Special Consumer Insights

Implications - From home and product design to paintings and performing arts, the Beijing Olympics managed to inspire a lot of creativity. Both officially sponsored artwork, like dance performances to hype the games, and the works of Olympic fan designers, like themed home wash basins, were abundant.

Implications - A range of mass scale innovations and designs are expected to be created by 2012, and an endless stream of promises are being made for the changes we should expect. In the next three years, the world is hopeful to see many more green innovations and dedicated advances to help moderate climate change.

Implications - “With Glowing Hearts,” Vancouver will play host to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. As the Sea to Sky region is transformed into welcoming grounds for the world’s best athletes and global media, the BC city will become a marketer’s haven. Studying west coast innovation now offers insight into what may appeal.

Implications - Throughout the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the vuvuzela caught the attention of millions. Due to its ear-splitting sound, the noisemaker has experienced a love/hate relationship among consumers—a relationship that marketers are more than happy to exploit. Familiar global symbols such as this have the power to appeal to various industries, whether professional sports, fashion or video games.

Implications - While some would never dream of tampering with the traditional image of Santa Claus and other holiday motifs, some consumers and companies are doing just that. Whether it's a DIY project or a brand's novelty product, these remakes on tradition provide a shock factor that many consumers, who wish to go against convention, embrace.

Implications - Having a Christmas tree is an integral part of holiday decorating, but more consumers are looking to eco-friendly and novel alternatives to the living, breathing aboreal. Available today is everything from plastic to cardboard tannenbaums for environmentally friendly celebrating, while at the same time brands are appealing to novelty by creating things like drink barrel trees and toy brick trees, which also serve to cultivate a company's branding and marketing message.

Implications - While there are many innovations encouraging love, romance and commitment -- especially around Valentine's Day -- many of today's consumers view being single as a good thing. Now, there are innovations that help consumers break up with their partners and play the field, ranging from online break-up services and affair-encouraging campaigns to hotels that cater specifically to singles. These innovations aid and even encourage singledom, suggesting that today's notion of love and romance has changed remarkably from what it was in previous generations.

Implications - Sarcastic humor is an increasingly appealing form of comedy that's being integrated into products that are typically understood to be more predictable. Taking the place of sentimental statements in greeting cards, fashion and more, consumers are showing a preference for humorous and somewhat subversive statements with an edge.

Implications - The cheeky humor of Internet culture is spilling into the real world as consumers use often profane greeting cards to show their appreciation. This seemingly antithetical approach denotes young consumer preference for everyday irony and humor to better interact with members of their generation.

Implications - Seeking to capture the sentimental qualities associated with holidays, brands are showcasing seasonal references during unexpected times of the year. Allowing consumers to experience the joy and familiarity that comes with certain holidays like Christmas, brands are incorporating icons like Santa Claus into non-seasonal campaigns, using holiday references to connect with viewers on a more emotional level.