Marketing Forecast from Ad-ology

According to the seven in ten U.S. adults (71%) who consider themselves holiday cooks, there are a number of challenges that arise when preparing holiday meals, according to a new survey of over 1,000 U.S. adults conducted by Ipsos. Looking ahead to this coming holiday season, many of their meal planning concerns are the same, with cooking multiple dishes at the same time being the top concern (22%).

Despite renewed economic concerns, online retail spending is continuing to grow. According to Deloitte, nearly half (48%) of consumers surveyed said they will shop online for the holidays this year. This makes the Internet the No. 1 shopping destination, now tied with discount stores, for the first time since adding the channel to Deloitte’s annual study.

According to Mintel, the pet industry is expected to maintain a steady pace of growth, increasing by 33% over the next five years. Research shows that 76% of dog or cat owners consider their 4-legged companions to be part of the family. This closeness creates marketing and sales opportunities that go far beyond basics such as food to include apparel, toys, treats, vet care and grooming, just to name a few.

Eight to 24 year olds are ready to spend money in 2012 – two hundred eleven billion dollars, to be precise. According to the 2012 Harris Poll YouthPulse study, the purchasing power of today’s youth is something that should not be overshadowed by the spending power of adults. And while the purchasing power of today’s youth is strong, it is made even stronger when coupled with the influence these kids have on what parents buy.

Marketers who create highly sharable online content significantly boost their brand’s online presence and are more likely to increase sales, according to a new survey of social consumers. According to the data released recently, more than half of consumers (53%) say they interact with brands on Facebook, four in ten (42%) have written a product review online, and a third (33%) have written an online post about a product. Just having a social presence is no longer enough for brands.

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