Marketing Forecast from Ad-ology

According to new research from The Knot Inc., “brides remain committed to planning a luxurious, memorable event and are willing to spend despite the state of the economy,” said Carley Roney, editor in chief of The Knot Inc. “In fact, approximately 1 in 5 brides are spending more than $30,000 on their wedding, and 12% of brides are spending more than $40,000.” Destination weddings are becoming more popular, and brides are increasingly using online wedding planning tools to prepare for the big day. More brides are using social media to communicate wedding details (a 78% increase since 2008) and creating/sending save-the-dates or invitations online (a 40% increase since 2008) as well as using an online RSVP service (a 31% increase since 2008) or setting up personal wedding websites (a 23% increase since 2008).

As the economy has recovered, consumer spending bounced back in many categories. However, video games is one of the categories that consumers did not begin spending on again. Nielsen analysts have studied the patterns of consumer entertainment spending and suggest that the video game industry is facing tough competition. Changes in consumer behavior with respect to entertainment spending could translate into new marketing strategies by video game publishers and retailers.

With the last holiday season just behind us, the toy industry is already thinking about what the next big sales cycle holds. The annual Toy Industry Association convention just wrapped up in New York City. As a result of the convention analysts have identified several trends that will lead the way in new toy development. In designing toys, manufacturers usually consider the needs of “parents, the government and healthcare officials who are striving to amp up educational and active play to ensure a brighter, healthier future for today’s kids”. As new toys are introduced, marketers will roll out promotions to boost sales.

Ad-ology Research recently updated their Industry Marketing Insights report for Video Game Publishers. The following are the predicted Top 3 Opportunities/Challenges ahead from the report for this industry for the upcoming 12 months:

Now that more consumers are migrating from their hard copy glossy magazines to a digital format on a device such as an iPad, marketers want to know – are consumers engaged by advertisements that appear on digital devices? A new study funded by Adobe and carried out by an independent researcher finds that the interactive ads have a positive effect on consumers.

Marketers have been gradually adding cinema to their advertising mix. In 2009, this media format recorded over $580 million in revenue and was on track to grow in 2010 and 2011. National, regional and local advertisers in categories like automotive, entertainment, retail, travel and wireless have been strong performers for cinema media space providers. A new study shows that brands have plenty to gain when coordinating ad releases on Big Event TV and cinema.