A couple years back, we repositioned two local health facilities under one name. Throughout our insight investigation, one fundamental truth drove our brand development: no pain, no gain gyms don't appeal to people any more. Nowadays, people want a workout that suits their personal needs. The result? We created Miramont Lifestyle Fitness - and just about every one of their attendance records has been shattered since we launched the new name.
Contrast that idea with this brash new approach for Denver's Anti-Gym. Let's just say this dude didn't find the same research we did.
Nintendo has taken the world of gaming consoles by storm. With a firm understanding that players want more immersive and original game play, not merely flashy graphics, Nintendo introduced the Wii and targeted a much broader audience than any of its competitors. The result... demand that until recently has required waiting in line for hours each week for the mere chance of putting your hands on your very own Wii. And even more impressive, Wii sales have overtaken the Microsoft Xbox 360, which has been on the market for almost a year longer.
Further proof of the Wii's popularity rests in a new social phenomenon – the Wii party. The online party planner Evite has capitalized on the trend with special Wii invitations, menus, and even decorating tips. So now it's cool to get together with friends and play video games. And all this success surrounds one simple, yet crucial, concept... something we call insight.
Trendwatching.com has started an insightful snapshot look into big demographic trends (baby boomers, women, the gay community, etc.) As we research our campaigns and brand identities, it's always important to be reaching the intended audience in innovative ways. Take women for example...
"Women. The Mega Niche. The under-served market of all markets. And so on. Just consider the fact that women, who comprise just over 50% of the U.S. population, make over 80% of the consumer purchasing decisions (and in case you're wondering, consumer spending accounts for two-thirds of U.S. GNP). Consulting firm A.T. Kearney estimates that women determine 80 percent of consumption, purchase 60 percent of all cars and own 40 percent of all stocks."
A study cited in the Science journal found that women and men talk about the same amount - roughly 16,000 words per day (women came in at 16,215 while men were recorded at 15,669.) Researchers tapped 396 American and Mexican college students and calculated the findings over a period of 2 to 10 days in 1998, 2001, 2003, and 2004. According to the researchers, no one had ever systematically recorded the total daily output, in natural conversations, of a sizable number of people. It seems they wanted to squash the stereotype that women are more talkative than men. But did this study hit all of the appropriate demographics? Is it a true sampling of men and women in our society today?
Most people with any journalistic bent at all have heard of the 5Ws (who, what, when, where, why... and the first cousin, how). Generally, news stories answer these questions at a minimum and build out from there – all well and good in a reactive, "just the facts, ma'am" sort of way.
In the marketing world, one of these things isn't like the others. One question goes right to the heart of the matter and demands results in a way the others can only dream of doing. Consider for a moment the staggering potential of "why?"
In the past, designers were limited to Pantone swatches and color theory books to select color palettes for clients. Since that advent of the Internet, numerous web-based tools have been created to explore color in new and creative ways.
The latest and greatest tool is Kuler from Adobe. With Kuler you can explore color by using various rules, such as analogous, monochromatic, and triad. Of course that mumbo-jumbo might not mean much to you if you slept through color theory class like I did -- but regardless Kuler is a fun, easy way to get to places with color that you might not have considered.
For the 2007 Veterinary Dermatology Meeting, Heska Corporation needed a way to connect with attendees and get them to the booth. But how? After all, vet dermatologists are a very science-driven and educated bunch, but also skeptical of marketing. The answer? A $6 puzzle.
"No pain, no gain." Most people quiver at the sheer mention of those words. And if you hate the sound of it, why would you pay money to join a gym that exemplifies that very message? After a thorough investigation of industry trends, consumer preferences, and the competitive environment, Miramont decided to steer clear of that mantra and embrace the idea of health and wellness at their two gyms.
Sometimes everyone needs a little jolt – even the provider of high-tech energy intelligence products, Comverge. When you're in need of investment capital to expand your business, the only solution is to inject some energy into your brand. Become a major industry player on the move – and make sure everyone knows it too.
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