Ad-ology Research recently updated their Industry Marketing Insights report for Full-Service Restaurants. The following are the predicted Top 5 Opportunities/Challenges from the report for this industry for the upcoming 12 months:

• Full service restaurants are promoting their green practices, such as reduced energy use, to appeal to consumers.
• Politicians and thought leaders are calling attention to the level of sodium in restaurant food.
• Restaurants, including full service, experienced at least a 3.9% drop in consumer visits in 2009 but anticipate some improvement in 2010.
• Locally-sourced produce and meats, along with concern for sustainability, remain top concerns in 2010.
• Full-service restaurants must promote value meals to compete in the new economy.

The Industry Marketing Insights report for Full-Service Restaurants is available on Ad-ology.com (Research Store) for $195 USD with local market data for any U.S. market.

[Source: Ad-ology Research. March12, 2010]

Insurance companies appear to be taking a page from the food marketers’ handbook. A recent report in Youth Markets Alert describes how insurance companies are expanding their efforts to reach the youngest consumers: kids and teens.  One company, American Family Insurance, is sponsoring the “Clifford the Big Red Dog Be Big” campaign while State Farm has underwritten the Nickelodeon’s “Go Diego, Go Live! Tour.”

These investments are all about educating young consumers on the value of insurance while influencing them with brand messages.  According to Carole Walker of the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association, the teen demographic is very important to auto insurance firms. At the time when many teens begin to drive, families may start looking around for a  new carrier. Cost is often a motivating factor as  a teen driver can add 50% to auto premiums. “Teens really trigger shopping among parents,” says Walker.

Recognizing the influence that teens and younger children may have on the parental decision-making process, insurance carriers are putting more money and effort in youth-specific marketing programs. These include:

• 2010 Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic – sponsorship includes signage and uniforms.
• TV ads promoting a partnership between Geico and Disney is tied to the animated film The Princess and the Frog.
• Kids 15 and under, of South Asian descent, can compete for a $5,000 scholarship in the 2010 MetLife South Asian Spelling Bee.
• Smoke Detectives is State Farm’s game micro-site targeting younger consumers while educating them on the topic of fire safety.

Many of these programs are examples of creative marketing solutions applied to the continuing challenge of getting consumer attention. As new technology becomes available, marketers can develop and deploy new campaigns to effectively promote their brands.

[Source: Insurance Companies Use Education, Mascots, And Live Events To Reach Youth At Every Life Stage. Youth Market Alert. EPMCOM.com. March 2010]

Ad-ology Research recently updated their Industry Marketing Insights report for National Parks. The following are the predicted Top 5 Opportunities/Challenges from the report for this industry for the upcoming 12 months:

• For cash-strapped travelers, national parks are an affordable and accessible vacation.
• Travelers with RVs continue to be a lucrative market for national parks, especially as Baby Boomers enter retirement.
• Consumers are increasingly aware of the need for conservation, which may drive visits, as well as financial contributions and volunteering.
• Shifting climates are a concern for this industry.
• National parks must compete with many other destinations, and recreation/entertainment services, for consumers’ time and money.

The Industry Marketing Insights report for National Parks is available on Ad-ology.com (Research Store) for $195 USD with local market data for any U.S. market.

[Source: Ad-ology Research. March10, 2010]

In 2009, e-commerce non-travel spending essentially remained flat at $129.8 billion according to comScore.  The research shop indicates that 2010 should be a better year for e-retailers. This sentiment is echoed by Forrester Research which put forth its own numbers in a recent release. Forrester pinpoints 2009 e-commerce spending at $155.2 billion and predicts steady growth of 7% annually through 2012. At that point, Forrester analysts see growth increasing by 8% between 2013 and 2014, at which point  online retail sales will ring up at over $249 billion.

Based on numbers provided in their press release, Forrester analysts are expecting e-commerce sales to increase as a percent of total retail sales.  In 2009, e-commerce comprised 6% of retail activity. By 2014, they expect this number to reach 8%.  These figures all assume a steady growth rate in retail sales and this kind of assumption  might be risky considering the continued levels of high unemployment across the U.S.

However, Forrester Research Vice President and Principal Analyst Sucharita Mulpuru is looking for retail growth to come from the e-commerce sector, especially as consumers begin to explore the wonders of mobile online shopping.  Analysts also point to the high customer satisfaction rate (82%) with Web shopping channels when compared to rates for purchases researched online and then purchased in a store (61%). In addition, consumers are expected to continue buying products that have a well-established e-commerce presence and currently represent about 44% of total online sales – computer equipment, apparel, and consumer electronics.

While one can debate the specific numbers when it comes to measuring and projecting e-commerce volumes  4 years from now, the trend is clear. Retailers must establish an e-commerce presence and use online marketing strategies to ensure future growth.
[Sources: The 2009 U.S. Digital Year in Review. comScore. February 2010. Web. 9 March 2010; Forrester Forecast: Double-Digit Growth For Online Retail In The US And Western Europe. Forrester.com. 8 March 2010. Web]