01.09.2008
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BEST OF 2007
Download our FREE HartBeat Year in Review featuring a special introduction from Harvey Hartman reflecting on the year that "quality" took center stage for consumers and offering a unique glimpse into what's in store for the marketplace in the months ahead.
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01.10.2007 From 2006: The Best of HartBeat
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Regular HartBeat readers need no reminder that 2007 was the year “quality” took on new elevated meaning in the eyes (and lifestyles) of consumers. While the consumer redefinition of quality seemed to hit its stride in the past year, we knew we would need to bring clarity to understanding the fundamental shift in consumer culture away from highly processed industrialized goods and toward a more aspirational world of consumption.
While the shifts may seem largely symbolic on the surface, examining the underlying cultural roots reveals an overall consumer movement in pursuit of premium quality products, services and experiences. Evidence of this can be seen in our seven “best of” HartBeat and Spark newsletters from 2007. From understanding the new meaning of natural, what makes local special and new paradigms in eating, and the corresponding impact on center store to the emerging wellness trend that is “the good life,” what makes a “green” consumer and the new role of moms in society, we see how the marketplace is changing as a direct result of the powerful consumer-driven culture at work.
We believe we can catch a glimpse of what’s in store for the marketplace in the months ahead by taking a retrospective glance on the consumer behavior of the past few months. Here, then, are seven from 2007 that will likely resonate deep into 2008.
What Makes "Local" Special? - 1.24.07
Today, consumers at all levels understand the association between "organic" and "local" simply because local products stand a chance of being fresher and spark memories of pastoral times that predate the ills of modern living. Yet, as local marketing continues to gain in popularity, its meaning is often misunderstood and misused.
Find out how to interpret, use and understand the various meanings of local...
The Death of "Natural" - 1.31.07
What happens when the meaning of a well-established industry term loses relevance with consumers? "Natural" is one such term whose shelf life has extended well beyond its expiration date. Yet, it seems marketers and the food industry, in general, are reluctant to let go of "natural" in the face of changing consumer lifestyles.
Find out how the definition of natural has changed and what has replaced it...
Silence in the Center Store - 2.14.07
Observations on Michael Pollan's Recent Commentary
Traditional supermarket's much-maligned center store takes yet another dagger to the heart as a recent New York Times Sunday Magazine article suggests consumers would be better off "getting out of the supermarket whenever possible." While many may dismiss these comments as too myopic, are they forecasting a larger climate change happening in the kitchens of today's consumers?
New Paradigms in Eating - 4.11.07
It seems like it was only yesterday when consumers' eating habits began to revolve around healthier eating. This, no doubt, dictated many of the changes we've seen with retailers and packaged foods manufacturers as they continue to offer new and improved healthy food products. One change gives way to another, and the latest trends in consumer eating habits uncovered by our Tinderbox team show healthy eating and healthy food taking a back seat to a new framework: high-quality eating experiences.
Find out a new perspective on this paradigm shift from healthy to quality...
Alpha Moms: Hype or Opportunity? - 5.16.07
According to research released from Salary.com, Inc., if the typical stay-at-home mother in the United States were paid for her work she would earn $138,095 a year. Among the 10 jobs listed as comprising a mother's work were housekeeper, laundry machine operator, van driver, facilities manager, computer operator, chief executive officer and psychologist.
Being a mom is no easy task; we think it is time to reexamine this influential group of consumers and the challenges they face day in and day out.
Find out about how marketing efforts can speak to modern day moms...
Sustainability: What's Green Now? - 5.22.07
Take our Sustainability Pop Quiz: It's 2007 and the term "sustainability"—and all things green—grace magazine covers and headlines nearly everywhere. But wait a minute...take a look at some headlines and sources and decide what decade you're in:
- "Report Says Global Warming Poses Threat to Public Health" - The New York Times
- "Most Consumers Say They Would Like More Green Products" - The Financial Times
- "More New Alternative Fuel Vehicles Contiue to Roll Off US Automaker Assembly Lines" - The Oil and Gas Journal
- "Tomorrow's Shade of Green: Environmentally Oriented Construction Materials for the 21st Century" - Home Improvement Market
- "Can Retailers Turn Green This Year?" - Marketing
If you guessed 2007, you're off by 10 years or more...the previous headlines all occurred between 1996 and 1997 and underscore that while the intensity of coverage on sustainability-related topics has certainly increased since 1997, all the green hoopla is not necessarily a new thing. In our newest report, The Hartman Report on Sustainability: Understanding the Consumer Perspective, we identify what motivates today's consumer from a "sustainability" perspective--and if you think it's all about "living green," guess again and read on.
Find out about consumers perceptions of sustainability, then and now...
Wellness Trend Update: The Good Life - 9.26.07
The commerce-driven marketplace of a few short years ago has given way to a fluid new marketplace of proactive consumers – people with a keen desire to live healthier lives for longer periods of time. Wellness has altered the relationship between consumers and companies – it represents a historic shift in how people live, shop and use products. As our most recent study shows, wellness continues to change and evolve, and we now see the wellness trend moving in an exciting new direction with meanings extending far beyond living healthy.
Find out how the consumer definition of "wellness" is shifting once again...
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