L.L. Bean goes viral on campus for feedback on new Signature line
After almost a century in business as the resident provider of all things preppy, outdoorsy and adult, mail-order retailer L.L. Bean has embarked on a journey to lure in consumers half the age of its average customer (50 years old). To ensure that L.L. Bean’s new, more modern Signature collection would hit home with its target audience of 20- and 30-somethings, L.L. Bean accepted the help of 19-year-old college freshman Charlie Carey as a real-world brand ambassador in the Northeast to create buzz around the new line, gather feedback from his peers and provide input that would be used to help shape the future of the line, according to Jenn Abelson’s March 15, 2010, article “With student help, L.L. Bean tries younger look,” in the Boston Globe.
Carey approached L.L Bean asking to promote the collection among the campus crowd, but what originally started as a ploy to score some free threads turned into “Bean in the wiL.L.d,” a grassroots, word-of-mouth marketing effort championed by Carey and a dozen of his friends at colleges in the Northeast. The team of students developed a private online forum where they write updates for L.L. Bean on how the clothes are fitting, what styles are working and post photos of the outfits they put together. L.L. Bean intends to use this feedback, along with other customer input, to drive style, marketing and price updates for the collection.
On the ground, the Bean in the wiL.L.d. team handed out catalogs, hosted trunk shows, wore the clothes and talked them up to the campus crowd. The team also organized a live sneak-peek event where they raffled off pre-sale merchandise and handed out $20 gift cards to more than 50 students combing through racks of piped wrap dresses, fitted polo shirts and other tailored wear.
The Signature collection will be a true test for L.L. Bean, as it goes head-to-head with J.Crew, Ralph Lauren’s Rugby line and other specialty retailers catering to the khaki-chic audience.
GM aims to make test-driving a pleasure cruise with new studios
As a testament to its latest “May the Best Car Win” corporate marketing campaign, General Motors plans to launch a multimarket test-drive program in 2010 that lets consumers drive both Chevy vehicles and the vehicles Chevy competes with in a relaxed, no-pressure environment, according to Karl Greenberg’s March 11, 2010, article, “General Motors To Open The ‘Un-Dealership’,” for MediaPost. Called a Test Drive Studio, these minimally-branded locations will serve as permanent or semi-permanent brick-and-mortar facilities that house models such as the Malibu, Traverse and Equinox - plus comparable vehicles of different makes in each of the segments. In the Malibu category, for example, the facility would also offer test-drives in the Camry, Accord, Ford Fusion or Taurus.
The journey of purchasing a new vehicle is often wrought with the stress of wondering if you’re making the right choice on an expensive purchase and tense situations with car salesmen pushing to send you home in a car today! Many potential customers are deterred from going out and test-driving new offerings for fear of being trapped in an uncomfortable situation. The Test Drive Studio, however, aims to create “a non-threatening environment,” said Steve Tihanyi, general director for marketing services, alliances and branded entertainment at GM and the mastermind behind the new endeavor. “You get a really good cluster of vehicles to experience at your own pace.”
The Test Drive Studios will be run on a pilot basis in Miami, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Chicago. Look for them to be located in industrial zones or high-traffic retail areas and to have a laid-back feel, with Wi-Fi and a café or lounge. “Ultimately, we want it to be customer-friendly; we want them to feel good about being there. The last thing we want is people hovering over you. It will not look like a dealership and will not be branded Chevrolet,” Tihanyi says.
Healthy, green, simple - trends to watch in the next 10 years
At the dawn of a new decade, critics question if the previous decade will be remembered as the Uh-Ohs instead of simply the Ohs and how the past 10 years will shape the next. Perhaps in response to the massive global fallout in 2008 - the effects of which are still evident - one can expect the next decade to be one of autonomy, understatement and an increased global conscience, according to trends identified by the Natural Marketing Institute, Harleysville, Pa.
Getting off the grid. A new spirit of self-reliance drives how consumers prioritize their spending and behave toward what they believe is purposeful, principled and powerful. Consumers are pursuing ways to become more self-sufficient, including household-generated energy; water conservation and purification; and private gardens.
Meaningful green. The green wave has penetrated the globe and almost every company and product claims at least a small place at the sustainability table. The challenge lies in achieving meaningful differentiation. Green initiatives must be distinctive, memorable and measurable to impact environmental, social and economic dimensions. Look for the meaning of green to move beyond the struggle of statistics (i.e., X percent less packaging, Y percent more energy efficient, etc.).
EcoTechMed. New economic realities are motivating many to take greater steps toward proactive health care rather than sick care and greater responsibility for their own health and wellness. Technology is enabling fully-customized and predictive prevention alternatives, including a blending of alternative and Western medicine.
Breaking the mold. Consumers are eating less meat, refusing vaccines, trading in the suburban castle for an eco-friendly urban flat and opting to manage one’s own financial portfolio. In short, consumers are starting to reject traditional approaches.
Pure and simple. New trends in purity and simplicity are evident as we move to focused messaging, cleaner labeling, streamlined design and easy delivery. It’s an attempt to get at the core of what is really needed. This less-is-more trend is resonating with values-driven consumers, eco-friendly enthusiasts and convenience shoppers.
The future is now. From aging infrastructures to population growth to climate change, we face a complex set of problems that threaten the population, economy and environment. We must solve the problems worth solving to create a livable future.
Commonwealth of connections. The aging population is driving societal shifts, resulting in a host of new products and services. New communities are being designed to help seniors stay local, active, safe, independent and connected to their world as long as possible.
Personal ROI. Consumers are demanding greater value from every product and service, and the demand extends into making the most of everything - including the investment of time and money. Value requirements transcend product cost and functionality to encompass fair trade, resource management and the efficacy and productivity of corporate social responsibility.