Mixx Marketing

Economy-conscious colors for 2010By Lindsey Strader — Home Accents Today, 4/1/2009There is not much that remains untouched by the heavy foot of a down economy, and trend forecasters are in agreement that the downturn will be one of the key influences on color palettes for 2010. The four palettes for the 2010 forecast examine coping methods for weathering the economic storm. Safe Haven - The first focuses on playing it safe, which translates into a palette dominated mostly by neutrals.Great Escape - The next grouping delves into the idea of a total escape, glancing to the far-off exoticism of Africa, Russia and Dubai.Lustrous metallics and spicy tones populate the spectrum of this palette.Radical Rules - Following is a grouping that represents a complete backlash to the norm.This palette encourages experimentation and innovation, yielding a daring array of unexpected brights.Natural Embrace - Completing the forecast is an assembly of vegetable colors and earthy tones that represents the times by the turning to nature and immediate surroundings to get by.  The see the complete articles click on the links below:Color Forecast: Safe HavenColor Forecast: Great EscapeColor Forecast: Radical RulesColor Forecast: Natural Embrace 

This trend isn’t simply about the next hot health-promoting variety or the latest free-radical fighting tea-infused facial serum, but rather, we’ve noticed a growing fascination around tea culture in general that encompasses the history, mystique, tradition, and ceremony of tea. As we continue to see the Slow Movement gain an American following, we expect that the ritual of tea will find a larger home within the US, with caffeine seekers exchanging a quick shot of espresso for a more relaxed pot of tea for social meet-ups. Similar to the US wine industry boom, we expect to see major growth in the American specialty tea market (which already brings in an estimated $6.8 billion/year) in the future.While it may not have quite the effect that the movie Sideways had on the wine industry, the recently released documentary All In This Tea has people talking and thinking differently about a beverage that’s commonly perceived as, well… common. The film follows a world-renowned tea connoisseur as he journeys to China to learn about some of the world’s best handmade teas and the ancient craft of tea making. Along the way, attention is drawn to the dwindling population of experienced tea farmers whose age-old methods have given way to the bigger industry of mass production.For those who can’t make the trek to Asia, you’ll likely be able to experience a tea tasting in your own community, as a growing number of modern tea shops have begun to pop up in urban areas. In the past, we’ve written about New York’s Tavalon Tea Bar, and Dr. Tea’s (formerly Elixir) in Los Angeles has long been one of our favorite haunts. Lately we’ve been tea-ing up at Algabar where proprietors Gail Barel and Robb Wain have been hosting tea tastings. Using the “traditional tools of the tea master,” guests can learn about the origin, production, proper preparation, and even appropriate food pairings for a number of rare handmade teas from all over the world. On the catering side of their business, the shop has also been seeing interest in “Marteanis”.Skeptics of this growing trend might just want to give tea another try-and this time, be sure to follow the specific tea brewing instructions, because if we’ve learned one thing from a recent tutorial on tea, everything from water temperature to infusion (i.e. steep) time will affect the taste and essence of a perfect cup. 

Toss out your decorating manuals and welcome a style movement towards everything eclectic. Coinciding with the growing globalization trend, accents look ultra chic when presented in a culturally fused array. No wrongs can be wrought in this mix-matched style, so blend away.

Lindsey Strader — Home Accents Today, 4/3/2008

From apparel to home accessories, the fashion world is ablaze with red. The color is certainly something worth getting passionate about. The fiery tones can be both sophisticated and edgy, lending eye-popping zest to styles from traditional to ultra-contemporary. Watch out for the spirited new incarnation of red!

Angela Heck & Tracy Bulla - Home Accents, April 2008

Green Retail
While this market segment, as defined by Gallup Management Journal, has household income over $75k the green here isn’t dollars. It’s a commitment to, and interest in, environmental issues. Four out of five (80%) “Mass Affluent Women” consider themselves active in or sympathetic to the environmental movement compared with only 65% of men in the same income group. Here is your green product target group.

Sure, you’ve heard of baby boomers, of Gen X and of Generation Y, but what about the youngest of consumers: GENERATION Z? Comprised of youngsters born after 1 April 2006, GENERATION Z is both the most promising and the most ignored target audience in developed consumer societies. Even dedicated youth-marketing agencies prefer to focus on the (by now tired) 3–5 year old demographic (also known as GEN Y+), as their spending power, brand loyalty and influence on household’s purchasing decisions is roughly five times that of GENERATION Z. But don’t kid yourself: GENERATION Z is a marketer’s wildest fantasy waiting to happen.
First of all, no generation in the history of mankind can be made to embrace brands with such eagerness by exposing them to specific brand benefits. Consider this research nugget: a Swiss study has found that when sufficiently exposed to child-friendly brand jingles, tunes and spoken messages during pregnancy, up to 77% of all newborns not only recognize these brand markers, but develop a brand preference that could last until puberty, and probably into adulthood (final results are not yet available as the project only started two years ago). Furthermore, an astounding 23% of infant participants could indicate at least 9 out of 12 favorite brands using rudimentary hand signals. Who said innovation is dead?

Does the market want it? If there is demand, certainly. The natural foods and natural products market is growing. Take the success of stores like Whole Foods and Wild Oats, for example. In stores like these and others, natural foods cross over into gourmet category.
But, you can’t force green products on a market that isn’t asking for it yet, or one that doesn’t want to pay the price.
Another challenge as a small retailer; can you offer the selection and diversity to satisfy the market? How many wool sweaters and lotions does one person need? If you only carry a small number of products, can you be unique enough, and create a strong enough brand to drive traffic? It’s a lot of work.
Some of the smaller retailers in my community are doing a great job of offering organic alternatives in addition to their other traditional product lines. There is definitely a market here with all of us ‘granolas’ on the west coast of BC.
In my mind, ‘green retail’ is an exciting area to watch. It means different things to different people, and seems to be growing and changing rapidly. If you are a retailer in this arena, you really need to keep your finger on the pulse of the market and new developments in the industry.
In the future ‘green’ is going to be a choice that customers expect to have as a minimum standard. You see this in grocery retail already - small retailers to supermarkets are offering green/organic alternatives to avoid losing part of their market. Another example is printing - everyone carries recycled paper stocks as an option. More and more retailers are going to need to adjust, and retailers who only carry organics, or ‘green’ products will need to be more competitive.
The topic of ‘green retail’ is huge. Any other thoughts?
Melanie McIntosh
Inspire Retail Solutions

Gail Markert of Markert Group Consulting-
Global—International looks with a handmade feel are tracking. Beadwork, inlay, carving, hammered metal finishes and any detail that adds character and texture is of interest. Besides the current interest in Moroccan, origins can be Asian, [other] African, South American or tribal in nature.
Green—The environmental movement is gaining traction and the near term focus is on reduced packaging. With Wal-Mart and Target already on board with supplier initiatives, look for key accounts in the gift industry to follow suit.
Big and bold—With intense competition at lower price points, retailers and manufacturers are seeing bright spots of success on larger and unique higher priced items in the $50 to $100 range.

Lynn Armanino of Team Sales-
Salt is now about to take on a new meaning as the hidden properties of salt are now being touted. The kitchen stores and better home stores have discovered the superiority of natural salts and are selling all the different types with a passion. There’s flavored salts, Celtic Sea Salt from Brittany, Grey Salt, Himalayan Pink Salt, Jurassic Sea Salt from Utah, Kala Namak (Indian Black Salt), Trapani Sea Salt from Sicily, to name just a few. This movement is just ramping up. There are books on the benefits of salt and the history of salt as well as salt accessories. We’ll definitely see more about salt in 2008.

Benno Duenkelsbuehler of New Creative and Square Nest-
There will be more emphasis on the entire value proposition—not just the cheapest price, but all the elements of value: uncompromising quality, compelling designs, functionality, on-time delivery, and at the right price. Pricing pressures from overseas (such as RMB currency valuation, Chinese tax law changes, and labor cost issues) will make it tougher to compete only on price, but those of us who deliver on the entire value equation (including the right price) will do quite well. Product innovation and compelling designs that display and merchandise easily in the store will be important to buyers going after a new consumer generation. The strong trend towards Outdoor Living, combined with a growing respect and a healthy concern for our environment, will only become stronger.

Seattle-based Nordstrom Inc. has signed a letter of intent with General Growth Properties Inc. to open a new store at Ridgedale Center in Minnetonka, Minn. The new two-level Nordstrom will be approximately 172,000 sq. ft. and is scheduled to open fall 2011. The Nordstrom at Ridgedale Center will be the retailer’s second store in Minnesota. Nordstrom at Mall of America opened in 1992, and Nordstrom also operates a Rack at Mall of America. “We’ve been in the Twin Cities area since 1992 and have been fortunate to have great customer support at our Mall of America store,” said Erik Nordstrom, president of stores for Nordstrom. “We have long wanted to expand our presence here and are thrilled about this opportunity at Ridgedale.” The two-level Ridgedale Center is home to more than 120 top specialty retailers and now, with Nordstrom, four department stores.