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January 2012
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Greetings!
We hope your New Year is off to a great start! This month, we kick off our 2012 key consumer trends series, which will feature what we consider some of the most important trends that will be influencing consumers this year. This series, showcasing the big trends that will create the big brand and business opportunities this year, is designed to share what we're learning as we do our own homework on the catalysts of changing consumer behaviors. These are the types of trends impacting consumer behaviors that we will be looking for as we conduct research for our clients. We hope you enjoy!
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SPOTLIGHT Series: Key consumer trends that will create your biggest brand and business opportunities in 2012
The most essential trends pushing consumer needs into new spaces can be difficult to sift from today's "everything's a headline" overload. The business opportunity lies in identifying what's key and establishing a baseline for gauging what consumers will be looking for, how they will obtain their information, and what's going to stimulate their decision-making. We start off with a look at the new sound of registers ringing: the tapping of apps.
AUDIO, VISUAL AND FACE RECOGNITION APPS
Though early adopters say the apps have rough spots, real time audio, visual and face recognition technology-based app use may elbow traditional text search aside. Consumers will be turning to instant information gratification to identify and buy what intrigues them on the spot. With just a tap, these apps will be moving more and more product directly into the hands of customers, quite often without ever entering a store:
Amazon's newly-launched Flow, an "augmented reality" technology-based app, recognizes products and displays the Amazon.com product information, offers to play multimedia content and shares customer reviews.
    When a consumer taps the well-established app, Shazam, it displays information about a song that's playing and takes the user to that song's iTunes purchase page. Shazam, after some successful baby steps toward the medium last year, is set to shake up the TV ad world during this year's Super Bowl. (See our Trending Now box, right). GoogleGoggles uses image recognition through smartphone camera functionality to identify certain types of objects and places. When a user points and shoots, the GoogleGoggles app does its best to determine the object, and displays several search return results to the user, mostly informational, not pointing to purchase options. P.S. A recent hometown win in this space: Google snapped up CMU's own computer vision facial recognition technology, Pittsburgh Pattern Recognitions, in July. SOCIAL TV Socially integrated television, delivering better viewer stickiness and rising ratings, is touted as one of the 10 most important emerging technologies by MIT's Technology Review. Talent competition programs are tallying Twitter votes, and viewers are tagging shows using apps that identify shows using audio recognition technology, like IntoNOW and GetGlue, and "unlocking" access to behind the scenes footage, chats with talent and other perks. Social TV works like and talks to social networks, starting conversations with friends and creating a "virtual water cooler" effect, if you will. Intrigued? We'll be back in February with more to share on the key consumer trends that present the biggest opportunities for your brand and your business in 2012.
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A Deep Dive with Executive Vice President, Amy Dubin
Q: What are your favorite things about Pittsburgh?
A: The opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, friendly neighborhoods, outside dining; parks, bike paths, the proximity to Laurel Highlands.
 Q: What's your favorite quote or motto? A: "How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." - Anne Frank
Q: What do you most appreciate in your friends? A: That they are always there to lend a hand, listen, offer advice and share both the good and more difficult times.
Q: What is your favorite pastime? A: Beach vacation, soaking up the rays, reading a great book, hanging with my family and friends, getting ready for happy hour!
Q: Who is your heroine in real life? A: Golda Meir, Israel's first and the world's third woman to hold office as Prime Minister. Portrayed as the "strong-willed, straight talking, grey-bunned grandmother" of the Jewish people.
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Out & About
2/3 Yvonne Campos will be at YWCA's showing of "Miss Representation" at Point Park University
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HerStory: Debbie Fair, Director of Operations
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Rate Our Facility on Impulse Survey
 Have you been to our focus group facility in the past year? Please rate your experience on Impulse Survey.
Impulse Survey is a widely recognized directory of market research service providers in the U.S. You will need to log in or register as a new user in order to vote.
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Trending Now: It's Showtime for Shazam
The sound recognition app is ready for the Big Time, big time: Shazam will interact with 30% of this year's Super Bowl ads, pointing viewers to exclusive content and giveaways to drive viewer engagement. More HERE
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 | | Dockers/Shazam Super Bowl ad |
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Having served as a U.S. Senator representing PA, Pennsylvanians are likely to be particularly aware of Rick Santorum's performance as a politician. Do you view Santorum:
 
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