Thirty-nine percent of recent travelers say online media influenced their choice of travel services, with hotel/B&B Web sites having the most influence, according to Ad-ology Research. Online content also influenced 34% of visitors to local attractions like amusement parks, zoos, and concerts.

Nearly 50% of Americans used the Internet to research travel services recently. For consumers who are traveling, cost and value continue to be important considerations, with the most-researched topics being airfares and hotel/motel rates.

Online media topped traditional media, which influenced 27% of travelers and 32.7% of those visiting local attractions. Social media was most influential on the 18-to-24-year old demographic.

“People are still traveling, despite the economy, but they’re certainly doing their research before they go,” said C. Lee Smith, president and CEO of Ad-ology Research. Smith said that Web sites for specific hotels, attractions, and locations ranked highly in the survey, which he says is good news for providers. “Through their sites, service providers have the ability to give consumers lots of information, and that helps the consumer feel like they’ve made a smart choice,” Smith said.

Other key findings:

• 20.6% of consumers are influenced by positive comments on sites such as Tripadvisor.com
• Of traditional media, magazines were the most influential for travel services; newspapers were the most influential for local attractions
• More than 40% of consumers list safety as an important factor in selecting a local attraction

The Media Influence on Consumer Choice survey is conducted throughout the year by Ad-ology Research to study online, traditional, and social media influence on buying decisions.

Both reports: Media Influence on Consumer Choice: Travel & Vacation Services and Media Influence on Consumer Choice: Local Attractions are available for purchase and immediate download through Ad-ology.com. Each report includes 24 data charts, consumer-spending estimates by market, and additional marketing insights.

About Ad-ology Research

Ad-ology Research analyzes key marketing and advertising trends in over 440 industries and what motivates end-customers. The company’s research is used by over 2,000 advertising agencies, media properties and product marketing departments across the United States. Ad-ology Research is a division of Sales Development Services (SDS), Inc. – a Westerville, Ohio firm founded in 1989.

Methodology

Ad-ology Research surveyed an online consumer panel of 1,154 adults in a manner that is 98% representative of the adult population of the United States from January 5-8, 2009. The margin of error for this survey is +/- 2.9 percentage points.

Aging Boomers and diverse Gen Yers are finding new ways to fulfill their comfort food cravings, according to the Generational Comfort Food Culinary Trend Mapping Report co-published by the Center for Culinary Development (CCD) and Packaged Facts.  The report is based in part on a national survey of over 3,700 people about their comfort food preferences, which was conducted by CCD in June 2009. The survey confirmed that consumers are passionate about their comfort foods, many of which stem from childhood favorites. In today’s changing food world, however, these dishes are evolving in sync with new values and lifestyles.

“Childhood comfort food is getting a make-over according to who’s eating it,” says CCD CEO Kimberly Egan. “Each generation has different needs and tastes, including more healthful fare, gourmet ingredients and bolder flavors, which are reflected in their go-to comfort foods.”

While the survey showed that the overall food category preferred by all ages was sweets, individual responses revealed a more nuanced generational portrait of comfort food preferences. For example, while many participants craved chicken soup, Gen Yers also turned to Vietnamese pho. Gen Xers gravitate to beloved branded foods while Boomers are skewing premium but keeping an eye on health.

And what are the overarching trends driving today’s beloved and evolving comfort foods?  We identified three:

Contemporary quality. All three generational cohorts are all seeking higher quality food experiences and these are surfacing in updated versions of old favorites. Today’s pies are farmers’ market fresh; new leaner meats appear in meatloaf; casseroles are loaded with seasonal veggies; and mac ‘n’ cheese arrives with gourmet twists. Additional upgrades include fresh herbs and exotic spices, artisan cheeses, and natural and organic ingredients.

The new diversity. Although Boomers have a decided taste for exotic flavors, diverse Generation Y is truly adopting global comfort dishes like Vietnamese beef noodle soup (pho), sushi, and Indian and Thai curries. In addition to these new comfort meals, global flavors are enhancing comfort classics.

Balanced eating. Boomers and Gen Xers are trying to balance indulgent comfort foods with more healthful versions using fresh vegetables, sustaining whole grains and leaner meats. Gen Y grew up learning nutrition basics and now craves fresh fruit for a healthful burst and cheese in all forms for a protein and flavor boost.

Opportunities abound for food marketers to create enticing, up-to-date versions of the comfort foods every generation passionately craves.

Source: “Generational Comfort Food Culinary Trend Mapping Report,” co-published by the Center for Culinary Development (CCD) and Packaged Facts, August 11, 2009.  Website: www.packagedfacts.com.

In-dash mobile navigation is continuing to see growth even as portable navigation (the most popular segment of the market) is taking a back seat in sales.

According to leading market research company The NPD Group’s retail tracking service, in-dash mobile navigation grew 26% in units in June 09 compared to June 08, while portable navigation unit sales grew only 4%. In-dash mobile navigation has been showing strength all year. Unit sales from January through June were up 36%, despite lower-cost options such as PNDs and strong consumer adoption of GPS enabled handsets.

A decline in average price is helping unit sales of in-dash navigation. The average price of an in-dash navigation unit in June was $701, down 26% from June 08.

Forty percent of all in-dash unit sales in June were in the $600-$699 range, up from 15% last year. Portable navigation customers are searching for much more inexpensive options, as 84% of all PND unit sales were under $200 in June.

“With consumers seeking greater value in their purchases, aftermarket in-dash navigation units are an attractive option to consumers who want a large-screen navigation experience and advanced multimedia features,” said Ross Rubin, director of industry analysis at NPD. “While aftermarket in-dash navigation systems still command a significant premium over in-vehicle systems that offer only audio and video capabilities, these navigation products cost significantly less than those offered as factory options from many car manufacturers.”

Source: Research conducted by The NPD Group, August 11, 2009.  Website: www.npd.com.

Opportunities abound when it comes to using fresh produce on restaurant menus, according to new research, conducted by the National Restaurant Association and Produce Marketing Association (PMA).  The research highlights produce’s expanded options, sourcing and food safety among food service operators.

The research on fresh produce in food service shows that restaurant operators see fresh produce as a way to differentiate themselves from the competition. Nearly three out of four restaurant operators (72%) said emphasizing fresh produce in their marketing efforts drives more customers to their restaurant. In addition, 46% of restaurant operators said they look for fresh produce items that their customers can not buy at their supermarket, including 78% of fine dining operators.

In addition, 67% of restaurant operators said they wish they had more options regarding fresh produce selections, while 60% of operators said they wish there was more information on how to incorporate fresh produce on their menu. Forty-one percent said they expect to serve more fresh produce in the next two years, while 56% said they expect to serve about the same amount.

Restaurant operators also look at sourcing of fresh produce, with 77%  saying they prefer to purchase domestically grown fresh produce, and 56% of survey respondents serve locally-sourced produce in their restaurants.

Food safety remains a top priority for restaurant operators. Eighty-nine percent of operators said they are willing to pay more for their fresh produce if its safety is guaranteed, and 76% of operators said they are willing to pay more for fresh produce if it is traceable all the way up the supply chain.

“This research gives us tremendous insight into where we should focus our efforts to increase use of fresh produce in food service, which benefits everyone that touches the plate, with the ultimate beneficiary being the end consumer,” said PMA President and CEO Bryan Silbermann.

Source: Research conducted by the National Restaurant Association and the Produce Marketing Association (PMA), July 27, 2009.  Website: www.restaurant.org.