Consumer trends from my top flat drawer

You know how that top flat drawer of your desk tends to gather miscellaneous business cards, coins, paperclips and rubber bands? When you come across some small item you don’t know what to do with… you toss it in that drawer. But eventually, the drawer is full and you have to clean it out.

The same thing happens when you collect ideas and consumer trends. Here are seven trend thoughts that were too good to throw away…

Observation 1: Nostalgia is making a comeback. It’s not surprising that in times of extended stress, humans like to think of happier times.

Implication: Consider how your product or service “brings back the good ol’ days.” Whether you’re selling cars (“Remember your very first car? You’re going to feel that good about driving your new 2010 _____”)… or if you’re selling pancakes (“Remember sleeping over at grandma’s house? When you woke up in the morning, she’d have _______”). People are enjoying a look back at the good old days; an emotion you should consider tapping into. (I was reminded of this by a recent article in Media Post.) Note: I also saw an interesting Research Brief, not long ago, that suggested people are taking comfort in focusing on the future, too.

Observation 2: Mobile is going to be a very crowded space. A good friend of mine, Joseph Naylor, recently suggested that I create an “Elm Street App” for people who use an i-Phone or Droid. Today, I set-out to give it a try, using the site Joseph suggested. But the company had temporary suspended accepting new customers, due to overwhelming response. (How would you like to have that problem!?)

Implication: Just building an “App” won’t make you a winner in the mobile space. There are well over 100,000 apps available for the i-Phone, and another 30,000 or so available for the Android. (Surely, the Nexus One will also command the attention of developers. Just as having a website does not insure success on the Internet… your mobile app must be designed with relevance in mind.

Observation 3: Less window shopping, more closet shopping. With frugality in mind, consumers are less inclined to “browse the mall” as a means of killing time; they know that unless a specific item is needed, window shopping risks the temptation of buying things we don’t need (and who has money for that?!). Instead, consumers are “shopping” their own closets… looking around to see what new combinations of clothes and accessories can be mixed and matched… in an effort to come up with a new look.

Implication: If you’re in the apparel business, consider suggesting accessories—or separates—that can help create a whole new look (at a modest price). My thanks to friend Gene Vidler in Tulsa for sending the Yahoo Finance article that held this suggestion; he received it from morning host Joe Kelley at KRMG/Tulsa. Same place this next idea came from…

Observation 4: We’re volunteering more, and re-defining success. People might not be able to write as big a check as they used to for the charity of their choice… but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to give. These days, they might be more likely to give of their time, through volunteerism (something I’ve also referred to as “experiential philanthropy”). I’ve been writing about the consumer’s search for authenticity for quite some time, now… and that doesn’t just refer to the things they buy. People would like to live a life that is deeper than “veneer.” Same goes for their career; with paychecks cut or frozen in some cases, people are more likely evaluate their job based on whether it is personally satisfying, intellectually stimulating and emotionally gratifying.

Implications: What are the “core” benefits of the product or service you sell? Beyond the tangible attributes, are there ways your goods speak to matters of self-esteem, giving back, or a greater good? Once upon a time, marketers could sell their wares as if they were trophies… in a world that was trying to keep up with the Jones’. In a climate like this one, however, it might be more important to sell the authentic, values-based benefits of your product line. (i.e., “It’s not a mini-van, it’s a discovery vessel that will take you to new places together.”)

Observation 5: Hand-me-ups are hip. Okay, at first I thought it was kind of strange… when my oldest son walked up to me and gave me a pair of jeans he had grown out of. “They’re still perfectly good,” he said, “they just don’t fit me.” Turns out I was on the cutting-edge of fashion, according to JWT.

Implication: Same as item #3, above. Read about it in this Media Post story from last month, along with…

Observation 6: Indulgence off-setting. One might think of this as a new phrase meaning “pent-up demand,” courtesy of Icono-culture. It basically means a family can go only so far when it comes to cutting back. Eventually, all of that self-denial actually becomes the rational for a splurge.

Implication: Keep listening to the consumer, and be ready to position yourself as “a long over-due reward or treat.”

And finally.

Observation 7: More torches and pitchforks. Consumers want to yell at someone… for everything from government bailouts to bank bonuses to unemployment to… whatever. All of this has to be someone’s fault, right!?

Implication: In the past, I've referred to this as "the retaliatory consumer." If you’re close-by when they’re in the mood to be cranky—and you make a mistake—don’t be surprised if the consumer channels their general frustration toward you. Or, you can be pro-active, and present your goods (or your company) as the empathetic listener, or, “The one thing you can count on.” (Also from the Media Post story.)

Thanks for letting me clean-up my consumer trend desk. I feel much better now.

Mike Anderson