I was reviewing our agency’s “Next New Normal” study—for about the one-hundredth time—and reflecting on our discoveries. It is a study of recession driven frugality behavior among consumers age 18-64. In general, we found that consumers are even more determined to maintain relationships with their favorite brands in tough times. They spend hours of personal time tracking down bargains for their favorite brands. They also shop three or four retailers to find the best deal, subscribe to online coupon networks, and even set aside time each day to plan shopping trips.

That’s when I realized how much my own shopping habits had changed. I’ve been planning my family’s meals more, creating lists and shopping strictly from them. And I’ve met people like me. Just this weekend, I was in the checkout line behind a savvy shopper who handed the clerk a stack of coupons. I mean, a stack! I couldn’t believe my luck. Here was the consumer from our “Next New Normal” study! I immediately asked about her shopping habits and she proudly shared her savings strategy. Each week she sets a savings goal and achieves it with coupons, without compromising on her favorite brands. Her savings that day – $177 off $280! I congratulated her on her impressive frugality skills and walked away inspired. Talk about seeing marketing results firsthand!

Are you part of the “Next New Normal”?

At Northlich, we are in the business of creating behavior change. We’ve learned through experience that in order to succeed, three things must happen. First, to see the desired behavior change as a process, not just a goal that you have to do. It will enrich you. Second, to recognize behavior strongholds and break through the inertia. You know inertia. That emotional state of comfort that unconsciously forms our habits. To break it, set small attainable goals that you can achieve. Too often, big steps overwhelm and discourage us from persevering. You’ve heard the adage, “start small, you’ll get there.” Well, the same is true for keeping resolutions.

These are just three of the principles we use to create behavior changing strategies for our clients and for ourselves. We call it Rehavior®. It is the way we approach things at Northlich. If you would like to learn how we can help you change behavior, please contact me at (513) 762-1717.

Our Chief Strategy Officer, Brian Newberry, shared Northlich’s in-depth study on “The Next New Normal; How Consumers Will Reset after the Recession.”  The research is based on qualitative and quantitative studies conducted by Northlich’s MEdiaLab™. Read more from the New York German Press U.S. correspondent for Deutsche Welle .

With client experience ranging from Consumer Goods and Healthcare to Retail and Telecom, and more than a decade of interactive expertise, Jason will assist our teams in further expanding our multi-channel approach to delivering business results, leveraging Northlich’s considerable thought leadership in interactive and social.

He’ll also inspire our account folks to provide even more exceptional client service. Jason believes that client service should know your business as well as you do, so we can advise, guide, and support the growth of your business – not just execute on your creative.

Jason will focus on client service and assist our new business efforts. With his incredible energy and extensive experience, we’re looking forward to a whirlwind ride. Welcome, Jason!

See the artists at home here:

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20100814/LIFE08/8140306/Victorian-home-has-artsy-modern-feel

Gold Awards

Hunters Pile of Money for the Kentucky Lottery Corporation

A Little Luck, A Little Fun Hot Dog Bazooka for the Kentucky Lottery Corporation

Hunters Pile of Money & Hunters Track for the Kentucky Lottery Corporation

Silver Awards

Magical Place New Seafood Meals for BirdsEye Foods

A Little Luck, A Little Fun Hot Dog Bazooka for the Kentucky Lottery Corporation

Northlich Spirits Microsite Vodka Ad Generator for Northlich self promotion

True Value of PR for Northlich self promotion

Hunters Track for the Kentucky Lottery Corporation

At the 2010 Central Ohio Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) PRism Awards, Northlich took away Best of Show for its redesign of White Castle’s Web site, www.whitecastle.com. Northlich also received three PRism Awards and one Award of Excellence for social media, media relations and integrated marketing communications programs.

The awards annually recognize exceptional public relations programs created by professionals from the Columbus area. These awards show that public relations is an important component to successful integrated marketing programs, and that our public relations team delivers top-notch work.

I met Frank Moricca almost six years ago and I knew immediately that he was indeed in that rare number. He has been in this crazy, wonderful business for more than 20 years and yet he embraces every day with passion, integrity and enthusiasm.

I’m thrilled to announce the addition of industry veteran Frank Moricca as the new VP/General Manager of our Columbus office. Frank’s leadership will continue to strengthen our Columbus team and offer our clients innovative thinking across all marketing functions.

Please help me welcome Frank to the Northlich family; we look forward to sharing all the wonderful things Frank has planned for our Columbus team and clients.

As a Trustee for our community’s professional ballet company, we spend a lot of time and energy strategizing around ticket pricing scenarios. We have the twin goals of maximizing sales while also filling seats. So, we think about how much we can charge for the premier seats and how little we can charge for the least desirable seats. Packaging performances, whether by subscriptions or by bundling shows, is also a component of our pricing exercise. Pricing effectively is an art; an effective pricing strategy can truly change consumer behavior.

Driving the consumer to contemplate comparative prices is another pricing strategy. We are hearing from our QSR clients, that their drive-thru customers appear in the window with a McDonald’s soft drink already in the cup holder. McDonald’s deeply discounted pricing strategy is driving fast feeders to change their behavior. Now they drive through TWO drive thrus. Not so fast, fast feeder.

In the dairy aisle of the grocer, the price differential between branded block cheese and private label just keeps growing; another comparative pricing strategy at work. The price of Kraft brand sharp cheddar is $2.78 — higher than I have ever seen. The price of the store brand — only $1.66. On a percentage basis, a huge differential, so, no surprise, consumers, even brand loyal Kraft shoppers are shifting their behavior and buying Brand X. The unanswered question is whether they will ever switch back. Stay tuned for that.

Fact #2: Everyone wants to belong. Those folks who are not joiners; those folks who are social recluses – they want to belong too, just differently.

Fact #3: and this is really Fact #1, everyone wants to feel welcomed. Everyone wants to be part of a community.

For the last 10 years, we have spent every Friday autumn evening in the stands of a high school football stadium. Ten years is a long time. And in that time I have managed to learn almost nothing about football. Oh, I know the basics, but only that, the basics. Ten years of cheering on our team, spilling soft drinks on the seats, eating cold, tasteless hot dogs and nodding at fellow but mostly anonymous fans. And might I add that our team has had a losing season, almost every year, for ten years. So oftentimes we are a somewhat morose bunch. And our crowd thins every week. By week five, only a few of us diehards even show for the game. No one especially likes to lose, and no one likes to lose every time. No one.

About four years ago, I decided that I was tired of not knowing the names of my fellow football parents; it was embarrassing and awkward. I decided that I wanted to become acquainted with my fellow fans; I guess I wanted to create a community.

So I took the parent roster and created nametags. A simple, slap-on-your-shirt name tag for each parent. A name tag that included their child’s name and jersey number. 

It was intended as simply a way for me to learn everyone’s name, but it became something of a social experiment.

In the early days, before every game, I would approach every adult and ask if they were a football parent, learn their name and respond,  “Oh, I have YOUR name tag.” Here’s the surprising thing, everyone loved the recognition and the inclusion. Even folks who didn’t want to be noticed, wanted me to notice. And if I didn’t find someone, they found me; they were looking for THEIR name tag.

I do this every Friday. I wander through the stands and hand out name tags. At the end of every game, I always have a few unclaimed name tags and I always remember who didn’t make the game. And yes, I know it is ironic that for years, I couldn’t remember names but I can now remember the names of those who are missing.

And the next week, I always comment, “Hi there, we missed YOU last week.” People like that, they like knowing they were missed, they like knowing that they matter. Now in the four years since we introduced name tags, we have continued to have losing seasons. Truth be told, our boys try hard, but it’s a small school and well you get the rest. But our stands are much fuller, and most of our parents make every game. I am not sure why that is, but I like to think it’s because we have created a community; and I like to think that it is in part because of the name tags.