By Sheila Corriveau, AgencyLink
Posted November 24th, 2009
The explosion of choice is well illustrated in a bestseller by Barry Schwartz, The Paradox of Choice – Why More is Less. Schwartz writes about visiting The Gap to buy a pair of jeans. It had been some time since his last such purchase. When he entered the store, a young salesperson approached him and asked if she could help. “I want a pair of jeans in size 32-28,” said Schwartz.
The helpful salesperson replied with an overwhelming number of questions:
- Do you want them slim-fit, easy-fit, relaxed-fit, baggy or extra baggy?
- Do you want them stonewashed, acid-washed or distressed?
- Do you want them button-fly or zipper-fly?
Schwartz was stunned. A moment or two later he sputtered something like: “I just want regular jeans. You know – the kind that used to be the only kind.” (more…)
By Bob Reaume, ACA
Posted November 24th, 2009
Talk with anyone about what’s important for advertisers on the net, and after the obligatory deference to social media the conversation quickly turns to something more familiar, something marketers feel comfortable with: tried-and-true video. When this recession hit last year, we all wondered what media would be hit the hardest. TV? Newspapers? What we didn’t wonder is what would be hit the least. That surely would be the Internet. Online spending for sure would be spared the axe, and in fact, if any medium could show growth during a recession it most likely would be online. (more…)
By Erwin Rivera, Cundari
Posted November 24th, 2009
We hear it almost every day – the online space is changing at light speed. And while marketers may think consumer behaviour is changing as a result of technology, the reality is technology is trying to keep up to rapidly changing consumer needs and expectations.
Behaviour of online consumers has evolved from interaction in their own personal space, like using the now basic catalogue-to-shopping cart site, to gathering in socially connected spaces where brands of interest are reviewed and recommended by fellow consumers. This information is shared through many different vehicles, like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, to personalize digital footprints with an individual’s A-list brands. We also know that today’s consumer’s first touch point with a brand is often through a digital experience. (more…)
