Slow Enjoyment - Leading Food InsightFletcher Knight, February 10, 2010
As the Slow Food movement continues to gain momentum, marketers have an opportunity to re-express the philosophy at the heart of the movement. But what if the trend was re-expressed? Not slow food, but slow enjoyment. Read More > Want to Innovate? Then Create a Rich, Holistic Brand ExperienceAdvertising Age, December 23, 2009
Here's How CMOs Can Capitalize on This Emerging OpportunityBrand experience is rapidly becoming the new frontier for innovation.
Such brand experiences authentically embed the product into deep content or services, stretching the footprint of the brand far beyond where it is used. This type of innovation is becoming a mandate for growth across a number of consumer categories, particularly in package goods. Read More >
Ricochet Shopping - Leading Beauty Insight by Fletcher KnightFletcher Knight, December 9, 2009
It’s well-known that the same consumer is shopping across channels, in many cases shopping both up-market and down. What’s also true is that the same person is often shopping for the same item across channels, bouncing from one channel where they do their browsing – to another channel where they’re doing their researching – and to a third yet where they’re doing their purchasing. At Fletcher Knight we’ve seen this bounce-between-channel shopping behavior among many consumers, especially in beauty. We call it Ricochet Shopping. Read More > Optimal Outlook - Leading Food Insight by Fletcher KnightFletcher Knight, November 10, 2009
A new health & wellness whitespace is emerging that presents both a positioning and innovation opportunity for many food brands: foods with positive sustainable natural energy that optimize emotional or mental outlook and help you get the best out of life. We call this whitespace, Optimal Outlook. Read More > Training Wheels for Beauty - Leading Insight by Fletcher KnightMediaPost's Engage: Teens , October 22, 2009
It’s not news that kids are growing up earlier, adopting adult-like purchasing interest and behavior at ever earlier ages. NPD 2009 revealed that 50% of tweens are already using skin care products, with skin care outranking cosmetics in terms of usage. Given this reality, beauty brands should no longer be content to relegate the teen market to teen brands. On the contrary, they should be reaching down in age – sooner and further -- forging a relationship with consumers as early as possible when they are yet untrained and hungry to learn. Read More > Moms Who Launch (Not Lunch) - Leading Food Insight by Fletcher KnightFletcher Knight, August 25, 2009
Mom talk is alive and well today but the venue and the subject matter has changed. Talk largely takes place in social media (eg, CafeMom, Circle of Moms) which is fast, viral, honest and informative. And they talk about how hard it is to find the foods they desire while nearly 50% of Millennials say they do not know how to cook. Now, enterprising Moms are closing the gap by creating successful food businesses built on rich insights gleaned from frank discussions with their contemporaries.How to Catch a Man - Leading Beauty Insight by Fletcher KnightMarketing TrendZ, July 28, 2009
Why is it so hard for men’s grooming brands to catch a man? Experts predict a surge in the men’s grooming market – just as they’ve been doing for the past decade. The men’s grooming market is only about one-fifth the size of the women’s market, according to Euromonitor. But if the men’s market is so dramatically underdeveloped, why has the oft- predicted explosion failed to materialize? Freaks of Nature - Leading Beauty Insight by Fletcher KnightFletcher Knight , June 30, 2009
High performance skin care has usually meant “high science.” Now, however, beauty brands are going to great depths – deep into the water and the jungle – to extract some of Mother Nature’s most potent ingredients. Read More > The Resiliency Movement - Leading Food Insight by Fletcher KnightFletcher Knight , June 30, 2009
Consumers are developing a deeper appreciation for home and locally grown foods as they represent the best of both worlds: good value foods that are also authentic and fresh with a smaller carbon foot print. We call this shift the Resiliency Movement. Read More > Consumer Involvement is Game-ChangerMarketing Daily, May 19, 2009
The economic downturn is causing a fundamental shift in how consumers interact with brands. To survive and thrive, marketers and innovators need to dramatically increase their focus on measuring and understanding consumer "involvement" and involvement frequency across the "journey of interaction" with brands. Read More > Starting Over at 50 in Beauty - Leading Beauty Insight by Fletcher KnightFletcher Knight, May 1, 2009
Today's 50+ women are no longer a marketer's deadbeat who never tries new products, but a marketer's dream; they are in hyperactive trial mode. 50+ women are hungry for information to teach them how to get the best results as they change and evolve. Fifty is no longer the end of the beauty road for women - or marketers. Read More > Premium Foods, Beverages Redefine SimplicityMarketing Daily, April 24, 2009
Simplifying life, including food preparation, is hardly a new concept, but it's one that continues to gain momentum as the recession wears on. For premium brands, the challenge lies in appealing to consumers' yen for back-to-basics while retaining the sophisticated image equity that supports their pricing, points out Margaret Kime, director of innovation with brand-building consultancy Fletcher Knight. Read More > SunChips Keeps Building Green MomentumMarketing Daily, April 22, 2009
According to Margaret Kime, director of innovation with brand-building consultancy Fletcher Knight, "You need to make the green benefits relevant to the brand experience as a whole. And particularly with food and consumables, you need to convey that it's good for the consumer, as well as for the earth." A Fresh Look at 50: Q&A with Carol Davies, Fletcher KnightMarketing Daily, April 17, 2009
Life is confusing for those at the hind-end of the Baby Boom. Although they fall between the ages of 44 and 54, they have no idea what they're supposed to look like. "Marketers think 50-plus people never try anything new, and they couldn't be more wrong, especially regarding beauty products. Read More > No More Orphan Ingredients - Leading Food Insight by Fletcher KnightFletcher Knight, April 1, 2009
Do you know where your peanut butter has been? As the organic, fair trade, local and artisan food movements (and food contamination scares), continue to evolve, consumers will demand more detail around the origins of a product and each of its ingredients. Read More > Food Scares Make 'Transparency' More CriticalMarketing Daily, March 5, 2009
The trends toward providing greater transparency in food and beverage labeling and making a product's origin and background a marketing asset are gaining even greater momentum as a result of peanut product recalls and other recent scares, according to Margaret Kime, director of innovation with brand-building consultancy Fletcher Knight Read More > The Organic Consumer: Natural DemandInternational Cosmetic News , March 1, 2009
She’s environmentally conscious and not afraid of the superstore. ICN finds out exactly who is driving demand in the naturals sector. Read More > Want to Successfully Target Boomers? Aim for the HeadAdvertising Age, February 23, 2009
We have spent the last 30 years or so obsessing about the Big Three - Abs. Flabs. Coronaries. Too bad we totally forgot about the parts of our body we really need to keep ship-shape - Eyes. Ears. Brains. At last our priorities seem to be shifting. "Health from the neck up" is the new catchphrase...First off, says Davies, we are going to start eating, doing and buying everything possible to keep our brains buff. Read More > Prescription for Innovation 2009Marketing Daily, January 21, 2009
To maintain the health of brands over the long haul, it's important not to become too distracted by the here and now. When it comes to innovation, it's critical to look beyond the abyss. So, herein follow some consumer behaviors, beliefs, hopes and wants that we believe will bridge from today to tomorrow--and help marketers focus on the other side instead of getting too spooked by looking down into the abyss. The Brand Balance - BrandingInternational Cosmetic News, October 1, 2008
In today's competitive times, brands need to offer authenticity and credibility to keep consumers loyal. Carol Davies, partner with marketing consultancy Fletcher Knight, notes that...there is temptation for brands to compete for consumer attention by launching similar products. Read More > What's the CMO's Role in Innovation?Advertising Age, July 14, 2008
The Marketing Chief Must Not Be Distracted From the Primary Tasks Related to Marketing Ongoing Businesses Read More > Lifestyle Monitor: Start Thinking ValueWWD, July 10, 2008
How Women Shop for Apparel During an Economic Downturn. First, the bad news: Tough economic times for consumers mean tough economic times for the apparel business. The good news is that women are still shopping for clothes today, just not like they do when the economy is stronger. Read More > Bringing Home Six Figures and Fewer Luxuries WWD, July 9, 2008
The mind-set, shopping and spending habits of luxury consumers are fast changing. About one in five affluent Americans is turning away from indulgence and toward less materialism, as they express commitment to values like sustainability and contentment with buying good products instead of the best. Read More > Changing Faces: What Makes Today's Beauty Consumer Tick? International Cosmetic News, June 7, 2008
Today's beauty consumer is very different to her 1997 counterpart. Her notion of beauty is broader, incorporating total body wellness. Beauty brands keen to find favor with her have their work cut out for them. Read More >
Veggie TalesBrandweek, March 24, 2008
Any organic or natural-foods brand worth its salt wants to get into Whole Foods Market. But beware, sales reps, pitching Wal-Mart this ain't. "Whole Foods Market is the gold standard in grocery," according to Laurence Knight, president of Fletcher Knight. Read More >
Eight Weight-Loss Tech ToysForbes, February 20, 2008
Now, thanks to a growing demand for quick, convenient personalized health and fitness information, all you've got to do is pull out your cellphone or personal digital assistant (PDA). The idea is that if we turn to these devices, which we always tend to have on hand, for healthy behavior tips, we might have a better shot at adopting them. Read More > A Long Long Wait for a WiiBusiness Week, December 6, 2007
Nintendo says the shortage is costing it big time, but some analysts say it's all part of the buzz machine Read More > Third Time is a TrendAdweek, November 5, 2007
A look at the consumer behaviors that will shape 2008 Read More > Follow the MoneyWWD, September 1, 2007
Where is the next crop of high-end consumers coming from? Read More > Losing a lot More than WeightBrandweek, August 6, 2007
On today's often-greasy menu of marketing approaches, Glaxo Smith Kline's approach is admirable. Unfortunately, it also raises a disturbing question: In our notoriously fad-mad weight-loss market, is there actually room for a diet drug that's not a magic pill? Read More > Dan Bane of Trader Joe'sSupermarket News, July 23, 2007
The chairman and chief executive officer of Trader Joe's, Monrovia, Calif., creates a passion for the company and its products, according to Laurence Knight, president of Fletcher Knight, a branding agency in Greenwich, Conn. Read More > Fat Fighting Drugs of the FutureForbes, July 9, 2007
While GlaxoSmithKline's alli made news recently as the first FDA-approved over-the-counter weight-loss drug, a glimpse of what's currently in development shows it could have a lot more competition in the coming years. Read More > More Get Wholesome Quick SchemesBrandweek, June 18, 2007
Never mind that there's no scientific proof that such nutraceuticals prevent cancer, heart disease or stroke (after all, it's all but impossible to prove such a thing by experimenting on people), today's ever-fatter consumers seem to be lining up for any shortcut to good nutrition. Read More > How to Define a Brand's SoulAdweek, June 18, 2007
Laurence Knight, Unilever veteran and consultant to Unilever brands such as Dove, Axe, Caress and Pond's, like to preach that a brand needs soul in order to thrive, especially as the world gets more digital. What brands have the most soul? Read More > 50 Cent Makes Health Hip, L.L. Adds Cool to CategoryBrandweek, March 5, 2007
"Functional beverages are a huge growth space. Vitaminwater needs to move into the emotive, image-driven space versus telling the story of its ingredients," said Laurence Knight, president at Fletcher Knight, a marketing innovation consultancy. "50 Cent is the ideal role model to capture that, especially with the youth market, which is becoming much more health savvy. His fitness attitude relates equity-wise to the brand." Read More > The New Buzz of Open Innovation NetworksAdmap, March 1, 2007
Laurence Knight, Fletcher Knight, shows how companies are casting a wider net for ideas ? but still find it hard to tap consumers. Still central to 'upstream' innovation, and where open networks have not been proven, is 'connecting' directly with consumers to generate insights that can identify 'where to play'. Where can open networks add value? Read More > Selling your Soul European Cosmetic News, October 1, 2006
A heartfelt and authentic message is the most effective marketing tool around, Laurence Knight, principal and founder of marketing innovation consultancy Fletcher Knight, tells Georgina Caldwell. Read More > Mega-Brand vs. Edited BrandChief Marketer, July 11, 2006
Consumers always want choice -- or do they? When shopping for orange juice or toothpaste becomes as complicated as shopping for pantyhose, is offering "infinite" choice within a category really such a good idea? Read More > Let's Go ShoppingWWD, June 22, 2006
Finding those factors of care and comfort just might underscore any reason why women enjoy shopping for apparel, from finding a good fit to discovering a great fashion to keeping tabs on one's financial compass. It just might be the reason you hear someone say, "Let's go shopping!" Read More > All Eyes on the Obesity PrizeBusiness Week, June 6, 2006
Obesity has been a headline-grabbing disease for at least five years now. Yet there hasn't been a headline-grabbing drug to treat it -- until now. At least two ground-breaking antiobesity drugs will likely get clearance from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration before the year is out. Read More > Top of Mind: Performance Sensory SpectrumBrandweek, March 8, 2004
New products are meant to refresh brands and make them stand out from their rivals. With so much refreshing going on by so many companies, how can a brand possibly break through? Read More > Want to Innovate? Then Create a Rich, Holistic Brand Experience?Advertising Age,
Brand experience is rapidly becoming the new frontier for innovation.Such brand experiences authentically embed the product into deep content or services, stretching the footprint of the brand far beyond where it is used. This type of innovation is becoming a mandate for growth across a number of consumer categories, particularly in package goods.
