Lay’s has selected the three flavor finalists in its “Do Us a Flavor” crowdsourcing contest. The new Lay’s flavors -- Cheesy Garlic Bread, Chicken & Waffles and Sriracha -- were chosen from nearly 3.8 million fan submissions gathered between July 20 and Oct. 6, 2012. Now, the three flavors are in stores nationwide, and consumer social media votes will determine which flavor wins --and therefore gets to stay on store shelves. (Frito-Lay Chief Marketing Officer Ann Mukherjee, speaking with Associated Press, allowed that while the intent is to keep the one that gets the most votes, the other flavors might also continue if they sell well. “We don’t know what’s going to happen,” she said.) The creator of the winning flavor will win $1 million or 1% of his/her flavor’s 2013 net sales, whichever is higher. From now until May 4, consumers can vote each day for their favorite finalist flavor on the Lay’s Facebook page; via Twitter using the hashtags #SaveChickenWaffles #SaveGarlicBread or #SaveSriracha; or via text message by texting “VOTE” to 24477 (CHIPS). The winning flavor will be revealed in May. Lay’s is launching a “Save Your Favorite” campaign to drive consumers to buy and try the three flavors, then vote on social media, reports Jennifer Saenz, senior marketing director for the brand. The brand will, of course, be reaching out to engage its nearly 6 million fans on Facebook -- the campaign’s hub -- and its Twitter followers (currently 10,600). In addition, Lay’s will employ search and paid banner ads on Facebook (the bulk of spending), Twitter and other social media, says Saenz, who notes that reaching consumers with ads when they’re just “one click away” is the most effective way to drive voting or the desired action on social media. The campaign also includes a TV spot that’s set to begin airing on Feb. 13, radio, public relations, and in-store promotions. This morning (Feb. 12), the three contest finalists are joining actress and restaurateur Eva Longoria, celebrity chef and restaurateur Michael Symon, and Frito-Lay and PepsiCo executives at the New York Stock Exchange to introduce the flavors and ring the opening bell. Following that event, samples of the three Lay’s flavors and Pepsi beverages will be dispensed from Frito-Lay’s all-electric delivery truck, parked outside the stock exchange. Longoria and Symon were among the chefs, “foodies” and flavor experts who judged the new-flavor finalists, which were then fully developed by Frito-Lay’s culinary experts.
The practice of examining merchandise in a traditional brick-and-mortar store only to find the item online via a mobile phone (a.k.a. showrooming) may present more of an opportunity than a threat to traditional retailers. According to research from analytics firm ForeSee, which surveyed more than 6,200 consumers during the holiday shopping season, about two-thirds (62%) of customers who used their phones in a retail store used their devices to access that store’s Web site or app, while only 37% used them to access a competitor’s site or app. “You can either look at is as a negative, or it’s an opportunity,” Larry Freed, CEO of ForeSee, tells Marketing Daily. “The opportunity is that people are coming into your store. If you’re going to use mobile as a companion channel, you want them to come to your site.” To capitalize on the opportunity, retailers should start looking at mobile devices as “companion tools” rather than as gateways to another sales channel, Freed says. That means optimizing a mobile Web site to provide more information about the products already in stores, making it easy to find products both in-store and through a mobile Web site and even promoting their mobile sites as information repositories within the traditional retail environment. “For most consumers, the number one driver about where they purchase is not price. They’re looking for a great experience overall, which includes price, availability and reputation,” Freed says. “There’s a lot of advantages that stores still have. If you get [consumers] in your store, you’ve got a fighting chance.” When it comes to the beginning of the shopping experience, however, mobile is not the place most consumers start. Only 6% of consumers visited a retailer’s Web site through a mobile phone (or through a mobile site or app) at the beginning of their shopping experience, compared with 57% who viewed a traditional Web site. For the survey, ForeSee also analyzed customer satisfaction rates among mobile shopping outlets. Amazon ranked the highest, with an index score of 85 (on a 100-point scale), followed by Apple (83), QVC (83), NewEgg (80) and Victoria’s Secret (80). Several retailers made notable improvements over last year’s scores, such as Target (+5), Victoria’s Secret (+5) and Barnes & Noble (+4), indicating that many retailers are beginning to understand how to use mobile. “Many saw an increase in their index over last year, which is very, very good,” Freed says. “It’s about knowing where you are and then continually improving that experience, and really understanding how consumers are using it.” "Mobile Shopping photo from Shutterstock"
Trojan is marking Condom Awareness Week with an innovative promotion. The company is using game show-style taxi trips in New York City and a history of condoms documentary to promote the brand. The rubber is literally meeting the road -- pun intended -- as the condom makers deploys a fleet of Trojan Safe Ride taxis to drive home the facts about condoms. Americans are invited to get in and gauge their sexual health IQ by participating in a condom trivia game while en route to their destination. On Feb. 14-15 from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m., people will have the opportunity to receive a complimentary "safe ride" in designated zones within New York City. Passengers who hail the Trojan Safe Rides will be asked to challenge themselves during this interactive trivia experience, aimed at providing passengers with accurate information about sexual health and condom usage. All passengers have the chance to win prizes. Brand ambassadors will be on foot in popular nightlife neighborhoods in New York City distributing information on how people can flag down a Trojan Safe Ride. The trivia experience begins as passengers enter the taxi and ends when the driver arrives at the passenger's destination, within the designated zones. Passengers who answer five or more questions correctly receive a Trojan prize pack. Those who answer all of the questions correctly win a year's supply of Trojan condoms. The brand is promoting the initiative at Facebook.com/TrojanCondoms "While using a condom is easy, it is important that people have the facts to ensure they are using them consistently and correctly, and that we continue to dispel the myths associated with condom usage," said Bruce Weiss, vice president of marketing for Trojan brand condoms in a release. The initiative coincides with the launch of the Condomology web site, a consumer-friendly sexual health resource developed in partnership with the American Sexual Health Association. Consumers can log on to view a new short film documenting the historical journey titled "The History of Condoms." Narrated by some of the most renowned sexual health experts and historians, the documentary takes a look at the evolution of the condom, from its beginnings in ancient Egypt to the innovations of present day. Experts from the Center for Sexual Health Promotion at Indiana University, Museum of Sex, Dittrick Medical History Center, ASHA and Trojan take a look at how condoms have impacted American history.
Toyota's Scion division is continuing its focus on art, personalization and entrepreneurship with "Make Every Second Count." The effort, via San Francisco-based Attik, which has been Scion's AOR since the brand's inception, focuses on five young entrepreneurs representing a variety of business categories. Each documents his or her life and talks about how Scion represents said lifestyles and endeavors. The campaign comprises an online video series and a pointillistic TV ad featuring one-second snippets from each of the videos. Thus the "Every Second" headline. Scion helped out, giving each of the five -- Oakland-based chef, author and activist Bryant Terry; Travis Hayes Busse, a San Francisco music promoter; L.A.-based bicycle retailer and cycling advocate Daniel Farahirad; Levi Maestro, a Los Angeles filmmaker and Web personality, and Lisa Nativo, a food truck owner in L.A. -- a handheld video camera, and each also got a different Scion car model for two weeks. Once finished, they handed their footage to documentarian Doug Pray, who grabbed the best stuff from each and made a series of three-minute films that live on Scion's YouTube channel and home page. For traditional TV there are three national broadcast spots, per the automaker. The "Make Every Second Count" effort extends "What Moves You," Scion's integrated campaign launched last fall to coincide with the introduction of the Scion FR-S sports car and iQ mini-subcompact. The campaign also adheres to the brand proposition has articulated since its launch in 2003: Scion (versus everyone else) is about personalization and using after-market possibilities to express oneself. Scion might get more traction now than it did when Toyota launched the brand in 2003: social media channels like Facebook and Twitter have made self-expression, self branding, and all kinds of self-promotion almost mandatory. Scion also has used the "What Moves You" platform to argue that it isn't a something-for-everyone brand, but a brand meant to appeal to a younger more experimental crowed. Others -- Nissan, when it launched the "Shift_" campaign, used that "we're not a one-size fits all brand" idea to help create its more performance-oriented identity. The Scion campaign also puts more of a spotlight on the brand's long-time promotional relationship with art, music, design and automotive enthusiasts. In October, Scion extended "What Moves You" with "Motivate," offering creative types and artists a chance to link up with business mentors, receive up to $10,000, and get a Scion vehicle.
Of the more than 150,000 new toys debuting at this week’s Toy Fair, industry trendspotters say they are seeing plenty of retro inspiration, as well as 360-degree playthings that allow kids to surf through virtual worlds, and a resurgence in construction sets. And the Lego Group is already emerging as a big winner, with its Lego Friends, a construction set aimed primarily at girls, taking home honors as the Top Toy of 2012. (It also won for the top girl toy of the year.) But the toy industry is anything but child’s play these days, between economic concerns, cautious consumers and a declining birthrate. The NPD Group says that despite a late December surge in toy buying, U.S. retail toy sales totaled $16.5 billion, a slight decline from the $16.6 billion recorded in 2011. The best-performing categories were building sets, arts & crafts, dolls and infant/preschool. The biggest decliners? Stuffed animals, outdoors and sports toys, vehicles, games and puzzles. Innovation could change that, and the Toy Industry Association says its annual trade show is its biggest ever. Now in its 110th year, the TIA expects it to draw more than 33,000 toy insiders, including 20,000 retailers, with over 1,000 toy companies exhibiting. The TIA says other major trends, which will be reflected in what kids will clamor for next holiday season, include plenty of pop culture influences, especially DIY toys inspired by reality TV shows. Tech twists are everywhere, such as Barbie’s Digital Makeover Mirror, which uses facial tracking to change an iPad into a mirror, letting girls dabble in eye shadow, lipstick, and glitter onscreen. Hasbro, unveiling its new Beast Hunters, the latest in its Transformers brand, says the creatures come to life across programming, digital games, and publishing. Toy behemoth Mattel is also relaunching action hero Max Steel for the tween boy audience, and serving up a big push behind Barbie. This year, the middle-age fashion doll has put her Malibu Dreamhouse on the market for $25 million and is currently house-hunting, an effort that includes online engagement as well as retail touchpoints. More big news: MGA Entertainment’s Bratz dolls had a growth spurt, and are now two inches taller than previous models.
Pizza Hut is offering a Valentine’s Day solution for procrastinators. Between Feb. 11 and 13, those who tweet @PizzaHut using the hashtag #LastMinuteLovers with a plea for help will have a chance to win one of 24 daily (one per hour) Last Minute Lovers Packages. The packages include a bottle of the chain’s perfume, Eau de Pizza Hut, and a $20 Pizza Hut gift card good for a Lover’s Pizza or the new Big Pizza Sliders. The packages will be mailed in time to arrive for Valentine’s Day. Pizza Hut offers four different Lover’s Pizza varieties. The Big Pizza Sliders, available in three different recipes with up to three toppings each, are sold nine to a box for $10 or three for $5. The V-Day promotion is open only to U.S. residents of the 48 contiguous states.
The goal of business and marketing is to close the sale, and today we’re doing that by optimizing the “right” offer and taking away any barriers to purchase in the moment, in turn simplifying the decision process. Why this focus? Because shoppers are demanding the right product (targeted) at the right price (best value) at the right place (online convenience or the in-store experience) and at the right time (immediately). While the business that seals the deal no doubt wins, the shopper is the ultimate winner with the spoils of a shopping victory that meets her needs with the least amount of hassle. From offline to online, we’re seeing examples of retailers using advanced technology to put together the “right” offers for these savvy buyers. A retailer's worst nightmare is when a buyer finds that right product at the right price but encounters an obstacle when trying to purchase. That can take the form of a shopper rethinking the purchase or encountering a long, daunting checkout line that makes the purchase not worth the wait. To overcome these barriers and avoid the lost sales opportunity, retailers such as JCPenney, Nordstrom, Costco, and Sam’s Club are arming their sales staff with mobile checkout devices. Shoppers no longer need to wait in line to pay, making it the “right time” and that much easier to close the sale. A new technology, EyeSee, uses a camera with facial recognition software hidden in a mannequin to collect and analyze shopping patterns and demographics. The mannequins are made by the Italian company, Almax, and are currently in use in the U.S. and three European countries. It can be used by offline retailers to help them personalize offers and enhance sales: the right time depending on when there are more or fewer shoppers in-store, the right place depending on traffic flow within the store, and the right products based on who is shopping. On the e-commerce side, one of the basic issues is waiting for the product you ordered to arrive. Tackling that challenge is a new service aptly called eBay Now (available in San Francisco and parts of New York City) that provides same-day delivery, often in less than an hour. Shoppers place orders with local stores using a smartphone app, and eBay uses a courier service to get products to shoppers at the right time. The $5 delivery fee also gets it to them at the right place whether it's the office, gym, park or home. In essence, it’s now okay if you do leave home without it. For instance, let’s say you are at the park, it’s colder than you expected, and you don’t have any gloves. Place your order and eBay Now’s valet will deliver it to the park in under an hour. It's the job of the marketer to deliver this set of “right” attributes to the shopper. It requires a deep understanding of shopping behavior from need states to occasions to trip types, and then simplifying the shopper’s purchase process. According to a study by the Corporate Executive Board, simplifying the decision process can result in increased purchase, customer loyalty, and recommendations to others -- key metrics a marketer wants to influence. Therefore, the objective is to present the “right offer” and simplify the choice, thereby giving the shopper confidence in her selection.
There's a famous Zen saying: “The obstacle is the path.” It could have been uttered by a shopper marketer. Why? Because shopper marketing is about understanding the shopper's path and influencing her past the obstacles to purchase. The analytical side of shopper marketing is no different. The complexity of the shopper journey tests our ability to measure and analyze exactly what's working. Here are 10 ways to overcome the obstacles to smarter analytics -- and to generate more sales. 1. Align shopper programs and analytics with other marketing and sales efforts. Shopper marketing sometimes inhabits its own niche in marketers' minds and organizations. But it will contribute mightily if it is part of "the whole picture" and aligned with other drivers, such as sales goals and above-the-line campaigns. This means that shopper marketers must leave their silos. And here's another reason why traditional marketers should embrace their shopper colleagues: there is evidence that successful shopper marketers are good collaborators by nature -- and high achievers in the corporate setting. 2. Push manufacturer and retailer collaboration. Granted, these parties increasingly are in competition. But a recent GMA/Booz & Co. survey found that 87 percent of manufacturers either "agree" or “strongly agree” that the recent emphasis on shopper solutions has improved their collaborative relationships with retailers. This is welcome news, because GMA/Booz & Co. pointed out in a separate report three years ago that refusal to collaborate over shopper insights makes it harder for either party to sell its own management on shopper initiatives going forward. 3. Don't skip shopper marketing research because of a small budget. Experts can suggest an appropriate measurement/analytics program for virtually any budget. When done right, sometimes small, data-driven studies on shopper specifics can allow inferences about other areas, like brand equity. Small data provides the “why” to big data's "what." 4. Don't fall prey to perfectionism or insecurity. A recent article noted that while traditional above-the-line advertising often has murky ROI, shopper marketing is expected to be somehow more measurable. Thus, the article notes, “within the walled gardens of their companies, shopper marketers lament the shortcomings of their methods, even when they are relatively minor." Measure a range of shopper behaviors that contribute to ultimate success or illuminate the road to ROI (such as factors like increased aisle turn-in, shelf engagement and advocates/reviewers). 5. Experiment and consider something new. In traditional advertising, measurement systems are mature, so the question is which marketing tactics to measure. But in shopper marketing, you also need to experiment with the measurement systems themselves. So take stock often: a top ConAgra marketer said recently that he advocates a “measure, learn, change” approach with very frequent reviews, where you're not only studying results but the efficacy of the measurement and analytics themselves. 6. Don't measure just to measure – envision what success looks like. “It is tempting to use the metric we can easily get rather than measure the real objective of the program,” said Tracey Doucette, SVP, customer strategy, field and shopper marketing at PepsiCo, in the same issue of 7. Incorporate social media analytics. Social, mobile, newer digital touchpoints: the measurement models aren’t wrong, but social isn't directly driving a lot of sales yet. It will, however, so the question is: “When do I start taking money away from established mechanisms, and how much?” You can spend a flat $10 million in TV today and generate results now, but you will need a more sophisticated mix soon. 8. Remember, shopper marketing isn't just about sales. So be sure to measure what each element really can achieve. Yoplait's successful “pink lid” campaign benefiting Susan B. Komen for the Cure is a powerful shopper-centric cause-marketing campaign. it can be measured in terms of brand perception and its ripple effect, not just its strict sales results. 9. Get a creative's opinion. Good creatives have insights into how shoppers think and behave. Just as the numbers can inform creatives’ insights, creatives’ insights can strongly inform the assumptions your researchers make about what behaviors to measure and how. 10. Remember that shopper measurement and analytics will never stop getting better. There is a gap between the distinct goals of brands (brand loyalty, sales lift and category share) and retailers (store loyalty, basket size and category growth). But evolving best practices are bridging these gaps with shopper programs and analytics to benefit ambitious brands right now. Shopper marketing is about removing obstacles to purchase. These 10 tips can help you remove the obstacles to better measurement and analytics.