Finland's fashion...back to basics this Fall

Discovered an interesting blurp about how Finnish Fall fashions will be more conservative due to the recession. Helsinki Times explains how "sobriety & sustainability" will be two key themes to watch for. Predictions include return to classic cuts, couture will be harder to find, and a combination of grays, blacks, and violets will appear more often (these colors are indicators of wealth). It's interesting to see how fashion abroad has and will be affected especially since typically trends start in Europe & eventually make their way to the U.S. It will be interesting to see how this affects the US now and in the future.

the idea of the single serve...

I was poking around AdAge and came across an interesting point that maybe bigger isn't better. Kind of shocking, huh? Check out this link to watch a quick, but informative video by Martin Lindstrom about how 30-50% of products in the Philippines are sold in single serve packages because they're more affordable but also yield higher returns for companies - http://adage.com/brightcove/lineup.php?lineup=1182767334.

Some things to note in relation to the US & our recession are:

1.Get a clear understanding of the customer - products that were popular one year ago turn out unpopular right now & in the future

ie…buying bulk!

2. Avoid fear of the economical crisis.

ie…the Hyundai insurance policy saves you if you loose your job - you can keep your car

3.Come closer to the customer with better serving & close dialogue

Ie…ask why they change their behavior

Makes you wonder if this trend will be popping up more in the US in the near future...?