Mindful Spending Holiday Gift-Buying Trends & Tools 2010

72% of Consumers Report They Are Shopping More Mindfully Than Before

Arnold Worldwide, one of the top five most creatively awarded advertising agencies of the past decade, announces their "Mindful Spending Holiday Gift-Buying Trends and Tools 2010." This list is based on insights from Global CEO Andrew Benett's second co-authored book Consumed: Rethinking Business in the Era of Mindful Spending (Palgrave Macmillan, July 2010), which describes the downfall of hyperconsumption and the rise of "the new consumer."

"This season marketers can expect to see an increase in consumers who are becoming more budget-conscious, eco-aware and cause-oriented, while paying greater attention to what, why and from who they are buying," said co-author and CEO Andrew Benett, Arnold Worldwide, and Chief Strategy Officer, Havas Worldwide.

The trends and tools identified below reflect what the new "substance shopper" consumers increasingly value most this season and fall into three key categories: 1) Sustainability, 2) Depth and Meaning and 3) Value.

Benett goes on to say, "The simplicity movement, the mainstreaming of eco-consciousness, the Slow Food movement, and the rise of "conscious nourishment" (e.g., natural foods, organics, functional foods), combined with the impact of the recession have given way to an emerging mindful "substance shopper" consumer segment that is growing up, rightsizing and seeking purposeful pleasure."

Below is Arnold's 2010 holiday shopping trends and tools that resonate with mindful consumers:

Sustainability

• E-readers Go Mainstream - iPad, Nook and Kindle are ideal gifts that keep on giving in terms of continued cost-savings, convenience and commitment to a more sustainable lifestyle.
• Eco-Friendly – Mindful consumers are more likely to seek out green gifts like solar charging backpacks, stainless steel water bottles and organic clothing and grocery products.

Depth and Meaning

• Giving that Grows – Taking an action (i.e., "Like" a brand's Facebook page) or buying a product or service that also increases an overall donation is an increasingly important aspect of the buying process because it makes consumers feel good about their purchase decisions.
• Customized, Handmade – Gifts providing a deeper meaning, such as the artisan items available at Etsy.com, or personalization, such as photo books at blurb.com and custom-designed engagement rings at Jared, give mindful consumers the increased sense of connection they value.
• Giving Experiences Makes Memories that Last – Long after the gift is gone, giving experiences like concert tickets, wine-of-the-month and weekend getaways, can be remembered indefinitely.

Value

• Black Friday Goes Mobile – From mobile apps to GPS-enabled services, "substance shoppers" are using Black Friday friendly apps such as TGI Black Friday, to find the best prices at the most convenient locations with their web-enabled phones in hand.
• Real Holiday Deals – Mindful consumers are smarter and more informed. They get product and service recommendations from friends on social networking sites and look for smart ways to save with coupon aggregator services, like Groupon.com and RetailMeNot.com, that provide deals on everything from department store to grocery store purchases.
• Group Gift Buying – Simplified. Friends, relatives and colleagues can now use their social networks to combine funds and buy gifts via Amazon and eBay with Facebook Connect and get suggestions based on the friend or colleague's profile page making it easier than it ever was to do offline.
• Shop Around the Clock – The trend to kick off Black Friday shopping early is here to stay. Stores continue to kick-off the shopping season with midnight openings and non-stop doorbusters. New mindful consumers who seek added value or exclusive access will shop early, late or any hour of the day or night to get what they want at the price they want.

About Arnold Worldwide
Arnold is a global communications company and one of the top five most creatively awarded agencies of the past decade. We are proud to represent a diverse portfolio of clients, including Aetna, Alberto Culver, Amtrak, Carnival Cruise Lines, Fidelity Investments, The Hershey Company, Huntington Bank, Jack Daniel's, McDonald's, New Balance, Ocean Spray, Panasonic, Pearle Vision, Progressive, Southern Comfort, Titleist, truth, Tyson, Vertex, Volvo and many other great brands. Arnold delivers services across all communication touch points – advertising, digital, promotions, direct, design, branded content – and is part of Havas Worldwide with offices in Boston, New York, Washington DC, Toronto, London, Amsterdam, Prague, Milan, Madrid, Moscow, Lisbon, Sydney, São Paulo and Shanghai. For more information, visit www.arnoldworldwide.com.

About Consumed: Rethinking Business In The Era Of Mindful Spending
Andrew Benett, Global CEO of Arnold Worldwide and Global Chief Strategy Officer of Havas Worldwide, describes the downfall of hyperconsumption and the rise of "the new consumer" in his second book, Consumed: Rethinking Business in an Era of Mindful Spending (Palgrave Macmillan, July 2010), co-authored by Ann O'Reilly, Content Director of the Euro RSCG Worldwide Knowledge Exchange.

SOURCE: Arnold Worldwide