Research
A Sneak Peek at the Second Annual Freshman Forecast
More than ever, we believe that our dreams for the future influence our behaviors today. That makes examining the results of our second annual Freshman Forecast exciting and important. Investigating where today’s college students see themselves at the age of 30 can significantly impact how we educate them today. As marketers, it enables us to communicate with them in a way that will better resonate and motivate them toward achieving their dreams while considering and attending your institution.
The survey gave respondents the opportunity to express their own ideas about the future through free-form narrative guided by hypothetical scenarios. The result is an electrifying gaze into their crystal ball that just might demonstrate a need for all of us to radically change our student engagement model. For example, 67% of respondents believe they will have earned a graduate degree by age 30. That points toward the need to partner early with undergraduates to create a pathway to graduate degree achievement within your institution. Another finding indicated that today’s student expects to hold several jobs by the time they turn 30. That would indicate that now is the time to tackle the challenge of creating degree programs that prepare students for more than one career path.
Another good starting point might be to align your content with the positive outlook today’s students radiate. Specifically, your communications should reinforce the unique ways your institution personifies happiness and optimism. How can today’s students or prospects “make the world a better place” by attending your college or university?
We hope you’ll take this opportunity to download the compete study to see more of the correlations between your marketing efforts and reinforcing the future your students are striving for.
Excuse me, can you tell me where the Man Aisle is?
I’ve recently noticed a fair amount of media coverage on a supposed “phenomenon” – men who shop for groceries. Absurd, right?! From St. Louis, “Schnuck Markets released consumer research showing that 6 percent more men have become their household’s primary shopper compared to five years ago.” The story goes on to cite an ESPN study that found men do the shopping 31 percent of the time, up 14 percent from the 1980s.
The way most of the coverage is framed, you’d think it was 1942 again. While multiple reasons for men heading to the stores are cited, the weak economy is viewed as the biggest force at work here. Apparently more out-of-work men are home and need to pick up some of the chores. It is inferred that women are the “breadwinners” so men are forced to shop and prepare meals.
Never mind that men and women increasingly share household management duties and anecdotally grocery shopping seems way more fun than other “chores” – like vacuuming or cleaning the bathroom. Or that the incidence of marriage and “traditional families” in the US has plummeted (and has been declining for decades). Men are single “heads of household” and single parents, too. And if they don’t get to the grocery store once in a while, they’ll starve.
We’ve tracked the increase in male shopping – and their growing interest in food – in our last 5 years of buyer surveys here at CBD. Our recent research points to a much more meaningful trend – that is, guys actually enjoy exploring the grocery aisles. Men are cooking more, they like to try new things and they are taking responsibility for what they eat.
This year, we’ve found that:
- Younger men (29 and under) often shop for themselves and are motivated most by convenience. They shop often (not stocking up on items), shop quickly and purchase spontaneously.
- Gen X men (30–45) are the least likely to shop for specific dietary needs. These are the guys often shopping for a family. Expedience and budget are their primary drivers.
- Boomer men (46–60) are more leisurely shoppers who are not as convenience oriented and the least price-conscious of any group, male or female.
Most retail environments and product manufacturers struggle with how to attract the male shopper. It’s funny to read about stores setting up a “man aisle” with beer, batteries and beef jerky. Seriously? Men are that stereotypical? Maybe so. But there are more meaningful ways to get their attention, such as product sampling. Men in our survey said they will often purchase a product they try at a store, regardless of price, if they like it. And once a man likes a product, his loyalty is far higher than that of his female counterpart’s.
Retailers may also consider other strategies for engagement outside of the store. Social media is a big channel in food/beverage, yet the influence of social media on product selection is much stronger for women than men. Women across all generations are 3x more likely than men to engage with brands via social media. Providing a unique social media experience for men could be an excellent area of exploration for brands and marketers.
Packaging and advertising may yet be other areas of opportunity. CPG companies and retailers have catered to women for so long, often portraying men as inept in the kitchen. Big mistake! In doing so, they have missed the opportunity to gain the loyalty of the second largest group of buyers.
We will soon be publishing our White Paper on our study. If you’d like a copy, please email James Patrick Schmidt at jschmidt@cbdmarketing.com.
What’s the Buzz for 2013?
Advertainment. Tri-ti-tasking. Phablets. According to Business News Daily, these are just a few words that will be buzzing in the upcoming year. In addition to expanding your vocabulary, these terms can also be used to predict industry-wide trends for 2013.
One such trend is a higher level of involvement between businesses and consumers. The word “advertainment,” for example, describes the shift in advertising from interrupting what people are interested in to actually being what they’re interested in. And the phrase “return on involvement” refers to the importance of brand involvement within communities in achieving a sound return on investment. Although people interact differently today, the value in making meaningful connections has not diminished.
Multi-tasking (or “tri-ti-tasking,” if you happen to be doing three things at once) is another commonality. Why just be an inventor, when you could be an “inventreprenuer?” And why choose between a smart phone or a tablet? There’s a “phablet” for that. Today’s consumer wants to have it all – in five syllables or less.
My personal favorite? “Alphanista,” the title for a successful, powerful woman who’s got it all together. It’s a word that encourages women to be ambitious – and presents a viable contender in the “when I grow up” category.
See the complete list of buzzwords here.
Let’s Talk Food
How do millennials and baby boomers shop? Can they tell the difference between leading, non-leading and lesser-known brands? What do they think of technology at the grocery store?
We asked our CBD team for their take on these questions and more in our three part video series, “CBD Talks Food”—and now it’s your turn.
Starting today until January 15, 2013 you can enter CBD’s “Say Cheese!” photo contest for your chance to win a party’s worth of Lou Malnati’s pizzas. Just find a creative way to share your favorite packaged food or beverage brand, and let us know what makes it so irresistible.
Need some inspiration? Check out parts one through three of “CBD Talks Food” below.
CBD Talks Food: Millenials v. Baby Boomers – Shopping Habits
CBD Talks Food: The Dish on Packaged Food and Beverage Brands
CBD Talks Food: Packaged Food/Beverage Brands and Technology
CBD Marketing’s Food Survey Goes Social
If you’re a pizza lover and handy with a camera, then CBD Marketing’s social media contest is for you. We recently completed our 2012 Food Survey about consumer shopping habits. And what complements a food survey better than free pizza?
The contest: Take a picture of your favorite store-bought food (No restaurant or “prepared” items!), tell us why you love the brand and enter to win.
The judges: Vice President of Public Relations & Social Media Jean Ban, Executive Creative Director Mary Olivieri and Co-CEO/President Liz Brohan
Where to enter: www.facebook.com/cbdmarketing Not a Facebook fan? Send your entry to cbdsocialmediacontest@gmail.com
When to enter: November 19, 2012 – January 15, 2013
The prize: A party’s worth of pizzas (four large pizzas valued over $80) from Chicago’s very own Lou Malnati’s, shipped anywhere in the U.S.
We encourage creativity; so, programs like Photoshop and Instagram are all fair game. Think outside the box. Surprise us. Better yet—Surprise yourself! Photos will not only be judged on the uniqueness of the item, but also on why you love the brand so much.
May the best foodie win!
Disclaimer: Facebook is in no way associated with this contest. If you are 18 years or younger, you must have your parent’s or legal guardian’s written permission to participate. CBD will not publish pictures that promote spam, are irrelevant to the contest or contain inappropriate language or items. For more information on CBD’s social contest, please visit read CBD’s official rules and guidelines, Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Advertising Holding Companies: Viva La Undistinguished Mega Brand!
Chicago recently lost two agency brands—Element 79 was dissolved and its people absorbed by Draft, and Euro was rechristened Havas. This is both good and bad.
What’s good is that divisions that underperform are going away. And agencies are practicing what they preach, applying some brand architecture to their own organizations.
What’s not working is that holding companies are turning into one big brand. From boutiques to some biggies, M&A’s assimilate talent and specialties once they’ve demonstrated their magic. The result is that the key team leaves, the agency loses its relevancy and ultimately turns into the “Denver office that does healthcare and pharma…” or something like that.
In some rare instances, acquired specialty shops, PR firms or media companies may be allowed to retain their independence for the purpose of continuing work on accounts that might represent a conflict with the parent agency.
But are office A and office B that different on a balance sheet? Not really. It’s very reminiscint of national and super-regional banks gobbling up smaller banks. You see it in Chicago, where the Bank of Montreal (BMO) bought hometown favorite Harris Bank.
It stayed Harris for a few years, and it’s now become BMO Harris. The red Harris logo has become blue (because the world needs more blue bank logos) and somewhere, in the not-too-distant future, the Harris name will probably be dropped all together. Then all that will remain are the megas. It’s BMO versus Chase versus Citi versus…
And we’re all clear on how differentiated these big banks are in the marketplace, right?
It’ll eventually be that way with agency holding companies as all the unique brands are absorbed. After all, these are business entities designed to create efficiencies and generate profit for their shareholders.
Viva La Mega Difference.
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