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Hello. I'm Stacey Pilcher. I am a strategic marketer and brand consultant who is passionate about helping my clients build their businesses.
I started my business in 1999 and believe inspiration comes from within - and also within the Grand Canyon - that's why you can find me hiking there every year.
I started this blog to help my clients think about new opportunities. How can I help you?
Posts Tagged ‘consumer perception’
Test Your Brand
Monday, January 31st, 2011
Have you measured the status and effectiveness of your company’s brand lately? Answer “Yes” to any of the following questions, and you need to consider new strategies and tactics to keep your brand fresh, relevant and profitable in today’s marketplace.
1. Do you depend on a loyal customer base with few new customers acquired each year?
2. Has your brand identity been consistent over the years, yet never updated?
3. Is social media a mystery to your company?
4. Is consolidation changing the face of your competitive environment?
5. Have distribution points changed for your products?
6. Do you feel that your product is slowly being usurped by new technology or offerings?
7. Have your consumers changed consumption patterns since the recession?
8. Do you have one “star” product outpacing all others?
Over the next few months, I will be discussing these topics and providing insights and suggestions on building brand and market share. Stay tuned.
Tags: brand building, consumer experience, consumer perception, marketing
Posted in 2011, Strategy | No Comments »
Caveat emptor, or in this case let the voter beware.
Thursday, October 28th, 2010
In 2006, the Arizona voters approved a tax on tobacco to provide funding for early childhood health and development, as well as parenting programs for Arizona families. This initiative is called First Things First.
It’s now 2010 and the legislature has put Proposition 302 on the ballot to terminate this voter approved program and services to sweep existing and future funds into the state’s general fund. According to the Arizona Republic, the Legislature claims the money is needed to help balance the state budget. “If approved, Prop 302 would send $345 million to the general fund to help draw down the current $825 million deficit. The money would not have to be spent on the types of health and welfare programs that First Things First supports; however, the ongoing collections from the tobacco tax would be directed into child health and social-service programs that the Legislature would oversee.”
What does this ad support, when a yes vote on Prop 302, dismantles the early childhood initiative First Things First?
Clearly, a “Yes” vote for Proposition 302 will dismantle First Things First and eliminate funding for early childhood health and development programs. Which makes the following campaign slogan very misleading. Rather deceptive, don’t you think?
As the elections approach voters should beware of deceptive messaging practices.
Get informed, get out to vote.
Tags: advertising, consumer perception
Posted in 2010 | No Comments »
How to Say “Good Luck” in Japanese?
Monday, April 26th, 2010
Culture has a great influence on how people communicate and process information. The Japanese culture is clearly steeped in tea. So how much of a challenge has it been to sell coffee in this country? In the 1970s Nestlé first asked this question. They hired Dr. Clotaire Rapaille, a market researcher and psychologist to help them determine the answer. What Dr. Rapaille found was that the Japanese had no connection or “imprint” to coffee. Without personal or cultural reference to the product, any attempts by Nestlé to sell to adults would likely fail.
So, Nestlé began by introducing coffee flavors in candy for children, to create an “imprint” so later in life these individuals would have a positive emotional response to the idea of coffee. In 1970, coffee sales in Japan were nearly non-existent; today Japan is the world’s third largest importer of coffee.
Speaking of culture, candy and Nestlé, the BBC reported the popularity of the KitKat bar among Japanese college students at exam time. Was it the green tea or cherry blossom flavor that boosted sales? Not entirely. It seems that the name KitKat is close to a Japanese expression “kitto katsu” meaning “I hope you will win” and used by students to wish each other luck before finals.
KitKat bars not only taste good, but are a good luck charm. What a perfect blend of culture, communication, and candy! Delicious.
Tags: consumer experience, consumer perception, marketing
Posted in 2010 | No Comments »
Can Tools Change Trends?
Monday, March 1st, 2010
What sounds better? Music played from a CD on a high fidelity stereo or music played through an MP3 player or iPod? According to research conducted at Stanford University by Professor Jonathan Berger, today’s iPod generation prefers the sound of digital music. For the past eight years students have participated in an experiment where they rated a variety of audio formats while listening to the same song. He found that in fact, over time, there was an increase in preference for the music played digitally. Their experience changed their perception.
In 1913 the Italian psychologist Mario Ponzo created this image and illusion, where the top line appears to be longer. 100 years ago, he thought it was because how our brain interpreted the space on either side of the lower line. However, new theories on how the brain works suggest the perception is due to our experience. In this case, our experience tells us that the vertical lines are receding, like train tracks, meaning that the horizontal line at the top is longer. Not the case – but it is our perception.
These findings remind me that all consumers have past experiences that help define their reactions and decisions. Knowing just where they are coming from will help us move them in a new direction. The iPod generation believes that digital music is great, not to mention they can carry thousands of songs in a device the size of a match book. Oh, do you remember those? Matchbooks – a great advertising tool from the 1940s.
Tags: consumer experience, consumer perception, marketing trends
Posted in 2010 | No Comments »
A Picture Paints 1000 Words – Advertising that Connects
Tuesday, October 21st, 2008
The value of a picture is in the meaning it conveys. The point when a picture becomes an image. The power of the image lies in the interpretation by the consumer. Every consumer will interpret a picture differently, depending on their perspective.
Painting an image that connects with your consumer opens communications and helps create more meaningful marketing and advertising. The key is in understanding your consumers’ point of view. It is not enough to know their age, income or marital status. It’s almost like you need to see inside their head and then help them build an image they believe in, one they can own.
Cognitive scientists do look inside people’s heads. Professor of Business, Emeritus, at Harvard Business School, Jerry Zaltman, studies the human brain. How it works. He has a patented process that uses visuals and metaphors to unlock the underlying beliefs and feelings that influence consumer behavior.
It’s called ZMET (Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique.) In his new book, Marketing Metaphoria, he unlocks eight deep metaphors shaping human thought: balance, transformation, journey, container, connection, resource, and control.
Tapping human metaphors or images that relate to feelings and connections makes communications more meaningful. It is what makes a picture into at least 1000 words or 1000 words into an idea.
Tags: advertising, consumer perception, marketing, metaphors
Posted in Brand Adages | No Comments »