20% of U.S. Has Never Sent Email

Over the past couple of years I have been lulled into thinking everyone uses the internet and cannot live without email even though my parents use neither. According to the National Association of Realtors something like 80% of people start their search for a home on the internet, but what do the other 60 million Americans do when they are thinking of buying a new home? I wonder what percentage of people don’t read the newspaper, watch the TV ads, read direct mail or glance at billboards?

According to research firm Parks Associates roughly one-fifth of all U.S. households are disconnected from the Internet and have never used e-mail. A recent phone survey of U.S. households by Parks found 20 million households are without Internet access, approximately 18 percent of all U.S. households.

John Barrett, director of research at Parks Associates, stated “Nearly one out of three household heads has never used a computer to create a document.”

Age and education are factors in this divide, Park found. One-half of those who have never used e-mail are over 65, and 56 percent had no schooling beyond high school.

Parks found 7 percent of the 20 million disconnected homes plan to subscribe to an Internet service within the next 12 months. In 2006, Parks found that 29 percent of all U.S. households — 31 million homes — did not have Internet access, citing low perceived value of the Internet.

“Many people just don’t see a reason to use computers and do not associate technology with the needs and demands of their daily lives,” Barrett said.

I am going to dig a bit further into the statistics regarding newspaper readership, radio listening habits and other advertising mediums to see if I might be missing some important marketing trends. Stay tuned.

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Is It Good to Be Green In Your Marketing?

TNS, a world leader in market insight and information, released the results of “The Green Life”, a groundbreaking global study assessing how consumers around the globe are responding to the challenge to “go green.” The study takes an in-depth look at global consumers and how environmental issues have impacted their lifestyles, attitudes and purchase behaviors.

What I wanted to find out through my research was whether a green marketing strategy would be effective. I personally make every effort I can to recycle, reducing consumption, save energy and reduce waste, but am I the only one?

Well I’m not the only one, but I am in a select group. The survey found that just 26 percent of Americans saying they “actively seek environmentally friendly products.”

The bottom line…The Green Life reveals a clear intent from U.S. consumers, at least hypothetically, to be environmentally conscious. Businesses have an opportunity to capitalize on these good intentions, given they provide affordable and convenient options.

What does that mean for marketers if consumers are unwilling to make lifestyle changes in their own buying habits? How much goodwill will you generate by adding “green” to your marketing? The study points out;

“the value of green marketing is not so much reaping the goodwill, but avoiding upsetting consumers who actively practice environmentally friendly behavior.”

It was interesting to learn how environmental conscienciousness (that is a hard word to spell) varies around the world. TNS research experts compared consumer responses from 17 different countries across 5 continents.

Responses from the developed nations (the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, Germany, Hong Kong and Korea) were invariably clustered at the least environmentally conscious and responsible end of the spectrum. Developing nations (Mexico, Thailand, Brazil and Malaysia) showed the highest concern for the environment and greatest willingness to take action and seek out ‘greener’ products.

The survey found that just 26 percent of Americans saying they “actively seek environmentally friendly products.” Additionally, 44 percent of U.S. respondents are skeptical that global warming exists or don’t believe it at all. Illogically, over 90 percent also say that the environment influences their day-to-day purchasing decisions. This apparent disconnect poses an undeniable challenge for marketers attempting to create an effective environmental marketing strategy.

New Diamond Shreddies - A New “Spin”

I think this is an absolutely brilliant re-branding of a mature product. It not only made me laugh, but made want to buy a box of Shreddies.

How did I hear about this?

My 25 year old son called me from the car and asked if I had seen the new Shreddies billboard. That may seem odd, but he knows I like Shreddies and he knows I love a good laugh, but I was skeptical whether he could relate over the phone what was on the billboard and have me see the humor.

Well it worked. He said, “Dad there is a picture of a square Shreddie with the caption old,boring and beside it is a Shreddie rotated 45 degrees with the caption “New Diamond Shreddies”. I laughed out loud and I had not even seen the billboard.

Here is what the billboard looks like.

Here is what the new cereal box packaging looks like.

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Want To Generate Some Goodwill? Try a Coloring Contest

Depending on what industry you are in you may be wanting to make a more personal connection in your community. This is especially important for Realtors, Mortgage Brokers, Insurance Brokers, Investment Advisors and retailers.

A great way to build some buzz in the neighborhood is to sponsor a coloring contest for kids. Here are a few things to think about:

1) Source an appropriate image for the kids to color.

2) Have prizes for different age ranges to make sure everyone gets a chance to win.

3) Offer prizes that are age appropriate and have an option for a boy and a girl winner if the item is not gender neutral.

4) Determine the best distribution method; through your storefront, as an insert in your local newspaper, as a direct mail piece or find a retailer such as a grocery store to distribute the coloring pages.

5) Determine the best collection method. Mail to an address, drop off at your storefront or at the same business that helped you distribute them initially.

6) Announce the winners and ensure as many people as possible know that there were in fact winners.

Here is a Sample Coloring Contest

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Taking Advertising to the Streets

Just when you thought you had seen the last new outdoor advertising technique along comes a new advertising service in the UK called Street Advertising Service that has taken advertising to um…new lows.

Thanks to Springwise, my source for everything new in marketing I learned about this great new advertising medium. I am not sure how long the ads last before they fade away, but for a viral marketing program I think this would work well.

The British company’s Street Art service uses high-pressure cleaning machines to wash brands, logos and advertisements on to dirty pavements. Clients provide their design and SAS turns it into a giant stencil. Working at night, the SAS team blasts the stencil with water and steam on dirty walls, roads, pavements or even road signs. The result is a sparkling clean image in the shape of the company’s logo or message. Nothing but water and steam are used, and it’s all perfectly environmentally friendly and legal, SAS stresses. Pricing for a street art campaign with 15 to 20 adverts throughout a city begins at 1,000 pounds per city plus initial setup costs. Clients so far have ranged from newly opened businesses to global brands.

The idea for the service, which launched last year, came to founder Kristian Jeffrey out of sheer frustration. Jeffrey explains: “I run several small online businesses, and was searching for cost-effective advertising to attract consumers to my sites. My potential customers were walking around me every day, and it was when I was walking through the dirty streets of London that the idea came to me: why not take advertising literally to the street? Having experimented with several different methods, we wanted to apply a technique that was not just eye-catching and effective but also friendly to the environment. What could be more natural than water?”

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Halloween Marketing Idea # 2

In addition to providing treats to your clients in a Thanks a Dozen Treat Box have you ever thought of giving away pumpkins to your clients?

I am not sure how widespread the practice of pumpkin carving is at Halloween, but in our neck of the woods a carved pumpkin means you should knock on the door.

One of my clients hand delivered pumpkins to her client’s and used a doorhanger as a pumpkin hanger. It had tips on carving and an amusing message on the other side. I deleted the client’s name, but you get the idea. Click on the thumbnail for a larger image.

If you don’t want to hand deliver why not set up a display at a local gas station or mall and give away the pumpkins there. An even better idea is to accept donations for the pumpkins on behalf of a charity.

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More on Advertising on Napkins

In a previous posts I talked about Napkin advertising and featured a company called NapkinAd out of Australia. Since then I have discovered a US-based company called HD Napkin which is short for High definition napkin.

I am always looking for something new for clients and I think this is an exciting opportunity for certain advertisers.

What is so exciting about HD Nakins is their process allows the CMYK process to be reproduced onto tissue without compromising the integrity of the image being printed. Their custom-made printing machines, together with high quality paper, and water-based inks, reproduce high-resolution, full-color, photo-realistic images on napkins.

The benefits of this form of advertising is:

1. Unique marketing tool
2. In the consumer’s hand
3. Photo-realistic ads
4. Long & lasting impressions
5. More creative execution

The company offers the following features and services:

1. Napkins are constructed with 3-Ply virgin facial tissue
2. Napkins will be poly wrapped in 50 count packages
3. Each case will house 100 packages
4. All inks are water-based & environmentally safe
5. 4-Color Process / 4-Panel Print Included
6. Metallic Silver and Gold ink is available
7. 10”W x 10”H image area
8. PDF proof included
9. Made in the USA

You can learn more about HD Napkins at their web site.

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Marketing “Behind the Scenes”

In my never-ending quest for new marketing ideas I wrote about Napkin advertising and stumbled across another similar idea that will get your marketing on a “roll”. Are you ready for toilet tissue advertising? Well there is a company called Just Toilet Paper

that is cleaning up in this market. Actually, I am serious about the potential for this form of advertising and I am sure it will find its’ way into more than one marketing plan in the next few months.

Their marketing angle is to Capture People’s Exclusive Attention and I must admit this is a potential winner for some businesses. They report that “on the average, people go to the bathroom 6 times a day. Public restrooms are used very often.” As they are a captive audience why not place your business or product in front of thousands of people who use restrooms every day. This is a sure fire way to grab people’s attention.

You can buy 10 rolls for only $ 9.50 each plus a small set-up charge. While I agree it is a viable advertising vehicle it can also make a lot of impact as a novelty item as nobody is going to throw it away and people will talk about it for a long time.

They have lots of pre-printed products such as rolls with paw prints, happy birthday and dollar bills that they sell out of their inventory.

The company, Marc Polish Associates, a small company based in New Jersey has created additional products like the Bibkin, a new napkin for adults, monogrammed coasters and emergency mini toilet paper rolls. I recommend you check them out. I am going to.

Napkin Advertising

In the latest edition of Springwise, a venture with a network of 8,000 spotters scanning the globe for smart new business ideas comes a great marketing idea…advertising on napkins. While this is not revolutionary it got me thinking about approaching restaurants and coffee shops and offering free napkins with advertising on them. Almost any service would benefit from being in front of a targeted audience every day. The coffee shop saves money and the advertisers wipes up!

The new marketing venture in Australia that Springwise uncovered promises to capture the attention of consumers—and hold onto it for more than 15 minutes—when they’re out and about and in the mood to shop. This idea takes napkin distribution one step further by providing the branded dispensers too.

NapkinAd features advertising promotions printed on napkins and napkin dispensers in high-traffic shopping mall food courts, where there’s a constant flow of traffic during business hours, with consumers stopping to chat, rest, grab a cup of coffee or bite to eat—and may even shove a few free napkins in their pockets before heading off to their next destinations.

Similar to tissue pack advertising in Japan, the idea is to get an advertisement directly into consumers’ hands—and for longer than one might look at a leaflet before tossing it into the nearest trash can. Like other give-to-get ventures, it works because it offers customers something useful and relevant at no charge—not only do most people not mind the ads, but many feel a fleeting sense of gratitude towards whoever offered them the freebie.
Tissue Pack Advertising

Following is an excerpt from Japan Times Online:

“Four billion packets of free tissues are distributed every year in Japan, a large proportion of which end up in my apartment. I just went through the places they collect, including a kitchen drawer and a basket just inside our entranceway, and found give-away tissues from travel agencies, consumer finance companies, fitness clubs, optical chains, banks and a fair number of drinking establishments. The most interesting find, if I exclude the one with an offer for a “massage” by a beautiful foreign blonde, was a pack with recruiting information for Japan’s Self-Defense Forces.

Clarity in Your Message

How many times have you written a letter, proposal or brochure only to forget your audience may not have the same level of understanding as you have? A little further down I provide a good example of clarity. Clarity in your writing is crtical to the success of your piece. Here are five tips to consider:

1. Use as few words as possible.
2. Limit superfluous banter.
3. Stay away from jargon.
4. Keep paragraphs short.
5. Have someone proofread your writing.

I subscribe to Bankrate.com’s newsletter as a source of new ideas, but also to educate me on the industry. Yesterday’s article on the Feds Cutting Short Term Interest Rates was a case in point. When you read the original text and the translation it makes you wonder why something so important to consumers could not be packaged in a way that is easer to understand.

What the Fed said:
“The Federal Open Market Committee decided today to lower its target for the federal funds rate 50 basis points to 4-3/4 percent. “

The translation:
“The Federal Reserve’s rate-setting Open Market Committee cut the target for the federal funds rate half a percentage point, to 4.75 percent. “

What the Fed said:
“Developments in financial markets since the Committee’s last regular meeting have increased the uncertainty surrounding the economic outlook. The Committee will continue to assess the effects of these and other developments on economic prospects and will act as needed to foster price stability and sustainable economic growth.”

The translation:
“It’s not only harder for consumers to get jumbo and subprime mortgages, corporations are having to work harder to find short-term debt. Hedge funds and other money managers are afraid to buy and sell mortgage debt, because if they do so, their theoretical losses will become actual losses. In short, credit is harder to come by, and that makes the economic outlook uncertain. The Fed will keep an eye on that, too.”

What the Fed said:
“Economic growth was moderate during the first half of the year, but the tightening of credit conditions has the potential to intensify the housing correction and to restrain economic growth more generally. Today’s action is intended to help forestall some of the adverse effects on the broader economy that might otherwise arise from the disruptions in financial markets and to promote moderate growth over time.”

The translation:
“Economic growth was moderate during the first half of the year. But it’s harder for consumers and corporations to get credit now, and that could intensify the slowdown in home sales and the slide in housing costs. Cutting rates is intended to keep the credit crunch from spilling over into the broader economy and to goose the overall economy.”