In the News
fletcher•knight
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Beyond the 'Fiscal Cliff' Lie the New Growth Frontiers Fletcher Knight December 17, 2012 by Laurence Knight |
Marketers can easily get trapped in their own 'fiscal cliff' mentality. Thinking solely about impending shortfalls on the base business, they compromise with short-term brand extensions that fail to drive incremental sales for the company. Brand teams need to get 'beyond the cliff' and think about bigger opportunities on new frontiers - where bold new platforms and inspiring ideas deliver real growth for the business. Read More → |
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Marketing to MEMMY's (Moms in Emerging Markets) Fletcher Knight May 1, 2012 by Carol Davies |
BRIC, EAGLES, CIVETS* – whatever the acronym, the message is the same. Opportunities will be driven by high potential growth and emerging markets. Given that reality, we’ve coined an acronym of our own that we’re convinced will be critical for marketers to master if they want to drive growth in those up-and-coming countries – MEMS: Mothers in Emerging Markets (or MEMMY’S for those who prefer the more familiar). Read More → |
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Building Relevance with Millennials - Brand Ingenuity Fletcher Knight February 9, 2012 by Laurence Knight |
Many big brands are struggling to maintain relevance with Millennials. A huge shift in attitudes and behaviors of Millennials versus Gen X and Boomers, has left brands flailing to understand this 'Enigma Generation', and struggling to maintain credibility. In 2011, Fletcher Knight has continued to deepen our insight work with Millennials, successfully defining their attitudes and needs across a broad range of categories. In this article, we headline an essential set of guidelines that has proven to be very effective in helping big brands target Millennials in meaningful and credible ways. Read More → |
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Segmentation for Success in Male Grooming Fletcher Knight October 4, 2011 by Carol Davies |
Once upon a time, the men’s grooming market was relatively simple. Shaving and cologne were the cornerstone categories, and emotions were rather one-dimensionally focused on getting the girl. As the men’s grooming market has matured, however, so too have men’s emotions – at least related to men’s grooming. In our research with men on grooming and personal care, we have found that men – especially Gen X men and younger – definitely care about looking good and smelling good, and have absolutely no qualms emoting about what makes them feel good. Read More → |
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MAN FOOD Fletcher Knight July 12, 2011 by Margaret Kime |
What comes to mind when I say ‘men and cooking’? Ask around, and you’ll hear time and again ‘a guy, outside at the grill, channeling his inner-caveman – presiding over his meat, his flames and his smoke with nothing but a beer in hand.’ Well, step aside caveman, because Man Food is here! Marketers can bring fresh perspectives and a tangible point of difference to food innovation by tapping into the easy-going energy, competitive spirit and raw kind of showmanship that men bring to home cooking. Read More → |
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Segmentation for Success in the Weight Management Market Fletcher Knight April 8, 2011 by Carol Davies |
Americans just keep getting heavier. According to national statistics, about 68% of Americans 20+ years old are overweight. As new products, diets and trends like the Dukan Diet, hCG Program, Slim Capsule and others continue to emerge, marketers will be wise to remember that success in weight management is about more than just selling discipline. It’s about practicing it, too. An attitudinal segmentation we developed for weight management helps demonstrate why the market is so challenging. Read More → |
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Do Natural Ingredients Really Matter? Fletcher Knight March 17, 2011 by Carol Davies |
The natural “trend” just keeps growing. With consumer interest in natural personal care products stronger than ever, new nature-inspired brands like Neutrogena Naturals and Amala just keep emerging. In such a competitive environment, how can a natural brand stand out? Read More → |
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Foodies in the Raw Fletcher Knight November 17, 2010 by Margaret Kime |
In a world where 'Top Chefs' constantly raise the culinary bar to new heights of expertise and creativity, more and more consumers want to turn to everyday experts with the common touch, what we call "Foodies in the Raw" - for food that excites and delights the everyman's palate. Read More → |
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Stem Cells: What's the Celling Point? Fletcher Knight October 5, 2010 by Carol Davies |
It's sounding like stem cells might be the next big blockbuster technology in skin care. With dozens of brands jumping on the stem cell bandwagon, it begs the question of how a brand can use this technology to turn the tide on its business and not just stem the tide with a me-too technology story. Read More → |
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The Rise of Urban Brand Cache Fletcher Knight August 30, 2010 by Margaret Kime |
Food and beverage brands with provenance in the rural heartland of America will face new, mainstream brand challengers from an unexpected perspective - urban-based brands that are growing in appeal and cache. Read More → |
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BRIC Beauty Fletcher Knight June 9, 2010 by Carol Davies |
BRIC Beauty: Targeting Chinese Women at Societal Transition Points As any beauty marketer knows, an effective time to target women is when they’re facing life transition points. Adolescence, college, the first job, divorce – it’s at life transition points like these that looking good and feeling good takes on added importance, causing women to seek out new products and establish new beauty regimens. Life changes inspire change in brand loyalties. |
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Humanizing Food Fletcher Knight May 3, 2010 by Margaret Kime |
Consumers may be aware of your brand, but do they know it?
Brands, like people, can get more interesting the more you learn about them - getting beyond the banal basics of name, occupation and the weather - to the stuff that really clues you in to the person inside. In the past, some brands could succeed simply by being good at what they did. But the world has changed and those brands are now at risk of feeling impersonal, dull and one-dimensional. In developed markets, mass production quality is the norm, and with rich media, consumers are demanding a more authentic, personal experience with a brand. |
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YouTube Beauty School Fletcher Knight March 25, 2010 by Carol Davies |
YouTube may have barged into our consciousness as a novelty (remember “Dick in a Box”?), but viral video just may prove to be one of the most strategic tools available for beauty brands that learn how to use it right – especially mass brands that have no beauty consultants actively working the shelves. Read More → |
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Slow Enjoyment - Leading Food Insight Fletcher Knight February 10, 2010 by Margaret Kime |
As the Slow Food movement continues to gain momentum, marketers have an opportunity to re-express the philosophy at the heart of the movement. But what if the trend was re-expressed? Not slow food, but slow enjoyment. Read More → |
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Want to Innovate? Then Create a Rich, Holistic Brand Experience Advertising Age December 23, 2009 by Laurence Knight |
Here's How CMOs Can Capitalize on This Emerging Opportunity Brand experience is rapidly becoming the new frontier for innovation. Such brand experiences authentically embed the product into deep content or services, stretching the footprint of the brand far beyond where it is used. This type of innovation is becoming a mandate for growth across a number of consumer categories, particularly in package goods. |
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Ricochet Shopping - Leading Beauty Insight by Fletcher Knight Fletcher Knight December 9, 2009 by Carol Davies |
It’s well-known that the same consumer is shopping across channels, in many cases shopping both up-market and down. What’s also true is that the same person is often shopping for the same item across channels, bouncing from one channel where they do their browsing – to another channel where they’re doing their researching – and to a third yet where they’re doing their purchasing. At Fletcher Knight we’ve seen this bounce-between-channel shopping behavior among many consumers, especially in beauty. We call it Ricochet Shopping. Read More → |
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Training Wheels for Beauty - Leading Insight by Fletcher Knight MediaPost's Engage: Teens October 22, 2009 by Carol Davies |
It’s not news that kids are growing up earlier, adopting adult-like purchasing interest and behavior at ever earlier ages. NPD 2009 revealed that 50% of tweens are already using skin care products, with skin care outranking cosmetics in terms of usage. Given this reality, beauty brands should no longer be content to relegate the teen market to teen brands. On the contrary, they should be reaching down in age – sooner and further -- forging a relationship with consumers as early as possible when they are yet untrained and hungry to learn. Read More → |
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Moms Who Launch (Not Lunch) - Leading Food Insight by Fletcher Knight Fletcher Knight August 25, 2009 by Margaret Kime |
Mom talk is alive and well today but the venue and the subject matter has changed. Talk largely takes place in social media (eg, CafeMom, Circle of Moms) which is fast, viral, honest and informative. And they talk about how hard it is to find the foods they desire while nearly 50% of Millennials say they do not know how to cook. Now, enterprising Moms are closing the gap by creating successful food businesses built on rich insights gleaned from frank discussions with their contemporaries. Read More → |
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How to Catch a Man - Leading Beauty Insight by Fletcher Knight Marketing TrendZ July 28, 2009 by Carol Davies |
Why is it so hard for men’s grooming brands to catch a man? Experts predict a surge in the men’s grooming market – just as they’ve been doing for the past decade. The men’s grooming market is only about one-fifth the size of the women’s market, according to Euromonitor. But if the men’s market is so dramatically underdeveloped, why has the oft- predicted explosion failed to materialize? Read More → |
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Freaks of Nature - Leading Beauty Insight by Fletcher Knight Fletcher Knight June 30, 2009 by Carol Davies |
High performance skin care has usually meant “high science.” Now, however, beauty brands are going to great depths – deep into the water and the jungle – to extract some of Mother Nature’s most potent ingredients. Read More → |
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The Resiliency Movement Fletcher Knight June 1, 2009 by Margaret Kime |
Americans are a resilient people. And in this time of financial uncertainty, global warming, food safety and community preparedness, our optimistic ‘can-do’ spirit asserts itself. Consumers are taking back-to-the-basics steps to regain control of their lives and reconnect with their communities - especially with their food. Read More → |
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Consumer Involvement is Game-Changer Marketing Daily May 19, 2009 by Laurence Knight |
The economic downturn is causing a fundamental shift in how consumers interact with brands. To survive and thrive, marketers and innovators need to dramatically increase their focus on measuring and understanding consumer "involvement" and involvement frequency across the "journey of interaction" with brands. Read More → |
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Starting Over at 50 in Beauty - Leading Beauty Insight by Fletcher Knight Fletcher Knight May 1, 2009 by Carol Davies |
Today's 50+ women are no longer a marketer's deadbeat who never tries new products, but a marketer's dream; they are in hyperactive trial mode. 50+ women are hungry for information to teach them how to get the best results as they change and evolve. Fifty is no longer the end of the beauty road for women - or marketers. Read More → |
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Premium Foods, Beverages Redefine Simplicity Marketing Daily April 24, 2009 by Karlene Lukovitz |
Simplifying life, including food preparation, is hardly a new concept, but it's one that continues to gain momentum as the recession wears on. For premium brands, the challenge lies in appealing to consumers' yen for back-to-basics while retaining the sophisticated image equity that supports their pricing, points out Margaret Kime, director of innovation with brand-building consultancy Fletcher Knight. Read More → |
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SunChips Keeps Building Green Momentum Marketing Daily April 22, 2009 by Karlene Lukovitz |
According to Margaret Kime, director of innovation with brand-building consultancy Fletcher Knight, "You need to make the green benefits relevant to the brand experience as a whole. And particularly with food and consumables, you need to convey that it's good for the consumer, as well as for the earth." Read More → |
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A Fresh Look at 50: Q&A with Carol Davies, Fletcher Knight Marketing Daily April 17, 2009 by Sarah Mahoney |
Life is confusing for those at the hind-end of the Baby Boom. Although they fall between the ages of 44 and 54, they have no idea what they're supposed to look like. "Marketers think 50-plus people never try anything new, and they couldn't be more wrong, especially regarding beauty products. Read More → |
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Food Scares Make 'Transparency' More Critical Marketing Daily March 5, 2009 by Karlene Lukovitz |
The trends toward providing greater transparency in food and beverage labeling and making a product's origin and background a marketing asset are gaining even greater momentum as a result of peanut product recalls and other recent scares, according to Margaret Kime, director of innovation with brand-building consultancy Fletcher Knight Read More → |
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The Organic Consumer: Natural Demand International Cosmetic News March 1, 2009 by Imogen Matthews |
She’s environmentally conscious and not afraid of the superstore. ICN finds out exactly who is driving demand in the naturals sector. Read More → |
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Want to Successfully Target Boomers? Aim for the Head Advertising Age February 23, 2009 by Lenore Skenazy |
We have spent the last 30 years or so obsessing about the Big Three - Abs. Flabs. Coronaries. Too bad we totally forgot about the parts of our body we really need to keep ship-shape - Eyes. Ears. Brains. At last our priorities seem to be shifting. "Health from the neck up" is the new catchphrase...First off, says Davies, we are going to start eating, doing and buying everything possible to keep our brains buff. Read More → |
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Prescription for Innovation 2009 Marketing Daily January 21, 2009 by Laurence Knight and Carol Davies |
To maintain the health of brands over the long haul, it's important not to become too distracted by the here and now. When it comes to innovation, it's critical to look beyond the abyss. So, herein follow some consumer behaviors, beliefs, hopes and wants that we believe will bridge from today to tomorrow--and help marketers focus on the other side instead of getting too spooked by looking down into the abyss. Read More → |
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The Brand Balance - Branding International Cosmetic News October 1, 2008 by FOCUS |
In today's competitive times, brands need to offer authenticity and credibility to keep consumers loyal. Carol Davies, partner with marketing consultancy Fletcher Knight, notes that...there is temptation for brands to compete for consumer attention by launching similar products. Read More → |
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What's the CMO's Role in Innovation? Advertising Age July 14, 2008 by Laurence Knight |
The Marketing Chief Must Not Be Distracted From the Primary Tasks Related to Marketing Ongoing Businesses Read More → |
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Lifestyle Monitor: Start Thinking Value WWD July 10, 2008 by Cotton Incorporated |
How Women Shop for Apparel During an Economic Downturn. First, the bad news: Tough economic times for consumers mean tough economic times for the apparel business. The good news is that women are still shopping for clothes today, just not like they do when the economy is stronger. Read More → |
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Bringing Home Six Figures and Fewer Luxuries WWD July 9, 2008 by Valerie Seckler |
The mind-set, shopping and spending habits of luxury consumers are fast changing. About one in five affluent Americans is turning away from indulgence and toward less materialism, as they express commitment to values like sustainability and contentment with buying good products instead of the best. Read More → |
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Changing Faces: What Makes Today's Beauty Consumer Tick? International Cosmetic News June 7, 2008 by Alvira Khan-Gordon |
Today's beauty consumer is very different to her 1997 counterpart. Her notion of beauty is broader, incorporating total body wellness. Beauty brands keen to find favor with her have their work cut out for them. |
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Veggie Tales Brandweek March 24, 2008 by Becky Ebenkamp |
Any organic or natural-foods brand worth its salt wants to get into Whole Foods Market. But beware, sales reps, pitching Wal-Mart this ain't. "Whole Foods Market is the gold standard in grocery," according to Laurence Knight, president of Fletcher Knight. |
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Eight Weight-Loss Tech Toys Forbes February 20, 2008 by Allison Van Dusen |
Now, thanks to a growing demand for quick, convenient personalized health and fitness information, all you've got to do is pull out your cellphone or personal digital assistant (PDA). The idea is that if we turn to these devices, which we always tend to have on hand, for healthy behavior tips, we might have a better shot at adopting them. Read More → |
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Losing a lot More than Weight Brandweek August 6, 2007 by Carol Davies |
On today's often-greasy menu of marketing approaches, Glaxo Smith Kline's approach is admirable. Unfortunately, it also raises a disturbing question: In our notoriously fad-mad weight-loss market, is there actually room for a diet drug that's not a magic pill? Read More → |
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How to Define a Brand's Soul Adweek June 18, 2007 by Joan Voight |
Laurence Knight, Unilever veteran and consultant to Unilever brands such as Dove, Axe, Caress and Pond's, like to preach that a brand needs soul in order to thrive, especially as the world gets more digital. What brands have the most soul? Read More → |
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The New Buzz of Open Innovation Networks Admap March 1, 2007 by Laurence Knight, Fletcher Knight |
Laurence Knight, Fletcher Knight, shows how companies are casting a wider net for ideas ? but still find it hard to tap consumers. Still central to 'upstream' innovation, and where open networks have not been proven, is 'connecting' directly with consumers to generate insights that can identify 'where to play'. Where can open networks add value? Read More → |
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Selling your Soul European Cosmetic News October 1, 2006 by Laurence Knight, Fletcher Knight - Interview by Georgina Caldwell |
A heartfelt and authentic message is the most effective marketing tool around, Laurence Knight, principal and founder of marketing innovation consultancy Fletcher Knight, tells Georgina Caldwell. Read More → |
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Mega-Brand vs. Edited Brand Chief Marketer July 11, 2006 by Carol Davies, Fletcher Knight |
Consumers always want choice -- or do they? When shopping for orange juice or toothpaste becomes as complicated as shopping for pantyhose, is offering "infinite" choice within a category really such a good idea? Read More → |
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All Eyes on the Obesity Prize Business Week June 6, 2006 by Pallavi Gogoi |
Obesity has been a headline-grabbing disease for at least five years now. Yet there hasn't been a headline-grabbing drug to treat it -- until now. At least two ground-breaking antiobesity drugs will likely get clearance from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration before the year is out. Read More → |
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Top of Mind: Performance Sensory Spectrum Brandweek March 8, 2004 by Carol Davies and Laurence Knight, Fletcher Knight |
New products are meant to refresh brands and make them stand out from their rivals. With so much refreshing going on by so many companies, how can a brand possibly break through? Read More → |
