MCCP Lighthouse™

Quarterly Report

State of the Nation

So What For Your Brand

Emerging & Shifting Trends

Mood & Mind-set of the People

• MCCPLighthouse™ Q2 looks at what has happened in

Ireland’s economic, political, social and technological

arena over the past 3 months.

• The review analyses how current events are impacting

on Irish people’s mind-sets and behaviours.

• Most importantly it looks at the challenges and

opportunities that the existing environment presents to

brands.

• In house, MCCP has also assessed the impact of

quarter two occurrences on MCCP’s bank of 15 longer

term trends identified by MCCPTrendstream™.

What you can expect

from this review?

7 Key Themes from MCCP Lighthouse™ Q2

People are seeking greater

sense of control

In continuing uncertainty,

consumers are taking the

tried and trusted, safe option

People are sharing more,

looking for closer connections

as a support mechanism

People’s horizon for planning

is focussed on the short term

The mid-life crisis has moved

back a generation to 25-35

year old

Women are taking on greater

roles and responsibilities in

the home and in the

workplace

Men are becoming more

manly to gain a renewed

sense of self identity in the

home and the workplace

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

In a world where the cost of the basics, interest rates, job

security and our countries future are all out of our control

people are searching for a sense of consistency and

optimism in their own lives.

People are seeking

greater sense of control

1

Let’s look at the facts & recommendations

behind just one of the themes...

Mixed economic news is causing

consumer sentiment to yo-yo.

Unemployment Down - Q2 saw unemployment decrease from 14.8% to 14.1%*

Economic Growth Forecast down, again - OECD originally predicted growth would be 1.5% but have now said will be flat this year at 0%**

Figures for the first quarter of 2011 show that exports grew by 9% against the same period in 2010. however, in Q2 exports have decreased consecutively in the last two months*

Consumer Sentiment yo-yo’s - Q1 ended with a rating of 59.5, drop to 57.9 in April rising to 59.4 in May. Dropped again in June to 56.3***

*Source: CSO 2011 **Source: OECD 2011 ***Source: ESRI 2011

People are seeking

greater sense of control

1

“Progress for the Irish

consumer and for the economy

as a whole is more likely to

come in a two steps forward,

one step back fashion"

Chief Economic, ESRI

48.7 50.3

59.5 57.9 59.4

56.3

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

Jan-11 Feb-11 Mar-11 Apr-11 May-11 Jun-11

People’s mood is framed by the last

piece of news they’ve heard. Good

cancelled out by bad.

MARCH

- New government

elected.

- Consumers view it

as a new start.

- Delivering against

promises, e.g.

minimum wage,

IMF, corporation tax

APRIL

- Rising cost of living

(e.g. petrol, gas,

electricity, food and

clothing).

- ECB rates, IMF

refuse repayment

structure,

economic

forecasting.

MAY

- Obama & Queen

visit paints country in

good light. Leinster

win Heineken Cup.

ROI beat NI. Jobs

initiative announced

JUNE

- Increasing financial

trouble in Greece

impacts our

standing with IMF,

- Looming ECB rate

- 2,900 more people

signed onto social

welfare

Consumer Sentiment

Index (Source: ESRI, 2011)

People are seeking

greater sense of control

1

So What?

Implications for brands and agencies

People are seeking

greater sense of control

1

Be more

nimble Focus on

optimism Be

opportunistic Drive

relevance

To take full advantage of people’s propensity to be drawn to

optimistic occasions you must be ...

a) Aware of trends and market place events across all categories

b) Equipped to act upon and execute tactical ideas quickly

Best in class example where

brands target the optimistic

occasions.

The World Street Performing

Championships were

culminating in Dublin. The aim

was to beat the world record

for the most Wallys in one

place. To piggyback on this

excitement, the metro herald

dressed their merchandisers

up as Wally every morning for

a week around the streets of

Dublin.

Oakley released a full page

advert in USA Today after

Rory McIlroy won the US

Open with the caption “Own

your defeats and you will be

defined by your victories”.

This advert is right on the

back of his win that was

greeted with aplomb the

world over.

People are seeking

greater sense of control

1

Demonstrating absolute

relevance to consumer

frame of mind

What good looks like...

Finding the difference that makes the difference

MCCP Lighthouse™

Quarterly Report

Independent Irish

Advantages Relevance

•Exclusively focussed on the Irish consumer

•Incorporates all relevant Irish & international

influences on consumer behaviour

•Recommends how brands can seize the

opportunities of these trends

•Helps brands mitigate the risk of changing

behaviours and seizes the opportunities

•Indispensible check list for local activities

•Brings consistency between MACRO &

MICRO influences

•Developed in Ireland by Irish people

•Independent agency focussed on delivering

insightful trends on consumer behaviour

•Compiled weekly & published every quarter

•Not compromised by the generality of

European consumer trends

•Ensures the Irish consumer is central to all

brand activities

•Powerful fact based tool for building strategy

•Trends can be future analysed with specific

brand targets in mind

Finding the difference that makes the difference

MCCP are the experts when it comes to identifying differentiated Irish consumer

trends which provide credible and relevant opportunities for your brand.

The MCCP Lighthouse™ Quarterly Report is an up to the minute, fact based

analysis which provides a real foundation of knowledge for your 2012 planning

sessions.

The MCCP Lighthouse™ Quarterly Report can be brought to life for your team

through a 1 hour presentation at your offices. MCCP also run a more detailed

half day DEEP DIVE work shop on the key implications or ‘SO WHAT’ for your

specific brand and consumer target.

Call us to see how we can help on 00353 16350030

Email: kay@mccp.ie shane@mccp.ie susan@mccp.ie

Follow us on twitter: twitter.com/MCCPIreland

MCCP Lighthouse™

Quarterly Report

Contact us: :

kay@mccp.ie

shane@mccp.ie

susan@mccp.ie