Marketing Forecast from Ad-ology

May 28 2010 | Shannon Bryant

The landscape of consumer technology in the U.S. has shifted toward products that offer richer entertainment experiences and simplicity, according to a new study by The NPD Group. E-readers, such as the Amazon Kindle and Sony Reader, one of the high points of the 2009 holiday are increasing in penetration and are now in 5% of U.S. households. “Consumers are flocking to products that offer slim profiles and access to digital content,” said Ross Rubin, executive director of industry analysis at NPD. “Devices such as Blu-ray players, netbooks, and e-readers are being used to enable rich, connected experiences.” Portable navigation devices have found their way into nearly 40% of U.S, households up from 30% in 2009.

May 28 2010 | Kathy Crosett

Ad-ology Research recently updated their Industry Marketing Insights report for Embroidered Apparel Services.

May 28 2010 | Kathy Crosett

The pending health care changes require costs savings to be realized throughout the system. One key player in the health care delivery channel is the retail health clinic. This sector has long promoted cost savings. While many medical professionals were concerned about the quality of care that would be delivered by these clinics, studies indicates that retail health centers are saving consumers and health insurance companies money and they are delivering a high level of care.

May 28 2010 | Kathy Crosett

Marketers are under more pressure than ever to quantify the ROI for spending on everything from print ads to social network sites. The pressure to perform and lack of metrics is even more intense in the sponsorship industry. And the lack of demonstrated ROI may be one of the reasons that the industry witnessed a 28% drop in the asking price of sponsorship proposals last year. This drop includes both sports and non-sports.

May 27 2010 | Shannon Bryant

Recent research from Mintel Menu Insights found that snacking is the new way to order at restaurants. “Snacks are providing a huge opportunity right now for restaurants ranging from quick service to fine dining,” notes Eric Giandelone, director of foodservice research at Mintel. “By innovating menus with various snacking options, restaurants can boost sales throughout the day and drive guest traffic during non-peak hours.” Menu items that contain the descriptors “snack,” “snackable,” or “snacker” have increased by a staggering 170% since 2007 and growth is expected to carry on as restaurants continue to explore this new trend.

May 27 2010 | Jessica Helinski

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

* The aluminum and outboard boat categories, which include pontoon boats, performed well during the recession, and dealers expect consumer demand to continue.
* Canoes were also a bright spot in the industry in 2009, and the only category of boats to experience an increase in unit sales from 2008.
* The recreational boat industry continues to be highly fragmented, resulting in intense competition for customers, quality products, boat show space, and suitable retail locations.