2004 twelve key prosumer trends - euro

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TWELVE KEY PROSUMER TRENDSPROSUMER PULSE® 2004: A GLOBAL STUDY—ANTICIPATING CONSUMER DEMAND

Euro RSCG Worldwide Benchmark Study

prosumers 2004About the Sample: U.K.

About the Sample: U.S.

Alcohol Consumption

The American Dream c. 2004

The American Home

Beauty/Grooming

Brand Momentum

Eats

Education and Parenting

Health

Personal Electronics

Prosumers on Prosumerism

Shopping

Targeting the Sweet Tooth

Twelve Key Prosumer Trends

1. Prosumers Create Their Own Lifestyles

2. Prosumers Don’t Buy Straitjackets

3. Prosumers Choose Smart

4. Prosumers Embrace Change and Innovation

5. Prosumers Love to Be in the Now

6. Prosumers Connect and Interact

7. Prosumers Value Themselves

8. Prosumers Do It by Design

9. Prosumers Expect Good Health

10. Prosumers Value What Works, Fast or Slow

11. Prosumers Are Brand Arbiters

12. Prosumers Want to Learn How

13. About the Study

U.K. Highlights

Why Prosumers?

“I have one of

the best lives.

I work from

home, have two

kids, have a

live-in nanny.

I make a nice

income, I go out

a couple of

nights a week.

I work to live.

I do 20–30

hours’ community

service a week.”

_ The point of having education, information, tech-nology, and an active network is to be in the driver’s seat of one’s life, which is exactly howprosumers like it.

_ They like to feel they’re in control of their lives;they are proactive—and that means calling theshots on important issues.

_ They’ll seek out tips and clues from all sources,but they’re not going to have lifestyle gurus tellthem what to do; they pick and mix and assembletheir lifestyles in order meet their own needs.

_ Self-determination is a high-order need for pro-sumers; they have a strong internal compass andlike to follow it rather than follow the crowd—they create their own personal styles in whateverthey do.

_ With mastery of technology, they can relocate towherever the living conditions and Internet con-nections suit them—whether it be Beaufort, SouthCarolina, or Exeter, England, or Andalusia, Spain.

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PROSUMERS CREATE THEIR OWN LIFESTYLES

Nina, 41, CPA, Newton Upper Falls, MA

_ Prosumers are all about modernism, opportunity,and calling the shots, and they don’t let tradi-tional gender stereotypes cramp their style.

_ In fact, prosumers resist limiting themselves toany one label or place—they know they arealways more than that. For example, they lavishattention on their homes, but that doesn’t mean they regard their homes as the center oftheir lives.

_ Metrosexuality is a typical attitude among prosumer men—partly flouting the normal man-ifestations of male behavior and partly just plainignoring them to take advantage of the nicetiesthat modern life has to offer.

_ As for parenthood, prosumers regard it as anoption, not an obligation, and if they take thefatherhood/motherhood option, they do itproactively and on their own terms—at leastuntil their kids get old enough to start dictatingterms, too.

3


PROSUMERS DON’T BUY STRAITJACKETS

“I only get

a certain kind

of shoes—

Ballys. They

are classic,

traditional

stuff, and

they

are going

to last.”

Chris, 43, Nat King Cole Impersonator, Las Vegas

_ Prosumers revel in options, but doing the dumbthing is one option they are keen to avoid—theyregard themselves as smart and are attracted towhatever makes them feel they’re doing thesmart thing.

_ What’s smart depends on the individual and thecontext, but it typically means being wellinformed, knowing what’s available, and check-ing out the opinions of others.

_ Feeling smart means harnessing technology toextend their networks of connections and checkingout leads that relate to their interests, whetherit’s parenting, painting, partying, or Pilates.

_ Smart means taking advantage of opportunitiesfor engaging in conversations that satisfy theneed for the brain food of information and thesoul food of social connections.

_ When it comes to consumption, prosumersregard low prices as smart, unless they’retrumped by better value for a higher price,where value includes elements such as service,design, and brand.

4


“Levis feel like

a ‘smart luxury’

to me: They’re

everyday, but

it’s important

that they feel

comfortable,

fit right.”

PROSUMERS CHOOSE SMART

Brienin, 31, Actress, New York City

_ Prosumerism is a proactive response to a worldin which each year brings more change andinnovation than previously happened in a lifetime.

_ Many people instinctively resist change, but prosumers not only accept what’s new and dif-ferent, they welcome it, they relish exploring it,and they assume that it could hold opportunitiesfor them.

_ Whether it’s new technology (a prosumerfavorite), new places, new people, new ideas, ornew products, prosumers are happy to be thefirst among their peers to check them out.

_ Among the many benefits prosumers get from embracing the new is conversational currency—they always have plenty to talk about(authoritatively) in their many social contacts.

_ It should be noted that embracing new thingsdoesn’t mean accepting them unconditionally; it does mean being among the first in line tocheck them out and decide which offer valueand which don’t.

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“I love to buy

online. It’s

fast, quick.

It’s direct,

quick turn-

around time.

eBay rocks!”

PROSUMERS EMBRACE CHANGE AND INNOVATION

Allison, 19, Student, Phoenix, AZ

_ Prosumers are ahead of the crowd in masteringone of the great paradoxes of modern living:There are more sights, sounds, scents, and tastesto enjoy than ever before, and more people thanever who are able to afford them. And, yet, wehave less time to savor them as life becomesmore hectic.

_ In a world full of pleasures and pressures, howsmart is it to rush headlong into the tomorrowthat never comes and miss out on smelling theroses today?

_ Prosumers are coming to grips with the conflict-ing pulls of pressures and pleasures, and are figuring out ways to savor the moment nowmore than ever before.

_ Because prosumers feel more in control thanmost, they feel more capable of living for todayand enjoying the now, knowing that they arealready ahead of the curve and have what ittakes to handle what’s next when it comes.

6


“If you really like

what you’re

doing, then the

balance is

getting

everything in

your life you

want. Vacations

are less critical

for me because

I enjoy work.”

PROSUMERS LOVE TO BE IN THE NOW

Alan, 46, Benefits Consultant, Boston

_ Prosumerism is powered by connectivity andinteractivity, and in turn it drives developmentsto extend both.

_ Being able to access information from anywhereat any time is a dream come true for informa-tion-hungry prosumers, whether it’s restaurantreviews or the weather forecast or the latestheadline news.

_ Having the capability to send suggestions and complaints feeds and fuels prosumers’proactive urges—they don’t like to be at the end of a pipeline; they see themselves as part of the loop.

_ Being able to reach others and be reached any-where at any time removes face-to-face andfixed-line limits to prosumers’ love of sharinginformation and opinions.

_ Others may feel overwhelmed by ubiquitous con-nectivity and either suffer it or reject it—butprosumers welcome it, knowing that they con-trol the on/off switch.

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“My final

year at

Sprint,

I did the

whole year

(40-hour

weeks) online

from home.

I love

working at

home.”

PROSUMERS CONNECT AND INTERACT

Jim, 54, Motorcycle Instructor, and Pam, 49,Out-of-Work Telecom Employee, Las Vegas

_ Being well informed, proactive, and feeling incontrol means that prosumers are less likelythan most to suffer low self-esteem; others valuethem, and they value themselves, too.

_ They may not be able to avoid the stresses andaggravations of modern living, and they aren’timmune to the ups and downs of being human,but when the going gets tough, prosumers don’thesitate to soften it by reaching for the “indulgeyourself” option.

_ For the majority, self-indulgence sounds like asiren’s call onto the rocks of sloth, gluttony, andthe sort of loose behavior that all too often endsin regret.

_ But for prosumers, self-indulgence is a by-productof healthy self-esteem—they indulge themselvesbecause they feel they’re worth it, and they don’tfeel bad about themselves afterward.

_ For prosumers, self-indulgence is not an out-of-control attempt at consolation; it’s a smart wayto celebrate their sense of control.

8


PROSUMERS VALUE THEMSELVES

“I value

myself by

the lifestyle

choices

I make.

I know that

I have

talents that

are valuable

to the world.”

“You value

yourself

by the

company

you keep.”

Justin, 25, Actor, and Sarah, 23, Dancer, Las Vegas

_ For prosumers, design may be about the work ofa smart, creative “name” designer or the prod-ucts of a design-oriented company, but it’s justas likely to be about something that they them-selves have put together.

_ Whether a named-designer object, the look oftheir home, the selection of ingredients for ameal, the outfit they wear, or any other aspect oflife in which prosumers take pride, all share onecommon feature: deliberation.

_ Prosumers are proud of the thought they put intowhat they do, and they respond to evidence ofthoughtfulness in the objects they choose to buy.

_ The resulting combination of elements may ormay not correspond to an off-the-shelf design,but for prosumers it becomes fine designbecause it’s their design—their own sense ofstyle, their signature look.

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“Look at IKEA.

I mean,

everyone’s

like: ‘I don’t

want an ugly

desk, but

I also only

have a

hundred

bucks.’

So, that’s the

solution.”

PROSUMERS DO IT BY DESIGN

Lily, 22, Graphic Designer, New York City

_ Health is now daily fodder for mainstreammedia because of the vast amounts of informa-tion being disseminated about nutrition andexercise, and the instant popularization of scien-tific data (“A new study has discovered a linkbetween XXX and YYY…”).

_ Meanwhile, authorities all over the world encour-age people to get better informed and take morepersonal responsibility for their health.

_ Ever the self-confident optimizers, prosumersregard these messages as an encouragementand a challenge that they accept with relish—any opportunity to get more information andtake greater control of their lives is welcome.

_ Health is a prosumer domain, and navigating thevast amounts of health and medical informationavailable is becoming second nature to pro-sumers, especially when their own health or thatof a loved one is under threat.

_ Prosumers question their physicians’ diagnoses,demand second and even third opinions, askabout new therapies, and generally refuse tokowtow to the medical establishment.

10


PROSUMERS EXPECT GOOD HEALTH

“I think

obesity is due

to eating

too much

sugar.

Especially

in children’s

food.”

“People need

to become

more physical,

stop watching

TV. Fast food

is nasty.

Nasty.”

“I try not to

put trash into

my body.

I try to eat

whole foods,

organic, nothing

processed,

lean proteins.”

Justin and Sarah’s Refrigerator, Las Vegas

_ “Quick,” “easy,” “convenient,” and “no effort” arethe staples of product pitches to mainstreamconsumers, even if “takes a while” and “requiressome effort” are more reasonable expectationsin some cases (e.g., dieting, fitness programs).

_ Prosumers’ appetite for information and learn-ing shows that they have the capacity to worklonger term at getting what they want, but that doesn’t mean they’re committed to effortfor effort’s sake. They don’t automatically spurnquick fixes.

_ Prosumers are interested in what works. If ittakes time and effort to get the result, they’llaccept that price, but if the same result can be achieved in less time with less effort, thenthat equates to better value and hence is thesmarter choice.

_ So prosumers aren’t immune to “fast money,”“easy break,” “no-effort weight loss” proposi-tions; they just need more convincing that theresults will match the claim.

11


PROSUMERS VALUE WHAT WORKS, FAST OR SLOW

“iPod gives you

what you want.

They tell you this

thing will work in

your life; they

give you exactly

what you want,

and you do it,

and it’s easy…

You get exactly

what you paid

for, and it’s

perfectly

integrated and

cohesive and

comprehensive

and reasonable,

and it’s part of

your life.”

Michael, 36, Actor and Theater Producer,New York City

_ Prosumers are marketing savvy; they understandthe ins and outs of branding, and they pridethemselves on making smart choices fromamong the tens of thousands of brands out there.

_ They’re neither brand slaves nor knee-jerk brandrejecters, nor ideological “no logo” brand ene-mies—all of which are based on uncomfortablerelationships with brands.

_ Prosumers are comfortable with brandsbecause they have a fine sense of when, where,how, and why a brand delivers value, or doesn’t,since getting value is what prosumers value.

_ The result is that prosumers are the leading indi-cators of brands on the rise and brands indecline. They are on the lookout for value,they spot its presence or absence, and they alertothers to it.

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PROSUMERS ARE BRAND ARBITERS

“A local

eyeglass

company

gave me a

pair of their

glasses to

wear at work.

I’ve already

referred

35 people

there just by

wearing,

promoting

their product.

I influence

my peer

group.”

Jennifer, 29, Restaurant Manager, Boston

_ Prosumerism means learning about and havingmore control over one’s life, and that meansknowing how to do things rather than having torely on others to do them.

_ Prosumers love “what” information, but they’reeven more crazy about “how to” information.Whether it’s fixing dinner or fixing the plumbing,debugging the computer or delousing the dog,“how to” information increases their sense of control.

_ This makes prosumers the frontline audience forinstructive TV programs, especially when there’sa Web link and/or a means of responding to theshow with “what if?” questions.

_ Prosumers are happy to be on either end of“how to” conversations, whether it’s face-to-faceor online; they’re keen to learn, keen to sharetheir learning with others, and happiest in conversations in which they can do both.

13


“When I moved

here from

New York,

I couldn’t find

any good Italian

restaurants, so

I decided to

learn how to

cook it myself.

I enjoy it. it is

really fun, and

I like cooking

for big crowds.”

PROSUMERS WANT TO LEARN HOW

Michelle, 34, Wedding Photographer, Phoenix

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ABOUT THE STUDY

Findings from the initial leg of Prosumer Pulse2004: A Global Study—Anticipating ConsumerDemand are based on an online survey of 1,982adults in the United States and 2,127 adults in theUnited Kingdom. The survey was conducted onbehalf of Euro RSCG Worldwide by Market ProbeInternational in February 2004. The survey included a battery of attitude statements used toidentify each respondent as a “consumer” or moreproactive “prosumer.” On the basis of responses tothese statements, 81 percent of the U.S. sampleand 80 percent of the U.K. sample fall into the consumer bracket, while 19 percent and 20 percent,respectively, are identified as prosumers. Over the course of 2004, Euro RSCG is fielding this sur-vey in nine countries: Brazil, China, France,Germany, India, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, andthe United States.

Prosumers are of particular value to marketerslooking to anticipate future trends because they act as an early warning system about the consumer “next.” Typically making up 20–30 percent of any group, they are more connected than others, so they function as humanmedia—talking up their points of view and exerting influence over their less “passionate”friends. Every category has prosumers. And everyprosumer has a robust point of view on every subject on which he or she offers opinions. EuroRSCG’s proprietary research shows that what prosumers think now, consumers will think next,typically over a period of six to 18 months.

Euro RSCG Worldwide, a leading integrated marketing communications agency, is made up of233 offices located in 75 countries throughoutEurope, North America, Latin America, and AsiaPacific. Euro RSCG provides advertising, marketingservices, corporate communications, and interactivesolutions to global, regional, and local clients. Theagency’s client roster includes Airbus, Air France,Aventis, BNP Paribas, Cap Gemini, Danone Group,Intel Corporation, LVMH Louis Vuitton, MCI,Polaroid, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Reckitt Benckiser,and Volvo. Headquartered in New York, Euro RSCGWorldwide is the largest unit of Havas, a worldleader in communications (NASDAQ: HAVS –Euronext Paris SA: HAV.PA).

For more information about the Prosumer Pulse 2004 study, contact [email protected].

2004 twelve key prosumer trends - euro

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