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Archive for the ‘Advertising’ Category

Who Is the New Consumer?

Tuesday, July 13th, 2010

A few weeks ago I tuned into a webinar hosted by a fantastic vendor and partner of ours, Valassis. Valassis is one of the nation’s leading media and marketing services companies. They deliver value to consumers how, when, and where they want through their consumer brand, Red Plum. Valassis also offers a tremendous variety of other products, from E-Marketing all the way to direct-to-door marketing. They pretty much do it all so I was very interested when the opportunity came my way for their “Finding the Silver Lining” Webinar.

The theme behind Finding the Silver Lining was to first determine “your new consumer.” Who is this new consumer and how do you determine who this person is now, as opposed to yesterday? As we are slowly coming out of the recession, consumers are redefining their needs and wants. Some products that were once “needs” are actually being pushed to “wants” in the eyes of consumers (i.e. IPhone vs. Blackberry). Since consumers are redefining their shopping purchases, it is our number one job as an agency to make sure our client’s products are staying in the need category. Unfortunately the good old days of solely creating awareness to create loyal customers is long gone and frugality will be sticking around.

According to Valassis “the new consumer” is limiting, deal-seeking, and trading down. This person is budget conscious and “all about the savings”, which requires us to speak differently to them in all aspects. The media outlets and the creative we use to communicate our message must approach this particular consumer differently. They are buying only needs, cutting back on luxury, postponing purchases, and making fewer purchases. We want our products to make that need list because 61% of consumers are in the “value seeking” category.

So…where is the Silver Lining? Answer: Disruptive Behavior. Purchasing behavior is a three step cycle: original habitual conditions, disruptive behavior (i.e. economy), then new conditions. We are in the “new conditions” now as we are coming out of the recession so we need to learn how to advertise to the “new consumer” that is living in them.

By Lindsay Reasner, Media Director

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Posted in Advertising, Food Marketing, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

The First 500 Billion Impressions

Wednesday, July 7th, 2010

Posted by Kelly, Senior Copywriter

We’ve all heard it at one time or another from our mother, “If your friend jumped off a bridge would you?” Of course not. That is unless your friend happens to be in the 6.2% of online adults who generates 80% of the influence impressions on social networking sites, or among the 13.8% of online adults who generate influence posts via a blog or a blog comment. Add all these impressions together and they reach the remarkable total of 500 billion impressions made yearly regarding products and services by influential online users.* Then, yes, you may just find yourself jumping off a bridge. Or trying a new product that you just can’t live without.

Now, let’s couple these impressions with the fact that women, who control 73% of household spending, make up 55%** of active users on social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and blogs. These figures reflect two key points for food marketers: one, your most influential consumers are online, they are blogging, they are Facebooking, they are tweeting. They are waiting to be engaged. Two, your influential consumers are actually easier to find and begin a dialogue with in order to gain your share of the 275 billion impressions women make yearly. You just have to reach out.

However, just as you shouldn’t jump off a bridge, you best watch your tone when engaging with these women. Simply put, it isn’t nice to fool Mother Nature and if you try and fool the Real Mom with false promises and a false, disingenuous tone, you’ll be the fool. Dubbed the Real Mom, by marketers, these women range in age from 24-45 and act as the emotional and operational core of her family’s life. These women plan the majority of meals, they do the grocery shopping, and they prepare the meals. All on top of working, very often, a full-time job and having the overwhelming feeling that personal time must be sacrificed for a clean and organized home.

Thus, when the real mom goes to unwind and relax in the evening, they do so, very often, online while chatting with friends or visiting social networking sites and blogs. And, because she is the core of her family’s values, very often she is connecting with friends regarding products that make an impact on her: what foods make her life easier at meal time; what healthy, all natural snack does she feel good about giving her kids; what yummy treat is she craving for a pick-me-up; what are her diet secrets. She is a real person, providing her real opinion, and she expects, in return, from her friends and her brands, Real Engagement. A community.

In recognition that her life is a series of trade offs, the Real Mom is willing to seek a sense of community online. Furthermore, she is seeking out brands that offer a community where she can be both engaged and entertained, as well as have a voice, and she knows her friends and other moms are looking for those brands who get what it means to be a Real Mom. As a food marketer you need to ask yourself: are you targeting the Real Mom? To meet the real mom on her terms, you have to first listen and then act. Respond to her comments, appreciate her ideas, and offer her support – these are actions that speak directly to her needs. These are the actions that will make a real impression - She and her friends will make the other 274 billion.

*Forrester Research, Inc., World Wide Research Center, 2010
** The Rise of the Real Mom, Ad Age White Paper

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Posted in Advertising, Food Marketing, Social Media | No Comments »

Does Your Brand Need a Makeover?

Friday, February 12th, 2010

There aren’t too many industries that have enjoyed an upswing during the past two years of the downward economy. That is, with the exception of private label food brands. Once akin to the dorky guy no one wanted to date, Wegmans, Target, even Walgreen’s Drug Stores, seeing their chance to woo shoppers with lower costs, improved quality and packaging, and raised expectations in terms of overall use, have created desirable private label products that no consumer is ashamed to take out for dinner – or breakfast, or lunch.

In fact, The Nielson Company, according to an article on Food Navigator-USA.com in December 2009, stated that sales of private label products have increased by 17 percent compared to two years ago – up 12 billion. So how do the name brand products rekindle their relationship with shoppers and compete with the sweetness of low costs and higher quality products?

Kraft, who many consider a staid and true traditionalist when it comes to marketing, have undertaken what many find successful when trying to rekindle the romance. A makeover. A new, modern look. A new, modern attitude.

Taking a holistic approach to marketing, Kraft has recently launched iFood Assistant, an app for the iphone; revamped it’s consumer website, similar to Campbell’s user friendly site; repackaged products giving them a clean more natural look, i.e. Kraft Natural Cheese; revised it’s Food and Family magazine; increased their presence on Facebook; and given fresh attitude to products like Miracle Whip depicting the spread as defiant and quirky to appeal to younger consumers. All while working to create foods that are tastier and more real while reflecting these qualities in their advertising. Advertising that tells a story. The consumer’s story.

The results? Sales have grown to $42 billion from $36 billion.

Looking mighty delicious there, Kraft.

Kelly Gartner, Copywriter

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Posted in Advertising, Food Marketing, Social Media, Uncategorized, creativity | No Comments »

Here’s the Beef

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

Just do it.
Where’s the beef?
Think different.
Got milk?

Tag lines for products and ads we all remember: Nike, Apple, The California Milk Processor Board, and Wendy’s.

Recently a small documentary was recognized at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival called Art & Copy. The topic – advertising and inspiration. As the copywriter here at Allebach I was excited to see this flick. I was excited to see if the biggies in “the business” had any deep, profound answers to how we, as creatives (the designers and writers), can do more for our clients. How these tag lines coupled with artistic inspiration became, not only ads that sold great products, but deeply embedded parts of our culture; thus, making the brands an even greater part of our culture.

Frankly, I’m not sure that I came away with any BIG answers. However, I did walk away with an even deeper belief that advertising, be it outdoor, TV, radio, print, web, social media based, or anything else the future may bring, is the key to making a product succeed. And how that success is achieved by making brave, memorable, simple statements, that are visually and verbally compelling, about a product’s USP. Statements that state the truth and speak to human emotion and need.

Take for example, Wendy’s, “Where’s the beef?” commercial. While the infamous commercial featuring three older women gazing at a huge bun with a miniscule beef patty, was mildly irreverent (for 1984), and certainly amusing, thus entertaining viewers, it also was an extremely powerful 30 second television spot. That’s right. 30 seconds. 30 seconds of a commercial that people couldn’t wait to see and a phrase that is forever a part of the American culture.

Why did the synergy of image and language work? Because of the humor? Sure. But more so, because it told a truthful, honest story. A normal fast food burger is small. All bun, no beef. Wendy’s skillfully highlighted the fact that their burger is fresher and larger. The commercial stated a fact that all fast food eaters had experienced: where is the beef in this burger? It raised questions regarding the freshness of the competition’s frozen burger patties. It showed a delicious, fresh mouthwatering burger. It made everyone laugh. It made everyone ask: “Where’s the beef?”

The commercial told the truth. It told a story.

Everyday, the team here at Allebach arrives ready to tell an honest, entertaining story about your brand. We dig deep. We illuminate the product’s truth. We seek out your, “Where’s the beef?”

Now, that’s some beefy advertising.

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Posted in Advertising, Food Marketing, creativity | No Comments »