Metrology

Recently, digital coupons have seen a great increase in usage. Online coupon distribution grew faster than any other medium in 2008 – up more than 80%. Last year, 2.6 billion coupons were used in the U.S. How is that for a boost? The increase is a result of a few factors.

The economy. Families that have been bit by the recession are looking to digital coupons to save money. According to the RedPlum Customer Survey, 67% of consumers are more likely to use coupons in a recession. Since 88% of digital coupon users use coupons to save money on products they usually buy, brands have a great advantage when using digital coupons.

The consumer. The age of consumers using digital coupons is a younger audience than FSI coupon clippers. The 2008 Printable Coupon Consumer Pulse Survey found that 47% of online coupon users are between 22 and 44 years old, compared to FSI clippers, who are 60% more likely to be over 60 years old. Brands have the opportunity to encourage brand loyalty at an early stage in life; ensuring consumers will continue to use their products.

It seems that digital coupons are the way to go!

BusinessWeek magazine recently ran an article on the importance of changing the misconception about online advertising. The reporter, Jeffrey F. Rayport, says, “For online advertising, that means relying less on the number of times the page containing the ad is viewed, and more on the ad’s ability to elicit a response, or action, from the person viewing it.” Performance-based media is his solution.

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Recently, the Wall Street Journal published an article on the increase in “perfomance-driven advertising.” The article notes that brands who purchase online advertisements on a performance basis and customize their messages to the specific needs of their target consumer, typically receive a greater return on investment.

Overstock and Chrysler have joined the ranks. Will you?

Read the full article here.

As history has shown, when the economy slows down, media spending slows with it. With the recent economic downturn, it’s never been more apparent that we need to innovate and generate new ideas creating greater ROI.

We’ve seen the frustration shareholders at Yahoo! have displayed as Google seemed to establish the mode for search innovation for years to come with their CPC advertising model. Maybe this is most likely why former CEO Jerry Yang recently stepped down in order to allow a new, more avant-garde think-tank to step in.

This reminds me of a story about an iron manufacturer in the 1950s. Early household irons weighed anywhere between five to seven pounds, and this company developed a model that weighed a much lighter one pound. They hired a professional body builder to stand in the department store windows filled with iron and act like he was strenuously lifting the heavier competitor irons. Crowds gathered to watch and product signs stated the message, “You don’t have to be a body builder in order to use our irons?” Product sales soared.

I’m not advocating appointing someone like Hulk Hogan to star in your banners or rich media, but this story taught me how important it is to try something out of the ordinary. Stating brand value in tough times can only take a product so far. Focusing on a unique, grabbing message and thinking outside the proverbial box will ultimately set your brand apart from the clutter.

Every dollar counts and it is now more important than ever to spend it wisely, yet distinctively.