Is segmentation dead? No. Yet many think so. The supply chain snarls following COVID shrunk varieties, even brands, of foods, beverages, toys, furniture, HBAs, household goods and more. Pre-pandemic, new products were 5 percent of general merchandise. Today, 2 percent.
Lifestyle branding is ubiquitous in marketing circles. Companies spent over $7 billion on lifestyle advertising last year and are expected to allocate some $10 billion by 2027, nearly a 10 percent compound annual growth rate from 2022, according to Statista.
When you hear the word “influencer,” what comes to mind? Perhaps a YouTuber doing makeup tutorials? Or a 20-something streaming video games on Twitch?
In 2003, McDonald’s was, as BusinessWeek stated, “In Hamburger Hell.” McDonald’s subsequent turnaround had many facets. One of McDonald’s critical strategies was modernizing the brand-business without jeopardizing its heritage. In other words, McDonald’s aimed to evolve its heritage for today without losing its roots from yesterday.
Rather than continually striving for technological advances, brands should shift their focus toward how their products and services can enhance the social relationships of consumers.
