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Context is the new king: How to cater to consumers' in-the-moment needs
We've been talking for years about viewers taking control of their entertainment experiences by time-shifting, place-shifting, screen-shifting and generally flocking toward a multitude of techie options—streaming, download, mobile, subscription, à la carte … the list goes on. So going forward, ISM has been contemplating how we can help companies effectively reach consumers despite the scary F-word: fragmentation? As viewers untether content from devices (and from branded channels), their personal context becomes a key variable in their choices—whether based on their location, interests or even mood. As search and recommendation services become smarter, consumers will rely less on brands as filters. So, now what? Content providers, distributors and marketers who empower consumers with the ability to match media with mindset will win. Yes, context is the new king.
Just as consumers learned to expect relevant results in a Google millisecond online, they're yearning for the same convenience and relevancy with video. What am I doing, where am I going, who am I with—and which story lines fit in this moment?
Three drivers are pushing consumers to this new expectation of personal relevance:
- Smart search: The growth of precise tagging and search abilities combined with consumers' increasing desire for hyperrelevant info helps them find exactly what they're looking for. Pandora's Music Genome project kicked off smart recommendation in music, and now BeeTV takes the DNA model to TV. With a content-to-mood-matching algorithm, the service says: “Don't search for content, let the content find you.”
- Platform flexibility: Untying content from devices is nothing new—thanks, Slingbox—but now, the ability to access content on mobile devices and the prevalence of GPS services allow for content to be experienced in physically interesting and relevant contexts. For instance: Expect to see a portable device automatically know if a consumer is visiting Los Angeles and suggest episodes of Entourage or The Real Housewives of Orange County to get the traveler in the La La mood, à la Whrrl's Entourage mapping mashup.
- Aggregation: Users add even more context with tools that allow simultaneous access to multiple sources on one device. Jacked.com makes it easy for sports enthusiasts to pull news, stats and commentary from various sites while watching live sporting events online, creating the ultimate fan experience.
The bottom line? ISM says consumers want the ability to find exactly what they want (and what they don't even know they want), take it anywhere and then manage it as they see fit. As this flexibility becomes a reality, personal context becomes the critical factor in their media choices.
Consumers' interaction with content is no longer isolated or static. As a result, their choices depend on whatever else they're thinking/doing/feeling in the moment. So, what's the plan? For content creators, it starts with realizing that one size doesn't fit all. The story or ad that works online might not make it on the living-room TV (and vice versa) because the consumers' context (and therefore expectation) has likely changed. Peer-to-peer recommendations will become increasingly important, especially as social media tools are further integrated with video. For marketers, embrace the tech-enabled opportunity to create advertising that fits the consumers' experience. Consumers want personal relevance in their ads, too—as long as they maintain control over their private info.
Ultimately, all of us at ISM believe it's going to be about helping consumers have meaningful experiences on their terms. Whether it's serving up a Cajun food show on their phone while they're headed to New Orleans or offering them a “commuting” folder for all the shows they might like during their morning train ride, they'll respond to the companies that see them as more than just eyeballs. Smart brands will be those who take the leap to experiment and learn (quickly) from mistakes to help develop the new paradigm. Once the door to context is open, the possibilities are limitless.
No purchase necessary: Anthropologie teaches customers to revitalize their threads
In December 2008, Anthropologie held wardrobe reinvention classes to help its customers get more out of their closets by refreshing what they already own. The store's designers were on staff to show the participants how to resuscitate ailing apparel items by adding embellishments or tweaking the design. Designers also taught shoppers how to make hair accessories and revive tired toys and ornaments. The 12 workshops brought in around 15 to 20 customers each and Anthropologie is planning more restoration classes for 2009. ISM has noticed that shoppers are feeling weary of consumption messages and endless sales, so brands need to be sensitive, creative and helpful in the ways they engage their customers. Financial and environmental circumstances are causing consumers to be increasingly interested in making do with what they already own. They're open to letting brands and retailers be their guides when those companies take an authentic and honest approach. At ISM, we believe that it's worth looking at ways you might serve your customers, instead of always trying to sell.
Power.com: Buddy list overload be gone!
Power.com simplifies being an Internet gadabout by consolidating all online social networking on a single screen. Promising to house “all your friends in one place,” users register existing social network accounts at Power.com and can update statuses and profile pictures or check for messages across multiple social networking sites simultaneously. The site currently supports Facebook, MySpace, Google and MSN networks but will soon be adding support for LinkedIn, Twitter, Flickr, Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail, AOL, Blogger and Skype. ISM sees aggregation options like Power.com as streamlining Internet interaction and believes they'll be appreciated by soc net enthusiasts who crave simplicity and connectivity in a single spot.
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The annual Marist College end-of-year resolution poll showed that 12% of Americans nationwide are vowing to spend less, the third most popular response after losing weight (20%) and quitting smoking (16%).
-- New York Times 12.30.08
This whole crisis is like a big spring housecleaning—both moral and physical. There is no creative evolution if you don't have dramatic moments like this. Bling is over. Red carpety covered with rhinestones is out. I call it “the new modesty.”
-- Designer Karl Lagerfeld, New York Times 1.15.09
So much for the notion that young workers prize career growth more than cold, hard cash. Half of new college graduates say they would rather have high-paying jobs, even if it means less-satisfying careers, according to an Experience Inc. survey. More than one-quarter cite student loans as a big
factor.
-- Workforce Management 12.23.08
Thousands across the country, hit by the recession and with no savings to absorb the blow, are making torturous decisions to sell collections and cherished mementos. In just two months last fall, listings on eBay's collectibles section rose an astounding 56% nationwide, according to eBay officials.
-- Boston Globe 1.3.09
On its eighth birthday, Wikipedia exists in 265 languages, with well over 10 million articles.
-- Wikimedia blog 1.15.09
In an August 2008 study by Internet Retailer and Vovici, nearly one-third of responding businesses said they had a Facebook page, compared with 27% that had a MySpace page and just over one quarter that had a page on YouTube.
-- eMarketer.com 10.29.08
The Census Bureau, based on data collected in 2007, estimates that 31.1 million people in the United States live alone, which is 27% of all households, a significant increase from 17% in 1970.
-- New York Times 1.21.09
According to CIGNA surveys, about one-third of Americans say the shaky economy has changed the way they take care of themselves. Of those, 55% report taking better care, while 41% say they are taking worse care.
-- BusinessWire.com 10.8.08
As the economy has weakened, shoplifting has increased, as people are taking everything from compact discs and baby formula to gift cards and designer clothing. Police departments across the country say that shoplifting arrests were 10-20% percent higher in 2008 than in 2007.
-- New York Times 12.22.08
The turbulent economy isn't a bad thing for everyone—in fact, some brands actually benefit from consumers' economic woes. McCormick and Co. spices, for one, saw its sales rise 9% to $782 million during Q3 2008 as cooking at home became a more attractive (cheaper) alternative to eating out or ordering in.
-- Brandweek.com 10.12.08
The Depression-era mantra of frugality is again becoming a way of life, as people are increasingly taking such tasks as home maintenance, sewing and gardening into their own hands as a cost-saving measure. One example: Home Depot is reporting bigger turnouts for its clinics in painting, tiling and cabinet glazing.
-- Los Angeles Times 1.13.09
Results from recent surveys show that 62% of couples are cutting their wedding budgets by an average 32%, and 16% of couples are delaying their wedding date by an average of 10 months. 31% of vendors report that the average amount spent by their customers decreased by 31% in the last quarter.
-- TheWeddingReport.com 12.22.08
Britt Beemer of America's Research Group asks shoppers about their spending throughout the season, and in his most recent survey the number of shoppers who said they were buying something nice for
themselves was 30.7%, an all-time low. It was 33.8% last year and 55% a decade ago.
-- NewsObserver.com 12.16.08
The economy isn't making employers pickier about recruiting. In fact, employers appear content to endure poor performers, according to a Caliper survey; 7 in 10 employers find it easier to manage “the devil they know” than to risk hiring unknown new people. A mere 31% say the opposite.
-- Workforce Management 12.16.08
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