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OUR TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK: CONSUMER TRENDS, COPY READABILITY AND BARBIE

What consumer trends should you be on the look out for in 2015? How do you improve your copy’s readability and is Barbie becoming a superhero? You can find these answers in this week’s edition of our favourite PR and communications stories.

Consumer Trends:

We are only a few months in to 2015, but there are a few emerging consumer trends to be aware of, as well as to take advantage of this year. It’s always important to deliver the right thing at the right time to ensure success, but it’s equally as critical to launch your product or service at the right moment. Here are five consumer trends to be on the look out for.

1. Leverage Eco-Guilt

  • The waste that is created and the guilt we feel when it’s made represent an opportunity.

2. Glam up GeekWeek

  • Tech experts predict Canada will import 8.5 million units of wearable tech.
  • So far, sleek tech is a tough sell, but when and if a lucky product finds a perfect combo it could be a great seller.

3. Prepare for the Microbiome Revolution

  • Research activity into the human “microbiome” is exploding and creating opportunities in the areas of food, medicine and beauty treatments.

4. Go Gender-Neutral

  • Some retailers are beginning to ignore the boy-girl divide.

5. Bid Goodbye to Meat

  • This is the year a bunch of new ventures will try to convince us we can; especially when it comes to eating crickets.
  • At least 25 small companies are selling or preparing to sell cricket-based food products in North America.

This information has come from the “Opportunities 2015 Special Report” in the February 2015 issue of Canadian Business. More details about each trend are provided in the link.

5 Consumer Trends You Might Want to Take Advantage of” (Marketing Magazine)

Writing and Editing:

Many people, when they write posts or press releases and then proofread them, often wonder what they were thinking when they wrote them. However, there are small things you can do to improve your copy’s readability:  transitions, word selection, mobile optimization and structure for example. By making your copy more readable, you can communicate more effectively.  Ann Wylie of Wylie Communications cites the book “What Makes a Book Readable” by William S. Gray and Bernice Leary to describe the four aspects of readability.

  • Content
  • Style
  • Design
  • Organization

Each is described in more detail in the below link.

11 easy ways to write more clearly” (PR Daily)

Brands:

Barbie has been around for over 50 years, but 2015 marks the first time she will be a super hero. Barbie’s global platform for this year is about being super and encouraging young girls to do the same.

The campaign is promoting the new “Barbie in Princess Power” line of products. The global site, BeSuper.com, allows girls to create comics of themselves and share the ways they are super. Each market has its own localized elements added to the site; for example in Canada, the campaign is focused on a “Super Squad” concept.

Tor read more about the campaign and what it entails please see the article link below

Barbie packs some power” (Strategy Magazine)

Thought of the week:

“Climb the mountain not to plant your flag, but to embrace the challenge, enjoy the air and behold the view. Climb it so you can see the world, not so the world can see you.” –  David McCullough Jr.

Image via healthgreatness.com

Image via healthgreatness.com

Andrea Mancini About the author
amancini@casacom.ca
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