Brand Disloyalists?

Whether you know them as “Echo Boomers,” “Generation Y,” or the “Millennium Generation,” nobody debates that the population of more than 60 million Americans born during the so-called “baby bulge” is a marketing force to be reckoned with. Between 1979 and 1994, post-war “Baby Boomers” and their younger “Generation X” siblings settled down and started having babies; consequently, Echo Boomers rival their Boomer parents in sheer numbers. In many ways, however, they react to products and product marketing differently than do their older counterparts.

Toshiba America Consumer Products is a division of one of the nation’s leading high-technology companies, specializing in electronics products for the home and office. The company’s Director of Marketing, Digital A/V Group, Jodi Sally, looks to NPD’s sales and marketing information for insights into the television, digital video recorder, DVD player and home theater markets. Here, she shares her perspective on the value of NPD’s market information and discusses how the data is used by Toshiba America.

Read on for a selection of interesting and informative news articles that referenced information from The NPD Group or NPD expert commentary last month.

Through NPD AirTrak, NPD Worldwide has been conducting ongoing online consumer research for the airline industry for more than six years. Today more than a dozen international airlines covering North America, Europe and Asia participate in the 2004 NPD AirTrak syndicated tracking study.

In-Depth Report From The NPD Group Addresses Impact Of Video Games On Traditional Toys

Boys ages 5 to 12 are spending more time playing video games than with each of the traditional toy categories in an average week, while girls in the same age group tend to spend more or comparable time with several toy categories as they do video games, according to The NPD Group's recently-released report, "Toying with Video Games: An In-depth Report on the Impact of Video Games on Traditional Toys."

The NPD Group Reports Sales For Console And Portable Video Games Accessories

According to leading marketing information provider, The NPD Group, total U.S. retail sales for console and portable video game accessories in 2003 remained flat over the previous year with $1.2 billion in sales, while first quarter (January – March) 2004 saw a 10 percent increase over the same period last year with revenues of over $278 million.

The NPD's New Dieting Monitor Tracks America's Dieting Habits

Despite all the branded diets on the market, the most popular diet plan being followed is one described as "My Own Diet".

The NPD Group Reports Console Video Games Industry Sales Fall Slightly in First Quarter 2004 Over Same Period Last Year

According to leading marketing information provider, The NPD Group, total U.S. retail sales for the console and portable game industry in first quarter (January - March) 2004 were over $1.8 billion, a 1 percent decrease over last year's $1.9 billion. 

The NPD Group Reports Men Are Dressing For Success In A Whole New Fashion
Typically when we think of men's "tailored business attire," a business suit and tie comes to mind. The NPD Group, a marketing information company finds men are opting for tailored clothing items, including dress shirts and dress slacks, that can be mixed and matched with more casual-styled tops and bottoms.