Consumers cautiously come out of their staycation shells—but bring the same values
		“Always on” becomes a chronic condition
		The travel-free generation—can we alter the future?

SCVNGR double-dog dares you


Groupon + DonorsChoose.org = Crowdsourced charity


Life Tokens blur greeting card and e-card



Consumers cautiously come out of their staycation shells—but bring the same values

Although recession recovery is within sight, ISM senses that the Summer of Staycations may have changed leisure travel as we know it. While consumers have been exploring their own backyards in lieu of fancier trips for some time, they’re now applying the concept to cautious adventures beyond driving distance. According to a survey from the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), over half of respondents are interested in shorter-haul trips (no surprise there), but 70% place cultural activities at the top of their list. In other words, they’re tripping for photo albums filled with relationship and experience rather than souvenir-y spectacles. Simple is in: museums and small-scale amusements have seen a lift. According to a survey of 481 museums, attendance increased for 57% of them in 2009, specifically those featuring art, science or historical exhibits. Stuff is out: While Walt Disney Company’s theme parks saw a 3% increase in visitors last year, product sales slumped. Despite strong hints of the travel industry rebounding globally, realism reigns stateside. According to a recent USA Today/Gallup poll, while half of all American travelers don’t think they’ll change their travel plans compared to 2009, more say they’ll spend less in 2010 than those who plan to spend more, particularly on airfare and hotels.

The past year conditioned travelers to believe that it doesn’t take much to get away. Whether outside state lines or within their own town’s boundaries, approachable, affordable fun can be had anywhere, and at basically any price that feels comfortable. With their “new normal” perspective, travelers may be looking for destinations and activities that feel closer to home, even if, literally, they’re not. Now that consumers know that unexpected fun can be had within a square mile, experiencing a similar vibe while on the road can provide a sense of comfort, savvy and thrift. There’s peace of mind that comes from traveling with a smaller footprint. Whether exploring by bike or foot in a far-off place or traveling within a day’s drive, small-scale expeditions keep travel budget-friendly and simple, enabling consumers to connect with what matters to them, like family members and friends—or their own peace of mind. Technology is an enabler to these more downscale, personal experiences, providing leverage to the consumer both before and during a trip.

As virtual time competes with real-world time, ISM has noted that technology inflicted health concerns are on the rise. Drexel University research found that only one in five teens gets enough sleep each night, with over a third of them texting after 9 p.m. And reStart, an addiction recovery program based on principles similar to the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step program, has a wait list. ISM has found that consumers tend to value offline connections more than virtual ones. If 40 days and 40 nights without Facebook as a popular practice for Lent doesn’t show momentum for the trend, check out the array of new tech-time-policing products and services. Tech health has become a viable wellness space. April 19-25, 2010 was Digital Detox Week, during which users were encouraged to find their inner and outer “off” button. Tech tools that help save tech junkies from themselves all year: The Freedom app temporarily disables wireless and Ethernet networking on Macs for up to six hours, while SelfControl limits access to tempting sites altogether. Ironically, Qwest @Ease is a suite of security and computer support tools that uses a unique marketing strategy with language and imagery focusing on relaxation and stress reduction. The Crowne Plaza’s “Switch Off” politely reminds guests it’s time to retire the software. And since 2006, Sheraton Chicago is the place to detox from handhelds with its BlackBerry check-in. Physical cures include Wink Glasses, which relieve screen-created dry eye by making the wearer blink every few seconds. Thumb socks are covers to deter drivers from texting while driving.

In a recent IconoCommunitiesSM survey, participants were asked if they felt that their personal health has suffered as a consequence of their time spent with technology. One out of two respondents admitted that technology has affected their quality of sleep, their diet and/or the amount of exercise they get. Physical conditions like headaches and weakened vision were also called out. But despite these issues, most participants said that technology has both positive and negative impacts on their lifestyle, and they specifically called out technology time as beneficial to their mental health (friendships, community, education, medical treatment) but detrimental to their physical health (neglecting important things and people, sitting versus moving, typing versus talking). Participants highlighted “balance” and “self-control” as important personal attributes to manage when walking the line between reality and virtual reality. ISM believes that consumers, increasingly facing a love/hate relationship with their electronics, are becoming more receptive to tools and services that force a little downtime and draw a clearer line between physical and virtual worlds.

What if a whole generation of people lost the urge to travel? I don’t mean because times were tough and they couldn’t afford it, but simply because it was no longer important to them. (Read More)

Why check-in when you can challenge? That’s the thinking behind the new location-based gaming service SCVNGR, which energizes the fast-tiring check-in formula by injecting user-generated fun. The free smartphone application offers the usual location-based service bells and whistles of check-ins and comments, but goes a step further by allowing owners or frequenters of a location to create their own challenges (“take a picture mimicking a mannequin in the store”) and associate set points for task completion. SCVNGR is open to integrating with other location-based services down the road, so it might not be long before many in the mobile space are engaged in an avalanche of user-generated activities in pursuit of the challenge-king crown. I’ve checked-in … now what? New services are rapidly proliferating in the location-based service space to meet the needs of hyperactive consumers seeking maximum mobile fun. ISM feels that empowering consumers to create their own on-the-spot adventures speaks to the spirit of spontaneity that’s key to mobile engagement.

For those not already familiar with Groupon, it’s a website that offers group discounts from participating retailers, restaurants and more. An offer is posted, and if a minimum number of consumers sign up, everyone in the group receives the discount. Now Groupon is extending its tool to charitable giving. Groupon has partnered with DonorsChoose.org, an organization that raises money to help school teachers fund special projects for their classes. The Pershing Square Foundation has agreed to match any donations made through Groupon, so a $10 donation results in a $20 contribution. DonorsChoose.org is aiming for $1 million to be distributed to public schools around the country. Crowdsourcing, meet Groupsolving. As with the carrot mobs ISM has reported on in the past, Web 2.0 continues to be a powerful tool for consumer advocacy and activism. Time will tell if discounted giving can work, but public radio stations have been successfully running matching grant programs for years in their pledge drives.

Snail mail is not overrated; it’s just e-volving. Chicago-based Life Tokens encourages consumers to express their emotions through tokens that are sent through the mail but link to online messages. Senders select an occasion token with a graphic emoticon (birthday, baby, congrats…), then supply a message and address. Receivers follow the instructions on the anonymous mailer and enter the 6-digit token code online to reveal the personal message and the sender. Life Tokens cost $5 per token, which includes domestic shipping. International shipping is also available. ISM understands that virtual wishes may seal the deal on ease, convenience and speed, but the truth is they’re missing equally important components: permanence, anticipation and surprise.

© 2010 ISM and Iconoculture, Inc. All rights reserved.
Published monthly by ISM in partnership with Iconoculture.