British consumers are fed up with the high cost of living, according to McCann Erickson’s annual ‘Mood of Britain’ survey, written up in Marketing. And brand managers, marketers and advertisers may need to re-think campaigns to match the shift in sentiment.
The economic situation is now the biggest influence on UK consumers, with the high cost of living as the UK’s biggest gripe — consumers are increasingly concerned as they see it outpacing salary rises.
It’s not yet directly affecting the UK’s love of shopping, but the research into what makes consumers angry indicates that it soon will — and then they will want something different from their favourite brands.
“Attitudes toward debt are changing. The excesses of the ‘living on credit’ lifestyle are becoming more frowned upon and could… soon become as unacceptable as smoking,” says the article.
Other targets for British ire include
- Gordon Brown
- Banks
- The environment
- Crime
- Immigration
How brands should respond
- Add value Brands that offer more value for consumers will earn favour — Sainsbury’s ‘Feed a family for a fiver’ or Lloyds TSB’s AirMiles mortgage. Environmental campaigns should help consumers save money while saving the planet.
- Be sincere Messages need to convey the appropriate level of gravitas, with financial services firms and banks such as Barclays already opting for more earnest campaigns.
- Tout your history Brands with heritage offer the comfort of solidity to consumers.
Marketing to the miserablist
So what does the moodier consumer want from a brand? I’ve summarised ‘Marketing’s’ handy segmentation guide below:
- The Meldrews
Old, downmarket, alienated and misunderstood, they are likely to be found in the West Country, Midlands and Wales.
They want ‘a brand that understands me’. - The Left Behinds
Young, disenfranchised, slightly downmarket and likely to live in London and the south east.
They want ‘a brand that talks to me on my level’, that adds to their sense of belonging to a community, family, or friendship group. - The Grin and Bear Its
The classic ‘Concerned of Tunbridge Wells’ crowd. Middle-aged, middle-of-the-road, with no particular regional bias but a tilt to the political right — David Cameron’s dream demographic.
They hanker after ‘old Britain’ and want ‘a brand that is local’. - The Pretty Contents
Likely to have a young family in the north west or Yorkshire, with a decent job they worked their way up to after leaving school.
Family and community are their focus, so they want ‘a brand that speaks to everyone’, that has a wide appeal. - The Doing Nicelys
Well-off, middle-aged men in Cheshire, London and the south east.
Positive, well heeled and travelled, they are concerned by authenticity and want ‘a brand that is genuine’.
