It doesn’t take a genius to figure out whose buying this latest rage.
The brand that is behind it all is Purina.
The groups really buying into it are the “Young Pioneers,” “Blue Chip Homesteaders” and “Commuter Mosaics.” These three Middle Class American groups are purchasing anywhere from 35% to 78% more of these products than the population overall.
And both Fido and Sasha are the ones reaping the rewards.
For dogs… it’s Chef Michael’s Canine Creations “complete with vegetable garnishes and rotisserie flavors.”
For cats… it’s Prima Vera Recipes Appetizers for Cats “delightfully accented with fresh vegetables and succulent flavors.”
What’s driving the sales?
While the average Middle Class American household can get great lunch deals at Red Lobster for $6.99 each, those average dinner tickets are still running $18.00+ at dinner time.
As Trend Guru Faith Popcorn explains the fast growing trend called “Frugal Cocooning”…
“A thriftier, intensified, credit-crunched version of cocooning is emerging as a strong consumer trend the world over. Downsizing, cocooning – we have heard it all before: As the credit crunch and plummeting dividends are beginning to bite, visits to expensive restaurants and high-class foreign holidays are increasingly becoming unattainable for many people. As a result, home-made is fast becoming the buzzword.”
But…while Mom cannot always treat the whole family to the delicacies of the see or juicy steak filets hot off the grill, she can at least reward those loyal pets with a china plate of gourmet delight for less than a buck…88 cents to be exact.
Yes there’s always those $1 gourmet chocolate truffle bars, the world famous Two Bucks Chuck and those sinfully great Oreo rich flavored cookies… but after watching that house all day for you and licking you passionately with no barriers holding Fido back….Purina says it best with the question on the ads and POS…”Is you dog ready for a totally new dining experience?”
And “one taste is all it takes”!
Get out of the way Lays Potato Chips…
In this economy among the American Middle Class… Fido and Shasha are First!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
The New "Young Pioneer" Housing Boom!
A new housing boom?
I tell friends and colleagues about it and they all think that I am nuts!
Problem is that my colleagues are living in their $400,000+ residence and soon to celebrate turning 40 or worse yet, turning 50.
Fact is that the housing boom is being generated by the emerging Millennial home-buyers… most of which classify themselves as Middle-Class,
While nearly all of the coupled Millennials are dual-wage earners… most are still in the career forming years and even together, post incomes less than $75K.
The segment we nicknamed as the “Young Pioneers” is the group that is driving the trend right now.
And while some post concern about job stability, what is their main focus today?
Buying their first house.
There are news stories about homes under $175,000 that are going into bidding wars.
Yesterday, I spoke with a real estate developer over in Atlanta. They told me that the latest move he is strategically making is reducing down the size of the homes he is building and shifting the price-point from the 400’s to the low 200’s.
Go watch HGTV and see how the shows are being tailored to fit this group… everything from Property Virgins to First Time Homebuyers to For Rent.
HGTV also just aired their special Homeowner design competition in which most of the contestants were first time homebuyers and most age 35 or less!
Some of the observations I have made:
• No desire for a family room and a living room… one gathering room is good enough
• Space for a work-from-home office is critical…if coupled, hear a lot asking for enough space for two desks
• Some yard space is important… not looking for acreage, just space outside
• See outside space as an extension of the house and its square footage
• Attached bath to the master bedroom is important
• Green = Green … they are very eco-sensitive… bamboo floor is hot!
• Granite and stainless steel makes or breaks a kitchen – real is not a requirement…as long as it looks real…then its okay
• Wallpaper is OUT
• A fireplace is a centering point… a feature than anchors
• Many of the buyers are anti-carpeting… wood or tile floors are key
• Colors on the wall are also okay if they like the color!
• Furniture is going to be hot as longs as it captures good looks no matter what might be the design trend of the week!
Home Depot, Wa-Mart, Target and K-Mart are not only where the Millennials go to shop, but they are also the sources they turn to for counsel, ideas and advice.
Decorators and designers are okay, but they have to work within tight budgets and be prepared to give counsel in other areas like cooking and making beds!
If you want to find out more, seriously tune into HGTV… but also get those iPhones tuned into the hot links like Twitter!
Shoot…with the news release yesterday that you can post your pics on Bing, you can track the trend each time you search the net!
So…Hey, Let’s Journey!
I tell friends and colleagues about it and they all think that I am nuts!
Problem is that my colleagues are living in their $400,000+ residence and soon to celebrate turning 40 or worse yet, turning 50.
Fact is that the housing boom is being generated by the emerging Millennial home-buyers… most of which classify themselves as Middle-Class,
While nearly all of the coupled Millennials are dual-wage earners… most are still in the career forming years and even together, post incomes less than $75K.
The segment we nicknamed as the “Young Pioneers” is the group that is driving the trend right now.
And while some post concern about job stability, what is their main focus today?
Buying their first house.
There are news stories about homes under $175,000 that are going into bidding wars.
Yesterday, I spoke with a real estate developer over in Atlanta. They told me that the latest move he is strategically making is reducing down the size of the homes he is building and shifting the price-point from the 400’s to the low 200’s.
Go watch HGTV and see how the shows are being tailored to fit this group… everything from Property Virgins to First Time Homebuyers to For Rent.
HGTV also just aired their special Homeowner design competition in which most of the contestants were first time homebuyers and most age 35 or less!
Some of the observations I have made:
• No desire for a family room and a living room… one gathering room is good enough
• Space for a work-from-home office is critical…if coupled, hear a lot asking for enough space for two desks
• Some yard space is important… not looking for acreage, just space outside
• See outside space as an extension of the house and its square footage
• Attached bath to the master bedroom is important
• Green = Green … they are very eco-sensitive… bamboo floor is hot!
• Granite and stainless steel makes or breaks a kitchen – real is not a requirement…as long as it looks real…then its okay
• Wallpaper is OUT
• A fireplace is a centering point… a feature than anchors
• Many of the buyers are anti-carpeting… wood or tile floors are key
• Colors on the wall are also okay if they like the color!
• Furniture is going to be hot as longs as it captures good looks no matter what might be the design trend of the week!
Home Depot, Wa-Mart, Target and K-Mart are not only where the Millennials go to shop, but they are also the sources they turn to for counsel, ideas and advice.
Decorators and designers are okay, but they have to work within tight budgets and be prepared to give counsel in other areas like cooking and making beds!
If you want to find out more, seriously tune into HGTV… but also get those iPhones tuned into the hot links like Twitter!
Shoot…with the news release yesterday that you can post your pics on Bing, you can track the trend each time you search the net!
So…Hey, Let’s Journey!
Monday, April 6, 2009
What's Hot In Healthy American Middle Class Living!
Losing weight is the number one health challenge that many members of the American Middle Class face.
While the “dollar deals” extend the pocket book, the dollar biscuits, burgers and hash browns are also extending the waistlines and hips!
And stress from burning the time clock both mornings and nights is health challenge number two resulting in everything from acid reflux to insomnia to depression to anxiety disorders.
According to the Yankelovich Monitor, healthy life changes are a hot American Middle Class topic!
What’s hot right now?
Cutting back on salt and eating more fresh vegetables is on the rise…thanks in large part to brands like Mrs. Dash and Burpee Garden Seeds.
And while sex is viewed as a great form of exercise and stress relief, more members of the American Middle Class place value on getting at least 8 hours of sleep vs. having a lively social life.
Having pets is important too!
More Middle Class Americans see walking the dog and playing with the cat as a better balance of on-the-job stress than having a personal trainer and working out at a gym.
Aromatherapy is big with Middle Class women and if you doubt that it is, go visit the nearest Pier 1 Import Store and check out the spring collection of candles, votives and bamboo scent vases.
The quest for home aromatherapy has also given new life to old staid brands like Glade with their PlugIns and votive scents.
And many perceive eating a small piece of chocolate as a healthy life change.
For some…chocolate helps the heart beat better… for others, a small piece is a healthy alternative to eating a full bar!
Not only are Godiva sales up, but chocolate is a hot seller at Target too and CBS Evening News tonight did a feature story on the increase in sales of the big Chocolate brands!
Finally, the stereotype that the Bible goes hand in hand with the mainstream American Middle Class is quickly changing.
Just as many Middle Class Americans relieve stress through meditation as those that relieve stress by reading the Bible.
So what’s the mantra of today?
Close those eyes and repeat after me… “Heeeeeyyy. Letsssss. Journeeyyy with those coooool BrandVenture duuuuddess! 404.248.9378. 404.248.9378. ahhhhhh”
While the “dollar deals” extend the pocket book, the dollar biscuits, burgers and hash browns are also extending the waistlines and hips!
And stress from burning the time clock both mornings and nights is health challenge number two resulting in everything from acid reflux to insomnia to depression to anxiety disorders.
According to the Yankelovich Monitor, healthy life changes are a hot American Middle Class topic!
What’s hot right now?
Cutting back on salt and eating more fresh vegetables is on the rise…thanks in large part to brands like Mrs. Dash and Burpee Garden Seeds.
And while sex is viewed as a great form of exercise and stress relief, more members of the American Middle Class place value on getting at least 8 hours of sleep vs. having a lively social life.
Having pets is important too!
More Middle Class Americans see walking the dog and playing with the cat as a better balance of on-the-job stress than having a personal trainer and working out at a gym.
Aromatherapy is big with Middle Class women and if you doubt that it is, go visit the nearest Pier 1 Import Store and check out the spring collection of candles, votives and bamboo scent vases.
The quest for home aromatherapy has also given new life to old staid brands like Glade with their PlugIns and votive scents.
And many perceive eating a small piece of chocolate as a healthy life change.
For some…chocolate helps the heart beat better… for others, a small piece is a healthy alternative to eating a full bar!
Not only are Godiva sales up, but chocolate is a hot seller at Target too and CBS Evening News tonight did a feature story on the increase in sales of the big Chocolate brands!
Finally, the stereotype that the Bible goes hand in hand with the mainstream American Middle Class is quickly changing.
Just as many Middle Class Americans relieve stress through meditation as those that relieve stress by reading the Bible.
So what’s the mantra of today?
Close those eyes and repeat after me… “Heeeeeyyy. Letsssss. Journeeyyy with those coooool BrandVenture duuuuddess! 404.248.9378. 404.248.9378. ahhhhhh”
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Creative Ways To Extend The Dollar…The Tipping Point Of Innovation!
I know we do it at work and at home, but there’s a rebirth on a version of “multi-tasking” before the term was ever coined.
The newspaper column that I discovered this past week is running in several newspapers across the US.
The column is called PANTRY POWERHOUSES.
And it ain’t about the home-makers who can cook those family dinners in 20 minutes from scratch.
Nope. It’s the new Middle Class American 2010 version of the “Hints From Heloise.”
Here’s the PANTRY POWERHOUSES elevator set-up…
“Some plain, unassuming household objects have hidden superpowers. And most of these items cost less than a couple of bucks..”
That’s the Middle Class American angle…
The 2010 version is captured in…
“These double-duty ideas will help you go green while you save some green.”
Here are some of the examples…
• Keeping brown sugar soft by adding a few marshmallows to the bag before closing it
• Preventing piano keys from turning yellow by cleaning them regularly with mayonnaise
• Removing bumper stickers by rubbing mayonnaise over the entire sticker
• Getting rid of the chlorine green hair with a ketchup shampoo
• Treating poison ivy with instant oatmeal mix
While many of the “Young Pioneers” of the American Middle Class may not fully identify with the term “Pantry”… I would bet that they, along with several of the other American Middle Class groups, have many more ideas to add to the list.
Just think about it.
Many in the business world believe that it’s the upper income folks that are the trendsetters and innovators.
I beg to differ.
More times than not, innovation is fueled by the need to get by and get ahead.
Therein may be what they term as the "hidden superpowers!"
So go Google “PANTRY POWERHOUSES” and check out the amazing things you can do with all that stuff stored in the kitchen and utility room cabinets.
And then come journey with us as we go down to the nearest coffee houses, pubs and lunch cafés and listen to what the folks are talking about doing!
That’s the hotbed of the innovation right now.
Really!
The newspaper column that I discovered this past week is running in several newspapers across the US.
The column is called PANTRY POWERHOUSES.
And it ain’t about the home-makers who can cook those family dinners in 20 minutes from scratch.
Nope. It’s the new Middle Class American 2010 version of the “Hints From Heloise.”
Here’s the PANTRY POWERHOUSES elevator set-up…
“Some plain, unassuming household objects have hidden superpowers. And most of these items cost less than a couple of bucks..”
That’s the Middle Class American angle…
The 2010 version is captured in…
“These double-duty ideas will help you go green while you save some green.”
Here are some of the examples…
• Keeping brown sugar soft by adding a few marshmallows to the bag before closing it
• Preventing piano keys from turning yellow by cleaning them regularly with mayonnaise
• Removing bumper stickers by rubbing mayonnaise over the entire sticker
• Getting rid of the chlorine green hair with a ketchup shampoo
• Treating poison ivy with instant oatmeal mix
While many of the “Young Pioneers” of the American Middle Class may not fully identify with the term “Pantry”… I would bet that they, along with several of the other American Middle Class groups, have many more ideas to add to the list.
Just think about it.
Many in the business world believe that it’s the upper income folks that are the trendsetters and innovators.
I beg to differ.
More times than not, innovation is fueled by the need to get by and get ahead.
Therein may be what they term as the "hidden superpowers!"
So go Google “PANTRY POWERHOUSES” and check out the amazing things you can do with all that stuff stored in the kitchen and utility room cabinets.
And then come journey with us as we go down to the nearest coffee houses, pubs and lunch cafés and listen to what the folks are talking about doing!
That’s the hotbed of the innovation right now.
Really!
Monday, March 9, 2009
The Surge of the American Middle Class Entrepreneur
About 10 miles northeast of our office is a very interesting neighborhood called Chamblee.
Once a bedroom community of the expanding city of Atlanta, today this community is a hot-bed of internationality that spans the spectrum from Hispanic- to Latino- to Chinese- to Korean- to Vietnamese- to Iranian- to Indian- … Americans that is!
It is a group that we term as the “Commuter Mosaic” of the American Middle Class!
There ‘s an international farmer’s market smack dab next to an international mall with an international food court. Then there’s strip center after strip center or retail and service outlets selling everything from electronics to baby clothes.
Outside of a recently built Wal-Mart, there’s limited brand chains in the area. Most of the business is pure entrepreneurial “mom & pop” complete with nephew, uncle and grandparent too!
By the way…nearly all of these places continue to remain in business.
In this week’s edition of Newsweek, there is a great article that showcases America’s first viral restaurant.
That’s not a typo…it’s a true VIRAL restaurant.
Kogi is the name of it and Roy Choi is the power behind it. Roy cooks up Korean tacos that are sold from two roving trucks whose travel routes are posted in real time on Twitter.
As Choi is quoted in the article…”At every stop, it’ll be, like, hundreds of young people and 12 middle-aged copycats in suits asking me where I buy my cabbage.”
His crowds often exceed 600 people guided by their Twitter App on their iPhones.
In fact, his combination “online and on-the-street” advertising program consists of follower-designed T-shirts, an official blog, YouTube videos and Twitter.
As the Newsweek article quotes Choi as saying…”I can cook for 100 people a night in a conventional restaurant or using Twitter, can hit, like, 5,000 people a second.”
His product formula is simple: market produce and unfamiliar proteins prepared for the authenticity-craving, post-racial palate and sold at recession-ready prices ($2-$7).
Choi is aiming to send trucks to San Diego and San Francisco next.
Many of the immigrants coming to the US start out from pure scratch and spend hours working hard to get their business off the ground.
And because many are in the process of learning English, they don’t catch all the gloom and doom of the news media, banks and investment groups nor the cloned MBA-models of academia.
Many “Commuter Mosaics” see the glass as half full and their dream as still possible. They are innovative and re-engineer their pathways to success no matter what hurdles pop up along the way.
There’s a lot to learn from folks like that…
So, Hey…turn off that CNN and Fox News…go Twitter a few friends and Let’s Journey!
Once a bedroom community of the expanding city of Atlanta, today this community is a hot-bed of internationality that spans the spectrum from Hispanic- to Latino- to Chinese- to Korean- to Vietnamese- to Iranian- to Indian- … Americans that is!
It is a group that we term as the “Commuter Mosaic” of the American Middle Class!
There ‘s an international farmer’s market smack dab next to an international mall with an international food court. Then there’s strip center after strip center or retail and service outlets selling everything from electronics to baby clothes.
Outside of a recently built Wal-Mart, there’s limited brand chains in the area. Most of the business is pure entrepreneurial “mom & pop” complete with nephew, uncle and grandparent too!
By the way…nearly all of these places continue to remain in business.
In this week’s edition of Newsweek, there is a great article that showcases America’s first viral restaurant.
That’s not a typo…it’s a true VIRAL restaurant.
Kogi is the name of it and Roy Choi is the power behind it. Roy cooks up Korean tacos that are sold from two roving trucks whose travel routes are posted in real time on Twitter.
As Choi is quoted in the article…”At every stop, it’ll be, like, hundreds of young people and 12 middle-aged copycats in suits asking me where I buy my cabbage.”
His crowds often exceed 600 people guided by their Twitter App on their iPhones.
In fact, his combination “online and on-the-street” advertising program consists of follower-designed T-shirts, an official blog, YouTube videos and Twitter.
As the Newsweek article quotes Choi as saying…”I can cook for 100 people a night in a conventional restaurant or using Twitter, can hit, like, 5,000 people a second.”
His product formula is simple: market produce and unfamiliar proteins prepared for the authenticity-craving, post-racial palate and sold at recession-ready prices ($2-$7).
Choi is aiming to send trucks to San Diego and San Francisco next.
Many of the immigrants coming to the US start out from pure scratch and spend hours working hard to get their business off the ground.
And because many are in the process of learning English, they don’t catch all the gloom and doom of the news media, banks and investment groups nor the cloned MBA-models of academia.
Many “Commuter Mosaics” see the glass as half full and their dream as still possible. They are innovative and re-engineer their pathways to success no matter what hurdles pop up along the way.
There’s a lot to learn from folks like that…
So, Hey…turn off that CNN and Fox News…go Twitter a few friends and Let’s Journey!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Green Gardening Is Going To Be In The Green!
I heard a radio spot over the weekend that was promoting now as the time to start the tomato seeds in the house.
Have you ever started tomato plants from scratch?
If you haven’t, you might want to think about starting this year!
According to Better Homes & Gardens, the family garden is going to be hot this year.
With the economy in the tank and eco-green one of the four platforms of the Obama administration, gardening promises to be a top five cheap form of family entertainment.
According to the radio ad, gardening is not only a green thing to do, but with all the problems with contaminated food at the grocery stores (i.e. the Georgia Peanut Butter issue!), home gardening is one sure way to have safe foods!
The current issue of Better Homes & Gardens talks all about the low costs of getting everything from tomatoes, peppers, squash and cucumbers started right in the home workshop or basement.
While many of the folks who make up the American Middle Class groups “Back Country Villagers” and “AARP Heartlanders” likely got their gardening training through membership in the 4-H Groups (Google it if you don’t know what 4-H is), according to the data released in the Fall 2008 Simmons Survey, it looks like all the other American Middle Class groups are planning to garden more over the next year.
I can hear it already…”what does this mean to me…I don’t market a seed company!”
Well… get that mind a churnin’… pull out those weeds of “so what” and sew those seeds of creativity and imagination!
Maybe your brand becomes the small reward for the plowing, planting, weeding or harvesting…
Maybe your brand can match up with the fresh salad picked from the garden…
Maybe your brand plays the music listened to on the iPod while the family tends to the garden plot…
Or develops a planting guide App…
Or is what soothes the stress of the hands while weeding…
Or links into the Weather Channel’s website targeted by cable zone in relationship to the best potential target group…
Or links into a promotional mailer with the balance statements from the bank…
Or…
It’s gardening this spring and summer…canning in the fall…home cooked goodness for holiday giving…
It's the American Middle Class feeding the family...now how much more cooler can it get!
Are you pumped yet?
If so…Hey! Let’s Journey!
Have you ever started tomato plants from scratch?
If you haven’t, you might want to think about starting this year!
According to Better Homes & Gardens, the family garden is going to be hot this year.
With the economy in the tank and eco-green one of the four platforms of the Obama administration, gardening promises to be a top five cheap form of family entertainment.
According to the radio ad, gardening is not only a green thing to do, but with all the problems with contaminated food at the grocery stores (i.e. the Georgia Peanut Butter issue!), home gardening is one sure way to have safe foods!
The current issue of Better Homes & Gardens talks all about the low costs of getting everything from tomatoes, peppers, squash and cucumbers started right in the home workshop or basement.
While many of the folks who make up the American Middle Class groups “Back Country Villagers” and “AARP Heartlanders” likely got their gardening training through membership in the 4-H Groups (Google it if you don’t know what 4-H is), according to the data released in the Fall 2008 Simmons Survey, it looks like all the other American Middle Class groups are planning to garden more over the next year.
I can hear it already…”what does this mean to me…I don’t market a seed company!”
Well… get that mind a churnin’… pull out those weeds of “so what” and sew those seeds of creativity and imagination!
Maybe your brand becomes the small reward for the plowing, planting, weeding or harvesting…
Maybe your brand can match up with the fresh salad picked from the garden…
Maybe your brand plays the music listened to on the iPod while the family tends to the garden plot…
Or develops a planting guide App…
Or is what soothes the stress of the hands while weeding…
Or links into the Weather Channel’s website targeted by cable zone in relationship to the best potential target group…
Or links into a promotional mailer with the balance statements from the bank…
Or…
It’s gardening this spring and summer…canning in the fall…home cooked goodness for holiday giving…
It's the American Middle Class feeding the family...now how much more cooler can it get!
Are you pumped yet?
If so…Hey! Let’s Journey!
Monday, February 23, 2009
The Hot New American Middle Class Place To Dine!
Over the weekend, a couple of my friends called to ask if I wanted to join them for dinner.
And just now, my parents called to tell me that they were going to grab lunch and try out a new hot spot.
Get this…where my younger friends were going for dinner is the same place where my parents were going to lunch.
Actually… the same kind of place…
Not like they are the first to claim it, my friends are Young Pioneers and my parents are AARP Heartlanders.
Where were they both headed to dine?
The Mall Food Court.
Yep.
What was the draw?
“You can get a super selection for less than $10 including Dairy Queen where you can get great ice cream for dessert.”
When you Google “Mall Food Court Sales 2009,” all the articles are gloom and doom about how mall traffic is down.
Nearly 70 percent of food court retailers surveyed by Nations Restaurant News said that sales would be down in 2009 because of reduced mall customer traffic.
The media loves to report Gloom and Doom.
But…with an ear to the ground and a fresh perspective…there probably is some great opportunity knocking on the door.
The owner of a food court deli and quoted in another article appears to be seeing the same glass half full as we are…
“Compared with luxury goods and other merchandise found in a mall, food remains a relatively inexpensive indulgence…people may not be buying the latest purse from Saks, but they’re more than willing to spend eight, nine…even $10 to eat.”
The American Middle Class is known to be innovative in how they adapt and change with the times.
Can you claim the same with your brand?
And just now, my parents called to tell me that they were going to grab lunch and try out a new hot spot.
Get this…where my younger friends were going for dinner is the same place where my parents were going to lunch.
Actually… the same kind of place…
Not like they are the first to claim it, my friends are Young Pioneers and my parents are AARP Heartlanders.
Where were they both headed to dine?
The Mall Food Court.
Yep.
What was the draw?
“You can get a super selection for less than $10 including Dairy Queen where you can get great ice cream for dessert.”
When you Google “Mall Food Court Sales 2009,” all the articles are gloom and doom about how mall traffic is down.
Nearly 70 percent of food court retailers surveyed by Nations Restaurant News said that sales would be down in 2009 because of reduced mall customer traffic.
The media loves to report Gloom and Doom.
But…with an ear to the ground and a fresh perspective…there probably is some great opportunity knocking on the door.
The owner of a food court deli and quoted in another article appears to be seeing the same glass half full as we are…
“Compared with luxury goods and other merchandise found in a mall, food remains a relatively inexpensive indulgence…people may not be buying the latest purse from Saks, but they’re more than willing to spend eight, nine…even $10 to eat.”
The American Middle Class is known to be innovative in how they adapt and change with the times.
Can you claim the same with your brand?
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