Goodwill Shopping

FRESH IDEA:  I heart simple, make-sense marketing.  And just that arrived in my inbox today.  Ann Taylor Loft is partnering with Goodwill for a feel-good, do-good program with a catchy theme:  Out with the Old, Save on the New.  Simply bring in a pair of “gently worn” pants on designated days in March, and get $15 off a new pair.  Great traffic driver, nice incentive.  Kudos to the Loft for overcoming the hemming and hawing and easily made excuses, e.g., “Where are we going to put all those pants?!”  “Really, who is going to bring in old pants?!”  “And gosh, who is going to collect the pants from all of our stores?”  You get the idea.  But then again, the Loft also thought “out of the shirt box” last year, sampling new P&G products in-store.  Simple, make-sense marketing – love it!  TASTY TRENDS:  Feel good doing good;  Retailers being responsible

Paycheck to Paycheck

TASTY TREND:  For years, marketers with challenger brands to P&G have theorized why the BrandSaver drops when it drops – with the thought that it is paycheck based.  This morning’s Wall Street Journal amplifies the discussion about paycheck marketing, with brands now actively dropping pantry load and bigger pack size offers, as well as securing displays, at the beginning of the month to capture paychecks.  In the current economy, the beginning of the month appears to be a strong opportunity for your brand to be considered for consumer spending.   TASTY TREND:  Recession Obsession

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123535246479645145.html

Customized Crunchy Goodness

CALLING ALL CRUNCHERS! Interested in a specific category or topic?  Looking for a fresh fact or stat about a certain something?  CRUNCHY MARKETING NUGGETS TAKES REQUESTS! Simply leave a comment.  I’ll hop on it as soon as I can in between freelancing superhero gigs, looking for a job, and filling my time with personal pursuits.  I am discrete.  So if needed, I won’t mention why or who, if needed.  I don’t even have to publish your comment, if asked.  But I will post the question and the answer for all to see.  It’s customized, crunchy goodness for your marketing insight cravings!

Fresh Facts? Tweet!

FRESH FACTS:  Interesting stats shared today on MarketingVox, from Pew Internet & American Life Project regarding Twitter demos.  So in 140 characters or less, who really IS microblogging?  YOUNGER.  Although the median age is 31, 1 in 5 18-24 yr olds have used a microblog service, 20% of 25-34 year olds, and then it drops off with age (e.g., 10% of 35-44 yr olds).  SLIGHTLY MORE RACIALLY OR ETHNICALLY DIVERSE.  Which makes sense as Younger = more diversity.  SLIGHTLY MORE LIKELY TO BE URBAN.  WIRELESS INTERNET USER.  Especially via phone.  And LINKS HIS OR HER POSTS (they didn’t share male or female – hmmm..) TO THEIR SOCIAL SITE PAGES.  So net nugget net…Is Twitter a cool tactic?  Sure.  Is it the right tactic for your audience?  Maybe.  Hey, it’s free…for now.  But at least now you have the latest, freshest facts!  TASTY TREND: Staying Connected

Coupon Crazy

FRESH FACTS:  A recurring theme in 2008 continues in 2009:  coupons as a “hot” tactic making headlines!  In the interest of sharing something new, a fresh fact published in this morning’s eMarketer notes the additional power of word of mouth:

Among women surveyed, 18+ by SheSpeaks:  76% of respondents reported sharing offline coupons found in magazines, direct mail or newspapers with their friends. Of the same group, 66% shared online coupons that could be printed and then used in stores.

This nuggety nugget is a great rationale for “tell a friend” or “share with a friend” offers, where appropriate.  For the Cave Dwellers, feel free to leave me a note in the Comments section – I’d be happy to share insights on the Coupon Craze (where have you been?!).  TASTY TREND:  Coupons as an “it” tactic;  Power of WOM

WOM? Sweet!

FRESH IDEA:  No doubt, word of mouth has tremendous influence over consumers’ purchase decisions.  Recommendations from family and friends trumps all other consumer touchpoints (AdAge, April 2008).  So  it’s all together  interesting, different, yet logical  to see an in-home party business centered around the sale of chocolates.  Dove Discoveries program is much like a Pampered Chef or a Tupperware.  You can choose to become a  “Chocolatier”  (sales rep) or host a party.  And enjoy tasting – and buying – different chocolate based products right in your own home.  Yes, it’s Dove – the premium brand found on shelves.  The product(s) for sale, though, seem to be more exclusive, and deliver a broader chocolate tasting experience than off the shelf Dove bars (e.g., cocktails, candy, desserts, etc.).   But it’s the in-home, personal connection to the host or presenter, emotional touches of enjoying “small indulgences” with friends, and a shared love of feel-good/taste-good chocolate that helps drive this business model.  Certainly, not all products can translate to this experience – heavens, no!  And an in-home sampling party partner like House Party or SheSpeaks may be a better fit for a brand’s objectives.  But again, it’s an interestingly delicious idea that has opened up a whole new channel for Dove/Mars, fueled by a passion for chocolate.  TASTY TREND:  No place like home.

Indulge in Promotion

CRUNCHY NUGGET:  With a big, pink box of Godiva chocolates given to me by my Husband this Valentine’s Day, this past weekend, I was eager to see – not the truffles – but the execution of an in-pack sweeps I’ve read about in prior years.  Opening up the box, it was revealed to me that, indeed, I didn’t win the Ultimate Chocolate Fantasy:  a weekend in a chocolate suite in NYC and lots of chocolate dining opportunities.  Now, I love and adore chocolate, and I am a fan of the sweepstakes administrator who handles this program (PST in CT).  And the fact a purchased product delivers the game card is pretty clever in sweeps legal world (alternate entry methods, I’m sure exist).  So biases aside, putting my red consumer “hat” on, here’s where I would take this program: Online.  Drive the consumer to register so you have an idea of who’s engaging, who’s not.  The game card was subtle and tasteful – and very, very quiet.   No reason to dream, no reason to talk about it.  If you go to Godiva’s site, indeed, they elegantly explain the chocolate lover’s dream prize.  And link you to a PR event with Brooke Shields and Jonathan Adler, showing the custom designed suite of chocolate.  The prize pool is excellent.  All pay off the brand and indulge a love of chocolate.  And the PR looked fabulous.  It was absolutely the strongest marketing mix element, and quite possibly its reason for being.  But as I tossed out my game card, I left the experience simply with dark chocolate.  TASTY TREND: PR-omotion

Fan Fab Finds

CRUNCHY NUGGET:  Upfront, I will appologize for the “no duh-ness” of this post.  But with so many folks unsure of social media and how it is best used, why not post a good, real example from my own in box?  The image is an email sent to me as a Loehmann’s Insider Club card holder (so think warm data, existing customer list).  It links me directly to Facebook to “Fan” Loehmann’s page, where I can discuss fashion (or not), and receive discounts. With the number of Fans noted, Loehmann’s can quickly see results.  Fab designer fashion finds at discount prices certainly gives me reason to be a “proud fan” (look at me, I have on a cute outfit that I paid little for, wheee!).  But also, as a recipient consumer – and listen up marketers – the key will be maintainance from Loehmann’s.  Go ahead, send me offers and coupons and tell me about great sales.  Give me reasons to not just come back to your fan page, but to your store.  Net nugget net:  Don’t just have a page for the sake of having a page.  TASTY TREND:  Using direct and getting social.

Promo Envy

FRESH IDEA:  As a marketer who has spent a whole bunch of years developing Consumer Promotions, I can’t help but to admire programs from afar.  My most recent “oh, that’s good!” promotion execution comes from General Mills, and their “Pound for Pound Challenge.”  Why applaud this effort?  Many reasons:  1.  It takes healthy brands and seamless gets them to play nice, working as one voice.  2.  It leverages a major media, and now licensed, property:  “The Biggest Loser” (lots of exposure and equity). 3.  It ties not only to weight loss (the what’s in it for me reason, and nice Biggest Loser extension), but also to a cause.  Specifically with Feeding America (aka Second Harvest;  good for others right here in the USA).  The program faciliates donations to FA through easy mail-in lid/label collection, as well as pledging.  Which brings me to reason…4.  It all ties nicely to packaging mention.   Nice loyalty push.  Bravo, General Mills.  Way to be a winner through losing.  TASTY TREND:  Feeling good by doing good.

Buddy + Money = Retention

FRESH IDEA:  Interesting article from yesterday’s New York Times talks about betting sites established to facilitate weight loss competitions.  So let’s say you want to drop a few pounds.  And you want to have a friendly wager around this effort — maybe co-workers or family.  These sites help track the progress and host the wager.  It’s an interesting new way of using online.   And it also supports how retention for significant life changes (e.g., smoking) can be achieved through community, and a little cash!  Here’s the URL to the article:  http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/05/health/nutrition/05fitness.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

TASTY TREND:  Web as Social Center