Wooing Today’s Consumers

CEOs say the worst of the recession is behind us; analysts, meanwhile, are relieved not to be predicting further sales declines over 2008. So where, every marketer is asking, does this leave us in the hearts and minds of people with good intentions and limited budgets—and how do we make sure our brand makes the cut?

First, the good news: Research and intelligence firm Mintel has found that “optimism is steadily balancing out stress and hardship as people around the world discover ways to transform their lifestyles, regain control and lighten the mood.”

People are demonstrating that they still want to enjoy themselves. In the US, three in five have traveled domestically in the past year, but to save money, more travelers are opting to visit family and friends. The result has been a boost to the trend towards playfulness and simple fun—behooving marketers to build these values into their brands.  In fact, many marketers are already off and running, releasing quirky, light-hearted new products that offer consumers a way to escape by engaging with their brands.

Now, the harder news: While a more playful attitude may be on the rise, upon reviewing its 2009 trend predictions, Mintel observed that trust remains a paramount concern. At a time when consumers feel particularly distrustful of the financial industry and food purveyors among other companies, brands who want people’s trust must not only display the values consumers care about, but also interact with people about these values on an incredibly intimate, almost human level.

Nine out of 10 consumers recently surveyed by Faith Popcorn’s BrainReserve agreed they are “opting for a simpler life.” Per a September 23 NYT article, “Americans seem to be again entering a period of social change where we’re recalibrating our sense of what it means to be a citizen—not just through voting or volunteering, but also through our purchases.” The idea that we can serve by spending more responsibly has gained steam. “Americans,” the article says, “are starting to put their money where their ideals are.”

Take, for example, this summer’s wildly successful “Cash for Clunkers” program. “It was a potent concept mixing financial incentives with the emotional appeal of unloading a burdensome possession and getting something new in return”—all while helping the environment.

Now, an array of smart home furnishing retailers and manufacturers are hoping to “capitalize on similar motivations by introducing trade-in programs for everything from outdated entertainment centers to used mattresses.”

Ruby & Quiri, a family-run home furnishings center in New York, offers consumers a $25 gift card for every piece of used furniture turned in, or $50 for upgrading to an energy-efficient appliance. The “clunker” is picked up and donated or recycled when the new item is delivered, providing consumers with a headache-free means of “doing good.” Similar programs have sprung up across the US, with variations from 1-800-Mattress and even a “Cash for Teakettles” program from Chantal Cookware Corp.

While “genuineness” may seem to come easily to a family-run outfit such as Ruby & Quiri, it is not completely elusive for companies which operate on a larger scale. As brands take on personas, astute media agencies (such as UM) can bring those personas—and their intrinsic values—to life through interaction with individuals.

Brands need to start opening up the way consumers already have in the online world. After years of one-way conversations, brands may first have to deal with some pent-up anger, but over time, engaging consumers will lead to more balanced relationships focused on cooperation and co-creation. Part of a brand’s newfound appeal might just be the humanity and vulnerability that is demonstrated through a willingness to reveal themselves and be open to feedback from the masses.

“Foreverism” (the concept that conversations, relationships and products that are never done and born of a “beta” mindset) means operating in a more humble, transparent and perpetual beta mode, both as an organizational mindset and as a product development and customer experience philosophy. But consumers will not want everything to last forever. Brands will need to think hard—understanding which offerings should be primarily transient vs. other experiences consumers prefer to be more lasting.