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LIFESTYLE SPACESA trends briefingby SMG Research
Designed to keep you up-to-date with the consumer issues that are affecting your business, Lifestyle Spaces brings you the latest in consumer trends insight from SMG. The fourth issue includes:
Understanding Early Adopters Happiness Happening
EDITION 4
What makes an early adopter of media platforms and content tick? What motivates them? Do they differ according to what is being adopted?
The answers – provided by – may be different from the ones you were expecting. We’ll show here how the adoption curve can be redrawn, according to the emotional values held by people along it.
By Paul Selby, Product Development Director
Understanding early adopters
SpaceID is Starcom MediaVest Group’s proprietary planning application. We use it in two ways. Firstly to pinpoint the media spaces – brands, behaviours, content – which have the best fit with the emotional values of a brand’s current audience. Secondly, via our unique FutureSpace module, we identify the media spaces best able to shape a brand’s desired future positioning. It gives an answer to the question: “which media context best gets my brand from audience positioning A to positioning B?” It could be sponsoring Come Dine with Me, reaching people on their commute;
creating a smartphone application or linking up with music festivals...spaceID can quantify the affinity of each with your required audience.
There are now two waves of data, allowing us to track brand and media profile changes between the fourth quarter of 2008 and the first quarter of 2010. First, we looked at how the profile of newly emerged media spaces has changed – potentially helpful as we can profile relatively early adopters.
Chart 1 shows how a pattern emerges. There is a consistent shift from the
Re
spo
nsi
bili
ty Ple
asu
re
Community
To laugh
Peace MaternalForgiveness
Together
Honest
Politeness
Family God
MoralsRespect House
Wedding
Friendship
Patience
To console
To protect
Tenderness
Loyalty
CouragePurity Elegance Hero
LogicAnimalClever
To write
Meditation
Theatre
Present
Music
BookFlowerFeminine
To tendSoul
To healCountryside
Precious
To admireTo teach
ComfortBirth
Charitable
Softness
Caress
Justice HonourSacred
Priest Confidence
Attachment
Humble
Childhood
Practical
EffectiveCertainty
CreatorPersistence
Victory
Faith
ArtPerfume
Green
Mellow
NestTree
To DreamMoon
Ocean
Magic
For FreeLightness Poetry Sensuous
Noble Game SublimeRiver
DesireAdventurer
To climb
Voluptuous
Wild
Nudity
Suppleness
Reward
Foreigner
To fertiliseRobust
To inherit
Glory
JewelInfinite
GoldWater
OriginalScience
To swimChallenge Architect
Escape
Mountain
Peak
Island
DynamicIntimate
Inventor
Red MetallicMaze
SpeedKnotCarnal
Blue
Skin
RefinedAbsolute
Question
Detachment
To criticise
To interrogateDanger
Perfection
Firmness
Trade
Industry
DoubtImmobile
Emptiness
Property
Money
Sacrifice
Soldier
Fault
To betray
EmotionAccuracyModeration
Homeland
Tradition
Effort
To economise
RuleTo obeyCry
To forbid
To punish
Death
AnguishMistrust
SchoolLaw
Discipline
To age
To build
Material
Secret
Fire
Disorder
War
Wealth
Masterly
Headstrong
Border
Rigid
To break
Change
To conquer
PowerStranger
Craftiness
Elite
To command
To attack
BlackAudacity
Wall
Irony
Hunt
Storm
ArmourRebellion
MaskReason Prudence
Researcher
To master
Modesty
To buyTo ponder
Rifle
Humour
Eternal
To adore
Cheerfulness
Concrete
Fashion To produce
Ceremony
Work
Ambition Slimness
Bohemian
Desert
Mystery
To seduceDifferent
Huge
Virile
2009
2010
Mobile internet
Read prod. reviews
Instant messaging
Post prod. reviews
D’load music
D’loading podcasts
D’load short video
Apple iPhone
bottom and right of the map towards the top left. From the direction of pleasure/autonomy – the quadrant of people who follow their own desires, thrive on risk, and dislike compromise – around towards community/responsibility. This suggests that over time, as adoption widens, the profile of users becomes more focused on collaboration, belonging and stability.
Does this pattern hold for other types of media? Data from Channel 4, who ran similar Semiometrie studies in the last few years, suggested that it does.
Autonomy
Chart 1Emerging
Media Spaces
On Chart 2 we highlight the overscored Semio keywords for Big Brother in it’s first year of broadcast. The Semio keywords are the building blocks of spaceID: they represent subconscious values held by respondents. The profile of words here is consistent with another half a dozen new programme launches broadly aimed at youth audiences.
And over the lifecycle of programmes a drift towards responsibility values is evident as the audience evolves, just as it did for our emerging media spaces.Both Big Brother and Wife Swap are tracked on Chart 2,
So media early adopters often embrace risk, like to dominate and are very much centered on their own interests rather than those of others. Interestingly, this also applies where alternative ‘masterbrand’ values are already in place.
Chart 2 Tracking
Programme life cycles
Autonomy
Re
spo
nsi
bili
ty Ple
asu
re
Community
To laugh
Peace MaternalForgiveness
Together
Honest
Politeness
Family God
MoralsRespect House
Wedding
Friendship
Patience
To console
To protect
Tenderness
Loyalty
CouragePurity Elegance Hero
LogicAnimalClever
To write
Meditation
Theatre
Present
Music
BookFlowerFeminine
To tendSoul
To healCountryside
Precious
To admireTo teach
ComfortBirth
Charitable
Softness
Caress
Justice HonourSacred
Priest Confidence
Attachment
Humble
Childhood
Practical
EffectiveCertainty
CreatorPersistence
Victory
Faith
ArtPerfume
Green
Mellow
NestTree
To DreamMoon
Ocean
Magic
For FreeLightness Poetry Sensuous
Noble Game SublimeRiver
DesireAdventurer
To climb
Voluptuous
Wild
Nudity
Suppleness
Reward
Foreigner
To fertiliseRobust
To inherit
Glory
JewelInfinite
GoldWater
OriginalScience
To swimChallenge Architect
Escape
Mountain
Peak
Island
DynamicIntimate
Inventor
Red MetallicMaze
SpeedKnotCarnal
Blue
Skin
RefinedAbsolute
Question
Detachment
To criticise
To interrogateDanger
Perfection
Firmness
Trade
Industry
DoubtImmobile
Emptiness
Property
Money
Sacrifice
Soldier
Fault
To betray
EmotionAccuracyModeration
Homeland
Tradition
Effort
To economise
RuleTo obeyCry
To forbid
To punish
Death
AnguishMistrust
SchoolLaw
Discipline
To age
To build
Material
Secret
Fire
Disorder
War
Wealth
Masterly
Headstrong
Border
Rigid
To break
Change
To conquer
PowerStranger
Craftiness
Elite
To command
To attack
BlackAudacity
Wall
Irony
Hunt
Storm
ArmourRebellion
MaskReason Prudence
Researcher
To master
Modesty
To buyTo ponder
Rifle
Humour
Eternal
To adore
Cheerfulness
Concrete
Fashion To produce
Ceremony
Work
Ambition Slimness
Bohemian
Desert
Mystery
To seduceDifferent
Huge
Virile
20012003
2008
2001
20032008
Big Brother
Wife Swap
Autonomy
Re
spo
nsi
bili
ty Ple
asu
re
Community
To laugh
Peace MaternalForgiveness
Together
Honest
Politeness
Family God
MoralsRespect House
Wedding
Friendship
Patience
To console
To protect
Tenderness
Loyalty
CouragePurity Elegance Hero
Logic AnimalClever
To write
Meditation
Theatre
Present
Music
BookFlowerFeminine
To tendSoul
To healCountryside
Precious
To admireTo teach
ComfortBirth
Charitable
Softness
Caress
Justice HonourSacred
Priest Confidence
Attachment
Humble
Childhood
Practical
EffectiveCertainty
Creator PersistenceVictory
Faith
ArtPerfume
Green
Mellow
NestTree
To DreamMoon
Ocean
Magic
For FreeLightness Poetry Sensuous
Noble Game SublimeRiver
DesireAdventurer
To climb
Voluptuous
Wild
Nudity
Suppleness
Reward
Foreigner
To fertiliseRobust
To inherit
Glory
JewelInfinite
GoldWater
OriginalScience
To swimChallenge Architect
Escape
Mountain
Peak
Island
DynamicIntimate
Inventor
Red MetallicMaze
SpeedKnotCarnal
Blue
Skin
RefinedAbsolute
Question
Detachment
To criticise
To interrogateDanger
Perfection
Firmness
Trade
Industry
DoubtImmobile
Emptiness
Property
Money
Sacrifice
Soldier
Fault
To betray
EmotionAccuracyModeration
Homeland
Tradition
Effort
To economise
RuleTo obeyCry
To forbid
To punish
Death
AnguishMistrust
SchoolLaw
Discipline
To age
To build
Material
Secret
Fire
Disorder
War
Wealth
Masterly
Headstrong
Border
Rigid
To break
Change
To conquer
PowerStranger
Craftiness
El ite
To command
To attack
BlackAudacity
Wall
Irony
Hunt
Storm
ArmourRebellion
MaskReason Prudence
Researcher
To master
Modesty
To buyTo ponder
R ifle
Humour
Eternal
To adore
Cheerfulness
Concrete
Fashion To produce
Ceremony
Work
Ambition Slimness
Bohemian
Desert
Mystery
To seduceDifferent
Huge
Virile
Source: Channel 4 Semio Study
Take the Apple iPhone. (Chart 1) Our first wave of fieldwork was completed just five months after the launch of the 3G version. The Apple brand DNA is all about simplicity, being unconventional, stylish and fun but despite this the iPhone evidently appealed to those with far ‘harder’ values i.e. our autonomy/pleasure early adopters. The same was true of Apple iPod users back in 2006 (chart 3).
What should be done as a result? SpaceID allows us to define groups according to their values and pinpoint the media and passions whose audience they have affinity with. This is extremely useful when planning communications against early adopters. These findings also underline the difference between assumed brand values and the actual audience values. Much as many brand owners might seek more community-centred values for their innovative new launches - reflecting the collaborative philosophy of much emerging media - the reality is that their earliest adopters will need the question: “what’s in it for me”? Not: “what’s in it for everyone?” answered first.
Chart 3 Apple iPod Keywords
2006
Happiness HappeningBy Donna Booth, Associate Research Director
What Makes you Happy?Source: The Street / Wordle
“Happiness, Happiness the greatest thing that I possess…” or so sang British comedian Ken Dodd back in 1964. But in a world of unlimited wants, needs, and desires, do those lyrics still ring true today? According to the IPA’s Touchpoints study, the average Briton is happy for around a fifth of their waking hours. And despite the unprecedented levels of material wealth reached in the Noughties, people are on average no happier today than they were fifty years ago¹.
At the start of a new decade, and as we emerge from a global economic shakeup, there is an opportunity for marketers to explore the notion of hap-piness. What exactly is happiness these days? And importantly, how can brands tap into Ken Dodd’s so called ‘greatest possession’ to increase engagement with their key audiences?
The ‘Happiness’ IngredientsAccording to the ‘Happiness Project’², a study recently published by the Telegraph Media Group, the meaning of happiness has subtlety changed in recent times. After a decade of frivolity, instant gratification, and uncontrolled spending, The Telegraph Group believes that ‘happiness’ has reverted back to a more traditional and simple meaning. Today ‘happiness’ is more about enduring periods of con-tentment rather than fleeting moments of pleasure. Following a period of abundance, consumerism and material wealth are increasingly associated with such ‘fleet-ing moments of pleasure’. For example, getting the very latest smart phone might well make us feel intense hap-piness, but it is likely that this moment will be short-lived. What happens to that feeling when everyone else in your peer group owns the same phone? And will the happiness remain when a new model is released, rendering your model out of date? According to the New York Times, psychologists term this trend ‘hedonic adaption’ – when the buzz of a new purchase is pushed to-wards the emotional norm and we stop getting pleasure from it. At which point, we have tended to buy more things³. Experiences and relationships on the other hand are coming to represent
a deeper, more meaningful state of happiness. Whereas an old phone might end up obsolete on the scrap heap, experiences tend to mature into beautiful memories – especially when viewed through nostalgic rose tinted spectacles. For this reason, Starcom MediaVest Group now places human experiences at its core. Although environmental and ethical concerns have been driving the shift from material consumption towards meaningful experiences for a while, the recession was the catalyst which forced many to revaluate their spending habits and put a renewed focus on what really constitutes ‘happiness’.
The Telegraph Media Group have iden-tified four main ‘happiness’ ingredients that all allude to this deeper, simpler, meaning:- Relationships and community: set-tle down, get ingrained in your commu-nity, give something back- Financial security: money can buy you happiness just as long as you don’t try to keep up with the Joneses. Con-tentment comes from spending more wisely than them. - Approach to life: be responsible for yourself, be thankful, do worthy things, and above all, be realistic- Personal factors: look after your health and enjoy the wisdom, worldli-ness and wealth later life will accrue.
Happiness on ‘The Street’ As part of our own ‘happiness’ study, we asked members of our own re-search community to describe the fac-tors that provide them with a happy life. Reassuringly, insights from ‘The Street’ also alluded to simple, but meaningful experiences. The relative size of words such as ‘family’, ‘friends’, and ‘dog’ in the word cloud opposite, points to the importance of relationships and com-munities, whilst ‘money’, ‘work’, and ‘security’ point to financial wellbeing. Beyond that, words relating to simple experiences such as ‘food’, ‘walking’, and ‘garden’ signify a healthy, positive approach to life rather than material possessions creates true happiness.
Happiness is a cigar calledHamlet… or at least it was in the Eight-ies. More recently McDonalds have be-come synonymous with ‘Happy Meals’, whereas Coca-Cola routinely invites us to ‘Open Happiness’. Over the years, we have seen many examples of brands in pursuit of happiness. To explore the extent to which this senti-ment resonates with consumers, we asked members of The Street for their opinions on what constitutes a happy
brand. Here we uncovered a range of ‘happiness’ associations across several product categories. What was particu-larly interesting was how emotional engagement ranged from fleeting and superficial, to enduring and deep. At the lighter end of the spectrum, brands such as Peperami and Tango made people laugh through witty adver-tising, whereas brands such as Ben & Jerry’s and Andrex conjured up a warm feeling. Moving toward a more enduring definition of happiness; members refer-enced brands that presented a sense of nostalgia. Street members explained how Coca-Cola evoked happy memo-ries of Christmases past, and how Disney and Heinz tapped into childhood experiences and memories. But what was really telling, and confirmed our contemporary definition of happiness, were the associations between social good and happy brands. Brands that do the right thing – for their employees, customers, animals, and society at large seemed to project happiness to the highest order. The Happy Eggs Com-pany and Innocent were examples of this latter category.
What does this mean to your brand and communications?- Meaningful relationships, personal growth, and rewarding life experiences are vital elements of happiness in contemporary society. Get in touch with Starcom MediaVest Group - The Human Experience Company - to learn how your brand should be tapping into this important consumer shift.
- Research (presented by The Tel-egraph Media Group) has shown that happy people are more likely to engage with advertising and to recall brand messages. Consider using a sophisti-cated media planning tool like SpaceID to get into the core of human emotions, and the values that they warm to. This should ensure your communication planning impacts at a deeper, more meaningful level.
- In the post-recessionary ‘New Normal’ age, good brands that truly consider their surroundings and provide an ele-ment of social well-being are increas-ingly resonating with consumers and providing happiness. Ask how your brand can give something back – to staff, customers, or local environment - and really mean it.
- Finally, let’s not totally omit those fleeting moments of pleasure! In more considered times, laughing at an advert or taking a sip of happiness may be just what your audiences need!
¹ Future Foundation: Acute Demand for Happiness Report (via Richard Layard) ² Telegraph Media Group: The Happiness Project ³ The New York Times: But Will it Make You Happy?
For further information onLifestyle Spaces please contact,
Donna Booth or Paul Selby at:
[email protected]@smvgroup.co.uk