Q&A with Andrew Benett, Author of 'Consumed: Rethinking Business in the Era of Mindful Spending'

September 1, 10


Time.com
by Brad Tuttle

Could it be that consumers aren't quite as gullible as marketers, manufacturers, and advertisers have long assumed? Could it be that today's consumers are smarter and more informed than they have ever been when it comes to deciding whether to buy or pass on a product? Could it be that the age of mindless accumulation is gone for good, replaced by a scene in which consumers consider their purchases carefully and place more value in, well, actual value? A new book answers all of these questions with a resounding YES—and perhaps most surprising of all, the book was written not by an anti-consumerism crusader but by a marketing executive.

Andrew Benett, Global CEO of Arnold Worldwide and chief strategy officer of Havas Worldwide, is the co-author of Consumed: Rethinking Business in the Era of Mindful Spending.

Throughout the book, it's refreshingly clear that we're not dealing with the marketing mentality that assumes consumers are naïve and constantly prods them to BUY, BUY, BUY. 

Below, Bennett answers my questions and discusses today's smarter more enlightened and more aware consumers, why certain marketing techniques succeed or fail horribly in the modern era, and brands ranging from Apple to Hummer, Nike to Nintendo.

A lot of what's in the book seems pretty anti-consumerism, or at least anti-hyperconsumerism. I'm talking about phrases that pop up regularly like "mindless accumulation." Do colleagues and acquaintances in the marketing world ever come up to you and say something to the effect of "Dude, you're totally blowing it for us. Don't tell people this kind of stuff. It makes our jobs much more difficult to convince consumers to buy things"?

AB: As marketers, our job is to help our clients prepare for these types of cultural shifts. We want to be one step ahead of the curve and understand the trends that are impacting consumer behavior.


Read more at Time.com's Money Blog

The End of Hyperconsumerism

July 29, 10

Co-Authored by Andrew Benett, CEO of Arnold Worldwide and chief strategy officer of Havas Worldwide, and Ann O'Reilly, content director of the Euro RSCG Worldwide Knowledge Exchange, are coauthors of the just-published Consumed: Rethinking Business in the Era of Mindful Spending.

What was the last thing you did that really, truly mattered? What was the last conversation you had about something more meaningful than a project at work, plans for the weekend, a novel you read or film you watched? We work a lot, play a little, and marvel at how quickly time passes. What we don't do is spend much time pondering why we're doing the things we do or whether there might be a better way to live. For a long while, this surface-level existence was enough; but now our priorities are changing. The Great Recession has yielded much hardship, but we also must credit it for yanking us out of our ruts and routines and making us reconsider what is really important - and how satisfying our lives truly have been.

At the tail end of 2009, Euro RSCG Worldwide undertook a seven-market study to better understand an emerging shift toward what we refer to as mindful consumption. Whereas in recent decades our spending had been quick and unthinking (I see, therefore I buy), now it is becoming more conscious and considered. Our examination of these patterns forms the basis of our new book, Consumed: Rethinking Business in the Era of Mindful Spending. What we discovered in our research is that this change in consumption reflects far more than a desire for savings or anxiety over an uncertain future; people are experiencing a deep-seated discontent and desire for change. Among the 1,500 Americans we surveyed, for example, two-thirds said society is moving in the wrong direction, while eight in ten complained that people have become too shallow, focusing too much on things that don't really matter. Three-quarters worry that people have grown intellectually lazy. More surprising, two-thirds actually see an upside to the recession, saying it has served to remind people of what is really important in life. What the survey respondents were expressing is unhappiness with life as we have come to know it and a hunger for more. Not more "stuff," but more substance and meaning. More purpose and fulfillment. A more satisfying way of living.

Read more the TheAtlantic.com

Thrifty Is the New Bling

July 29, 10

by Allison Linn, Senior Writer

What do Warren Buffett, Oprah Winfrey and Ludacris have in common?

Yes, they are each wealthy celebrities who can likely afford whatever they want.

But one advertising agency executive believes they also are among the top influencers of a more careful form of consumerism Americans are adapting in the wake of the worst recession since the Great Depression.

“Hyperconsumerism is dead, but consumerism will always be alive in the U.S.,” said Andrew Benett, global chief executive of Arnold Worldwide and co-author of a new book “Consumed: Rethinking Business in the Era of Mindful Spending.”

The idea of a new frugality has been brewing since the housing bubble burst, but what do Oprah and the Oracle of Omaha have to do with it?

Read more on MSNBC.com

Mary Rich and Trevor Nardini Take a Seat on Ad Club's Big Orange Couch

July 29, 10

The Boston Ad Club invited Arnold's Trevor Nardini and Mary Rich to sit down on the Big Orange Couch to talk about Progressive's "Faces of Pride" campaign.

The campaign targets the estimated 15 million adults who make up the GLBT community. It began as a print campaign comprised of several vintage photographs of gay and lesbian couples. Then, the Arnold team created an event photo experience on Facebook, which juxtaposed modern photography with the antique photographs.

Faces of Pride is currently in its second phase, called "Works in Progress."  Check it out and become a fan on Facebook!

Watch the full interview featuring Mary and Trevor here.

Out to Lunch in NYC with Maggie Connors

July 16, 10

  Delta Sky Magazine - July 2010 - "Mad Men" Issue

NEW YORK CITY - CORNER BISTRO

THE LOCALE: 331 West 4th Street, cornerbistro.ypguides.net

AGENCY: ArnoldNYC

CLIENTS : Hershey’s, Côtes du Rhône, Lee Jeans

ENTERTAINING: Most of Arnold’s clients are from outside of New York, so when they come to the city, they want the real thing. Some favorite spots? The Spotted Pig, Inoteca and Corner Bistro—a dive bar in the West Village that boasts a simple tavern menu. “Quality is valued more than pomp and circumstance,” says Maggie Connors, Arnold’s director of new business and development. “Clients aren’t necessarily looking for glamorous; people want a unique, authentic New York experience, which could be a $5 burger.”

THE CROWD: This neighborhood burger joint starts hawking burgers at 11:30 a.m. and calls it a night (er, morning?) at 4 a.m. The atmosphere changes as the hours pass by—business lunches turn into happy hours, which turn into late-night shenanigans with the young professional set. When the kitchen finally closes at 3:30 a.m. . . well, just use your imagination.

THE TRADITION: Corner Bistro opened in 1961 and its signature burger debuted in 1977. Bill O’Donnell, who has run this place for 43 years, says the key to its success is simply quality and consistency. “We’ve been dealing with the same meat guy for 40 years,” O’Donnell says. The combination is pretty straightforward—ground chuck for flavor, mixed with sirloin and a 10 percent fat content.

THE MENU: While O’Donnell serves a mean chicken sandwich, chili and BLT, the Corner Bistro is famous for its burgers. Eight-ounce patties are grilled in a salamander broiler and topped with the basics—lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles. If you’re a bacon cheeseburger freak, opt for the Bistro burger. Pair it with fries and a frosty McSorely’s dark brew (from the city’s oldest continuously run ale house) for an authentic New York experience. The best part? This is one of the only spots in the city where you can get a full meal for two for less than $20.

GOOD TO KNOW: Bring cash, as the Corner Bistro doesn’t accept credit cards. And if you’re a music junkie, check out the jukebox—it’s full of old-school gems. “We’ve got a lot of old, classic jazz,” says O’Donnell. “We discourage all the current hip-hop crap.”

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