Euro RSCG New Consumer: Emergence of the Mindful Spender

KNOW:
The Emergence of
the New Consumer

2010

KNOW: The Emergence of the New Consumer

About the Study

● In-depth online survey conducted by
Market Probe International Oct.–Nov. 2009
Brazil China France
n=700 n=700 n=700
● 5,700 adults in 7 markets

● Extensive secondary research in
Japan Netherlands U.K.
2010 into trends driving the category n=700 n=700 n=700

U.S.
n=1,500

2


Introduction Would you say the current crisis...

● The global economic downturn hasn’t U.K. 11 87

only touched our wallets Spain 12 87

Around 8 in 10 consumers declare we Germany 18 79

have been experiencing not only a financial France 25 74

crisis but also a crisis of values and way 0 20 40 60 80 100 120

of life Concerns only the economic and financial sphere
Also calls into question our values and way of life

Source: TNS Sofres—New Forms of Capitalism, January 2009

● The post-recession consumer
is challenging society to change
Are brands responding to
these new concerns?

Source: Euro RSCG, 2009

3


A Seismic Shift: All Maxed Out?
● Throughout 20th century, developed world saw rapid growth of a culture of hyperconsumerism

– Shopping became less about necessities than about entertainment, pleasure, status, indulgence,
and excess

– Accumulation—and personal debt—rose to levels never before seen

● Even before “Great Recession” that began in 2007, consumers were showing signs of
unhappiness with status quo

– Movement toward more conscious—and conscientious—consumption (e.g., buying Green, Fair Trade)

– Growing allure of simplicity and a return to basics

– Pushback against financial promiscuity and mindless excess

● The recent economic downturn exacerbated these shifts, giving people a chance to step off the
consumption treadmill and reassess how they are living—and spending

4


I. Three Keys to Understanding the

Relationship Between Consumers

and Society in the Post-crisis World

5


Three keys to
understanding the
relationship between
consumers and society in
the post-crisis world

1. A HIGH SENSITIVITY TO RISK

6


Economies are on the rebound,
but anxiety remains high
● The past decade has brought an increasing sense of
uncertainty and anxiety caused by a raft of issues, including
the global downturn, financial scandals, terrorism,
perceptions of government incompetence in the face of
national and international crises…

In general, I feel more anxious than I did a few years ago

54 50 62 29 57 46 77

Note: The complete data set, including Prosumer/mainstream breakouts by country, is available to employees and clients
of Euro RSCG Worldwide through the Knowledge Exchange

7


What the crisis has changed is our
confidence in the future, our sense of being
prepared to handle whatever may come

I worry about my future or my family’s future
more than I used to

57 74 65 34 49 40 65

● Signs of optimism apparent only in the Netherlands and among
mainstream consumers in China—the latter explained by the relatively
good health of the Chinese economy and the confidence of a country on
the ascendancy (pride in 2010 Expo Shanghai and other achievements)

8


Anxiety rooted not so much in today’s reality
as in imagining what tomorrow might bring
I have become more worried about losing my job
or having someone else in household lose job

43 50 52 32 40 22 28

● Western countries are more worried than China
and Japan—buffeted by concerns over high
unemployment, housing foreclosures, fluctuating
costs of food, energy, and other basic needs
● Even if fears turn out to be unwarranted, they are
deeply seated and affecting current decisions

9


I have become more worried about losing my job
or having someone else in household lose job

56 52 56 34 50 32 34

● Countries accustomed to higher standards
of living have more to lose
● Fear of future loss adds anxiety to
current purchases
Hungry Planet by Peter Menzel

10


I have become more worried
about not having enough money to retire on

51 45 59 27 46 21 27

● We often say modern society is “short-sighted”
● As anxieties mount, more and more citizens
in mature markets are looking far into the future
with concern

11



$117,951 I have become more worried about getting out of debt
The average American household’s debt

$772 billion 44 47 33 22 34 15 14

Amount U.S. owed China as of May 2009

$2 trillion
Combined amount of personal debt
held by Americans
(which is about the GDP of England)

Source: www.visualeconomics.com/the-american-family-financial-turmoil_2010-04-29/

12



● Different countries, different realities, different fears

I have become more worried about not being able
to afford health insurance/medical bills

48 51 35 27 20 22 31

13


Consequence:
Reluctance to engage in long-term
decisions (What if I choose wrong?)
Risk avoidance becomes the main
driver of decisions
Brands that manage this risk will appeal
to consumers

14


Three keys to
understanding the

2. CONSUMER DEPRESSION
ECHOES SOCIETAL WOES

15


“Compared with our grandparents,
today’s young adults have grown up with
much more affluence, slightly less
happiness and much greater risk of
depression and assorted social pathology.
Our becoming much better off over the
last four decades has not been
accompanied by one iota of increased
subjective well-being.”
—Hope College psychologist David G. Myers

16


Lands of plenty haven’t
delivered the happiness promised
I am actively trying to figure out what makes me happy

48 75 53 33 42 64 41

● Paradox of owning more and
having less
● Increased focus on happiness
index as measure of national
achievement

17


Stress of modern living
taking toll on mental health
I worry about the mental health of my partner/spouse

22 61 46 16 22 44 36

I worry about my own mental health

31 69 46 18 26 41 45

18


Widespread dissatisfaction
with modern life

In many ways, I think society is moving in the wrong direction

66 61 70 53 63 39 49

● We’re seeing dissatisfaction on both a
personal and societal level—especially in
western cultures but evident everywhere

19


Society is perceived
as shallow…
I worry society has become too shallow,
focusing on things that don’t really matter
“The problem with
consumerism is that it strives
not just to be part of our
79 66 77 62 75 53 61
lives—it should be that—
but strives to be everything,
● Sense that we have lost sight of what truly to occupy all our time and
matters in our endless quest to consume space and push out other
more and struggle less things. In this sense, it is both
● People growing increasingly weary of homogenizing and totalizing.”
“dumbing down” of conversations and —Political theorist Benjamin Barber in
U.S. News & World Report
culture, lack of substantive interactions

20


…lazy…

● Consumers have lost confidence
As a society, we have gotten intellectually lazy
in society, seeing people as
somehow lesser beings than in
76 52 61 48 73 50 43 generations past

● Sense that people take path of
As a society, we have gotten physically lazy least resistance—have become
less willing and able to exert
themselves physically or mentally
85 56 66 55 82 59 47

● Sentiment is especially strong in
U.S. and U.K.

21


… and unable to work together for change

I worry we are losing our ability to engage in civil debate;
people aren’t willing to consider others’ points of view Godwin’s Law
“As an online discussion
62 64 64 46 61 49 46
grows longer, the
probability of a comparison
involving Nazis or Hitler
● This intellectual sloth is accompanied
approaches 1.”
by increased intolerance toward points
of view that differ from one’s own

22


In light of this individual and
collective downturn, prosumers
are experimenting with two kinds
of reaction:
Desiring a reconnection with nature

Seeking zero risk

23


The aspiration of reconnecting
with the natural world
● As our world becomes increasingly
I worry that people have become too disconnected
from the natural world artificial, we in turn feel less “real”

● Nature symbolizes ties to a more
60 64 50 43 56 70 65
authentic past, as well as shelter, a
place to escape the bustling world,
In recent years, I have started or thought
about starting a home vegetable/fruit garden
a place to rejuvenate and relax

● Surge in home vegetable and fruit
43 55 46 16 45 32 29 gardens signifies this quest to
reconnect, eco-consciousness, and
a desire for self-sufficiency and
personal empowerment
(Whatever happens, I can feed
my family)

24


The aspiration of reconnecting
with the natural world
Search term: “vegetable gardening”

25


Echoes from another time…
The 19th century witnessed two revolutions that profoundly changed western
social structures. The boom in industry brought society into the era of
machines, while positivism glorified science and mathematical truth at the
expense of spirituality. Many citizens strongly rejected this society of
progress. Rejection came in two guises:

1. The highlighting of dreamlike symbolism, of morbid spiritualism (as seen in
the dark paintings of Gustave Moreau, for example). This was accompanied
by a new prominence of the dandy figure, celebrated by Baudelaire and embodied by Des
Esseintes de Huysmans, who scandalized the whole of Europe with his novel A Rebours (1884). By
his very essence, the dandy is content with a form of weakness and indecision. In reaction to this,
politicians and healthy-living doctors worried that this “weakness” and “sloth” would affect both the
mind and body of the Bohemian and diffuse throughout the whole of society, rendering it
“effeminate” and risking the corruption of the entire social body.

2. A strong desire to return to the wildness of nature, accompanied by total rejection of the state
and society, as in Walden or Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau.

26


The quest for zero risk
● Growing mindfulness about the
I am much more aware of the nutritional/health value
of the food I eat than I used to be safety and health effects of the
products we consume
74 80 67 56 68 87 57
● Greater awareness of need to
self-police—no longer confident
I research the safety of the products I buy more than I used to in oversight of others (e.g., gov’t,
corporations)

41 63 52 26 29 83 38

27


Three keys to
understanding the

3. CONSUMERS WANT CHANGE
AND KNOW THEY CAN COUNT
ONLY ON THEMSELVES

28


Recession is an opportunity
to step back and rethink
● Downturn brought anxiety and
I wish I could start fresh with an entirely new lifestyle
hardship—yet also a sense of
relief and opportunity
36 59 39 31 38 70 48
● Chance to pull back from
hyperconsumerist lifestyle and
I won’t go back to my old shopping patterns
even when the economy rebounds
reflect on what we truly want

● People are actively seeking
52 51 50 30 44 45 58 improvement—in themselves
and their ways of living

● A “second chance” to get
it right

29


The upside to the downturn
● Sizeable segments believe the
The recession has served to remind people of what’s important
in life and that’s a good thing “Great Recession” will actually
be good for themselves/their
67 63 50 47 59 61 33
families and/or their country

● A sense that people have been
Over the long term, this economic downturn will be
a good thing for my country
given a chance to reevaluate
their lives and how they’re living

33 43 21 31 29 44 16 ● A chance to start on a new path,
to find a better way forward—
Over the long term, this economic downturn will be especially true for China, which
a good thing for my family and me
shows strong optimism for
future, and the U.S., which
26 40 16 22 21 31 11 displays keen awareness of the
need for a better way of living

30


Change may be:
Looking for something “bigger than self”
● People want to be united in common
I would like to be part of a truly important cause
cause, to invest time in something
more substantive and significant than
can fit neatly within a shopping bag
57 76 41 29 43 66 34

● They want to get involved with
causes larger than themselves
I would like to lead a more spiritual life
● These feelings are especially strong
in the U.S., Brazil, and China
51 64 21 19 27 59 29

“It is preoccupation with
I would like to feel more connected to a religion or life philosophy
possession, more than anything
else, that prevents us from living
freely and nobly.”
39 54 16 13 20 40 18 —Bertrand Russell

31


It’s up to me now to
make change happen
● Strong impulse to make
I am making an effort to improve the way I live
changes in who they are and
how they live—especially in
78 85 73 56 65 80 60
U.S. and China

● Indicative of a desire to take
I am making an effort to improve the person I am responsibility and assert control
over own lives

78 84 69 56 62 83 56 ● Looking for a more substantive
and satisfying way of life

32


Change may be:
Looking for culture
I sometimes feel “uncultured”; I wish I knew more about the arts,
literature, other countries, etc.

31 55 44 18 30 61 53

● In China, Japan, and Brazil, a search for
knowledge and culture
● Lesser desire in other countries, especially
the Netherlands, which firmly rejects notion
of being in need of further education

33


Change may be:
Looking for human bonding
● Humans are highly social animals
The main way I stay connected with old friends and colleagues is
through e-mail and/or social networking sites needing intricate ties to family and
community to “feel right”; modern
57 64 48 35 54 49 33
society’s technological isolation
and focus on the individual have
created feelings of alienation
I worry that digital communication is weakening human bonds

● In our fast-paced, technology-
mediated world, people are craving
54 55 56 42 48 55 45
a greater sense of
interconnectedness and deeper
personal relationships

● Paradox of Internet as source of
connection and isolation

34


Change may be:
Looking for human bonding
It is very important that family eat at least one meal a day together

79 86 90 76 78 86 71

● Against this backdrop, people are making
efforts to connect…

35


From “active pessimism” to “proactive mindfulness”
In spite of their anxiety, people are resolved to change the
status quo and take greater control of their present lives
and futures

A primary way in which they will do this is through their
consumption choices—their strongest means of power
and influence

It is the advent of “proactive mindfulness”

36


II. Four Paradigms Underlying the New

Approach to Consumption

37


A new mode of consumption created by a
consumer who is…
● More informed
● More empowered
● More mindful
● More engaged with businesses and brands
● More anxious about an uncertain future—seeking
security and control
● The emergence of this new consumer is changing
everything about how companies must connect with
their customers and the broader public
● The most successful brands will speak to the four
new paradigms we have identified—in their product
portfolios and brand communications

38


The Four Paradigms of the New Consumer

Embracing Growing Up
Substance

Seeking
Rightsizing Purposeful
Pleasure

Images: kavewall.com/stock>liquid-color

39


PARADIGM 1:
Embracing Substance
● Hyperconsumerism has failed to satisfy, leaving us unhappy and feeling alienated from
each other and from the natural world

● Consumers are experiencing feelings of emptiness and disconnectedness

● In response, they are craving real and authentic experiences—and the security that
comes from living a more orderly, purposeful existence

● They are seeking MORE:
– More meaning
– More connections “There must be more to life
– More substance than having everything.”
– More satisfaction —Maurice Sendak

– More purpose

40


A pushback against a vapid culture…

41


…and pervasive lack of authenticity

42


Seeking a return to “Real”…

43


…as symbolized by the Slow Food
and Slow Travel movements

44


PARADIGM 2:
Rightsizing
● Signs of backlash against hyperconsumption and its associated stress, anxiety,
and constant push for MORE

● Millions are rejecting prior behaviors, seeking to buy less and experience more

● Frugality is suddenly chic

● Rightsizing is NOT about self-deprivation,
but about finding a harmonious balance— “There are two ways to get
neither too much nor too little, as expressed enough: One is to continue to
in the Swedish term lagom accumulate more and more.
The other is to desire less.”
—G. K. Chesterton

45


Paralyzed by Choices: “Consumer Vertigo”

● Explosion of product choices threatens to overwhelm:
– Single Ralphs supermarket in California has as many as 30,000 products, including 300 produce
varieties
– 1,500 different drawer pulls at The Great Indoors
– Choose from among 15,000 songs on an iPod or
35,000 movies on Netflix

● Each year, more and more products are
considered “necessities”

● Adding to the pressure: Products are
increasingly complicated
Tropicana Pure Premium Orange Juice now
– Research in Netherlands found 1/2 of all comes in 16 varieties, incl. Low Acid, Antioxidant
“malfunctioning” products returned to stores Advantage, and Calcium + Vitamin D
work fine; consumers just couldn’t figure them out

46


A move toward “Intelligent Simplification”

● Significant majority sees appeal in downsizing—in spending less time accumulating
“things” and more time enjoying life

● Seeking to get back to basics, to enjoy life on a more elemental level

I would rather spend money on an experience (e.g., traveling, going
Most of us would be better off if we lived more simply
to a concert) than on a luxury item

78 68 73 51 68 72 48 52 52 68 42 44 54 48

I no longer want lots of “bells and whistles” on the products I buy; I am looking forward to a holiday season that is less about
I’d rather just have the functions I really need shopping and more about family and simple pleasures

66 67 78 73 65 81 50 73 59 62 45 60 72 55

47


Looking to slow down
● From “slow food” and “slow travel” to
In recent years, I have adopted or thought about adopting a “slower”
lifestyle nontraditional medicines, Eastern
spirituality, and the rise in traditional
crafts, evidence abounds of a desire
40 50 34 35 37 51 42
to slow down the pace of modern life

In recent years, I have started or thought about starting
a “quiet” hobby such as gardening, knitting, or pottery

37 49 41 25 38 48 30

In recent years, I have switched or thought about
switching to a less stressful job

26 55 31 16 26 30 27

48


Wanting “less”
● Whereas material possessions were
I think I would be happier if I owned less “stuff”
long associated with the “good life,”
now they’re seen as an encumbrance
by around 1/2 of consumers
31 33 14 13 25 30 24

● In most of the markets surveyed, this
desire for less cuts across leading-
I wish my home were less cluttered
edge Prosumers and the mainstream

47 42 36 21 47 81 45
“Every increased
possession loads us with a
In recent years, I have thrown out or thought about throwing out
lots of stuff to declutter my life and my home
new weariness.”
—John Ruskin

57 40 47 44 55 52 45

Note: The complete data set, including Prosumer/mainstream breakouts by country, is available to employees and clients
of Euro RSCG Worldwide through the Knowledge Exchange

49


The New Elite?

I respect/admire people who live simply
(minimal purchases, debt free, etc.)

79 69 73 69 72 64 52

I respect/admire people who live a high-luxury lifestyle

15 31 11 10 17 35 15

50


PARADIGM 3:
Growing Up
● Recent decades saw adolescence
prolonged, adulthood delayed, but today
many people are reversing the trend—
accepting personal responsibility and
seeking to build individual competencies

● Selfishness is giving way to community
and collaboration

Even though I am an adult, I don’t always feel
like a real “grownup”

50 46 38 38 52 50 58

51


Growing up means being in greater
financial control…
Saving money makes me feel good about myself ● Taking advantage of downturn
to get financial life on track

87 69 65 69 71 59 53 ● Especially in Brazil and U.S.,
satisfaction in reducing
I am getting a sense of satisfaction from reducing my purchases during purchases
the downturn
● Four in 10 global respondents
(7 in 10 U.S. Prosumers)
49 52 28 25 39 38 24
expect their reduction in
consumption to be permanent
I am committed to reducing my use of credit cards over the long term

Note: The complete data set, including Prosumer/mainstream breakouts
60 62 38 17 45 42 21 by country, is available to employees and clients of Euro RSCG
Worldwide through the Knowledge Exchange

52


…moving beyond immediate gratification…
● In the past year, I have been asking myself the following questions more often:

Do I really need this? Can I afford it?

63 44 47 45 59 34 50 59 35 46 41 59 22 40

Could I find the same item for less at another store or on eBay?
Can I wait until it’s on sale?

51 34 51 39 62 44 39 56 28 45 38 46 35 35

Is it of solid, good quality? Will it last a long time? Will I really get pleasure from buying this brand/
spending this money?

51 55 49 34 49 47 38 39 37 34 29 36 33 28

53


…and taking responsibility for the effects of
their personal consumption
● “Going green” is a pleasurable
experience—and source of pride
I am making an effort to buy fewer disposable goods
● Also a broad conviction that environmental
sustainability is a milestone in the future of
48 60 59 46 51 75 48
business—and a new litmus test

Making environmentally friendly choices makes me feel good I buy environmentally friendly products

65 80 65 49 54 80 55 45 72 56 31 44 78 49

The most successful and profitable businesses in the future will be
I feel good about reducing the amount of waste I create
those that practice sustainability

73 79 63 58 74 85 66 70 77 59 50 61 81 52

54


PARADIGM 4:
Seeking Purposeful Pleasure
● A hunger for instant gratification drove yesterday’s excess consumption;
now, burned-out consumers are seeking new, more meaningful sources
of satisfaction

● Impulse shopping has given way to a more considered—and conscientious—
form of consumption

● Emerging set of pleasures that are not tied to “instant everything” but to the
3 paradigms of Embracing Substance, Rightsizing, and Growing Up

● For creative marketers who understand this trend, the new quest for
purposeful pleasure opens up exciting opportunities

55


A smarter, more empowered
approach to consumption
I am a smarter shopper than I was a few years ago

77 76 69 58 73 74 48

I am a more demanding shopper than I was a few years ago

64 80 69 48 64 79 36

Image: Creative Commons, capl.washjeff.edu/7/l/120.jpg

56


Brands don’t always tell the truth…

I am skeptical of what I read in newspapers and magazines and what I
hear on television and radio

62 43 59 53 67 49 24

● It’s not news that people have become more
skeptical and suspicious over the years
● Longtime brands once held a monopoly
on messages and information—but all that
is changing…

57


…but peers typically do

● More knowledgeable—seeking out information and opinions online

I do lots of consumer research online

61 70 51 61 64 65 66

I trust customer reviews more than “expert” reviews

57 42 60 48 57 84 49

58


More attention paid at retail
● Mindless excess has given way to
I am shopping more carefully and mindfully than I used to
careful consideration—with
multiple points of focus, from
80 70 70 62 72 73 67 eco/social impact and safety to
design and provenance
I am more interested today in how and where products are made

54 60 61 34 41 59 41

I pay more attention to the color, feel, and overall design of products
than I used to

47 36 38 27 39 65 44

59


Prosumers are driving this new approach
to consumption
● A majority of global sample—and more than 6 in 10 Prosumers—are focusing more on the environmental
and/or social impact of the products they buy (especially strong trend in China and France)
● Widespread sense of responsibility for impact of personal consumption choices
● Majority of Prosumers are willing to put their money where their mouths are (paying more for products
that satisfy their consciences)

I am paying more attention than in the past to the environmental I am willing to pay a slightly higher price for socially or
and/or social impact of the products I buy environmentally responsible products

54 61 64 37 51 72 38 38 62 54 30 35 77 28

As a consumer, I have a responsibility to censure unethical
I avoid shopping in stores that don’t treat their employees fairly
companies by avoiding their products

67 76 74 51 54 83 51 52 69 57 38 41 68 34

Note: The complete data set, including Prosumer/mainstream breakouts by country, is available to employees and clients of Euro RSCG Worldwide through
the Knowledge Exchange

60


Seeking a deeper relationship with brands…
● Consumers—and Prosumers
Compared with a few years ago, it’s more important for me to feel good
about the companies with which I do business especially—feel more connected to
brands and are more intent on finding
brand partners that meet their standards
57 70 47 36 46 58 24

● Majority looking for brands that share
their personal values, and around 1/2
I prefer to buy from companies that share my personal values
seek out companies that have a purpose
beyond profit

59 71 54 40 47 69 55

I prefer to buy from companies with a reputation for a purpose beyond
profit

56 56 51 27 46 74 20

Note: The complete data set, including Prosumer/mainstream breakouts by country, is
available to employees and clients of Euro RSCG Worldwide through the Knowledge Exchange

61


…and with producers: the growing allure of local
● Looking for more of a sense of
It makes me feel good to support local producers,
artisans, and manufacturers connection to the goods they buy—
and the people who produce them

69 68 57 41 65 41 44

It is important to me to buy locally produced goods

51 42 58 25 45 36 55

62


Buying local is more about giving than getting

Locally produced foods tend to be more healthful (e.g., fresher, I have more confidence in the safety of locally produced goods
fewer preservatives)

55 74 60 30 46 58 45 34 40 32 14 28 40 21

I improve the economic health of my community when I buy from
Buying locally produced goods is easier on the environment local producers, artisans, and manufacturers

57 60 65 43 66 62 48 66 69 59 43 52 47 53

I would rather give my money to small businesses than to large
Locally produced goods tend to be of higher quality
corporations

63 26 53 41 62 14 28 38 31 50 18 34 21 17

63


Key Takeaway for Brands

64


1. Consumption is more multidimensional

● Shopping is no longer just about the product or
service acquired; instead, the purchase is viewed in
light of multiple other considerations, including:

– Who makes it?

– Is the company admirable and trustworthy?

– Does the brand share my values and support the
things that are meaningful to me?

– Is it having a positive impact on the lives of all
the people its businesses touch?

● Brands must clearly communicate their values and
invite consumers to participate

65


2. New Consumers are looking for brand
partners that help them live their values…
● In the emerging culture of mindful
consumption, people want to feel good
about making smart, conscientious choices;
the most successful brands will give
consumers the incentives (practical,
emotional) they need to make the choices
they believe to be “right” for them and for
others

● Smart brands will help customers move
closer toward the idealized images they
have of themselves—helping turn best
intentions into reality

66


…manage their aversion to risk…

● Consumers are worried—about money
(excessive debt, job insecurity, supporting
families over long term) and about the impact
of their consumption choices

● Seeking brands that offer not just reassurance
but practical solutions and support

67


…and build connections

● Smart brands will promote interconnectivity—
helping customers feel a sense of community
and shared purpose

● Helping to build connections between:

– Consumer + brand

– Consumer + consumer

– Consumer + broader community

– Consumer + vital causes

– Consumer + nature

68


3. Sustainability is in everyone’s best interest

● Political and business leaders may
continue to debate “truth” of climate
change and dangers of environmental
destruction

● Consumers have made up their minds

● Beyond being the “right thing” to do,
adopting sustainable practices is
regarded as a smart strategic choice for
companies and brands

69


4. New Consumers are looking for brands that
respond to a desire for re-enchantment
● In anxious, often depressing, times,
consumers seek concrete solutions to
their aspirations for change

● Brands can help pull consumers out of
their doldrums by proposing—and
helping to create—a more inspirational
and meaningful universe

70


5. For every “No,” there must be a “Yes”
● To connect with today’s more mindful consumers, brands must:
– Create products and services that offer longer-lasting and more fundamental satisfactions
– Provide consumption choices that minimize negatives (e.g., eco-toxic, antisocial, stress-inducing,
unhealthful) and maximize positives (e.g., contributing
to society, allowing more time with family, rightsizing)
– Offer customer service that has made an
evolutionary leap into holistic relationships
built on trust and mutual support
– Rethink how they communicate with customers
hungry for positive and helpful messages, skeptical
of inflated claims, and disgusted with deceit
– Create more “enchantment”—allowing the consumer
Image: Creative Commons, www.shopperculture.com/
to step away from anxieties and fears, and engage shopper_culture/shopping/

in experiences that surprise and delight, indulge the What can brands offer people in terms of
senses, and offer a break from the everyday merchandise, services, and
communications that will satisfy them and,
ultimately, increase their happiness?

71

Consumed: Rethinking Business in the Era of Mindful Spending

Consumed: Available in Bookstores July 2010
● Based on Euro RSCG Worldwide New Consumer study
and written by two executives within Havas

Andrew Benett, Ann O’Reilly,
CEO, Arnold Content Director,
Worldwide and Knowledge
CSO, Havas Exchange, Euro
Worldwide RSCG Worldwide

“Benett and O’Reilly offer insight and guidance about how best to communicate
with and build relationships with today’s more thoughtful consumer. It is
essential reading for anyone seeking to win in the post-recession marketplace.”

—Mike O’Driscoll, Managing Director, Jaguar Cars

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Media Inquiries

For inquiries regarding Euro RSCG Worldwide’s New Consumer study,
please contact:

Eric Edge
Global Chief Communications Officer
Euro RSCG Worldwide
T +1 312.640.4747 (Chicago)
T +1 212.886.2012 (New York)
E eric.edge@eurorscg.com

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The Knowledge Exchange is a global initiative that pushes information and insights
across the Euro RSCG network of agencies.

Among the materials available to agency employees and clients on My.EuroRSCG.com are
these global studies:

● The Future of Luxury

● The Future of Food & Beverages

● The Future of Generations

● The Future of the Corporate Brand

● The Future of Shopping

● The Future of Value

● The Future of Travel

Questions? Comments?
Please contact julia.gates@eurorscg.com or ann.o’reilly@eurorscg.com.

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Stay Up to Date on the New Consumer

● For more information on the New Consumer, visit
www.TheNewConsumer.com.

● Please join us on Facebook
(www.facebook.com/EuroRSCGNewConsumer?ref=ts) and Twitter
(ERWWNewConsumer) for daily insights and updates.

Euro RSCG New Consumer: Emergence of the Mindful Spender

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