Merchandising Minute Newsletter - February 2013

 

Welcome to the latest edition of Hinda's "Merchandising Minute" newsletter!

"Merchandising Minute" brings you the latest news on merchandise and award trends.

This issue includes:

• Emerging Trends from the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show
• Handy Tips to Organize Your Jewelry
• Recap of the PPAI Expo

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Click here for the current issue of Merchandising Minute.

Your Monthly Check-Up: Stressed Out?

Work-related stress is not a new concept, but what exactly are the implications of being stressed out at work or due to workplace factors? A recent article in Incentive Magazine addresses this issue.

In “Worker Stress is a Top Concern,” writer Alex Palmer focuses the results of a new report by UK-based health insurance company Aviva, which shows that employers are starting to take the health of their employees into greater consideration.

About two-thirds (65 percent) of employers say it’s more important than ever to protect the health of their employees, with 43 percent offering programs to encourage work-life balance, 21 percent promoting healthy eating and the same amount offering  cycle-to-work programs. These efforts have had an impact on employees: 57 percent said that if they feel healthy, they are more productive at work, while 52 percent believe that they are more loyal to a company that helped them look after their health.

While the focus on employees’ health is improving, stress is still a top concern, according to the report. Palmer’s article states that more than half – about 53 percent – of employees responded that stress is a problem within their places of employment.

“Over the years we’ve seen an increased appetite for workplace well-being,” says Mark Noble, health director for UK Life for Aviva, in the report as quoted in Palmer’s article. “Moreover, we’ve seen a gradual recognition of the importance of putting proactive solutions into place to help keep employees healthy and aid early intervention.”

Increased expectations within many of these jobs may be part of the reason for this motivation toward healthier lifestyles, according to Palmer. For some employers, it is becoming a necessity for their employees to work harder and put in more hours, which makes a case for maintaining optimal health by practicing healthy habits.

Underestimating job requirements may also be leading to increased employee stress. According to Palmer’s article, “55 percent of employees report that a high-pressure work environment has become the norm, compared to just 26 percent of employers who said the same.”

What kinds of practices are in place to help offset the effects of stress in your office? Do your employers actively promote healthy habits both at work and at home? What personal tactics do you take when you feel the effects of stress creeping in that could potentially help some of your employees or coworkers? Talk to us in the “Comments” section below!

Merchandise Monday: Happy Valentine’s Day!

Love is in the air, and Hinda has plenty of Valentine’s Day gift ideas. From flowers and candy to perfume and jewelry, look no further than Hinda for all the sweet treats you need for your loved ones.

1-800 Flowers® Rose Elegance™ Premium Dozen Roses-Red

The stunning Rose Elegance arrangement of ruby-red roses has been hand-selected by floral designers for the ultimate in perfection. 

1-800 Flowers Valentine Splendor™

Nothing says “love” quite like this breathtaking assortment of fresh long stem roses, lilies, larkspur, stock and bear grass, beautifully designed by expert florists in a red Victorian glass vase.

Dreambean Love Basket

Enjoy this socially-responsible gift filled with relaxing bath products such as sweet vanilla soy candles, verbena Dead Sea salts and luxurious bath tea pods.

Godiva® Valentine's Day Keepsake Heart

Each red satin box is topped with a fabric rosette and carefully filled with the chef’s special Valentine’s Day assortment of milk, dark and white chocolates.

Jessica Simpson Fancy Love Perfume

Designed by Jessica Simpson, the scent for women features an exhilarating combination of blush champagne, goji leaf and peach blossom.

Lamb’s Farm Chocolate Lover’s Collection

Buttery English toffee, dark, milk and white logo cookies, dipped fruit, enrobed sandwich cookies, dark chocolate nut bark, turtles, nut clusters and coconut patties are all packaged together for a good cause.

Nordic Ware® Cast-Aluminum Sweetheart Rose Baking Pan

Twelve perfect rosebuds make up this delightful cast aluminum pan. From muffins to cakes, it's a sweet presentation. 

Spread the Love with Pandora®!

The Red Hot Love bead, Murano Glass Red Love bead and Love You Black Enamel bead represent a few of the Pandora charms in Hinda’s collection.

Pandora True Love Bracelet

This lovely bracelet is made of the best quality sterling silver and features a Pandora clasp, one Love and Hugs 14k charm, one Nostalgic Romance bead and one Open Your Heart charm. Bracelet measures 7.5".

Paramount® Nick Jr.™ Favorites: We Love Our Friends

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with your friends from Nickelodeon®! Episodes such as “Dora’s Best Friends” and “Diego’s Sammy Valentine” showcase the themes of friendship, love and celebration.

Merchandise Monday: Trends from the Trade Shows

PART 2 - PPAI Expo

We continue our trade-show wrap-up with a visit to the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) Expo, which took place in Las Vegas on Jan. 14-18, the week following CES. The PPAI Expo is the largest promotional products show in the industry, and if you’re looking for something new, you’ll find it here – along with over 11,000 promotional consultants and 1,400 suppliers in the grand exhibit hall.

PPAI is all about branding. By definition, a brand is the "name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that identifies one seller's goods or services as distinct from those of other seller's." Initially, branding was the act of burning a symbol into an animal’s skin with a hot iron stamp as a means to differentiate one’s cattle from another. This tactic was subsequently adopted in business, marketing and advertising – albeit somewhat less painfully.

 

Top Emerging Trends

From colors and textures to lifestyle and entertaining, new trends were out in full regalia at PPAI this year.

Let’s focus on fashion. As they say, everything old is new again. Neon from the ‘80s and brilliant pops of color ignite everything from clothing to accessories in 2013. Gold and black jewelry are on the rise, along with chunkier watches and bangle sets. Black diamonds are back, and rose gold is a must have.

Fashion handbags are getting bolder and brighter, as well. Patent leather is hot for spring, and cross-body style bags, which are perfect for commuters and multi-taskers who need their hands free, are trending right now. Pick one up with a pop of neon and you’ll be the trendsetter of your social group!

Are you a thrill-seeker? Well 2013 looks to be your year. Experience and lifestyle options were a big trend at PPAI. Everything from outdoorsy activities to unique adventures is emerging as popular categories. Coinciding with this, the health and wellness category is trending with products for working out on-the-go and staying healthy while traveling.

Speaking of outdoor living, backyard entertaining was also a big trend this year at PPAI, and portable and space-saving grills are all the rage. The latest grills are lighter-weight and easy to clean but still offer all the grilling space and quality you need when creating an outdoor meal for your family or your whole block.

 

This is just a smattering of the trends and products emerging this year. Check back frequently for updates via our weekly “Merchandise Monday” column right here on Hinda Blog!

Merchandise Midweek: Trends from the Trade Shows

PART 1 - CES

This year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas drew 165,000 attendees from 150 countries to browse the latest and greatest from 15 product categories, including audio, automotive electronics, connected home technologies, digital imaging and photography, electronic gaming, entertainment and content. Hinda’s director of merchandising, LeeAnn Schumacher, was on the show floor and reported back with the trends for the coming year.

Tablets, Super-Sized

Last year, mini tablets were all the rage. Now, the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction and new larger “slates” are coming to the forefront. Companies such as Panasonic®, Sony® and Lenovo® are introducing tablets that are being billed as multi-user table-top devices that can be used for collaboration in the workplace. These are scheduled to launch in summer of 2013.

In related news, notebooks are appearing lighter, thinner and available at lower price points. Touch will be a big feature for Windows® 8 notebooks. PCs are being developed with tablet flexibility and removable keyboards, and PC gaming is looking to make a comeback in 2013.

Apps, Apps Everywhere

At CES, Apple® announced it had topped 40 billion downloads during the show. But that’s just the beginning. Everywhere you turned, apps were being used for everything from voice-controlling a car to organizing your kitchen.

For example, Ford®’s Fiesta and Focus let drivers manage the Ford app through voice and 16 various radio controls. Samsung®’s T9000 – which is a refrigerator – has an LCD front and comes with pre-loaded, kitchen-friendly app Evernote.

TVs: Smarter, Brighter, Larger

These aren’t your grandparents’ black-and-white-and-rabbit-eared sets. HDTVs are a big business that’s continually evolving. For example, tech giant LG® will be launching a 55-inch OLED screen in March. OLED stands for organic light-emitting diode and represents the latest in thin, power-efficient and bright displays. Samsung countered with 85- and 110-inch TVs.

Another trend among TVs is the doing-away with the traditional remote control by making TVs compatible with smartphones and letting users operate their TVs using their phones. We’re also going to see a rise in ultra-HD 4K, OLED, smart integration and large screen displays of 60-inches or more.

Talking Tech Becomes the New Norm

Voice-activated products are making a big splash, especially in automotive technology and developments in television. Software company Nuance will bring more speech-recognition solutions to the near future. Dragon dictation, taking verbal notes on the iPhone® 5 and other solutions prove that it’s all about getting a lot more work done without lifting a finger.

Other News from the Show Floor

Health and fitness is one of the fastest growing product categories in the consumer electronics industry. Wireless technology and portable devices are two major drivers in this market. “Wearable technology“ is hot, and over 60 million sports, fitness and health monitoring devices with Bluetooth® technology will ship by 2015.

Cameras remain a popular category, and 2013 will see an increase in long zooms, Android™ and Wi-Fi® connectivity, larger image sensors, sports/action cameras and camcorders, mirrorless (or compact system cameras) and retro-looking cameras. 

…Stay tuned for Part 2 of our trade show wrap-up, where we’ll be focusing on trends from the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) Expo.