Will Fear Motivate You to Back-up Your Computer Files?

A 2010 global survey found that 89% of home PC users do not perform regular backups, and 67% have lost digital pictures.  (Global Data Backup Survey Results, 2010)

Yet to quote Tom Murray, SVP of Marketing at Carbonite, the company’s advertising efforts to convince potential customers to use them for storage backup, which featured testimonials from satisfied customers, “wasn’t breaking through the way we needed it to.” (Baar, 2012)

So, they’re changing strategies and focusing on consumers’ fears of losing pictures.  It sounds like a good idea considering the 2010 survey also said that 69% of home PC users are most worried about losing their digital pictures.

What do you think?  Are you backing up your photos?  If not, will you after seeing this commercial?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4QAA4VQniw

(2010, June 25)  Global Data Backup Survey Results.  consumerstatistics.org. Retrieved February 22, 1012, from

http://www.consumerstatistics.org/global-data-backup-survey-results/

Baar, A. (2012, February 21) Carbonite Encourages Planning For Loss.  mediapost.com. Retrieved February 22, 1012, from

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/168238/carbonite-encourages-planning-for-loss.html

Do Gen Y women only care about smelling good?

This week Burt’s Bees launched a new line called Gud targeted to Women 18-24.  While their existing products are bought primarily by Gen X women who are avoiding parabens and worrying about the environment and their wrinkles, this new line will go in a totally different direction and focus on Gen Y’s desire for indulgent fragrances. (Mahoney, 2012)

They’re going to hedge their bets by keeping the Burt’s Bees name on the products, but with fragrances like Floral Cherrynova, it’s pretty clear that they are looking for younger consumers.  While that certainly makes sense in terms of demographics, I can’t help wondering if such a departure from their core competency is a good idea.

What do you think?  Are Women 18-24 totally focused on indulgence and products that appeal to their senses?  Will the presence of the Burt’s Bees name hurt or help the new line to add Gen Y’s to their customer base?  Will these new customers migrate to the basic product line as they age?  Are you going to try Gud?

Mahoney, S. (2012, February 14).  Burt’s Bees Launches Gud, Aimed At Gen Y.  mediapost.com.  Retrieved February 15, 2012, from

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/167720/burts-bees-launches-gud-aimed-at-gen-y.html?edition=43394

Can ABC Even Call This A Pyrrhic Victory?

I’ll admit it.  I miss One Life To Live.  The show was especially terrific in its last few months and General Hospital is still too dark for me to enjoy.  Is it any wonder that The Bold & The Beautiful had its best ratings in three years the week of January 23-27?  I may have to check it out. (Gorman, 2012)

In the meantime though, it seems like a good time to take a look at what’s happening over at ABC.  The Revolution, which replaced OLTL, dropped 1.53 million viewers the same week, down 9% from the previous week, which was also down versus the week before.  Compared to OLTL from the same week last year (long before the cancellations were announced) ABC has seen a 39% decline in total viewers (2.51 million to 1.53 million).    

The Chew, which replaced All My Children last September, is down 6% versus AMC for the same week last year (2.51 million to 2.34 million).  Ratings for Women 25-54 are down 23% and Women 18-49 are down 22%.  So much for sacrificing the Boomers to attract more Gen X. (Marrone, 2012)

Since both The Chew and The Revolution cost less than the soaps to produce, ABC’s profits are probably up and they are all patting themselves on the back.  Except of course Brian Frons who was fired (oops resigned) in December. (James, 2011)

But I have to wonder whether declining audiences can ever be a good thing for a network.  At this point, delivering larger audiences is one of the few things network television has going for it when compared to cable networks who deliver a more affluent and cohesive target with channels like HGTV and Food Network. 

And while a media maven friend of mine said he would just buy more spots on ABC to reach his impression goals, doing that would mean fewer people seeing the ad more often.  I think if I was the decision maker, I would move some of the money I had planned to give to ABC to cable stations instead.  That way I would increase my reach instead of going overboard on frequency – which many advertisers already do.   I guess we will have to wait and see if that’s what happens.

In the meantime, I’ll bet ABC is sorry that they didn’t just cut casts and shrink the shows back to a half hour to lower production costs.  It might have been a win win solution.

In case you missed them, here are the two previous blogs I wrote about this topic.

Should ABC axe Brian Frons and keep One Life to Live?
http://pjlehrer.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.html
Note the 40% breakeven threshold.

One life to Live…will live again!
http://pjlehrer.blogspot.com/2011_07_01_archive.html
Sadly, the Prospect Park deal fell through in December.

Gorman, B. (2012, February 2).  Soap Opera Ratings: ‘The Bold And The Beautiful’ Hits Multi-Year Highs.  tvbythenumbers.com.  Retrieved February 8, 2012, from

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/02/02/soap-opera-ratings-the-bold-and-the-beautiful-hits-multi-year-highs/118498/

Marrone, D. (2012, February 2).  Ratings for The Chew and The Revolution on ABC – Week of January 23.  tvtakesall.blogspot.com.  Retrieved February 8, 2012, from

http://tvtakesall.blogspot.com/2012/02/ratings-for-chew-and-revolution-on-abc.html

James, M.  (2011, December 2).  More soap opera drama: Brian Frons out at ABC.  latimes.com.  Retrieved February 8, 2012, from

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2011/12/abc-daytime-drama-brian-frons-out-at-abc.html

Who would have guessed that websites for paper towels pay out?

Actually, a new study by Accenture, comScore and dunnhumbyUSA doesn’t mention paper towels specifically, but does show that visitors to CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) brand websites buy 37% more in retail stores than non-visitors.  (O’Malley, 2012)

When you think about it, it does make sense.  Who other than heavy users would bother?  (That’s the 20% of users who do 80% of the purchasing.) 

Still I am somewhat surprised to find that some people do indeed want to have a deeper relationship with their paper towels.  I just want mine to pick up my latest spills.

O’Malley, G.  (2012, January 30).  Engaging CPG Site Visitors Increases Buys In Retail Stores.  mediapost.com. Retrieved February 2, 2012, from

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/166810/engaging-cpg-site-visitors-increases-buys-in-retai.html