Next year, marketers will need to be faster, better and cheaper, according to BBDO and Proximity Canada’s newly released Top 10 Trends for 2010.
“We’ve seen a lot of evidence over the past few years that consumers were feeling enlightened, empowered and energized to make change for the better,” said Lynn Fletcher, BBDO’s chief strategy officer, in a statement. But just as consumers began demanding more corporate responsibility from big companies, the recession molded those intentions into something more “sober and reflective.”
Consumers are now in survival mode, Fletcher said. Here’s what her agency is telling its clients to look for in 2010.
1. “Smart is Cool” when it comes to personal finance and recreation (just see the success of video games like Brain Age). Marketers should give consumer the facts, and “tone down packaging glitz in favour of functionality.”
2. “Frugalista Power” will come into full force, so retailers can expect increased demand for low prices.
3. Products with longevity will do well. Buying fewer products that last longer is easier on the pocketbook and the landfill.
4. The “buy local” movement will grow, as people seek to keep local jobs and reduce the carbon costs of transporting goods. Regional advertising should be part of your plans.
5. The downturn produced “consumer-preneurs” who make money in innovative ways. Buying solar panels means selling power back to the grid, which gives such products a secondary market and another big selling point.
6. Being green is good, but saving green is better. Selling eco-friendly products will only work if they also save customers’ cash.
7. Online reputations count for a lot–who has the most views on YouTube or the highest Xbox gamer score? Products that bolster digital reputations will have an edge over competitors.
8. Communication is instant among consumers who use social media, so brands must be available 24-7 to talk to consumers in real time.
9. 2010 will be a “pro-am world” where professional grade products will find broader use in the consumer sphere. Companies should examine how they can “give power to the people” with higher-tier goods and services.
10. Google-before-you-buy is now part of the purchase cycle. Being part of the pre-retail conversation will be essential.
“As we move to a participation economy, we have to be able to [communicate] brand experience and involve consumers more in the brand story,” said Scott Griffith, vice-president, account planning.
The list was created from insights provide by the agency’s regular consumer panels and a handful of trend monitoring sources BBDO uses for research.
