MEASURED v UNMEASURED

POP as a medium has long had a chip on its shoulder.  Marketers, retailers and producers know that it moves product but it's never been considered a "measured medium" by the advertising community.  As brands and retailers strive to connect with shoppers, where better to do so than where 92% of the money is actually spent:  in-store!

The accompanying article today from Ad Age highlights the growth of "unmeasured" media relative to traditionally measured media.  People want a return on their advertising and promotion investments.  We had a client ask about this just last week.  They knew from matched store tests that they got a 29% increase in product sales in stores where they used our custom store fixtures v stores with stock fixtures.  To both our client and us, the measure of any medium is the impact on sales.

ORGANIZED BRAVERY

On this day 68 years ago, tens of thousands of Allied troops landed on Normandy and began the march to Berlin to end World War II.  As anyone who has read history, spoken with a survivor of D-Day, or watched "Saving Private Ryan" or even "The Longest Day" knows, many brave men fought and too many perished.  We should never forget.

I thought of that day as I read a recent post from marketing phenom Seth Godin.  I append it here.

GREENWICH VILLAGE RETAIL

Here's a fascinating look at a microcosm of American retail.  The author shares a touching review of "creative destruction" in this iconic place.  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/10/magazine/can-mom-and-pop-shops-survive-extreme-gentrification.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&hp

The times, they are a-changin'...

THE IKEA MAZE

I got a kick out of this article and thought you might, too.  There's really little that's truly revolutionary about what this Big Box does - grocery stores have used the "racetrack" for years, after all - but recognizing the psychology involved helps us understand both how we shop and how we sell.

NOT JUST METAL BENDERS

   The Tusco Display story started over 60 years ago when we printed advertising signs.  Producing the metal substrates on which the signs were printed came next and we became metal benders.  Along the way, the business morphed into industrial sewing, stadium seating, storage tanks and eventually the production of permanent displays and store fixtures.
   Today, we produce products in fiberglass and various plastics, we work in wood and laminates, and we even dabble in fabrics and graphics.
   We still bend lots of metal, of course, to produce displays and fixtures as well as everything from aluminum fire truck doors to stainless steel control cabinets, tandoori ovens to bingo machines.  But the heart of what we do is far more than cutting, bending, welding and coating metal.
   We are mental benders.  We help consumer packaged goods (CPGs) companies – many famous name-brands – effectively present their wares in retail environments throughout N America.  We help them connect with shoppers.  We influence stores to carry products and shoppers to buy them.  We help shoppers find what they need and want.  We understand, design and produce to meet the needs of the CPGs, their retailer partners and shoppers.
   Understanding how people interact in-store, how they approach purchase decisions, how they are attracted or not attracted to products in stores is far more of what we do today than simply printing signs or building shelves.  Tusco helps create in-store inspiration.