Trends

Here’s where we’ll comment on what we’re seeing that’s happening out there in the world. Or what we think might be happening. Or what isn’t happening. You know, comments on things trendish.

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7-Nov American or Americana? Is Brand America back?

Suddenly it may be cool to be an American, or at least what Yahoo is reporting. The decision Tuesday night has sparked re-interest in America worldwide after eight years of steady abandonment of brand America.

Germany US Election

I started thinking about this a bit as we find some of our major American brands in a bit of a crisis. What does ‘Brand America’ mean now going forward? What can these brands (i.e. GM, Ford, Chrysler) learn from the current patriotic vibe?

In a previous post I talked about a focus group we ran here in Portland with aged 30 something females – moms, career women, and business owners. When asked, ‘What does it means to buy American”, we heard 2 key things which I think are evocative of the American brand movement to come:

“If I’m investing in American, I feel like I’m investing in corporations that move slowly and are totally out of touch.”

“Local is the new buying American.”

The new American brand is definitely not nostalgic, nor is it all emcompassing. It’s small, personal, intimate, and shares the interests of its community. So how do the big brands begin to embrace this? Well that’s where it starts to get interesting….imagine the possibilities. We are…

-Melissa

29-Oct Authentically Trying to Be Authentic

If you’ve been on any consumer trends blog lately, the latest buzz word for brands is authenticity. Whether it’s packaged as sincerity, approachability, or transparency – it’s all the rage. Perhaps you know this, unless you’ve been living under your anti-brand rock (I can say that – I live in the anti-brand capital of the US – Portland, Oregon). Ironically, though, the anti-brand movement probably shows us the best examples of what ‘authenticity’ really means for a brand in real time.

So why bring this up when nearly every branding firm has been blogging about this for upwards of a year now? Consumer confidence at an all time low, credit crisis blah blah – brands don’t have time to deal with issues of authenticity. Right? Wrong.

It’s actually one of the best times to consider the concept of authenticity – now, more than ever, people (note, I did not say consumers), are looking for something to believe in. And they want you to remember that they are people, not a consumer – not a number or statistic.

I sat in on a wonderful focus group dinner yesterday evening with a group of Gen X women. Overwhelmingly, this group of very intelligent moms, career women, and business owners, have lost all trust in the corporations and vast majority of brands that are on the market. Why? They feel that the priorities of most brands are in the wrong order. OR they aren’t aware of what those priorities are. And honestly, that’s not their fault.

What has resulted is that they have, on their own, assembled a small niche of brands that they trust. And the reason they trust them are often the following reasons:

1. The brand has a personal endorsement from a close friend.
2. The brand invested in educating the woman about the brand, the company – the magic behind the curtain. I can’t stress this enough. Education is key.
3. The brand has reached them how the woman wants to be reached, not the other way around.

If you haven’t noticed lately, there is a return to the concept of ‘neighborhood;’ reaching the customer where they are, offering tailored choices in smaller, customized formats. There is a logical reason for it. Here in Portland, a local series of stores called New Seasons are trusted more than Whole Foods according to our focus group. The reason being that the stores have stressed education, learning and service, and the brand principles amongst the employees, and thus it is sincerely extended to anyone who enters the store. You can feel it, taste it, and touch it. And in return, they earned the trust of every customer who interacted with an educated employee.

In authenticity you often find the element of trust. And that trustworthiness is not given, it’s earned. And it’s earned through education of not only every customer….but also every employee. And that isn’t authentically trying to be authentic, it’s called building a brand culture.

21-Oct The New Equation for Small

So according to a Boston Globe article, Americans are finally downsizing. I think it still remains to be seen as an across the board trend, but I have been seen encouraging signs that the days of the McMansion are coming to an end. As we become more conscious of the spaces we occupy and the energy we consume, I think the notion of quality over quantity may be hitting the mainstream. Or at least I am encouraged by the signs of a potential tipping point.

Here in Portland, I see similar trends not just for the gen y consumers, but baby boomers as well with renewed interest in smaller, modern spaces that emphasize efficiency along with high design. 500-700sf is no longer viewed as for the ‘Just Out of College’ crowd, but for many different demographics who value a modern, conscientious lifestyle. Check out http://www.cyanpdx.com/, CYAN PDX by Portland’s own, Gerding Edlen.

We’re seeing parallel industries react to this as well. The Boston Globe reported on how the furniture industry is reacting by scaling down furniture to service the new spaces. Efficiencies learned and honed in the boating/yacht industry are being incorporated once again – how to maximize space and utility of a single piece.

The car industry industry is journeying down a new, but excitingly similar path of downsizing. Check out the Nissan Pivo.

So what does this mean? Well, I think the key to remember is small = quality, not cheap. Europeans have know this for decades, but we are just beginning to change our mindset as a culture who has historically associated big with status and prestige. Now, we’re trying to convince a culture that the opposite is now true.

“There is a whole new change in the way people look at luxury. It’s moving away from being in-your-face, conspicuous consumption to how you feel in your environment,” Danziger said. “It’s a new, more European approach. It’s not the size, it’s what you’ve got in the home.” (Boston Globe, 20 Oct 2008)

Anyone seen any interesting ’smaller’ designs out there? What are the best solutions for smaller spaces?

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16-Oct Redefining Luxury

So I saw this article in NY Times today:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/16/fashion/thursdaystyles/16MONEY.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Basically stating that the luxury market that everyone thought impervious to the state of the economy is taking a hit.

The Big Question of the Day:

Retailers are faced with a dilemma that is partly economic and partly psychographic: How do they convince consumers of luxury goods to loosen their wallets when even the wealthy are showing signs of cutting back?

Perhaps a better question – what is luxury now in 2008? Remember the near luxury craze of 2000-2005 when EVERYONE had to have a Coach purse and Tiffany launched a $100 line of jewelry for the aspirational consumer? It meant something to go to that store and experience the brand – the bag on your arm afterward was symbolic of the special treatment you received when you went to Tiffany’s.

What does it mean now? What does it mean for a luxury hotel, The Nines’, opening at one of the worst times in history?

I think perhaps as I stand in line at another self service kiosk, or wait 20 minutes online in a never ending automated phone tree, or sigh.. when the Macy’s employee (yes, I even ventured back in there) asks me if they can help me with style advice and I know that it’s a lost cause, I think we need to return to the concept of ’service.’ Or perhaps reinvent it in new terms of 2008.

Like the president of Nordstrom said:

“You’ve got to put yourself in the minds of customers,” said Pete Nordstrom, a president of Nordstrom. “We just have to be a lot better to try to earn their business.

-Melissa

Let me know what you think below…

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14-OCT Rye Whisky

Two words:

Rye whiskey.

I predict this is the next big thing in the spirits category, behind gin. Certainly the next big thing in whiskey.

Not that it’ll be as big as vodka, gin, or tequila, but it’s about to make a big comeback.

It’s an old American tradition that got lost sometime in the latter 20th century.

My oh my, it can be good. A bit drier than bourbon and a bit more refined, at least the few ryes I’ve sampled.

- Doug