American Greetings Monitors New Trends in How We Communicate
The survey, conducted by Synovate, the market research arm of Aegis Group plc, examined communication trends and relationships, and is one example of the work that the greeting card company does to better understand the changing habits and needs of consumers. The social expressions leader says that people today embrace all forms of communication to ensure they are able to reach out to friends and family as often as they would like. In fact, 88 percent of survey respondents said that communicating with those closest to them was either extremely important or very important.
'We know consumers want to keep in touch with those closest to them, and they will use many different tools to do so more regularly,' said MJ Smith, director of consumer relevancy at American Greetings. 'People just want to connect often and in their own way, and today we are using all available innovations do just that.'
No Generational Divide in Connecting
Long stereotyped as being set apart from traditional values, the members of Generation's X and Y are actually spearheading a renewed interest in communicating. Yes, they do utilize all of the new mediums at their disposal such as text messaging and blogging, but they are also surprisingly among the heaviest shoppers in the greeting card aisle.
'A majority of those in Generation's X and Y were raised by Baby Boomers who were taught to send cards for birthdays and to be sure to get that thank you card in the mail right after they opened a present, so it makes sense that this generation would become heavy communicators,' said Smith. 'They have definitely added their own style and personality to how they communicate, however, and we can see that in how they utilize resources like MySpace and Facebook, trade digital photography and select cards that are more conversational.'
On the other end of the spectrum, Baby boomers have passed on their love of staying in touch, but they also are picking up new habits as well. Today, Baby Boomers are becoming more comfortable with quick-paced communications and, like their children, are learning to use many different tools to fit their connecting needs.
New Innovations Mean More Opportunities
Surprisingly, respondents said they are actually not using email and text messaging in place of other forms of communication, rather they are using many innovations to meet their overall needs. While email (62 percent) and text/instant messaging (32 percent) are popular methods of communicating, those surveyed said that they utilize phone calls (86 percent) and in-person visits (74 percent) even more.
This approach is indicative of a nation of people who are constantly moving, but always recognizing the need to keep in contact with those closest to them.
'You may only be able to send a quick text message or share a link to a collection of digital images from a recent vacation, but you are reaching out,' said Smith. 'Whether they are sending a card, an email or a LinkedIn request, more people today are making a conscious effort to connect on a regular basis.'
How has all of this Changed the Connections Industry?
Smith notes that American Greetings carefully reviews this information and utilizes it to keep its product lines fresh and on trend. This results in a comprehensive family of products as the company not only offers traditional paper greeting cards, but also e-cards at their family of Web sites, photo-sharing services with their PhotoWorks and Webshots groups, and even emoticons, wallpapers and winks for social online sites at Kiwee.com.
'Consumers want options to express themselves while reaching out to friends and family,' said Smith. 'From our greeting cards to our online innovations, we are constantly working to offer fresh, thoughtful concepts to help our consumers to connect in a way that is authentic to who they are, and the relationships they want to celebrate.'
About American Greetings Corporation
For more than 100 years American Greetings Corporation (NYSE: AM) has been
a manufacturer and retailer of innovative social expressions products that
assist consumers in enhancing their relationships. The Company's major
greeting card brands are American Greetings, Carlton Cards and Gibson, and
other paper product offerings include, DesignWare party goods, American
Greetings and Plus Mark gift-wrap and boxed cards and Date Works calendars.
American Greetings also has the largest collection of electronic greetings on
the Web, including cards available at AmericanGreetings.com, through AG
Interactive, Inc., the company's online division. AG Interactive also offers
digital photo sharing and personal publishing at PhotoWorks.com and
Webshots.com, and a one-stop source for online graphics, animations,
emoticons, text generators, and more at Kiwee.com. In addition to its product
lines, American Greetings also creates and licenses popular character brands
through the American Greetings Properties group. Headquartered in
About Synovate
Synovate, the market research arm of Aegis Group plc, generates consumer insights that drive competitive marketing solutions. The network provides clients with cohesive global support and a comprehensive suite of research solutions. Synovate employs over 6,000 staff across 63 countries. For more information on Synovate visit www.synovate.com .
SOURCE American Greetings Corporation