BALTIMORE, MD--(Marketwire - November 10, 2009) - Expect more joy this holiday season. As part
of an ongoing effort to monitor the changing attitudes of U.S. consumers,
Context-Based Research Group, an ethnographic research company, and Carton
Donofrio Partners, a marketing firm in Baltimore, revealed survey results
that suggest people are poised to experience more happiness this holiday
season despite the economic downturn.
"It's counter-intuitive, but a significant portion of respondents -- 43
percent -- believe the recession had a positive impact on their lives. This
feeling's priming people for a truly joyous holiday," said Dr. Robbie
Blinkoff, principal anthropologist and co-founder of Context-Based Research
Group. "Interestingly, those who have been most impacted by the recession
are just as likely to say their lives have been positively affected as
those who have not been impacted by the recession."
The study included 1,000 U.S. adults and was fielded on October 7-11, 2009.
It comes one year after the pair released their research report entitled,
"Grounding the American Dream: A Cultural Study on the Future of
Consumerism in a Changing Economy." That report found consumers beginning a
"rite of passage" in which they'd form an identity around a new kind of
consumerist behavior -- grounded consumerism. The new study, previewed
today, provides an updated, quantitative look at the cultural
transformation and validates the team's initial predictions.
"Retailers may be hoping this holiday shopping season will be more robust
than 2008, but the research suggests Americans will keep a tight grip on
their pocketbooks while finding enjoyment through activities that are less
consumer-centric and more meaningful," said Dr. Cleve Corlett, director of
quantitative research at Context-Based Research Group.
Along with a more joyous holiday season, the survey also suggests half of
all adults plan to gift-give in the form of volunteering and, echoing
post-9/11 behavior, over four-fifths of respondents are planning to spend
more time with family and friends this season compared to recent years.
Even people who say they were not impacted directly by the recession said
that they will gift-give in the form of volunteering (34 percent) and spend
more time with friends and family (78 percent).
"The significance of the shift from gift purchases to social gatherings
shouldn't be lost on retailers who can offer products and services that
facilitate these interactions," noted Jamie Rice, chief strategy officer at
Carton Donofrio Partners. "We believe retailers need to gently nurture
customers this holiday season rather than aggressively targeting them as
they may have in past years."
The researchers also believe the emphasis on the "social" this year is an
indicator of the continuing shift to the "We" economy.
"Our previous work showed people moving away from the individualist 'Me'
economy into a more altruistic 'We' economy -- a 'relational' rather than
'transactional' situation. This research further supports this shift," said
Blinkoff.
Additional Findings
Holiday spending overall
-- Over four-fifths of respondents (84%) indicate that they "plan to
spend less this year on holiday gifts" while two-fifths (43%) "strongly"
agree that they will spend less.
Homemade gifts
-- There's little indication that homemade gifts will supplant the store-
bought variety. While just over a third of adults plan on making more of
their holiday gifts than in past years (39%), only a tenth (11%) strongly
indicate this intention. Consumers have less money to spend in '09, but it
doesn't mean they've regained the time and patience for gift making
possessed by Americans in bygone eras.
Context will release full findings from their survey on the post-recession
grounded consumer in early 2010. Context's study from one year ago,
"Grounding the American Dream" can be downloaded for free at
http://www.groundedconsumer.com.
Methodology
The sample for this survey was balanced to ensure representativeness of the
U.S. population in terms of gender, income, race, age and region. Survey
panelists, recruited through telephone interviewing, online advertisements
and through word of mouth, are culled for activity and quality. The omnibus
was executed by sending invitations to a census representative population
of 1,000. Once the data was gathered, key demographic points were weighted
to represent the census numbers.
Context-Based Research Group is an ethnographic research and consulting
firm that has provided companies with an anthropological perspective since
1999. Context's global network of cultural anthropologists observes and
interprets human behavior to uncover the reasons why people do what they
do. The end result brings clients closer to the actual experience of their
customers and leads to development of better products and services. For
more information, go to:
www.contextresearch.com.
Carton Donofrio Partners, Inc.
Carton Donofrio Partners is an award-winning full-service marketing
communications firm in the mid-Atlantic region. With a reputation for
leadership and expertise in integrated marketing, the firm helps companies
improve their customer experience, loyalty and equity by using advertising,
interactive, public relations, and brand management. Carton Donofrio
Partners has global capabilities through Worldwide Partners, the largest
strategic business network of 91 independent, owner-operated marketing and
communications firms across 54 countries. Carton Donofrio Partners has
received numerous awards, including several National ADDYs and a London
International Award for its groundbreaking work. For more information,
visit
www.cartondonofrio.com or call 410.576.9000.
Contact Information: Media Contacts:
Tracey Cassidy
Rose Communications
917-741-6246
Victoria Grantham
Rose Communications
917-328-3287