Vacation Spending Mentality

There is something that changes in the mind of a consumer when they find themselves on vacation. Vacationers somehow are able to justify spendier purchasers with a few simple words, "It's okay, I'm on vacation."

With Spring break now being over, I'm sure many people are cringing as they look at their bank accounts now that we are all back to reality.

Looking for some great examples of these lavish spendings? Oh, I got you covered.

• The Ridiculously Priced Drinks--most people would laugh when they look over a drink menu and see a $14 margarita, however, when on vacation..."It's okay, I'm on vacation".

• The Steeply Priced Activities--in a regular week, the idea of paying $70 for a half hour zip line ride is outrageous, but when on vacation..."It's okay, I'm on vacation".

• The $30 "Must-Have" T-shirt--back home a lame cotton t-shirt with a funny phrase is hardly worth $15, but when on vacation... "It's okay, I'm on vacation".

It's a reasonable argument to state that everyone has been guilty of the vacation mentality. The best of all marketing techniques is to continue to remind the vacation mentality to tourists when attempting to sell an overpriced product.

Welcome back everyone!

Allegories Defined

An allegory is a story about an abstract concept personified in a fictional character, such as a person, animal, or plant. Marketers have used these characters in branding for a long time. I would like to take the pleasur to define popular allegories from my view point.

Mr. Peanut

Mr. Peanut is the spokesperson for Planter's Peanuts. He represents a friendly, healthy man. He is limber and classy. This translates to consumers that Planter's Peanuts are a healthy snack. They are classy. Also, the fact that Mr. Peanut himself has not changed too much over time shows consumers that the product is consistent as well. The brand did it right the first time, so it hasn't had to change much.                      

 

Snuggle Bear

Snuggle Bear is the spokesperson for Snuggle fabric softener. Just looking at him makes you want to cuddle. He is so soft and cuddly. He is a sweet little companion. Snuggle represent the exact qualities that the product of Snuggle offers. The brand is a familiar friend that provides comfort.

Michelin Man

The Michelin Man is the spokesperson for Michelin Tires. He is a cool, strong, man. I'm not sure if he's covered in padding or muscles, but he looks tough and safe at the same time. He is a reliable friend. Michelin has used the Michelin Man to portray this same image to consumers about its tires. They are reliable, tough, and keep you safe. Just like all that padding around the Michelin Man.

Mr. Clean

Mr. Clean is the spokesperson for Mr. Clean cleaning products. He is a squeaky clean kind of guy. From his perfectly white shirt and eyebrows to his sparkling shiny head, he is all around clean. Not only is he clean, he is also strong and a bit rebellious (judging off the gold hoop in his ear). The brand has used Mr. Clean to represent its products. He represents the quality of their product. When consumers are deciding what brand of cleaning products to use, the familiar face of Mr. Clean helps make the decision easy. 

Whether allegories work or not, I find them fun to define. Next time you find yourself feeling a personal connection to an allegory, take a minute to laugh at yourself and think of a marketer. 

Nail Polish...for MEN?!

I thought I'd seen it all, and then I saw this...

Yes! You read this correctly, MAN.

This product was brought to my attention through a small article in Cosmopolitan. Of course the celebrity pictured using it was no other than Johnny Depth. But the real question here is, will the product be successful?

I believe that the product was intended for men to get in touch with their inner alphaNAIL. In fact, they have used the color names to try to maintain their masculine tone. My favorite color name is "Pavement Nail Paint."

Call me close-minded, but I don't think this fad should catch on. I sure hope it doesn't. A man should have dirt under their fingernail, not polish on the top. I sided against the crazy marketers on this one. At the very least, this product has provided some quality entertainment for me.

Sucker

Saturday as I was doing some grocery shopping, I realized something about myself. I'm a sucker for those fancy water drinks. Hate to admit it, but I'm guilty.

As I walked into Albertsons and past the refridgerated beverage isle, I filled up my basket with water. Seriously? It's water for crying outloud. Somehow I can justify spending $1 on a flavored water but I'm too cheap to buy the $3 juice. As I noticed the weight of my basket all I could do was laugh at myself.

After noticing this trait, I found myself stopped in front of another refridgerated water display. I turned to my friend and admited outloud one word: "sucker". This is marketing at it's finest.

Nudge

I recently finished the book Nudge: Improvng Decisions about Health, Wealth and Happiness by Thaler and Sunstein (if you haven't read it, I reccommend you check it out). After digesting the book in a six page book report, I have found myself catching inconspicuous "nudges" everywhere. I'd like to share some of my recent discoveries:

• Grocery Stores: The new Safeway store in town has healthy food nudges all over the store. If a customer walks in the the left door, they enter directly into the produce department. The produce department is the most open area in the store. The fruits and vegtables are the main color source in this area. As you move to the back of the store toward the milk, there are racks in the isle way with bannans. So, even if someone bypasses the produce department, they are bound to come across some fresh food somewhere in the store. 
• Overdraft Protection: As a former bank teller, I could tell endless stories of upset customers about overdraft protection. Few people notice that overdraft protection is an opt-out default. This means that if you do nothing, you are automatically enrolled in this "expensive when used" service. Banks are nudging customers to participate in overdraft protection ( a great revenue scheme for banks). 

Take a look around, nudges are everywhere! The examples provided above give evidence that nudges can be a good and bad thing for consumers. Simply being aware of the nudges may be the key to finding a way to listen to the good nudges, and ignore the bad nudges.  

Consumer Engagement

I spent this past weekend in Seattle, WA for a matching intern event for The Boeing Company. The weekend was jam packed with information all about the company. During a presentation given by a Brand Positioning Manager, I was informed about Boeing's  techniques and importance of consumer engagement. This information got me really thinking about consumer engagement.

Consumer engagement is an important aspect in positing a brand. The more a brand is able to engage its consumers, the more invested its consumers will become. There are many techniques company's use to engage its customers.

How is an airplane producer supposed to engage its customers through the Internet you may ask. Take a look at Boeing's website and the answer to that question is splattered all over.

787 Dream Tour

• The section allows airplane enthusiasts to follow where the new 787 Dreamliner is and where it will be next. This tactic fully engages people. Followers are encouraged to develop an obsession of being in the know about this new product. 

• The section also allows customers to view a virtual tour of the airplane and view all the new details in the design. I even found myself engrossed in the extent of information and graphics in this section. 

Randy's Journal

• The section is an interactive blog with real time updates straight from the VP of Marketing. The blog is an excellent way for Boeing to communicate immediate information to its followers. 

After listening to a mini-presentation on Marketing techniques used by Boeing to encourage consumer engagement I have come to realize the importance of it. Next time you find yourself captivated by a company's website, give credit to the Marketing department. 

Impulsive Online Shopping

Bargain shopping has become a hobby of mine. I pride myself in being able to walk away from an item with the mentality that I'll wait until it goes on sale. Scrounging clearance racks is like treasure hunting. This obsession with finding a good deal is not just limited to physical shopping, there are many websites out there that do the work for you. Many sites exist that offer a great deal on a few items for a limited time. Examples of these websites include:

• Whisky Militia
• Steep and Cheap
• Woot
• Seize the Deal

All these websites offer a great deal and the infamous countdown timer. The timer ticks away as you asses your purchase encouraging a sense of urgency on the purchase at stake.

These websites create impulsive purchases. Customers purchase items they don't necessarily need. They feel that they are getting too great of a deal to pass up. In reality, these purchases may be unnecessary. Consumers get so caught up in the idea of saving money that they actually end up spending more on things that they don't even need.

Next time you find yourself scrounging one of these bargain sights, ask yourself:
"Is this really a bargain?"