54% for 25-34 year olds. Within the 60% of people that regularly watched TV and surfed the net at the same time, 45% said browsing e-commerce sites was one of their top three activities during simultaneous media consumption. According to the Deloitte/YouGov analysis, product placement can be expected to generate returns in the "low tens of millions" in the first year, ultimately rising to over £100m ($154m; €121m). But this could draw revenues away from other forms of TV income, like advertising and direct sponsorship. Demonstrating ROI may also be problematic, with options including adding brands' website addresses to online versions of shows, or else proving that product placement has caused an increase in recall. The European Union originally outlined proposals to reform the rules governing product placement in 2007, although many of its members have been slow to follow suit. Data sourced from the Independent; additional content by Warc staff, 31 August 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News StoriesUK advertisers sceptical on TV product placement - Jan 6, 10 Product placement ban upheld in UK - Mar 12, 09 European Commissioner Backs Product Placement on UK TV - Feb 10, 09 FORD SETS ITS SIGHTS ON INDIA NEW DELHI: Ford, the US automaker, is heightening its focus on India both in a bid to drive up domestic sales and as an innovation hub for Asia, Africa and beyond. The multinational has announced the goal of unveiling eight new models in India by 2015, to rapidly expand its stable in the country. "We have big plans for India and for this region," said Joe Hinrichs, president of Ford Asia Pacific and Africa, in a speech given to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers. "This is part of our 'better plan' to bring more and more vehicles from our vast global portfolio to India and other markets in Asia Pacific and Africa." A key element defining Ford's current approach is simplifying the manufacturing process, as it seeks to ensure 70% of cars sold under its flagship marquee will be made from 15 "core platforms" by 2012. "By bringing suppliers into the development process earlier we can ultimately generate more profit for the supply chain," said Hinrichs. "This leads to lower development cost and greater economies of scale for our suppliers, and ultimately a higher quality and more economical vehicle for consumers." However, such a strategy will be accompanied by a targeted response on the ground, in order to serve the needs of buyers in individual nations. "To succeed in a place as unique and fascinating as India, we have learned to listen more closely to our customers, dealers and suppliers," Hinrich argued. "Our 'One Ford' plan says to adapt and to localise. It has made us a better company here in India and around the world." A practical demonstration of this ethos is the Ford Figo, which is manufactured in India and will be exported to 50 markets, including North America, the Middle East and Mexico. The "subcompact" car was launched in the first quarter of 2010, selling 30,000 units in India in 25 weeks, and has since been made available in South Africa. "Although the vast majority of vehicles we produce in India will help satisfy growing local demand, we also continue to pursue export opportunities," said Michael Boneham, president and managing director, Ford India. Ford believes Asia Pacific and Africa should deliver approximately 70% of its global growth in the next decade, with total industry sales in these regions rising from 16m units in 2009 to 35m units in 2018. Data sourced from Ford India; additional content by Warc staff, 31 August 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News Stories"Next billion" web users based in new markets - Sep 3, 10 Asian luxury brand owners aiming high - Sep 2, 10 Nokia, Colgate most trusted brands in India - Sep 2, 10 NEGATIVITY GROWS AMONG ITALIAN CONSUMERS ROME: Consumers in Italy are now less optimistic than at any stage in the last year, according to new figures. The regular barometer of popular perceptions published by the Isae Institute fell to 104.1 points in August, compared with 105.5 points in July and well below the 105.3 points forecast in a Bloomberg poll. Among the main contributors to the trend was anxiety following on from public spending cuts and the personal situation of respondents, which has stimulated “a plunge in people's thinking about buying durable goods.” "The decline in consumer confidence is indicative of persistent concerns about the sustainability and the strength of the recovery," Silvio Peruzzo, an economist at the Royal Bank of Scotland, said. Peruzzo further argued attempts to reduce the country's national debt are "certainly clouding the outlook, making consumers less upbeat". One positive development featured in the Isae's report was that participants were in a more constructive frame of mind regarding the employment market, where totals climbed to the highest level since January. Data sourced from Bloomberg; additional content by Warc staff, 31 August 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News StoriesEuropean consumer spending to remain flat - Aug 25, 10 Global adspend to rise by 3.8% in 2010 - Aug 18, 10 Adspend levels up by almost 5% in Italy - Aug 3, 10 RETAIL GIANTS TESTING OUT INTERACTIVE TOOLS NEW YORK: Major retailers including Wal-Mart, Carrefour and JCPenney are experimenting with new interactive tools in a bid to engage consumers and increase sales. Wal-Mart and Carrefour, the world's two largest grocery chains, have begun trialling a "virtual mirror" from EZface which allows customers to "test" goods prior to buying them. This device enables shoppers to see what lipstick, hair colorants and similar lines would look like by taking their photo, and then displaying an updated image on the "mirror" when they scan a relevant brand's barcode. Users can then print out the results, which contain a reminder of the products entered thus far, as well as emailing them to a friend or posting them on Facebook. "Every lady has a drawer full of the wrong makeup products," Ruth Gal, the co-founder of EZface, said. After hosting EZface, developed in partnership with IBM, in two venues in 2009, Wal-Mart is now extending this pool to 40 counters in ten stores. A spokeswoman for Wal-Mart, which does not currently provide physical samples, argued sales had been "good" where these units were in place, but it "is too early to tell if activity can be tied directly to EZface." Carrefour also included an EZface centre at one of its five newly-redesigned hypermarkets operating under the Planet banner. L'Oréal, the cosmetics giant, added an EZface application to the web portals for L'Oréal Paris and Maybelline, so visitors could gain familiarity with this system. "Hair colour searches on Google are massive," said Hal Kimber, L'Oréal's head of customer relationship management and internet. The company installed the actual gadget at an event in London, and believes the real benefits will come from driving up demand in bricks-and-mortar sites. "That's where you have the strongest impulse to purchase - where you have to give the final impetus," said Kimber. Elsewhere, JCPenney has introduced a "FindMore" kiosk in stores, boasting a 52-inch touchscreen letting shoppers browse its inventory, scan items to read background details and view recommendations. "We have to match customer tastes with technology," said Tom Nealon, its chief information officer, when the appliances were rolled out. "Some people are very digital, and you have to interact with them. Others are more comfortable with store associates." Media Lab, owned by Interpublic Group, regularly surveys 10,000 adults in North America, and has found that satisfaction ratings for retailers are typically declining by around 15% annually. One contributor to this trend is unfavourable comparisons measured against the huge amount of data available online, alongside the surge of interest in health and wellness, and the origins of products. "The role the store is playing is changing," said John Ross, president of IPG's Shopper Sciences arm. "Shoppers are walking up with a different set of expectations." In an effort to make the consumption experience more personalised, Dunkin' Donuts is assessing mobile services which empower branches to send targeted offers to patrons. Inditex, the fashion group, is somewhat behind the curve, having only recently announced Zara would start selling goods via the web in France Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the UK. Analysts at Sanford C Bernstein predict Zara could generate $2.5bn (€2.0bn; £1.6bn) in revenue from this aspect of its operations in three years time, and may even struggle to keep up with demand. Data sourced from Wall Street Journal; additional content by Warc staff, 30 August 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News Stories"Paycheck cycle" still shaping habits in US - Sep 1, 10 Carrefour aims to revolutionise store formats - Aug 26, 10 Brand owners must "expand their horizons" - Aug 23, 10 US REBOUND SET TO BOOST GLOBAL ADSPEND LONDON: Global adspend will rise by 3.9% in 2010 and 4.7% in 2011, thanks to a "faster than expected rebound" in the US and continued growth in Asia and Latin America. Carat, the media network owned by Aegis, has revised its previous estimates of a 2.9% improvement this year and 4% next as a result of "recent trends towards stabilisation." It predicted the US would follow up a 14.1% drop in 2009 with successive annual increases of 1.1% and 1.7%, measured against forecasts of 0.2% and 1.4% respectively in March. Digital is set to drive this process, with paid-for search and mobile enjoying a surge in demand. Sentiment has also hardened in Western Europe, where revenues are pegged to expand by 1.3% in 2010 and 2.7% in 2011. After a contraction of 12% in 2009, a 3.5% uptick in 2010 and 4.1% lift in 2011 could help restore confidence in the UK. These totals stand at 2.9% and 2.7% in turn for France, and 1.5% and 2.9% for Italy. However, the recession may endure another year in Spain and Germany, before the two nations finally return to growth in 2011. With increases of 11.2% this year and 14% next, Latin America is due to lead the global charge, followed by Asia Pacific on 8.2% and 7.6%, and Central and Eastern Europe on 5% and 10.2%. More specifically, investment levels in China are likely to expand by 16.8% in 2010 and 15.3% in 2011, building on a 12.4% jump in 2009. Figures for Brazil come in at 12.7% and 14.4% in the timeframe assessed by Carat, and Russia boasts similarly impressive numbers of 10.8% and 15.3%. Among the advanced markets, Australia seems well placed as totals rise 7.5% in 2010 and 5.8% in 2011, but conditions appear especially challenging in Japan, off 3.1% in both years. Looking to media, television ad sales are anticipated to grow by 6% annually, boosted in particular by Latin America, where this medium takes 63% of spending. Returns for radio advertising are expected to increase by 4.2% in 2010 and 5.7% in 2011, while outdoor witnesses growth of 3.9% and 4.4%. Turning to print, a 3.2% decline in 2010 and 1.3% slide in 2011 mean newspapers' share will decrease to 18.7% at the close of next year, compared with 21.3% in 2009. Magazines are set to remain essentially flat in value terms, as their proportion of adspend dwindles to 9.8% in 2011, down by nearly 1%. In contrast, online revenues should surge by 13.5% this year and 12.3% next year, meaning the web is responsible for 11.3% of budgets by 2011. "The indications are that global spending this year will rise … which is a further signal of an increasingly optimistic environment," said Jerry Buhlmann, chief executive of Aegis. "The overall data, however, does compare against weak 2009 figures and is comprised of some significant regional variances." Data sourced from Carat; additional content by Warc staff, 30 August 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News StoriesAfrica set for consumer spending boom - Aug 27, 10 Global adspend to rise by 3.8% in 2010 - Aug 18, 10 Frito-Lay, Juniper Park win Warc Prize - Aug 9, 10 FEMALE CONSUMERS INCREASE SPENDING IN CHINA BEIJING: Female shoppers are increasing their expenditure levels in a wide variety of product categories in China, a study has found. Women of China, the magazine, surveyed 1,074 members of this demographic in ten major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. (A summary translation is available here.) Only 6.3% of the panel said the recession had exerted a severe impact on their lifestyle, while 44.2% argued its influence had been modest, and 18.7% had noticed largely insignificant differences. Furthermore, 37% suggested their purchase habits were unlikely to change despite the uncertain economic situation, and 6.8% stated buying goods now would offset later rises in inflation. The typical respondent directed 63% of her monthly income to acquiring items such as clothes and cosmetics, saving just 24%. By contrast, the average participant splashed out 55% of their earnings in 2006, and placed 30% into a bank account. In value terms, urban females generated an individual outlay of 21,900 yuan ($3,221; €2,538; £2,089) each over the course of 2009, with apparel attracting the largest share, on 29.4%. Digital offerings like mobile phones and cameras came second on this measure on 10.8%, ahead of tourism in third on 9.5%. Elsewhere, 84% of the sample revealed they snapped up new cosmetics products every month, often tending to favour "prominent consumer brands." Online commerce is also gaining in popularity, with 42.3% of those polled buying goods and services via the web, an increase from 20.1% in 2008. However, 33.5% agreed this was "no substitute" for visiting malls, department stores and similar sites, which are regarded as a source of entertainment. "It is an inarguable truth that women decide consumption volume," Han Xiangjing, head of Women of China, said. "Since Chinese women are playing a stronger role in household finances, they can spend more money improving their lives." A broader contributor to this trend was the stimulus package unveiled by the country's government, providing incentives for purchases of white goods and other appliances. Elsewhere in the study, women in Qingdao were revealed to be the happiest overall, posting a score of 70%, falling to 57.5% in Beijing. Turning to quality of life, Hangzhou delivered a rating of 83.9%, with Beijing scoring 36.5%, even though its female residents are among the highest earners and most educated. The top priorities of respondents included family health on 69.6%, family harmony on 66.2% and seeing their children make progress on 36.3%. The most content women were 51-60 year olds with a stable job and monthly salaries in the range of 4,001 to 4,500 yuan. Main concerns encompassed the price of property, rising domestic costs and an inability to reduce household expenditure. Data sourced from Women of China; additional content by Warc staff, 30 August 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News Stories"Next billion" web users based in new markets - Sep 3, 10 Asian luxury brand owners aiming high - Sep 2, 10 Sports brands get competitive in China - Sep 1, 10 DIAGEO TARGETS SHOPPERS IN EMERGING MARKETS LONDON: Diageo, the alcoholic drinks specialist, is setting its sights on aspirational consumers in developing nations from China to Nigeria. The company boosted its advertising and promotional expenditure by 14% in the last six months, after posting a reduction of 5% during the previous two quarters. "We spend over £1.4bn ($2.2bn; €1.7bn) a year to build our brands. We spend it behind campaigns which drive sales and build brand equity and we spend it effectively," said Paul Walsh, its ceo. "We made our allocation decisions through two lenses: firstly, we invested behind proven growth drivers which we can execute at scale." "Secondly, we invested where we saw opportunities emerge by market or by category." More specifically, Diageo's outlay climbed by 20% in North America, 8% in Asia Pacific, 7% in Europe, and 20% in geographies like Africa and the Middle East in the last six months. "In the developed markets, we prioritise resources on the biggest value creating opportunities," said Walsh. "In the developing markets which are experiencing more stable growth, we have capitalised on our leading brand positions and great routes to market." This latter group of countries now contribute a third of Diageo's net sales, and delivered an uptick in demand of 11% in the 12 months to June. "We have strong exposure to all the developing regions in key categories: scotch in Latin America, Russia and Asia and beer in Africa," said Walsh. "The market fundamentals for the future are positive: high population growth, rising personal affluence and a large increase in the number of middle class consumers who aspire to our brands." Indeed, Africa has become a major subject of focus, not least thanks to Diageo's joint venture with Heineken and Namibia Breweries, called Brandhouse, in South Africa. "In South Africa, we operate across all the beverage alcohol categories and we generate consumer insights to direct our targeted marketing programmes," said Walsh. "Our investment behind our scotch brands in the year has positioned us well as the economy starts to improve." Guinness also commands a sizeable African following, and Diageo raised the brand's local marketing spend by 8% in the last six months, enhancing its figures in Nigeria, Cameroon and Ghana as a result. "Guinness remains the only true pan-African beer brand with strong equity and a significant price premium," said Walsh. Elsewhere, Johnnie Walker Black Label has gained ground in China due to "significantly increased" communications support, while Russia is providing equally considerable opportunities. Alongside these and other core outlets such as India, Diageo is looking further afield to Angola, Tanzania and Vietnam, anticipated to form the next wave of profitable countries. "In developing markets improving accessibility can be a powerful growth driver," Walsh added. "In Africa, for example, innovation around canned beer and premix spirits has brought our brands to new consumers and into new occasions." Data sourced from Diageo; additional content by Warc staff, 30 August 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News StoriesPremium brands prove worth for Pernod Ricard - Sep 3, 10 Sponsorship retains appeal among advertisers - May 24, 10 Heineken to increase marketing spend - Feb 24, 10 PEPSI, MICROSOFT UP FOR JAY CHIAT STRATEGY AWARDS NEW YORK: Pepsi, Gatorade and Microsoft are among the major brands competing for honours at the 2010 Jay Chiat Awards for Strategic Excellence. The winners will be announced during the inaugural Jay Chiat Strategy Festival, organised by the 4A's and being held in Miami from October 11-13. Open to creative shops, media networks, research firms and specialists in other disciplines, the Awards seek to recognise "the best examples of strategic thinking from around the world." Nearly 50 judges representing the agency- and client-sides chose the shortlisted entries, covering ten categories overall. The Pepsi Refresh Project, which aims to support individuals and groups submitting the most impressive schemes to rejuvenate local communities, is in the section allocated to initiatives for existing products. Its rivals include sports giant Puma, juice drink Capri-Sun and Benylin's All-in-One cold and flu remedy. Heavyweights like Coca-Cola, IBM, Microsoft and HBO claimed spots in the communications and media strategy competition, as did agencies such as JWT Brazil and Collins in New York. Best Buy's "Twelpforce", an idea developed by Crispin Porter + Bogusky that has seen many of the retailer's employees take to Twitter to deal with customer queries, features in the creative technology field. It is up against Mini's "Carfun Footprint Calculator" and similarly pioneering innovations from Nordstrom Photobooth and the Grammys. Another idea being considered is Gatorade's "A Story of Second Chances", which reunited high-school football teams to recreate matches played years earlier, and ended in a tie first time round. TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles was behind this platform, which could win two prizes, and the Pepsi Refresh Project. JWT New York was responsible for two of the nominated campaigns on behalf of new brands; namely Bing, Microsoft's "decision engine", and U by Kotex. Automakers contributed three of the four finalists for social media strategy, as Honda, Ford and Toyota, are joined by travel website Travelocity. "In today's market, strategy is about so much more than just advertising in the traditional sense," said Andrew Delbridge, chief strategy officer, McKinney, and chairman of the 4A's Strategy Committee. "As a result, this year's Jay Chiat Awards include a number of new categories that are representative of the incredible diversity of disciplines that now make up communications strategy." Warc subscribers can read papers from the 2009 Jay Chiat Awards for Strategic Excellence here. Data sourced from 4A’s; additional content by Warc staff, 30 August 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News StoriesOld industry models are "outdated", says 4A's ceo - Mar 4, 10 Sanofi triumphs at DBA Effectiveness Awards - Oct 26, 09 Vaseline takes top honours at Jay Chiat Awards - Sep 24, 09 APPS, TABLETS FIND FAVOUR WITH GERMAN MARKETERS DUSSELDORF: Many leading marketers in Germany expect smartphones and tablets to become increasingly important tools for brands over the next two years, new figures show. BVDW, the industry body, surveyed 100 executives from the digital sector - including representatives of agencies, internet service providers, publishers and retailers - to establish their current priorities. Some 95% of respondents agreed smartphones would gain prominence as an advertising medium in the near future. Moreover, 90% said the same with regard to gadgets like the iPad. Two-thirds of the panel argued that advertiser-funded applications should prove the most effective way of monetising these channels. By contrast, 40% thought subscription models were set to be the main revenue driver for tablets, against just 20% concerning the iPhone, BlackBerry and other such handsets. When asked which form of content holding the greatest promise for tablets, 79% cited news and information and 77% picked gaming and entertainment. Data sourced from BVDW; additional content by Warc staff, 30 August 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News StoriesConsumer electronics sales robust in Europe - Sep 2, 10 "East-west divide" splits European shoppers - Aug 24, 10 German shoppers willing to pay for good service - Aug 20, 10 COCA-COLA CLOSES IN ON DIGITAL "HOLY GRAIL" ATLANTA: Coca-Cola, the soft drinks giant, is seeking to leverage social media, mobile and database marketing in a bid to achieve the "holy grail" of digital communications. In response to the shifting habits of consumers, the beverage maker has rolled out fewer campaign microsites and emphasised its corporate presence on social media portals like Facebook and Twitter. "That's a change for marketers, because they tend to think in campaigns and campaign periods, whereas now we have an ongoing dialogue with our customers," Carol Kruse, Coca-Cola's vp, interactive media, told New Media Age. While it could be assumed this might place a drain on resources given the imperative to regularly supply fresh material, practice proved different from theory. "You would think [that], except that we're not the fans' first focus, we're not constantly needing to entertain them. They're leading with a lot of the content, we're just participating in a conversation." Such a finding is in keeping with the fact that Coca-Cola's Facebook brand page was originally constructed by two fans, before the social network stated the firm must become involved. "At first we felt we needed to moderate our page, and we were paying for moderation in ten languages. We realised that less than 1% of what was put up there we'd consider taking down. "We found there's such incredible content from our consumers expressing how they feel about our brands that it's better to amplify that. It's very genuine, the voice of the consumer. That's true brand advocacy." To allow its individual units across the globe to generate the best results, Coke has boosted the size of its central social media team and developed "turnkey" tools adaptable at the local level. "If they're a smaller market and want to do something with Facebook, they don't have to set anything up, it's already there," said Kruse. "So they can focus on how social integrates with paid, owned and earned media." On mobile, the company is running trials of location-based service Foursquare in Australia, and Kruse predicted the recently-unveiled Facebook Places, a similar platform, will have a significant impact. Despite the need to tread carefully, Kruse suggested Coca-Cola should be able to derive major benefits from this emerging channel. "You could have a mobile experience with Coke that's very relevant," she argued. "We're really starting to get close to the holy grail of marketing of the right message at the right time to the right person when they're most receptive." In-depth shopper insights are also crucial to reaching this goal, and Coca-Cola boasts a database containing details on 58m people worldwide. Alongside 30m customers in China, records cover 14m users of its MyCokeRewards US online loyalty scheme, and their 1.5m counterparts accessing its parallel offering, Coke Zone, in the UK. In one demonstration of how this can facilitate a personalised approach, MyCokeRewards attempts to tailor the "consumption experience" using the browsing history, location and preferences of individual visitors. "If I were to receive a message around a sports drink because I'm an athlete, that would be very relevant," Kruse argued. "That's really exciting, when you look at data-driven marketing, relationship marketing and understand the behaviour of the consumer." Thus far, the organisation has found the best-performing targeted communications initiatives deliver incremental sales growth of some 25%. Data sourced from New Media Age; additional content by Warc staff, 27 August 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News StoriesBrand owners target health-conscious shoppers - Sep 3, 10 Brand owners must build new marketing systems - Sep 2, 10 PepsiCo goes digital for localised campaigns - Aug 25, 10 L'ORÉAL ANTICIPATES GLOBAL "SEA CHANGE" PARIS: Emerging markets will deliver a majority of L'Oréal's sales for the first time in 2010, as part of a "historic sea change" impacting the cosmetics industry. The company experienced organic growth of 6.3% in the opening six months of the year, covering every division, including a surge of 9.7% for luxury products and 5.6% for consumer goods. Jean Paul Agon, its ceo, estimated category shipments rose 4% in this period, aided by an increase of 0.2% in Western Europe and 2% in North America, although Japan was off 1.3%. Demand in developing nations jumped 9.5%, featuring improvements of 10.8% in Asia Pacific (excluding Japan), 12.7% in Latin America, 5.8% in Africa and the Middle East and 5.1% in Eastern Europe. These areas accounted for 53% of all shipments in the first half and contributed 87% of like-for-like expansion across the sector, according to Agon. "This confirms the remarkable appetite of the new middle classes for beauty products, and the resulting historic sea change, I will call it, in the worldwide cosmetics market," he said. "New markets, in the near future, are set to become the group's largest business zone." Indeed, such a "historic moment" may actually occur in August, showing just how quickly these countries could reshape L'Oréal's broader outlook. China has also assumed the position as the organisation's third most sizeable outlet, after France and the US, and generated a 14.3% uptick in H1 2010. Moving into untapped segments is an equally profitable model, and L'Oréal Men Expert grew by 30% in H1, to sales of €250m ($317m; £205m). "We've always said that the men's market has huge future potential, and we're now getting there. We think with Men Expert we're going to have the first men's global male care brand." This range was especially well-received in China, where men utilise a "large amount" of skincare goods. Overall, L'Oréal's R&D expenditure climbed 7.6% to €308.7m, supporting a particular focus on items carrying a multinational appeal and add value, but are sold at "accessible prices." Inoa, which Agon described as the "biggest professional hair colour success of all time", was launched in February and is available in 60,000 salons, primarily in Europe. Other "blockbusters" included lower and mid-tier price offerings Code Jeunesse, Maybelline Falsies and Total Repair 5, alongside premium lines Genefique and Hypnose Precious Cells. "The first objective is to continue to innovate, so that we can really come up with breakthrough formulas in the major categories," said Agon. "The second objective is universalisation. This means the development on each continent of formulations adapted to the specific needs of local consumers." L'Oréal's haircare portfolio in China, for example, was tested on 40,000 people to find exactly the right blend of ingredients. The company also boosted its advertising and promotional spending by 12% to €2.9bn in H1, and its annual outlay should match that from 2009. "Here we have two objectives, too," said Agon. "[Firstly], to continue increasing these drivers which ... are crucially important in building the success and leadership of our brands in all markets around the world." "At the same time, and there's no contradiction here, we have to constantly rethink, renegotiate, reengineer these investments so as to optimise cost and productivity." Data sourced from L'Oreal; additional content by Warc staff, 27 August 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News StoriesBrand owners must build new marketing systems - Sep 2, 10 J&J fights to regain trust of US shoppers - Aug 31, 10 Procter & Gamble plans digitisation drive - Aug 31, 10 US SHOPPERS PLACE TRUST IN TRADITIONAL CHANNELS NEW YORK: Traditional forms of communications like word of mouth, direct mail and newspapers enjoy higher levels of trust among US consumers than social media and other online services. ICOM, part of Epsilon Targeting, argued in a study that social networks, internet forums, blogs and similar tools have added considerable complexity to the world occupied by more established channels. Based on a survey of 2,569 adults, it reported 57% of people regarded friends and family as a reliable source of information, falling to 26% for newspapers and 22% for corporate websites. Television posted a score of 20%, with brochures and flyers on 18%, radio on 16%, email on 12%, third-party internet sites on 11% and mobile phones on 9%. Web 2.0 portals generated relatively modest figures, coming in at 8% for blogs, forums and Facebook, and just 7% for YouTube and Twitter. When asked to name preferred providers of news and updates relating to personal care, food and cleaning products, 36% of the panel chose direct mail, with newspaper inserts on 29%, the net on 12% and email on 10%. "The coveted 18-34 year olds prefer, by a wide margin, to learn about marketing offers via postal mail and newspapers rather than online sources such as social media platforms," the study said. It added: "The preference among 18–34 year-olds for receiving marketing information from offline sources led by mail and newspapers is two to three times greater than online sources such as social media." Elsewhere, 40% of contributors selected DM in the financial sector, as did 38% for insurance, 35% for charity campaigns and 28% concerning travel. The last of these markets was the only one to see another type of media assume the lead, as the web registered a rating of 19%. Taking credit cards as an example, 70% of participants agreed branded email had an influence on purchase decisions, a perception that stood at 60% for mail shots, 41% for internet display and 19% for TV spots. In terms of recall for these financial products, however, 33% mentioned television commercials, with DM on 27%, email on 22% and web banners, pop-ups and equivalent formats on 19%. "The upshot is that regardless of the demographic, marketers need to deploy a multichannel campaign for topmost customer engagement," ICOM argued. "Social media, like many forms of communication, should be incorporated as one component of a broader strategy." Equally, while emerging mediums like Foursquare, GoogleBuzz, Loopt, Blippy and Groupons deserve attention, brands must ensure they have a presence in all of the areas frequented by their target audience. "The proliferation of channels presents marketers more opportunity than ever to engage customers, understand their desires and meet their evolving needs," the report concluded. "At the same time, it challenges marketers to abide ever more fervently by the first commandment of marketing: know thy customer." Data sourced from ICOM; additional content by Warc staff, 27 August 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News Stories"Paycheck cycle" still shaping habits in US - Sep 1, 10 "Migration" of US shoppers threatens brands - Aug 26, 10 Many brand owners failing on pricing policy - Aug 24, 10 SHOPPERS "MOVE FROM FEAR TO DOUBT" IN UK LONDON: Consumers in the UK have "moved from being fearful to being doubtful," with a majority remaining keen to reduce their discretionary expenditure, a report has found. According to Mintel, the research firm, two-thirds of people in the country are apprehensive about the domestic economy. Nearly a quarter described their financial status as "healthy", over a third said it was "tight", and 40% were "just coping." Approximately 25% of individuals had no savings to rely on should the situation deteriorate further, the study added. "It seems that consumers have moved from being fearful to being doubtful," said Richard Perks, research director at Mintel. "Doubt – like fear – is not a strong foundation on which to make major purchase decisions." Exactly 50% of respondents expressed concerns regarding increased food prices, while rising energy bills, taxes and unemployment also caused of anxiety for many contributors. Given these trends, trimming outgoings was a "key priority", with 70% of adults attempting to boost their overall wealth or "repair" a perilous position. Seven in ten consumers are actively trying to lower food bills, and 40% were looking for cheaper food and drink brands. Cutting back on non-essential purchases is another strategy adopted by a majority, including 60% of shoppers actually materially better off since the downturn began. Almost half of those polled viewed holidays as a "luxury", up from 38% in 2007, and fewer than 20% saw foreign trips as "necessary" or a "right." More positively, Mintel reported that 42% of its panel were simply "getting on with life, and not letting money worries get in the way." The technology market was tipped to enjoy continued growth going forward, after expenditure levels reached £50.5bn in 2009. Revenues have also climbed by 80% in the last half-decade, to be followed up with 20% growth at current prices, or 140% at constant prices, during the period to 2015. Elsewhere, Mintel stated that the typical consumer splashed out £228 on soft drinks in 2009, equivalent to a category income of £14.1bn. "Carbonated drinks have performed extremely well in the recession, a fact explained by their relative cheapness and their positioning as an affordable indulgence in troubled times," its report said. The at-home food sector posted an average individual total of £1,054 in 2009, a 3.4% leap, jumping to £2,451 for the normal household. Per capita outlay in this segment has grown 32% in the last decade, and should experience a further lift of 11% between 2010 and 2015. Among the wider developments reshaping the industry are an increased emphasis on health and wellness, an interest in products' origins, and the resurgence of home cooking. In terms of out-of-home dining, spending rose by just 0.7%, to £31.5bn in 2009, against a 43% expansion annually from 1999 to 2009. Meanwhile, apparel sales surged 24% between 1999 and 2009, when figures came in at £753 per person, or £46.2bn in all. Data sourced from Mintel; additional content by Warc staff, 27 August 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News StoriesASA to monitor brand sites, social media in UK - Sep 2, 10 UK consumers remain in frugal mood - Sep 1, 10 Video-on-demand proving popular in UK - Aug 26, 10 AFRICA SET FOR CONSUMER SPENDING BOOM JOHANNESBURG: Consumer spending is set to rise dramatically in Africa in the next decade, offering significant opportunities for brand owners. The McKinsey Global Institute argued the area is experiencing a sustained period of growth, as its collective GDP climbed by an average of 4.9% each year between 2000 and 2008. Looking ahead, the consultancy predicted household expenditure in the region would improve by 4% per annum to 2020, equivalent to incremental gains of $520bn, to $1.4tn in all. As a result of such a trend, the continent now boasts more than 1,400 companies listed on the stock exchange and over 100 corporations generating annual revenues of $1bn at minimum. The telecoms sector has posted particularly impressive figures, with 316m subscribers signed up since 2000, a user base greater than the entire US population. According to MGI, the "rise of the urban African consumer" should yield equally positive developments for a wide range of industries. Currently, around 40% of citizens reside in cities, a similar proportion to China, and a total likely to increase rapidly in line with fiscal growth. One example of how this will change the trading landscape is that there are 52 cities containing at least a million people a at present , matching Western Europe, and a further 32 are due to be added to this group by 2030. "As in other developing economies, urbanization in Africa is creating jobs, boosting productivity, and lifting incomes," Charles Roxburgh and Susan Lund, authors of the study, said. Given this, the number of households that possess discretionary income is pegged to expand by 50% in the coming decade, to 128m in all. This should fuel a boom in spending almost doubling the amount of $860bn recorded in 2008 some 12 years later, while other demographics are also working in Africa's favour. "By 2040, the continent will be home to one in five of the planet's young people and will have the world's largest working-age population," said Roxburgh and Lund. "If Africa can give its young people sufficient education and skills, they could be a substantial source of consumption and production in years ahead." Unilever, Standard Chartered and SABMiller are just a few of the brand owners already claiming a meaningful footprint in Africa. "Executives and investors cannot afford to ignore Africa's immense economic potential. Nor can they assume that traditional ties will guarantee them an advantage in the competition," argued Roxburgh and Lund. "There are many new players, but also many new chances to get in the game and gain some ground." Data sourced from Business Week; additional content by Warc staff, 27 August 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News StoriesUS rebound set to boost global adspend - Aug 30, 10 Global adspend to rise by 3.8% in 2010 - Aug 18, 10 Online gains ground in Middle East - Jul 20, 10 GOOGLE TOPS BRAND RANKINGS IN JAPAN TOKYO: Google is now the most respected corporate brand in Japan, having overtaken Microsoft among consumers and business leaders in the Asian nation. Nikkei, the news service, surveyed 33,033 shoppers and 14,184 executives, asking them to rank companies in terms of image, product quality and the experience of using their goods. Google led the pack on 782 points, ahead of Microsoft on 781 points, a reversal of the top two positions in the same study last year. In the 2009 poll, Microsoft was 25 points in front of Google, thanks to its established status in Japan, and strong connection with IT retailers. Sony took third, followed by Yahoo Japan, which operates independently from its US counterpart, and recently announced a plan to start utilising Google's algorithm when generating search results. Canon, Panasonic, Casio and Sharp also featured in the top 20, according to Nikkei's figures. Data sourced from Reuters; additional content by Warc staff, 27 August 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News StoriesLuxury sales start to stabilise in Japan - Jul 21, 10 Japanese retailers target Chinese shoppers - Jul 1, 10 Mobile makes a mark with Japanese shoppers - Jun 9, 10 "MIGRATION" OF US SHOPPERS THREATENS BRANDS NEW YORK: A widespread trend of "channel and consumption migration" among US shoppers is posing major challenges to retailers and consumer packaged goods manufacturers, according to a study. SymphonyIRI, the research firm, argued a variety of "rituals" now define the way Americans make purchases, like frequently switching between brands to find the lowest price. At present, 25% of customers shop in five channels - such as grocery, mass merchant, drug, dollar and discount stores - rising to 28% in six, 19% in seven and 5% who are buying products from eight sources. Possible savings remain a key differentiating factor, with 47% of people selecting the grocery chain they visited most recently as it would hopefully prove to be the cheapest. "Price plays a central role in the struggle, pushing CPG marketers to develop innovative new programmes aimed at protecting and growing share," SymphonyIRI said. In Q2 2010, the overall number of shopping trips shrank by nearly 2% year-on-year, and the median value of a basket declined 1.5%. Typical expenditure when "pantry stocking" fell 4% on an annual basis, while "fill in" outlay was down a similar amount and "special purpose" receipts decreased 8%, leaving "quick trips" as the only sector to increase, up 1%. Average spending per visit posted a contraction of around 1.5% in grocery and supercenters, climbing to 2.4% in club warehouses. "It is very likely that aggressive pricing strategies and high levels of promotional activity … contributed to shrinking basket size," the report suggested. Elsewhere, mass retailers experienced a jump of 0.9%, drugstores by 1.7%, dollar chains by 3.8% and C-stores by 8%. Loyalty programmes such as RiteAid's Wellness+ platform supported this development, as did the broader assortment of goods sold by dollar stores. However, supercenters recorded the largest gain in penetration, registering an expansion of 1.9% in the last year to 69.5%, seemingly at the expense of mass retailers, which were off by 2.3% to 71.6%. "Supercenters are reputed to offer everyday low prices. Among consumers looking to manage their CPG budgets closely, this type of strategy is generally well received," the SymphonyIRI study stated. To take one example, Target has increasingly emphasised value in recent months, generating an increase in sales as a consequence. SymphonyIRI also found that dollar store penetration is up 0.5% to 57.9%. By contrast, convenience stores saw a decrease of 1.9% to 29.2%. "The channel is regarded as a quick and easy outlet for discretionary purchases. But with budgets stretched tight, consumers have reduced and/or eliminated many non-essential purchases," the report said. In another sign of intensifying competition, several retailers are pressing into areas outside their traditional portfolios. Supervalu enhanced its healthcare credentials via a Heart Health Month in February 2010, and has introduced a discount Sav-A-Lot line to attract price-conscious shoppers. Walgreens, CVS and RiteAid similarly announced plans to sell a greater mix of food and beverage products, and CVS has partnered with Johnson & Johnson and Energizer to provide rewards tied to its loyalty scheme. More broadly, grocery stores enjoyed a 0.7% share gain in sales of general merchandise in 2010, alongside a 1.1% uptick in skincare and 1.3% in oral care. Data sourced from SymphonyIRI; additional content by Warc staff, 26 August 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News Stories"Paycheck cycle" still shaping habits in US - Sep 1, 10 US marketing budgets are set to rise - Sep 1, 10 US shoppers place trust in traditional channels - Aug 27, 10 PURCHASE HABITS PROVE SLOW TO CHANGE IN CHINA BEIJING: Purchase habits are gradually changing in China, but consumers remain "extremely anchored" to only buying what they can genuinely afford, a report has argued. McKinsey, the consultancy, stated in a new study that even though the Chinese economy is possibly in the strongest position of any worldwide, this is yet to result in an uptick in spending among its citizens. Household consumption in the country contributed a modest 35.6% of GDP in 2009, an improvement on the level of 35.1% in 2008, but down from over 50% in the late 1980s. Yuval Atsmon, a co-author of the analysis, predicted any reversal in such a situation would occur during the medium-to-long term. "It should go back in the next ten years to the low 40s, but the consumer trends that we are seeing this year are not suggesting that you're going to see anything drastic in the next couple of years," he said. More specifically, annual domestic consumption is anticipated to rise by around 11% annually in the near future, meaning private expenditure will account for 42% of GDP at the close of the decade. A survey of 15,000 people in 49 cities seemingly confirmed widespread assumptions about financial conservatism in China still hold true. The average number of shopping trips per month has declined from 2.5 in 2008 to just two in 2010, although the typical basket has climbed to 24.1 yuan ($3.55; €2.79; £2.30), compared with 18.4 yuan, in this period. Savings rates stand at a third of income, and a reticence to acquire products on credit remains another common trait. "It will not disappear tomorrow morning," said Max Magni, leader of McKinsey's consumer goods practice in Greater China. "The Chinese consumer remains extremely anchored to what they can afford at the moment." Only 1% of adults make regular purchases in the luxury sector, and generally when customers trade up in one category they offset this by switching to cheaper offerings elsewhere. Indeed, the top quartile of China's population in terms of wealth actually reined in their outlay to a larger extent than all other demographics in Q2 2010, McKinsey said. While brands continue be of importance in the country, loyalty levels are beginning to drop as a more complex set of habits emerge. "We are seeing more maturity in consumer behaviour," said Atsmon. "Consumers are not just swayed by the big brand names, they are willing to pay for products that are better, but are also weighing the different dimensions in a more mature way." Despite this, the report said "emotional" and "functional" characteristics can stimulate interest in certain items. "Purchasers of laundry detergent are now increasingly demanding 'good scent' as well as 'appealing package design'," McKinsey argued. The internet is also assuming a heightened role, with 56% of respondents viewing online advertising as a reliable source of information, measured against 29% in 2009. A further 70% expressed similar confidence in retailers' official websites, a much greater proportion than in the West. "The fact that online information is held in such high regard in China makes the Internet an extremely important medium for shaping consumer opinion," McKinsey's study said. Data sourced from China Post; additional content by Warc staff, 26 August 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News Stories"Next billion" web users based in new markets - Sep 3, 10 Asian luxury brand owners aiming high - Sep 2, 10 Sports brands get competitive in China - Sep 1, 10 MEDIA BRANDS MAKING PROGRESS ON FOURSQUARE NEW YORK: Bravo, MTV and the History Channel are among the media brands making the most effective use of Foursquare, the location-based mobile service. Mashable, the industry title, recently assessed which operators in this sector have successfully employed this emerging medium, typically associated with FMCG and retail, as a communications tool. Bravo, the broadcaster, was one of the first companies in its category to forge a partnership with Foursquare, and has since signed up 50,000 fans via this platform. In a bid to engage consumers, Bravo asked well-known faces and the hosts of its shows to make recommendations, in a way that reflects their own personalities and the programmes they represent. As this output moved beyond simply focusing on content, to encompass shopping venues, hotels and restaurants, the station has reinforced its position as a "network of culture experts". "Fans don't follow for Bravo per se; they're following to see where Top Chefs and Millionaire Matchmakers spend their time in New York and LA," Mashable's study said. Zagat, the restaurant review specialist, has been publishing in print for over 30 years, but Mashable suggested it was a "brand made for Foursquare." Providing comments from culinary enthusiasts across the US via Foursquare is seen as in keeping with Zagat's overall purpose. The social media presence also gives the firm access to diners who may not be interested in buying its guides in print form. Elsewhere, actors from high-profile MTV series like Jersey Shore, The Hills and The Real World were tapped by the channel to discuss their recent activities, and resulting recommendations. This "celebrity sway" has proved a draw to the public on other social media operations such as Twitter, and appears to be an equally useful means of attracting attention on Foursquare. New York Magazine leverages Foursquare to deliver the latest details concerning what's on in the Big Apple, alongside a link back to its webpage for in-depth coverage of these events. "In this regard, New York Magazine's approach to Foursquare is akin to the Twitter strategy of many publishers, with the added value of location," Mashable said. Another media brand, The History Channel, has also demonstrated how brands that do not possess an obvious method of utilising geo-location mobile service are able to connect with a wide target audience. If offers facts and figures about various sites which consumers can visit, and while this seems to be little more than "trivia", such "indirect marketing" has secured it 47,000 Foursquare followers to date. Data sourced from Mashable; additional content by Warc staff, 26 August 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News StoriesTwitter sees revenues growth in Japan - Sep 3, 10 New Apple TV could become a "big reset" - Sep 2, 10 Apple's iPad gains ground with firms, consumers - Aug 25, 10 FACEBOOK TAKES SOCIAL NETWORKING LEAD IN INDIA NEW DELHI: The Indian social networking audience has grown by 43% in the last year, a trend that helped Facebook overtake Google's Orkut to become the biggest such site in the country. According to comScore, the research firm, 33.1m consumers aged at least 15 years old accessed social networks via a desktop or laptop PC in July 2010. This equated to a penetration of 84% among the domestic internet population of 39.6m people, the company added. As a result, India is now the category's seventh largest global market, behind the US, China, Germany, Russia, Brazil and the UK. The rate of expansion recorded by these social media services in the Asian nation also trebled the corresponding figure relating to online user base as a whole. "The social networking phenomenon continues to gain steam worldwide, and India represents one of the fastest growing markets at the moment," said Will Hodgman, comScore evp, Asia-Pacific. "Though Facebook has tripled its audience in the past year to pace the growth for the category, several other social networking sites have posted their own sizeable gains." Facebook has enjoyed an uptick of 179% in 12 months to 20.9m members in India. This put it ahead of Orkut, which nevertheless delivered an improvement of 16% to 19.9m. Bharatstudent took third place, having registered a modest rise of 3% to 4.4m, while Yahoo Pulse, operative for less than a year, already boasted 3.5m signed-up consumers. Twitter was one of the fastest-growing platforms in the top ten, with users rising 239% to 3.3m participants. This puts the micro-blogging platform on a par with business network LinkedIn, a portal attracting 3.3m netizens in under 12 months. In an effort to regain its leading position, Orkut is rolling out a range of new features, such as allowing members to display content to some of their friends, but not others. "Orkut is continuing down the path of innovation with a complete transformation in product DNA that began just last year," said Victor Ribeiro, product director for Google. "Not only do these changes let users connect with their social groups in a way that more closely matches real-life, but users will want to interact even more, now that they have more control over who has access to their updates than ever before." Data sourced from India; additional content by Warc staff, 26 August 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News Stories"Next billion" web users based in new markets - Sep 3, 10 Asian luxury brand owners aiming high - Sep 2, 10 Nokia, Colgate most trusted brands in India - Sep 2, 10 CARREFOUR AIMS TO REVOLUTIONISE STORE FORMATS PARIS: Carrefour, the world's second largest retailer, is embarking on a new initiative that attempts to revolutionise the way it presents goods to shoppers. The company is reacting to the changing needs of customers, who have cut back on purchasing durables in the wake of the global economic slowdown. Many consumers no longer buy electronics and apparel in supermarkets, and visit specialist stores instead. As a consequence, Carrefour's sales decelerated in France, Italy, Belgium and Spain, which generated around half of its €96bn ($122bn; £79bn) revenues in 2009, a figure down 2.7% year-on-year. "The problem is that clients are not that excited by us," Lars Olofsson, Carrefour's ceo, told the Wall Street Journal. "They're either coming to us less often or shopping at supermarkets." In response, it has opened two redesigned "Carrefour Planets" in Madrid and one in Ecully in Lyon, with a wider roll out set to begin in 2011. This scheme forms part of a broader programme leading to the closure of 17 locations in Italy and Belgium, and the reduction in size of Carrefour's biggest European outlet, near Toulouse. "The hypermarket hasn't changed significantly since Carrefour invented it 47 years ago, but consumers have," said Olofsson. More specifically, the Ecully store offers clearly-defined sectors - like the "organic area", "fashion area", "frozen food area" and the "leisure-multimedia area" - alongside a sushi bar and free babysitting. According to the company, Carrefour Planet branches reflect the requirements of Europe's ageing population, typically not well served by very large stores. Declining birth rates mean fewer families now undertake weekly trips to stock up on essentials, and the important role women play both in the workforce and at home must similarly be recognised. "We have chosen areas where we can be unique and it fits the clients, 70% of whom are women," said Olofsson. In anticipation of the modifications likely in its 231 hypermarkets in France, the Ecully design has removed slow-selling products such as bicycles and trimmed the number of DIY items on its shelves. Instead, it features extensive sections dedicated to beauty and clothing that replicate the atmosphere in boutiques. The next French pilot Carrefour Planet, in Vénissieux, will also boast "exclusive partnerships with major brands" including Virgin and Réserves Naturelles. Many alterations were based on a survey of 50,000 shoppers, which yielded further innovations from more spacious aisles and improved lighting to individual entrances for buying food or non-food goods. Carrefour said it has been "very encouraged" by the performance of new stores, with apparel sales having increased by 30% under the "Planet" banner. "The business need [for hypermarkets] is still there, but it has to be organized better," Gianni Ciserani, Procter & Gamble's chief executive in Western Europe. However, Christopher Hogbin, senior retail analyst at Sanford Bernstein, was sceptical, arguing this model represented a "structurally challenged format." Data sourced from Wall Street Journal; additional content by Warc staff, 26 August 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News Stories"Paycheck cycle" still shaping habits in US - Sep 1, 10 Retail giants testing out interactive tools - Aug 30, 10 Brand owners must "expand their horizons" - Aug 23, 10 VIDEO-ON-DEMAND PROVING POPULAR IN UK LONDON: Video-on-demand services are rapidly gaining ground among consumers in the UK, but ads shown during this content are less popular. A survey from New Media Age, the industry title, and Lightspeed Research, the survey firm, found that 58% of respondents had either watched or downloaded broadcast content through non-traditional platforms in the last six months. Within this, 45% took part in this activity on a weekly basis. More specifically, 86% of the panel have used the BBC iPlayer, declining to 43% for ITV Player, 36% for Channel 4's 4oD and 15% for Five's rival property, Demand Five. Elsewhere, 34% of contributors had also streamed material via the video-sharing portal YouTube, the NMA/Lightspeed study found. Turning to advertising, 55% of participants would prefer to view commercial communications when shows came to an end, compared with 29% at the start and 3% for conventional breaks. However, 95% of those polled believed an option to skip brand messages should be included as standard, and 62% thought spots were intrusive. As 91% of the sample wanted to enjoy free, rather than paid, access to professionally-produced programmes, it appears advertising will continue to possess a central role in this area going forward. In terms of the methods for playing VOD, 53% of viewers did so using a laptop, 45% employed desktop PCs and 8% exploited the multimedia features on games consoles. "Unlike linear broadcast, online offers so much interactivity and opportunity for different types of ad formats," said Sarah Rose, head, VOD and channel development, at Channel 4. "It's everyone's responsibility to explore what makes them more engaging and creative." Data sourced from New Media Age; additional content by Warc staff, 26 August 2010 Print | Email | Add to Folder Related News StoriesASA to monitor brand sites, social media in UK - Sep 2, 10 UK consumers remain in frugal mood - Sep 1, 10 Shoppers "move from fear to doubt" in UK - Aug 27, 10 | HeadlinesSeptember 1, 2010"Paycheck cycle" still shaping habits in US Sports brands get competitive in China US marketing budgets are set to rise Obit - Andrew Ehrenberg, marketing pioneer UK consumers remain in frugal mood India offers huge potential for green brands  August 31, 2010 Procter & Gamble plans digitisation drive Many multinationals grow hesitant about China J&J fights to regain trust of US shoppers UK viewers back "annoying" product placement Ford sets its sights on India Negativity grows among Italian consumers August 30, 2010 Retail giants testing out interactive tools US rebound set to boost global adspend Female consumers increase spending in China Diageo targets shoppers in emerging markets Pepsi, Microsoft up for Jay Chiat Strategy Awards Apps, tablets find favour with German marketers August 27, 2010 Coca-Cola closes in on digital "holy grail" L'Oréal anticipates global "sea change" US shoppers place trust in traditional channels Shoppers "move from fear to doubt" in UK Africa set for consumer spending boom Google tops brand rankings in Japan August 26, 2010 "Migration" of US shoppers threatens brands Purchase habits prove slow to change in China Media brands making progress on Foursquare Facebook takes social networking lead in India Carrefour aims to revolutionise store formats Video-on-demand proving popular in UK |
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