Marketing Forecast from Ad-ology

Restaurants have resorted to a wide variety of tactics to reel in customers. The lingering recession means it’s more important than ever before to employ the most effective advertising strategies. For restaurants, it seems that patrons most easily recall the ads they’ve seen on TV.

Everybody likes a bargain. Much has been made of the daily deal phenomenon as the best way to deliver bargains but consumers are also shopping around for traditional coupons. The 2012 Coupon Facts Report, from NCH Marketing Services, shows the latest trends in the coupon industry on the part of consumers and marketers.

Consumers are using their mobile devices to shop. These days, nearly 90% of consumers own either a feature mobile phone, a smartphone or a tablet which amounts to 216 million active devices. With so many consumers reachable in the mobile market, it’s no surprise that more advertisers are targeting shoppers on the run.

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.

Traditionally, consumer packaged goods manufacturers have used coupons to get shoppers to try new products or services. During the recession, coupon distributions rose significantly but analysts reported that these numbers dropped in 2011. And, in 2012, marketers may be making some changes to their coupon strategies.

One sure way to get consumers to try a new product or service is to present them with a coupon. The bigger challenge is how to get that coupon into the hands of consumers. And it can be even more challenging when the coupons are being released digitally.