RETAILmama

September 2006, Issue 1 www.sparkvisualresearch.com

marketplace research

MARKETPLACE CATEGORY:

RETAIL

! DEFINITION: When we in the stock world think retail images, we think mainly of images of people shopping. Its the looking, trying on, nding, and purchasing moments. ! RELEVANT INDUSTRIES: Who mainly request retail images? As far as the marketplace is concerned, the industries interested in retail images are mainly nancial and travel. We would love for the fashion industry to buy stock but obviously, that needs to be done by their inhouse team. Still, brands that support the fashion industry also desire images of retail such as malls or retail support services. ! MARKETER MOTIVATION: The shopping experience is a perfect setting for companies who need to illustrate worry free credit, sell consumers home improvement, hassle free loans, a deserved vacation or a new self image. Much of the brand positioning centers around the concept of you earned it, you deserve it!. ! LOCATIONS: shopping malls, outlet, warehouse and discount, boutiques, online, grocery, drug stores, sporting/hobby, home decoration/improvement, clothing (either in-store or at home), electronic/computer stores, sidewalks, car, street markets, even airports. ! MAIN DEMOGRAPHICS: kids, tweens, teens, young adults, boomers, and parents. ! KEY DEMOGRAPHIC:

MOMS

KEY DEMOGRAPHIC:

MOM

According to American Demographics, women make up 52.1% of the US population but control 2/3 of the nations disposable income. Sorry to tell you fellas but since 2000 it has been women who have kept up consumer spending, despite talks of a recession. Women have also earned nearly 60% of all bachelors and masters degrees awarded during the past ve years. On top of that, women are taking many of the better-paying and more secure jobs. The result is that womens income, while still lagging behind mens, is rising faster. Over the past ve years, full-time working women aged 25-64 have seen their real (ination-adjusted) median income rise 4% compared with a 3% decrease for men. The impact of this shift extends far beyond just adding more cash to consumer spending. It changes what and often how, women purchase. This trend is a causal factor in the growing preference for more healthful and organic foods, natural ingredients in cosmetics and more planet friendly products. According to USA Today, American Moms command 1.7 trillion in annual spending.
photo source: California Closets Ad

THEIR STRENGTH: PURSE POWER

WOMEN ARE

MULTI-DIMENSIONAL
They are objects of beauty. They are sensorial creatures. They are independent. They are communal by nature. They are mothers + caretakers.

THEY ARE

OBJECTS OF BEAUTY

photo source: Wonderbra Ad

photo source: Liz Lange Ad

photo source: Dove Ad

They have been traditionally been seen as an object of beauty and are very aware of their appearance.

Even when pregnant, they feel beautiful and proud.

Todays woman capitalizes on her own individual beauty; her imperfections make her who she is.

BEAUTY IS KEY TO A SATISFIED CUSTOMER

THEY ARE

SENSORIAL CREATURES

photo source: parenting magazine promotion

photo source: Barilla Ad

photo source: Springmaid Ad

They are nurturing by nature.

They utilize all their senses.

They literally feel more than men.

INCORPORATE THE 5 SENSES TO THE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

THEY ARE

INDEPENDENT

photo source: Barbara K Tools Ad

photo source: Mavi Ad

photo source: Crystal Light Ad

They do for themselves and no longer rely completely on men. It is a two way street.

They are more fearless, especially the younger set.

Their happiness is their own. Time alone is a precious commodity, especially for moms. It is a true luxury.

INDEPENDENCE = MAKING YOUR OWN DECISIONS

THEY ARE

COMMUNAL BY NATURE

Their relationships are important to them. Men are fascinated by what makes them tick.

Elle Magazine editorial

photo source: Godiva Ad

photo source: Microsoft Windows Ad

For single women, their friends hold just as much if not more importance in their lives as their family.

For mothers, their children are an extension of themselves. Their childs happiness tends to take precedence over their own.

SHARE THE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

THEY ARE

MOTHERS + CARETAKERS

photo source: Canon Ad

photo source: Cotton Ad

photo source: Mr. Mash Ad

They are natural multi-taskers and tend to take on more than their male counterparts.

Lifes small moments add up to pure happiness for moms.

Helping others is a natural component of their happiness.

SHOPPING CAN BE A WAY OF

CAREGIVING

THE FACETS OF...

WOMEN

photo source: Prada Ad

photo source: Motrin Ad

Bring home the bacon

fry it up in a pan.

As previously described, women are multi-dimensional creatures. Marketers have to nd a point of entry into consumers so they target different aspects of woman-ness. This is not to say that the sex kitten does not have a child or that a mom is not a sex kitten but by targeting a side of their personality, a marketer can better tap their specic lifestyle. What side are you targeting in your work?

CREATING SHOPPING

PERSONAS

Women tend to have shopping personalities. Depending upon the day, a woman can turn from an impulse buyer into a coupon clipper at the drop of a hat. As seen in this American Express ad, marketers want to capitalize off these shopping (and subsequent) saving styles. According to Womans Wear Daily, women spend about 102 minutes shopping per month, almost double that of men. Since shopping is essentially an identity building experience, it is no wonder we take on different roles in that time. Examples of shopper styles from Marie Claire include the Sacrice Shopper who eats pizza to afford the Dior mascara or the Web Browser who hates shopping in stores so instead spends about $1200 a month online.
photo source: American Express Ad

BOTTOMLINE:

TELL A SHOPPING STORY

SUPER

WOMAN

Once a woman goes from independent change maker to home maker, her identity shifts. The term superwoman has been thrown around marketing circles recently to represent all the hats she is expected to wear - mom, sex kitten, bread winner (20% of women out-earn their husbands in the US) award winning chef, chauffeur, daughter etc. As already stated, marketers either tap into the different roles she plays or highlight the fact that she has so many in the rst place. In the past, roles were more delineated but today a woman can be whomever she wants to be. These options are exciting but also rather overwhelming. Some women in their 30s are rejecting the "superwoman" role and choosing to just be mom. This debate is a hit topic these days both in the US and the UK.

commercial does not run in pdf version

photo source: Sure commercial done by Lowe & Partners

Please wait for 30 second spot to end before going onto next page.

HOW DO RETAILERS TARGET

SUPERMOM

! WALMART: Almost half the US population shop at Walmart. According to Walmart, some changes they have made are: 1. Offer great values on better products that consumers want to buy, such as making organic produce available at only 10% above regular price. 2. Satisfy different life stages and their accompanying needs by stocking more relevant goods. For Supermoms, that means bigger baby departments and fashions for her. 3. Satisfy different ethnicities. Hispanic consumers are Wal-Mart's fastest-growing demographic. In stores where Walmart serves a Hispanic-dominant group, they have added foods like peppers and mangos. Some even make tortillas in store. On the ad front, Walmart has doubled spending in Hispanic media in the last two years. 4: Accept that the consumer is in control so, make the shopping experience faster and easier for them. 5: Build sustainability into the business model. This helps control costs and appeal to consumers, especially female. ! BEST BUY: The chain made changes in order to increase the wife approval factor. The Best Buy PR department found that lowering the music and taking down the displays out of the aisles for women with strollers improved the shopping experience. These changes may have contributed to Best Buy rating 9th in effective customer service in a nationwide poll by the National Retail Federation and American Express in 2005. (Media magazine Aug 2006) ! LIZ LANGE: The way that pregnant women view themselves has altered drastically over the last 10 years. Once it was an endgame, getting to the birth but now, women are coveting the journey of pregnancy. According to Liz Lange, the original and dominant force in maternity wear, "Years ago, women were trying to cover up their pregnancies, now 95% of my clothes are closely tted and that is by customer demand." By listening to consumers, designer Liz Lange, proved being sexy and being pregnant are mutually exclusive. Women now covet their bump.

Regardless of lifestyle, a woman shops differently than a man. It is genetically proven.

According to Marti Barletta, President & CEO of The TrendSight Group and authur of Marketing to Women, when a man shops, they are looking for a simple answer; something that checks a few of their boxes. They like to get their shopping done quickly so they can move on to other activities. Basically, they incorporate a process of elimination in their thinking. Women are different. They enjoy the ritualistic aspect to shopping, always seeking the perfect answer. When she shops, she takes a survey of all available options. If you havent looked at everything how do you know youve made the best choice? If a woman discovers something new mid-search, she may even go back to square one and begin again. Her male counterpart might consider that backtracking but for a woman, it is all part of the fun.
photo source: not certain of source, contact for information

WHILE A MAN SHOPS LINEARLY, A WOMAN SHOPS ON A SPIRAL PATH.*

* from Marti Barletta

HOW WOMEN

SHOP

Remember, women are sensorial creatures. Details can be deal-breakers when your prospect is female because she wants whatever shes buying to fulll every wish on her list, a list most men dont even conceive of. Women generally pick up on things that men often dont even register. Men prefer to peel away what they consider to be extraneous data because they nd detail smothering and simplicity soothing. For her, these details add richness and texture. In recent research studies, anthropologists, biologists and psychologists have conrmed each gender comes equipped with a different set of abilities and priorities, appreciation of detail is one of them. Marketers and advertisers who understand, and act upon, these gender differences are far more likely to experience success, says President & CEO of The TrendSight Group. Tapping into these behaviors in our image creation will broaden the visual story.
photo source: Visa Ad

THE DIFFERENCE IS IN THE

DETAILS.

THEY ALSO USE THE WORLD AROUND THEM FOR Magazines are point of entry for a female shopper. More and more of them are being made to cater to her love of shopping. Think Lucky, Domino etc. These magazines and the fashion industry on the whole exploit celebrities to sell a certain style or trend. They are also an excellent resource for making educated pre-production decisions.

INSPIRATION

photo source: Blueprint Magazine

photo source: Allure Magazine

photo source: Shop etc. magazine promotion

MOMS ARE NOT ON A PEDESTAL

ANYMORE

Just because you are a mom doesnt mean you are not hip. Which one of these is not a mom? They all are! Being a mom does not equal being frumpy. They can be way cool, some even use their childrens style as inspiration. Remember when it was just the other way around?

BOTTOM LINE

MOMS ARE COOL.

KEY MOMENTS IN

RETAIL...
The FEEL The HUNT The TEST The KILL The PRIDE

THE

FEEL

Shopping feels fantastic.

photo source: Salvatore Ferragamo Ad

photo source: Marie Claire Editorial

photo source: Dooney & Bourke Ad

The joy emanating from this model illustrates the overwhelming happiness that a woman feels when she nds the perfect boot, bag or skirt. It is like seeing God for some.

And that feeling can be replayed over and over again with the right item or outt.

Some women are dening their status. What message are they sending the world?

THE Dont be mistaken, it is a hunt. Remember that DSW ad where the women were hunting for shoes like they were in the wild?

HUNT

photo source: Lucky magazine

photo source: Shopsmart magazine

photo source: Chinese Bazaar magazine

See the concentration. The body language illustrates the intensity.

Choice and variety are key concepts in retail. The woman is seen as the decision maker.

She is in control, she is the hunter.

THE Gotta see if it ts, their body, their lifestyle, their taste, their personality, their entire identity.

TEST

photo source: Olympic Ad photo source: Cheer True Fit Ad photo source: Red Magazine layout

This moment can happen in the store. Rather taxing at times!

Or at home. Dont grown women ever play dress up?

When shopping for clothes or the home (they are interconnected since both reect your personal style), a woman is actually building her identity.

THE Zeroing in on the prey.

KILL

photo source: Zappos Ad

photo source: Moschino Ad

photo source: Marka Ad

From their spiral shopping pattern, you could imagine the joy of the kill they feel when they nd the perfect item. Shoes and bags are top of the list for what women truly love to buy. Victory!

THE

PRIDE

The Ive made the right decision.

photo source: Bellagio Promotion in Travel + Leisure

Photo source: Dior Ad

Once the purchase is made, women feel an immense amount of pride for their victory. It is akin to a hunter having a deer on the hood their car, they want to share it with their peers, especially when on sale!

WHY WOMEN

SHOP

In order to nd both the action and the emotional drive of the image, we must understand why women shop. A few motivators are:

As a quick x As an everyday need. To feel beautiful. Shopping to nest. For an event.

AS A

QUICK FIX

photo source: Nine West Ad

photo source: Liz Claiborne Ad

Youve had a long day and man, you deserve it! Who hasnt treated themselves to some retail therapy? Some take it too far and dont know when to stop. Many people in the US and UK are addicted to shopping, racking up credit card bills in the tens of thousands. According to a recent NY Times article, Buying a bag is nothing less than a compulsion, a xation, a tragicomic spectacle, an indication of status anxiety, a sign of existential hope, a fetish, a clue, a puzzlement, a pity, a pleasure. Sounds like a nice bag. Actually, handbag sales have skyrocketed 67% in the last 5 years.

AS AN

EVERYDAY NEED

photo source: Mastercard Ad

photo source: Intel Ad

photo source: Coca-Cola Ad

Women can get just as much shopping satisfaction from everyday purchases as they do from big purchases. This is the premise on which big box stores tend to capitalize. Who hasnt gone to Target to buy detergent but came out spending hundreds of dollars on, well, stuff? But stuff that you need. Women happily get lost in the experience of shopping and spreading that love to the family.

*DONT FORGET ABOUT HER

FAMILY.

photo source: Wondertime magazine

photo source: American Express Ad

photo source: J Crew Ad

Remember, women are part of a group, they naturally think about others needs.

Even with todays brand savvy kids, moms and their purse power still have a say in what is bought and worn. Marketers target moms to purchase their fashions, especially for back to school shopping.

Food marketers are aware that children are a key component to consumer experience, putting eye catching products along the childs line of vision.

TO FEEL

BEAUTIFUL

photo source: Mercury Ad

photo source: Etienne Aigner Ad

What better way to feel good about yourself than to buy a great new pair of shoes or sweet jeans. As objects of beauty, women have a need to feel beautiful. On the left, we see how an automotive manufacturer is appealing to womens stylish nature.

SHOPPING TO

NEST

photo source: Domino Magazine

photo source: JC Penny Ad

photo source: Bank of America Ad

Women are natural nesters. Their home and how it is decorated is high priority. It is where they feel the safest, where they can surround themselves with objects they love and another place to make a mark on the world.

FOR AN

EVENT

There are also times when we need to buy for a specic event. This is where the hunt really comes into play. This purchase has to tick all the boxes in her spiral shopping journey. Wedding dress shopping is a traditional milestone. What are some others we can think of?

photo source: MasterCard Ad

ONLINE

SHOPPING

Women are now 52% of Web users, according to Nielsen/ Net Ratings, and their usage has grown 19% since 2003 vs. 12% for men. It is easier to shop online and women are always on the lookout for ways to simplify their lives. It is also something they can do in the privacy of their own home, on a break at work or anytime that ts into their schedule.

photo source: editorial from a womans magazine

GENDER POWER

ROLES

Younger mothers, still in their early to mid 20s are members of Generation Y. Their attitude can be a bit more ippant, where objects and sometimes people could be considered disposable. Here, see how Tab has repositioned their brand to attract female Generation Y consumers via images of retail.

photo source: Tab Ad

photo source: Tab Ad

WHAT WOMEN SHOP

FOR?
HOME FOOD FASHION BEAUTY FAMILY + EVERYDAY

OUR APPLICATION:

SPARKPLUG

SPARKPLUG is an information grid weve constructed to spark your creativity. Youll notice weve outlined all the key points regarding the subject RETAIL and SUPERMOM onto each side of the grid. The idea of this application is to breakdown your shoot into bite size pieces. DIRECTIONS: Choose a square on the grid. Each side of the square can be traced back to a piece of information contributing to your new image. Think of the image as being the sum of an informational equation. The four pieces of information will set the location, inspire the models, chose the moment, and dene your main character. On the following pages, youll nd our Retail SPARKPLUG and examples to guide your process.

SPARKPLUG
Retail Moments
The Pride The Hunt The Test The Feel The Kill

Supermarket

Beauty + Identity

Location examples

Supermom Drives

Boutique Home dcor Drugstore Mall/public area

5 senses Independence Shared experience caregiver

Mom running errands with kids

Mom on vacation

Mom shopping For an event

Mom and Dad

Mom with Girl friends

Faces of Supermom

SPARKPLUG

EXAMPLES

test + supermarket + beauty + Mom with girlfriends

= Mom standing in an aisle with a couple girlfriends, giggling as they irt with the young cute stock boy. The stock boy keeps bending and reaching for products the ladies point to, and the ladies continue to check out the stock boy.

hunt + home decor + independence + Mom with Dad

= Mom climbing up a ladder to reach the lamp she wants on the top shelf, while Dad holds the rest of the shopping stunned by his wifes agility and determination.

feel + boutique + 5 senses + Mom shopping for an event

= Mom looking in the mirror while trying on a fancy dress. Her eyes are closed as if shes imagining herself at the party wearing the dress. The furry collar is tickling her neck which makes her smile.

kill + Mall + Caregiving + Mom on vacation

= Mom proudly strutting through the outdoor market, holding the giant swordsh souvenir she bought her hard-to-buy-for father.

pride + drugstore + shared experience + Mom and kids

= Mom in the cosmetic section with her 2 daughters. Lips puckered, they are all admiring in the mirror the lipstick they chose to apply.

Visual Research

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