Category Archives: Trend: Localism

Trend: Localism

A rediscovery of, and intentional support of, all that is available where we live, work and play; an embracing of the diversity and options we hadn’t noticed; a return to family (redefined); a focus on “home”

posted by Kevin

Nov 14, 2011 @ 4:50pm

Turning Empathy into Action

Monday mornings are the busiest time of the week at Riggs Partners. We gather first thing and recap the upcoming week’s meetings and deadlines, as my to do list looms over me. I chew through my e-mail in box trying to delete everything I possibly can. In short, this is the single worst possible time to message to me.

Yet this morning, Sustainable Midlands, a local nonprofit did just that. Not only did I stop to absorb their content this morning, I wrote them a check.

I’ve been getting e-mails from Sustainable Midlands for some time. Years, even. I’ve stood by, quietly siding with their attempts to make my city a greener one. Yet I’ve never contributed, attended an event, followed them on Facebook, or forwarded one of their E-mails. I’ve been a passive ally, all empathy and no action.

Every cause struggles with peripheral supporters. If only 20 percent could be converted to active supporters, that’d be huge. Here’s how.

Sustainable Midlands took advantage of a local controversy to become immediately relevant. Wal-Mart is proposing a large location near downtown Columbia. City Council has tabled discussions momentarily, allowing time for anger to build.

Urban planning is but one small part of Sustainable Midlands’ advocacy. Nevertheless, they are serving as the central conduit of communication on the proposed Wal-Mart development.  They keep me updated through e-mail and links to a dedicated page on their website. They’ve demonstrated leadership, and made themselves a vital part of an issue that is front-page news. That’s not just smart, or even just much appreciated. It’s worth supporting.

Nonprofits should be mindful of events that make their causes relevant and timely. People give their attention to those who lead and demonstrate a commitment to a future vision. Find a way to engage in meaningful dialogue with those on your periphery, and you’ll find them gravitating closer and closer.


 

 

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posted by Apprentices

Apr 27, 2011 @ 9:44am

Marketing Trends: La Vida Local

There are people who go to farmer’s markets. I am one of them. I go because local food really does taste better. I go because, to me, a Saturday morning trip to the farmer’s market is an event, while a normal grocery store trip is a chore. But most importantly, I go because I believe firmly in supporting my local neighbors. And I’m not the only one.

In fact, I’m just one among millions of New Economy Consumers whose values—particularly consumer values—have shifted significantly since the Recession. In the early days of the Recession, people reined in their wallets, and with their wallets, their reach. Consumers rediscovered the beauty and resources of their local world. With this rediscovery, came a commitment to sustainability, responsibility, and neighbors.

Artist Joe Seppi advocates the eat local movement.

The power of the local movement hasn’t been lost on marketers. In fact, “local” is beginning to appear more frequently in product advertising these days. Is “local” the new “green?” It’s hard to tell yet, but we know two things: 1) the local movement is growing steadily and 2) like the green movement, it relies on authenticity to succeed. Of course, this is great news for small businesses, who are perfectly positioned to capitalize on this new economy trend.

But what does it mean if you’re not a small business? Perhaps there’s nothing “local” about your organization at all – and that distinction is core to your brand. Consider what it is about “local” that appeals to consumers. At its most basic, local really means “familiar,” “connection,” and “home.”  When a company understands this, they’re no longer limited by zip code to tap into the power of local.

For example, American Express sponsored Small Business Saturday last year, a national initiative that encouraged shoppers to support local businesses in their towns on the day after Black Friday. Wal-Mart – a super corporation – is also embracing the local movement as part of its new sustainability efforts. Their commitment to sourcing some of their produce locally (within the state) means that Wal-Mart shoppers in South Carolina can purchase SC sweet potatoes and Wal-Mart shoppers in Alabama can purchase AL tomatoes.

Large or small, organizations who want to reach these valuable New Economy Consumers need to emphasize personal connection and the familiar in their marketing efforts.

–Kathryn White

 

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posted by Apprentices

Nov 10, 2009 @ 5:03pm

Give thanks for shopaholics

Black Friday. It’s funny that such a dismal name has always been used to identify the action-packed kick-start to the holiday shopping season.

These days the name is more fitting. In 2008, after-Thanksgiving shopping was at its lowest in forty years. And it’s not looking up. But luckily for retailers, there are plenty of crazy people (myself included) who will not let some lousy economy ruin all the fun. We will get up at 4 a.m., we will whip up our fancy instant Starbucks, and we will stand in wraparound lines outside Best Buy. Because for us, it’s not really about the sales; it’s about the shared experience.

Shoppers can always count on 40 percent off coupons and doorbuster gifts, but honestly, who wants a free snow globe? The thing is, most people are shopping for their family and friends rather than themselves. Everyone is still in that I’m-thankful-for-my-family, home-for-the-holidays mood. There is sincere joy in the air.

Looking at this from a marketing standpoint, the obvious thing to do is keep these people in a good mood, because happy, giving people are going to buy more. The strategy? Create a feeling of togetherness.

Take Target, for example. The retail giant offered free wake-up calls, and added a clever twist – the calls were from celebrities. Darth Vader and Heidi Klum had shoppers up at 4 a.m. and heading to Target. And when you got that early morning ring, you knew thousands of other people were hearing the same call. Hence, a shared experience.

Once you get them to your store, keep shoppers interacting with each other.

Entertain the mobs of people standing in your long checkout lines. Hand the first person in line a basket of mini muffins to start passing back. Give out “I’ve been shopping since 5 a.m.” stickers. Make live (not recorded) announcements wishing happy shopping. Depending on the venue, start a medley of carols in the checkout line. Don’t go too far, but make it a memorable experience.

So, as we plunge into another recession-scarred holiday season, make the best of it. Form a relationship with your customers now, while they’re counting on you most. What you don’t make in profits, you’ll make up for in brand equity.

- Sammy Rutkowski

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posted by Cathy

Sep 03, 2009 @ 9:26am

The Power of Connection

Sixth in a series analyzing seven new economy trends

According to Forrester Research, only 6 percent of American consumers agree with the statement: “Companies generally tell the truth in advertising.” No wonder Word of Mouth (in its many forms) has become the marketing rage of the recession.

Word of Mouth marketing, or WOM, is made up of countless subcategories that include viral, social, grassroots, cause, buzz, product seeding, and insider (or influencer) programs. A key tenant of WOM is that content or commentary is generated by the consumer rather than the marketer, thus the perception that the information that is shared is more credible. That information is shared consumer-to-consumer or consumer-to-marketer.

It goes without saying (so why do I feel the need to say it?) that WOM works for you, or your organization, when you offer something people want to talk about. The more “talkable,” the faster communications will spread. By its very nature, the great power in WOM is the fact that it is exponential; i.e., I told two friends, who told two friends, who told two friends… . Keep this strategy in mind as you build your communications program, and add WOM components to it.

Start here: To whom are you talking? (It’s an ages-old consideration.)

But then things take a bit of a new turn. With whom does he/she congregate? Where? What is it that links them? What is the basis for their shared interest? What do they talk about? What do they do?

Of course, many of these new communities are digital, so opportunities to intersect are endless. Just be sure you intersect with something that is “talkable,” and provide tools that make it easy for them to share their opinions. Then motivate your advocates to spread the word.

There is a new frontier out there, and it is fueled by interesting conversation. Go bravely toward it.

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posted by Kevin

Mar 06, 2009 @ 11:20am

Yet Another OJ Scandal

This morning, I saw on CNN that Tropicana Pure Premium Orange Juice is scrapping its new package design just a few weeks after introducing it. Why this sudden change? And why is it CNN-newsworthy?

Because a firestorm of dissent that occurred online drove the company to make such an expensive decision.

Outrage over a brand’s packaging decision? I think. Who could possible care, other than a few designers?

So I arrive at work and in The New York Times Tuesday advertising section was more commentary.

This significance came clear: The new economy has consumers clinging to the familiar.

As a result, consider what’s most fundamental to your business’ success, and make sure it is front and center in your brand experience and your marketing.

An example is our client First Community Bank. As a community bank, their brand is built completely on relationships and human connection. In fact, amid the economic challenges of the day, we featured the bank’s president in a television campaign in which he invites customers to call him personally to talk about any issue they are facing.

A recent home refinancing push led to an effort far more personal and casual than a traditional statement stuffer. Each statement envelope was hand stamped with a home refinancing message.

Of course I am a First Community customer, and I recently received a hand-written thank you note from one of the tellers after a branch visit. I can’t imagine a tactic more in keeping with First Community’s promise of maintaining a personal relationship with its customers.

What effort can you deploy that speaks to your brand’s core?

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posted by Kevin

Jan 27, 2009 @ 3:40pm

Guerillas at the Grill

It used to be that the smartest marketers cultivated, continually refined and constantly reinforced their brands using mass media. The most obvious examples are clothing brands built in the pages of fashion magazines. The process of building and maintaining these brands was expensive, and their corresponding images took years to create.

In the new economy, there’s a smarter way.

Nearby my house is a gourmet grocery store chain called Earth Fare. When I passed by the other day, the store was having a cookout. It was lunchtime, and there were three employees cooking hamburgers on as many charcoal grills. As the employees were passing out hamburgers, they were talking about the quality of the organic ground sirloin.

Brilliant. Customers and the store’s staff were socializing like neighbors. People were sure to tell friends and coworkers about this as well. Even if they didn’t, the smell of the cookout wafted all over the neighborhood, no doubt making a few wonder: “How about we grill out tonight?”

In a single day at lunch, Earth Fare’s guerilla marketing tactic had said more about their brand than a month of traditional circulars and newspaper advertising could.

Guerilla marketing isn’t new, but in today’s economy, it’s more relevant than ever, because people are starved for individual attention from the stores they frequent and the brands they support.

Such attention needn’t be difficult or expensive to implement. It’s important to remember that even if your budget has been cut, it is crucial to avoid communicating less. The key is to communicate differently. How can your organization start today?

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