The typical image of a coupon clipper is someone w/a scruffy wallet overflowing with paper fragments of all shapes and sizes who somehow always winds up in front of you at the checkout stand. According to a recent study by Simmons Market Research Bureau and Coupons, Inc. that image is increasingly out of date. Today's coupon clippers (or, more appropriately, coupon clickers) are increasingly online - nearly 36 million of the 148 million Americans who use coupons find them online instead of in their local newspaper. And that demographic is increasingly attractive - more than half of online coupon users are 22 to 44 years old, and their household income is significantly higher than that of your tradtional coupon clipper. I have to admit to being a bit of a coupon clicker myself. Like the 81% of Web users who say they look for product information online before making a purchase, I search for information on the item I want (new running shoes, say), then find an online store that has the best price. Then, in another browser tab, I search for coupons for that online store hoping to score free shipping.

The point here is that your best customers may have very different behaviors online than off and you need to understand not just their profile or demographic, but their online an offline behavior patterns as well. That's the only way you can successfully plan your communication touchpoints and engagement strategy. Plan your strategy around an outdated image of your customers and you could find yourself a little short at the checkout counter.

The buzz about new technology for mobile phones is everywhere these days; from the launch of the 3G iPhone to geeks everywhere using Twitter and all its latest spin offs for micro-blogging.

It makes sense, because according to a recent survey by Cisco, "there are three times as many mobile-phone subscribers (3.3 billion) as Internet users (1.3 billion) worldwide." - and most people use their phone all the time.

Many of our clients - like Subway - are now trying mobile marketing in the U.S. that is common in Europe and Asia;

Continue reading "Mobile (cellphone) marketing - it's more than just a phone"

A friend recently sent me a link to a funny clip you probably have already heard of, or even viewed: "Where The Hell Is Matt?” This four and a half minute video montage introduces Matt Harding, your average Joe, as he dances his way through 42 different countries, vigorously flailing his arms and kicking out his feet in what is now his signature jig. There isn’t too much more to say about the video – it’s simple and surprisingly endearing.

I had read about the viral phenomenon a few weeks back, but at the time, didn’t think it was compelling enough to YouTube. A random guy who’s hit fame doing something wacky? Eh, I’ve heard enough of those Jared the Subway Guy-esque stories. But after my friend emailed me the direct link, I had no excuse not to click on it. So click I did.

Continue reading "A Dancing Gnome"

One of the most fascinating programs that my wife and I watched this year was an episode of PBS's Frontline called "Growing Up Online." We don't have kids yet, but it's in our future, and eventually our kids will be teenagers. I graduated from High School only 13 years ago, and the experience of being a teenager has completely changed. This new generation doesn’t know what life was like before the web.

Continue reading "Growing Up Online"

As VP, Director of Production Procurement I am some times called upon to mediate "issues" that have developed between a production team and a supplier. My first responsibility is to carefully listen to both sides of an "issue" to truly understand it and then see if I can help lead both sides to a meaningful and equitable solution. All too often I find myself trying to mediate a situation that has formed through poor communications. Emails have been fired back and forth and quick phone conversations have been had and yet nothing has been placed in formal writing and signed by both parties. I'm sure you can see that whatever the "issue" might be it is based in an honest miss-understanding between parties. The fact that there hasn't been anything placed in formal writing which shows the resulting "understanding" means there can't be an "oh, that's what you meant?" moment!

Continue reading "Talk it out, write it down and sign it"

I'm reading today on Wal-Mart's blog about their success in getting all the laundry detergent manufacturers to concentrate their products so they come in smaller bottles, use less fuel to ship, use less plastic and cardboard to package. Obviously, this will affect the products offered in all retailers, not just Wal-Mart. Great achievement.

It makes so much sense not to dilute the detergents because it's just extra water in a bottle that you have to package and ship. So, extending the logic of this... I want to go on record as being the first person to think of this revolutionary idea: instant bottled water.

Yeah. Here's how it works. You go to Wal-Mart (or other participating retailer) and look in the bottled water aisle, down toward the end of the aisle on the bottom shelf. Buy a whole case of what appear to be empty bottles -- but don't worry, they're not empty; they contain the instant water. Just take them home, open the lid and add ordinary tap water, and voila, you have a bottle of water, suitable for dropping in your bag, taking on the go, and quenching your thirst.

Since instant water has negligible volume or weight, shipping costs will be vastly reduced, saving lots of fuel and reducing our carbon footprint. Try it today!

My colleague Matt Jones wrote another opinion piece published in B & T Magazine. In it he discusses whether a brand-based discipline should focus on driving sales.

“It’s all about the Benjamins” (money for those not fluent in hip hop speak), according to the artist formally known as Puff Daddy but now known as Diddy (or P. Diddy as he remains in some markets for legal reasons). That could also have served as the theme of Jack Morton’s global leadership meeting in Boston last month. Because money featured a lot. Specifically, how we can help our clients make more of it.

Continue reading "Retail or Brand?"