Insights

Story time: I once stayed at a well-known hotel. There were a few things that could have gone differently and, being in marketing and research, I wanted to let them know. When I got home I took the time to find their customer service email and wrote a detailed letter about my experience. I figured [...]

I admit that I go to different stores for ideas. Sometimes I think I could spruce up my living room with new pillows. Other times, I want to see if there is anything new in the kitchen section that could make my amateur adventures easier. I image I am not the only one. And, I [...]

First of all, what the heck is a QR code? According to comScore, only about 6% of people have used a QR code. A QR code is also known as a quick reference code. It’s an image (special matrix bar code) that, with the right application, smart phones can direct users to special digital content. [...]

Many originally predicted retail holiday 2011 shopping to be modest at best. Not necessarily a bad thing, and though many wished for higher sales, being prepared for a slim season is easier than recovering from poor sales. But what really happened? How can the season help us with 2012? Just ten days before Christmas the [...]

Aisles dedicated to male shoppers are coming to stores near you. Recent research has revealed that men shop too <gasp>. Actually, there is a trend that men are doing more of the household shopping. Despite the fact that bachelors have been shopping for themselves for years, it is family level shopping changes that are causing [...]

Baby boomers have consistently, and happily, been labeled as rule changers (Rybarski, 2004). It should be no surprise that as the cohort enters retirement age, their concerns and fears are different from other generations. In particular, the end of life conversation is taking a very different path that ranges from innovation in funeral expectations to [...]

Black Friday can be a very exciting time for businesses and customers. Dreaming of scoring a new something-or-other at a low price motivates some to literally camp outside of stores before they open. The prospect of bringing in lots of customers and making lots of sales, particularly towards the end of a difficult economic year, [...]

There have recently been a lot of fun things happening around dogs and cats. In particular, adoptable animals are getting special attention. Even OK Go made a video last year using all shelter dogs for their “White Knuckles” song. Best Friends has saved thousands of dogs using the idea of an invisible dog to represent [...]

Beginning in 2009 Citigroup “urged investors to focus on companies best positioned to cater to the highest-income and lowest-income consumers.” They felt growth was possible in these areas compared to focusing on the middle-class. A focus on the middle class for product development and advertising has been an American staple for several decades. However, the [...]

We spend most of our lives going around believing we are rational, logical beings who make carefully weighted decisions based on objective facts in stable circumstances. Quote found here. Of course we are! Anything less is admitting that life gets in the way of decision making. But, of course, many factors influence our decisions. Erving [...]