Store brands are on a winning streak, with sales running countercyclical to the economy and perceived product quality a hit with strapped consumers. Find out how to launch and leverage a strong store brand.

Earlier this year, smokers around the country were hit with a 61.1 cent increase in the federal tax on cigarettes.  Combined with state and local taxes, packs of cigarettes in some areas now cost $10 or more.  Some officials say that in addition to raising much-needed revenue, higher prices will cause more smokers to kick the habit.  Based on an analysis of sales of over-the-counter smoking cessation products such as nicotine gum, patches and lozenges, Nielsen found that high prices may indeed prompt some smokers to try to quit.
For the …

An ad from the American Cancer Society and a spot for Kay jewlers featuring Jane Seymour topped the most-liked and most recalled ad list respectively according to Nielsen IAG.
The lists cover only new ads airing between March 30 through April 26, 2009.

Most-Liked Ad Spot: March 30-April 26, 2009

Rank
Brand
Description
Index

1
American Cancer Society
Imagine a world with more birthdays; birthday parties shown at homes, neighborhoods, and offices; official sponsor of birthdays.
177

2
Hallmark
Cards–Girl tells woman that she got into the music program and couldn’t have done it without her.
172

3
Hallmark
Recordable Cards with Music–Family …

Women age 25-54 with at least one child — the so-called “Power Moms” – represent nearly 20 percent of the active online population, according to Nielsen Online, and they are wielding more influence than ever.
So what are Power Moms doing online?  Where they spend time varies by demographic categories.  For example, “Established Moms,” those aged 40-50 with three or more children at home, are heavy online shoppers, with Shopzilla.com the most popular site.  Newbie Moms, aged 25-34 with one or two children at home, also enjoy online shopping, but social …

Swine Flu, Easter, and Somali Pirates topped Nielsen’s monthly index of most blogged news stories for April 2009, according to Nielsen’s just released top 10 most-blogged topics report.
“Understanding what is currently important to bloggers is essential to marketers since we know that highly blogged about topics are important indicators of conversational sustainability and impact,” said Pete Blackshaw, executive vice president, digital strategic services, Nielsen Online. “Moreover, those topics with high blog links tend to embed themselves prominently in search results.”
Top 10 Blogged Topics, April 2009

RANK
NAME

1
Flu Outbreak

2
Easter

3
Somali Pirates

4
2009 NFL …

 Tom Pirovano, Director, Industry Insights

Health Claims – “Now with More Calcium”, “Good Source of Antioxidants”, “Natural”, “Made with Real Sugar”.  First look for claims you can make without reformulations.  Then consider adding nutrients to add perceived value. 
Unique Packaging – Consider Dean Milk Chugs in a category dominated by private label.  Older shoppers may appreciate packaging that easier to open, easier to re-seal, and easier to read without glasses.
Line Extensions – Look at the soda category with only 6.1% private label share.  Every year we see many new soda flavors, but …

Old-fashioned paper coupons have enjoyed a resurgence of interest in these difficult economic times, with manufacturer coupon redemption surging nearly 10 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008, according to Nielsen.  More than one-third of dollar sales at food, drug and mass merchandiser stores – or $133 billion not including coupons – were sold on promotion.
At the same time, technology is having a measurable impact on retail sales.  In a recent U.S. study, Nielsen measured more than 200 digital ad campaigns and found the following:

Average …

While online media’s “favorite child” status may have diminished somewhat over the last few months due to a new social media darling, its tremendous growth potential provides a ray of sunshine in an otherwise bleak environment.

New Zealanders are increasingly concerned about their job security and prospects, according to a new survey from Nielsen.  Job confidence has slumped, with 71 percent of respondents characterizing local job prospects as “not so good” or “bad,” compared to just 38 percent who had that view six months ago.
Consumer confidence has also taken a hit, showing a nine-point drop to 90 since the survey was last conducted in October 2008.  Despite that drop, Kiwis’ confidence is strong compared to other Asia Pacific countries – 12 points higher – and 13 …

Nick Lake is VP, Group Client Director, The Nielsen Company
Summer’s coming. Beer season. And as grocery retailers develop strategies to help maximize their sales during the 2009 summer selling season, it’s clear there are a number of unanswered questions about the economy that could impact your business: Have job losses begun to stabilize? Which way will the stock market go today? Have we hit rock bottom yet?
If we had a crystal ball, it would be easy to determine the answers to those and other questions about our economy. But it’s …