Hope & Optimism Still Live: 2007-2037

Way back in 2007, AARP held a YouTube contest asking Millennials to answer the question, "Where do you see yourself when you are 50?" This video is a striking example of the hope and optimism of the Millennial generation. We certainly saw it at work in the Obama campaign. Of course, it was pre-Recession era. However, Yankelovich has identified Hope, Optimism and Responsibility as key values at work in consumer life today, as they track consumer's growing engagement in community, charity and civic life. A coming together for the common good.

A trend that inspires!

The Shift To Thrift

The Tribune interviewed various folk about consumer sentiment in this turbulent economy. Faith Popcorn, trend "oracle" (gag) was interviewed:"Consumers are feeling "nouveau poor," she says, which means it is cool not to spend money and to brag about how little you're shelling out, a practice Popcorn has dubbed "one downsmanship."

The latest Target TV spot for Christmas cleverly embraces this new attitude with a song lyric that says it's not cool to splurge. Someone should do a take-off of the song, "I'm getting nothin' for Christmas," to "I'm getting frugal for Christmas." For fun, try saying the title of this posting several times...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-sun-thrifty-americansnov16,0,7652072.story

Cocooning in the glow of Edison

Just this past weekend, the NY Times Style Section featured a bar that evoked the clubby, old-style Wall St. bar. Gild Hall's ambience is heightened with the use of reproduction Edison light bulbs. That sparked the memory of my summer visit to Scarpetta, a new NYC restaurant also using this kind of lighting. The vintage glow emitted by these lights is more evidence of our heightened need for cocooning (see earlier post).

This lighting first started popping up in NYC restaurants circa 2003. While they evoke a time gone by, they are the "anti" of the energy-efficient CFL bulbs we are all being encouraged to install. The maitre'd at Scarpetta told me they blow all the time--at $18 a pop.

Coincidentally...earlier this year there was press about the longest continously-buring lightbulb. Located in a Livermore CA firehouse, it's been burning since 1901! 107 years and still going strong with the orginal Edison bulb. There's a great idea here for a book--the light bulb as observer of 107 years of American history, all played out at the firehouse. (then the book becomes a movie starring George Clooney). Check out their website and live webcam:
http://www.centennialbulb.org/

New twist on the pop-up store trend

Made it to Method's pop-up store in Lincon Park over the weekend, before it closed. Wanted to see for myself what that oh-so-clever Eric Ryan (former ad guy) had planned for his brand experience. Method has morphed the "pop-up" retail trend. Their concept extends to developing a community of "Method Mavens." Some of the Mavens had their pix taken and posted at the "Cleaning Confessional" photo booth in the store (above).

It appears Method recruited bloggers from Chicago to become brand advocates and spread the buzz . Bloggers were also invited to host their own party with their girlfriends in the backroom of the store, and they all walked out with a free bag of goodies.

During my visit, I took advantage of the in-store promo: 5 for $25.00, with an additional 10%-off for whispering the secret words (Chicago is dirt-free). Unfortunately, they were sold-out on the one product I thought was very unique: non-toxic stainless steel cleaner.

Sometime at the turn of the century, I wanted to do a pop-up very much like this. I thought SoHo and the Orlando airport would have been great pop-up locations to engage with the stroller crowd: invite celeb moms, have events, conduct informal gatherings (aka focus groups). Back then, the web was just in 1.0 mode, so social networking would have been just a glimmer in someone's eyes.

Back to "Cocooning?

Attended the opening of Macy's (Field's) trend house and I was surprised! I expected to see was contemporary design. What I saw reminded me of 1920's Hollywood--louche and dark. The 71st Annual Trend House at Macy is designed around the theme of "cosmopolitan oasis." Seven spaces—entryway, living room, dining room, boudoir, office, bedroom and patio—were designed by Martin O'Connor and Amy Hinck of Macy's Interior Design Studio. Deep reds, shimmery beiges and golds with touches of the orient were key motifs. I talked to the designer, Martin, after the preview, and told him I had expected to find Louise Brooks lounging in one of the rooms. He laughed and said I should have been there the day before when he was wearing his Louise Brooks t-shirt as he put the finishing touches on the rooms.

The trendist, Faith Popcorn, first coined the trend, "cocooning," back in the early 1980's, to describe the need to insulate, protect ourselves from the environment. At the turn of the Millenium, her trend evolved to "Hiving," where home became the center of all busy activity....like a bee hive. With times being what they are today--are we returning to the cocoon?

I couldn't find pix of the trend house online, but I found a picture from a famous 1920's Manhattan apartment, which gives a good feeling for the design at Macy's.

All of the showhouse's furnishings hail from the Baker Studio Collection (a favorite of my old pal Ron). House remains open through September 2009.