「クールネス」と消費財：2003

INTRODUCTION

Over 65% of consumers consider it important to feel "cool" about their lifestyle, making it vital for marketers to know how and when to add cool to their brands. This report gives essential insight into what really constitutes "cool": how it applies to different age groups, what product attributes are required and what marketing messages and tactics are most effective.

SCOPE OF THE REPORT

• Consumer groups aspiring to similar cool lifestyles by age across the US, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, UK, between 1997 & 2007
• Defines what constitutes coolness in food, drinks and personal care and how it can be credibly achieved
• Quantification of the number of "Opinion Formers" who set the trends in your category and advice on how to target them
• Unique insight from US and pan-European consumers as well as results of our US and European marketers opinion survey

REPORT HIGHLIGHTS

Coolness applies to many more consumers than just "youths". Coolness is not just about fads, and marketers are potentially missing out on offering "cool" to the vast number of older, often more affluent consumers.

The importance of coolness varies by product category, but marketers must not become "cool obsessed". While over a quarter of Americans and Europeans report using consumer packaged goods in order to achieve "cool", cool alone cannot sustain a brand. Successful incorporation of cool with other product attributes is key.

While cool is often associated with exclusivity, it is possible to offer "mainstream" cool. Brands seeking to establish and maintain such a position will need clearly segmented brand strategies. This report shows how it can be achieved.

KEY REASONS TO BUY THIS REPORT

• Marketing strongly influences over 70% of consumers' perception of cool - gain insight into how to engineer cool and which segments to target
• Young consumers are spending more on purchasing cool products - find out what they seek and how to make your products appeal to them
• Coolness is often deemed indefinable - clarify an elusive concept and better understand how to integrate elements of coolness into your brand

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Hot topic

The future decoded

Action points

General marketing strategy

Communicating cool

The product offering and price

CHAPTER 2 THE FUTURE DECODED

Introduction

The importance of coolness in consumer packaged goods

The emergence of 'cool consumerism'

The drivers of cool consumerism

Defining coolness

Exemplifying coolness as a perception and attitude

Distinguishing between fashion and coolness

Psychosocial benefits of coolness to consumers

The attributes of cool

Understanding the differing types of coolness

CPGs do not have to be exclusive to be cool to many consumers

The three consumer groups and levels of cool

Characteristics of Opinion Formers

Characteristics of Adopters

Characteristics of Regulars

Quantifying Opinion Formers, Adopters and Regular consumers

Conclusions

The importance of cool varies by category

CHAPTER 3 ACTION POINTS

Introduction: remain benefit focused, not cool focused

Concentrate on fulfilling high level need states

General marketing strategy

Communicating cool

The product offering and price

Be clear about what type of cool you are aspiring to

Use focused brand segmentation to target different groups

Stay loyal to the consumers who give you cool credibility

Strive for sustainable long term coolness, not faddishness

'Seed'  rather than 'bombard'  the marketplace

Hire cool advocates to spread product credibility

Packaging - think fashion and use it to create a cool image

Give the product a retro look

Give the product a textured and professional look

Use cool characters to give the product distinction

Making a product a home accessory

Undertake detailed consumer research

Learn the specific ingredients of cool for your category

Profile your disassociative group

Do not be dismissive of social fashions and fads

Keep focusing on what is cool for the on-trade

Offer high quality and authentic products to older consumers

Continuously update your product offering to stay relevant

Ensure product adaptability when offering cool to youths

Communicate cool with understated and subtle messages

Use celebrity endorsement to establish mainstream cool

Be selective in using certain celebrities

Associate products with naturally cool everyday occasions

Produce branded memorabilia that consumers interact with

Explore the potential to tap into the urban mindset

Associate your brand with cool aspects of popular culture

Associations with sport

Associations with fashion and art

Associations with music and parties

Give your brand an attitude to appeal to younger consumers

Embrace below-the-line campaigns and alternative media

Make your products interactive and fun if targeting 8-14 year olds

Use pricing to control consumer perceptions of cool

Offer the mainstream affordable cool

CHAPTER 4 APPENDIX

Report definitions

Research methodology

Bibliography

How to contact experts in your industry

List of Tables

Table 1: Historical and contemporary components of cool

Table 2: Gross income comparisons between 14-24 year old groups, Europe, ($/capita), ($bn), 2002-2007

Table 3: Gross income comparisons between 14-24 year old groups, US, ($/capita), ($bn), 2002-2007

Table 4: Consumer spending influenced by their fear of aging, by country, by country, $m, 1997-2007

Table 5: Brands identified as cool by teens, 1999

Table 6: Perceptions of media effectiveness in making a product appear cool or trendy, US consumer vs. US industry respondent perceptions, %, 2003

Table 7: Perceptions of media effectiveness in making a product appear cool or trendy, EU consumer vs. EU industry respondent perceptions, %, 2003

Table 8: The total number of Opinion Formers, Adopters and Regulars in the US, #m, 1997-2007

Table 9: The total number of Opinion Formers, Adopters and Regulars in Europe, #m, 1997-2007

Table 10: Opinion Formers, aged 15+, by country, #m, 1997-2007

Table 12: Regulars, aged 15+, by country, #m, 1997-2007

Table 13: Number of 'Opinion Formers'  for CPGs (on average) by age group and country, #m, 1997-2007

Table 14: Number of 'Adopters'  for CPGs (on average) by age group and country, #m, 1997-2007

Table 15: Number of 'Regulars'  for CPGs (on average) by age group and country, #m, 1997-2007

Table 16: Consumer judgment on the importance of the 'cool' factor when making purchases from different categories, EU vs US, % respondents finding cool to be “very important” or “quite important”, %, 2003

Table 17: High level need states beyond coolness

Table 18: Distinguishing between ephemeral cool and long term classic cool

Table 19: Examples of current on-trade trends

Table 20: Definitions

List of Figures

Figure 1: Consumers'  views on the importance of personally feeling cool about the way they live their lifestyle, EU vs. US, %, 2003

Figure 2: Consumers'  views regarding whether marketing affects their view of a product as cool or not, EU vs. US, %, 2003

Figure 3: Consumer influences driving expressions of cool

Figure 4: Consumers'  views on the importance of being seen as 'cool'  in the eyes of others, EU vs. US, %, 2003

Figure 5: Levels of cool: exclusive vs. masstige vs. mainstream

Figure 6: Perceptions of media effectiveness in making a product appear cool or trendy, US consumer vs. US industry respondent perceptions, %, 2003

Figure 7: Perceptions of media effectiveness in making a product appear cool or trendy, EU consumer vs. EU industry respondent perceptions, %, 2003

Figure 8: Consumers'  response to whether they buy CPGs because it helps them construct a 'cool identity' , EU vs US, %, 2003

Figure 9: An example of effective brand segmentation to cater to consumers'  differing perceptions and ability to consume 'cool'

Figure 10: Coolness through product sampling – Innocent Drinks, Red Bull, Ginsters

Figure 11: Coolness through packaging examples – Gola, Sprite, Method Home care

Figure 12: Brand bonding, by age, 2003

Figure 13: Coolness through the urban scene – Red Stripe, Planet Ice Cream, MAC cosmetics

Figure 14: The four components of fun necessary for cool products targeted towards 8-14 year old consumers