Marketing Forecast from Ad-ology

Value-conscious shoppers redeemed $4.6 billion in coupon savings in 2011, an increase of 12.2% over the year prior, and 58.6% higher than five years ago. Free Standing Insert (FSI) formats remain the most popular means of distribution. In 2012, marketers should monitor consumer responsiveness closely while maintaining levels of promotional incentives that will ensure the demand for value is satisfied in a highly competitive environment.

Interior lighting in an automotive vehicle is about more than just space and dimension. Automotive researchers realize that as a person’s attention span is limited, lighting can play a key role in providing a driver with critical and noncritical driving-related information without diverting attention. The right balance of color and light can illicit different emotional responses from drivers.

More Americans this year plan to save – not spend – their tax refunds, according to a new survey conducted by BIGinsight. Some, however, will throw caution to the wind and use their refund for a major purchase, such as a car or new television (12.3%) and vacation (11.3%). More so this year than in the past, Americans are eager to file their taxes; more than half (64.4%) will have filed their taxes by the end of February, the highest since 2006.

According to an exclusive consumer survey conducted for STORES by BIGinsight, the budget tightening that consumers have endured for four years isn’t showing signs of stopping – in fact, some changes appear to have become permanent. However, there are some items/services that more than half of consumers will not do without, including Internet service, mobile phones, basic cable/satellite and discount shopping for apparel.

New research from IBM suggests that menswear sales may be tracking the ups and downs of the economy more closely than women’s apparel, as more men return to the workplace and are purchasing more formal business attire. IBM projects that men’s apparel sales will rise nearly 8.3% in the first quarter, far outpacing other retail categories. Retailers looking for growth in clothing sales may want to focus on men.

More than half of all teens indicate that their moms help them make cosmetic choices, but this varies greatly by age. As expected, tweens are most likely to rely on their mothers to help with purchasing decisions (73%) while only 39% of girls aged 15-17 say they need (or want) mom’s help. According to new research from Mintel, a substantial 61% of girls aged 9-11 would like to wear more makeup than their parents allow.