Today's "Snapshot" in USA Today

Everyone is familiar with the little graphs that appear on the front page of every section of USA Today.

Well, this morning's paper had a chart from our very own 2011 Wellness Survey that we fielded with the Time Inc. books. While this exposure is not significant in itself, the fact that we're being sourced as a information base for cultural and attitudinal changes in something like USA Today is exactly what we mean when we say our company will be a thought-leader in Wellness. You should expect that you'll be seeing our name (and our people) sourced for a lot more this year and beyond.

Take a look at our little "snapshot" from today's paper. . .

~Ned

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Seeing Wellness Through New Eyes in 2011

Happy new year!

Americans are starting the new year with a lot of good thoughts and optimism about the months to come: According to our friends at Gallup, 58% say 2011 will be better than 2010 – only 20% say it will be worse.

Of course, New Year’s is traditionally an optimistic time – that’s why we feel emboldened to make all those resolutions (or even for resolving not to make any more resolutions!). With a fresh new take on the year, our efforts seem fated to succeed …. at least this week, while the year is still young!

Marketers are right there with us. If you were watching any TV at all this past weekend, you saw lots of invitations to amp up your wellness, from starting a new love life with dating sites like Match and eharmony, to the latest way to soften your hands while you do the dishes, with the new Dawn dish liquid/Olay Beauty collaboration.

Weight loss helpers were out in force, with a newly svelte Jennifer Hudson belting out the virtues of Weight Watchers new Points-Plus program, and Nutrisystem showcased “real people” who’ve achieved slimming success. Even yogurt made a big showing, with brands like Activia pushing both its “feel good inside” benefit and its new line of dessert-like flavors, for smarter sweet-tooth satisfaction.

There were also plenty of spots for products that help you smoke less, snore less, sleep better, smooth away wrinkles and under-eye bags, strengthen and slenderize, and in general, be a better you.

But there’s something else about the new year’s new take on wellness – more and more, it’s something we want for ourselves. It’s not about being selfish – it’s about being mindful and motivated to achieve your own hopes and dreams for this coming year, whether your wellness goal is physical, social, emotional, financial -- or just to keep your hands feeling soft after you wash the dishes.

It’s all part of what we’ve been calling the Me-Covery, and we’ll be sharing more about it in the weeks to come.

Hope this finds you well!

Johanna

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Where can you go from here?

I was inspired to find out last Friday, as perhaps you did, that there are at least three times as many stars out there in space than scientists had previously thought.

And who knows? Maybe there are more, many more, as the calculation was based on stars astronomers can’t actually see. (For every visible bright star, the team assumed 100 unseen.) And imagine -- we already thought, as the wonderful Carl Sagan famously told us, that there were billions and billions of stars out there.

At the same time, another assumption-busting discovery was reported, based on the behavior of bacteria scraped from the bottom of Mono Lake in California. Experts have long believed that life could only survive in the presence of 6 basic elements (phosphorus carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen and sulfur, if you were curious). But defying expectations, the Mono Lake microbes learned how to exist on another element entirely -- arsenic.

I bring these up because if scientists can still make discoveries that challenge our collective notions of the nature of the universe and life as we know it, surely we as marketers have the same opportunities.

Of course, challenging a long-held assumption means being aware that we have deeply-held assumptions –a step that’s easy to overlook. If you believe there are a certain number of stars set in the sky, you’ll never ask whether there might be more beyond our visual reach.

Tom Friedman, talking yesterday on Meet the Press, made the point that achieving success in a global economy (or as he puts it, a flat world) means revisiting cherished assumptions about how to get what we want.

This year, one of the things Wellness seems to mean is reassessing the truths about how we live our lives, especially moving from "can't imagine" to "can do." Or even, "what if?"

What do you really, really think is true? Could you be wrong?.

Maybe you’ll discover brave new worlds, far beyond, or deep within.

Hope this finds you well.

Johanna

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A “Me”-covery?

Is there something of a “me”-covery in the air?

It turns out that Black Friday was a time for shopping … selfishly. While total dollar volume only edged up slightly from last year, purchases for “me” were coming out on top. Articles this weekend were full of stories about shoppers saying they deserved something for themselves – and at least for a few minutes, were putting themselves first

It’s not that we’re giving up on gifts… even charitable gifts are starting to rise again, after taking a nosedive in 2009. But there’s something encouraging about taking care of ourselves too, something that speaks to a desire to refresh and rebuild.

Lest you think this is a celebration of being selfish, I’m always reminded of that line spoken on every flight, every day, here in the U.S. – in the event of an emergency, put your own oxygen mask on first. Why? Because of course, if you aren’t taking care of yourself, it’s harder to take care of others.

It doesn’t have to be about gifts, of course, or even spending money – which for many of us is still tight. Part of your own “me”-covery might be scheduling an hour of me-time during the week, to take a walk, to start reading the new biography of Cleopatra (oh wait, that one’s for me!), or even “we”-time –-to catch up with someone whose company you always enjoy.

Because everybody deserves a little more Wellness this holiday season. Especially you!

Hope this finds you well,
Johanna

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Wellness ... Where You Least Expect It

Cars are a bellwether of American culture: faster and bigger in good times, great gas mileage in leaner years.

So we knew wellness had reached a new level of significance when Nissan announced that its new cars will pump Vitamin C to moisturize the driver's skin. Using Sharp technology, the cars will not only make your skin dewier, but recreate the natural chemical process that purifies the air in the Earth's atmosphere. (By the way, Nissan is also upgrading their anti-collision technology – but that’s not the headline.)

According to one engineer, 'we want drivers to feel that they are healthier staying in the car instead of on the outside.'

How far can the trend in wellness mashups go? Well, consider this:

While doctors in New England have started to write prescriptions for zucchini, researchers in the UK have concluded that burger joints should hand out … statins. Yes, that’s right - The study, published in the American Journal of Cardiology, says that “statin therapy can neutralize the cardiovascular risk caused by harmful diet choices,” specifically “a 7-oz hamburger (Quarter Pounder®) with cheese and a small milkshake.”

The authors go on to their radical recommendation: “Fast food outlets already offer free condiments to supplement meals. A free statin-containing accompaniment would offer cardiovascular benefits, opposite to the effects of equally available salt, sugar, and high-fat condiments.”

In a world where we can soon expect to have our cars give us more beautiful skin, is it too much to foresee a day when a burger will come with a side of … Lipitor?

We’ll see!
Hope this finds you well,
Johanna

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Wellness Is ... Being Responsible

When we think about Wellness, we often think about it in terms of the individual. Things like diet, stress, finances and exercise come to mind. But as I’ve posted before, Wellness is social, and how we impact our community is a big part of our personal Wellness.

Context Marketing recently released the results of a series of 3 surveys they conducted with consumers over a nine month period. The focus of the surveys was to find out if the way a company interacted with the world had any effect on whether consumers bought from that company or not.

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock the last five years, I think you can guess that the answer was a resounding “yes.”

More and more these days, people are letting their dollars do the talking. They don’t just want a great product or a great service, they want to support a company that demonstrates through responsible action that it understands it is part of a community.

And we've used this space before to talk about Responsibility as one of the three big themes for Wellness this year.

How important is it to today’s consumer that a company gives back to the community?

“Overall, 70% of respondents in our survey reported that whether a brand or company behaves ethically influences their decision to purchase. Nearly half (48%) said they have stopped purchasing a brand when they saw the company acting in a socially irresponsible or unethical way.”

In the same vein, Ad Age just published an article detailing the way in which a number of companies are making responsibility a core part of their brand. From the Whole Foods “Take Back Our Plates” campaign to the use of reusable shopping bags in Walmart’s advertising, everyone is jumping on the responsibility bandwagon.

But as the guardians of our clients’ brands, we also have to sit up and pay attention. "Responsibilty" is approaching – or maybe already achieving – buzz status. At some point in the near future so many brands will get into the game that responsibility will become just one more level of noise people learn to tune out.

Which means that, like everything else we do, how you choose to demonstrate responsibility must be based in a deep understanding of what your customers care about.

So the next time you’re in a meeting and someone throws out the idea of doing something “responsible,” be responsible to them and their business and tell them it’s a great idea (because it is) but only if you do it right.

Jacob Braude

VP, Strategic Planner

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First Sign of Spring

Spring is coming soon. To some, it brings wonderful images of budding branches and longer days. To me, it brings images of horror: not being able to wear a winter coat to hide my extra hibernation weight. It’s taken me a lifetime but I’ve finally decided there IS a link between diet, exercise, health and a size…(your favorite number here).

So I’m going to a nutritionist. And I’m going to chart my progress here every week until I reach my wellness goal, or I fall off the wagon and into a plate of Lamb Sliders at Locanda Verde. I’m not liberated enough to post numbers but I will chart feelings, changes in energy levels, and how many times anyone who works with me says, “What side of the bed did you get out of today…”.

So far I’ve gone through week one on nothing more than steamed green veggies, supplements and protein shakes. I haven’t mortally wounded anyone as yet but it’s only Monday. But I can’t say I’m full of vitality yet, either.

Meanwhile, please take a look at an article I read a while ago that made me think…and act. Seems I can’t blame genetics solely on my ancestors anymore: http://www.tonic.com/article/age-healthfully-10-ways-food-can-help-your-genes/

Wish me luck this week.

-Helayne Spivak

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Olympics Inspire A New Kind of Wellness

I’m not ashamed to admit it: I’m watching curling. And ice dancing! The Olympics this year are mesmerizing, and I don’t think it’s just because of the US medal count. I think in this time of economic crisis, war, fear, distrust in institutions, and general exhaustion, it’s refreshing to see happy, dedicated, talented people at the top of their game, pursuing their dreams.

But the joy is not just in being a couch potato, vicariously watching others sweat (for more about the virtues of watching TV, see Jim Joseph's blogpost today). I’m finding that the more I watch, the more inspired I get to rededicate myself to the things I want to focus on in my own life.

In December, we talked about Re-Invention being one of the top wellness trends of 2010. And while seeing Bode Miller come back from Olympic defeat is awe-inspiring, I take just as much inspiration from all 33 downhill skiers who put every ounce of their energy, talent and intelligence into their qualifying runs, and the ice dancers who practiced for 5 years, not to win, but to be 9^th or 10^th best. In the world, but still.

Reinvention doesn’t just happen. It takes focus, patience and dedicated practice. But fortunately, I don’t think you have to be an Olympic athlete to do it.

Hope this finds you well.

Johanna

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Are You in the Blue Zone?

In September 2009 Dan Buettner gave a talk at TED where he detailed the findings of research he has done on what he calls “Blue Zones” – areas where people live to be really old. And not just old – vital. They’re still physically active. They maintain a sharp wit and a discerning mind.

Somehow these people have figured it out.

My first reaction was – boy I’d love to take a swim in their gene pool. But according to Mr. Buettner, only 10% of their longevity is determined by genetics -- the other 90% is lifestyle.

Wellness means many things, but for most of us one of the key components to wellness is how long we live. We quit smoking, go on diets, stuff ourselves with expensive vitamins and supplements all in the name of being healthier with the expectation that we will live better and also longer.

Mr. Buettner offers “nine commandments” for living a long life – things which all of the super-seniors had in common:

1. Move Naturally: Incorporate regular, non-stressful physical activity into your daily life.

2. Downshift: Slow down & de-stress. Stress ignistes an inflammatory response that can lead to a number of health issues.

3. Purpose Now: Take time every day to remind yourself why you’re doing what it is you do.

4. Wine @5: Drink a little bit every day (whoohoo!)

5. Plant Slant: Eat more plants than anything else

6. 80% Rule: Stop eating when you’re 80% full

7. Loved Ones First: Maintain close contact with extended family. It may feel like it’s killing you, but it turns out to be healthy (I added that part J)

8. Belong: People with a large social network of close friends live longer

9. Right Tribe: If the people around you have unhealthy habits, it’s likely that you will too.

Just out of curiosity and I checked off which of the nine I am currently doing – being generous with myself I’m at 4 out of 9.

He doesn’t tell how many extra years that buys me, but I’m hoping for a few.

Hoping this finds you well.

Jacob Braude
VP, Planner

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iPad, Health, and Wellness

Unless you were living under a rock on Wednesday, chances are you saw coverage of Apple's new iPad—a half-inch thick slab of aluminum and glass that, in Apple's words, fills a niche between small mobile devices (like an iPhone) and a full-sized notebook. With built in wireless (via WiFi or, in some models, 3G) and thousands of apps ready to install (thanks to it's ability to run iPhone and iPod Touch applications from the App Store), the device has the potential to transform—or create new—markets and industries.

Like any new technology, it's our responsibility as an agency to assess the impact that it may have on our clients' business and to think about business-relevant ways to leverage it. iPad, though only about 48 hours old and not available for at least 60 days, is already having quite an impact on the health and wellness sector, with several ideas for its use emerging across the web and blogosphere.

Obvious potential exists with the sales force (at least, while there are still sales reps out in the field). Most pharma companies have shifted to digital promotion via Tablet PC, and detailing on Apple's new device seems like a logical (although potentially expensive) extension. Features like location awareness, always-on connectivity, long battery life and a light-weight form factor surpass most hardware that is deployed today, but it's missing key pieces on the software side of the equation, like CRM integration, interaction measurement, and fulfillment.

Digitizing the physician's office and hospitals is another huge market. Companies like Phreesia have focused on waiting rooms, using their devices for patient intake, triage and payment collection, but compared to the rich video playback capabilities of iPad and it's ability to run other applications (for example, symptom assessment tools, patient education content, etc...), this area seems ripe for new ideas. Then there are electronic health records and the potential to transform how patient data is captured and displayed (look at how the New York Times was able to replicate the essence of flipping through the paper version of the news...now imagine the manilla folder your doctor uses to keep your patient record).

We find wellness beyond the doctor's office—in real places like retail environments, gyms, and museums, and virtual ones like social networks—and iPad can, and will, find a home in these environments too. Will it be revolutionary? Or just a lot of experimentation in search of a purpose? Time will tell.

Innovation happens when there are unmet (or unknown) needs in the marketplace and someone has the willingness, time, money, and creativity to fill those needs. For all the features and services that iPad doesn't have, it DOES provide a new platform for marketers to innovate. For those who are adept at identifying new opportunities, seizing them before competitors, and delivering beyond the expectations of their people, this is the device they've been waiting for.

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Recession hurts wellness, not just wallets

That was AdWeek.com's top story this morning, based on our survey, "Wellness & the Economy." (Read the article

here.)

We think it's telling that AdWeek chose to run the story as a feature, because the truth is, wellness is a factor in virtually every area of our lives, and in every category marketers are in (which is to say, all of them!).

Where once upon a time—say, before the economy tanked last year – affluent Americans defined “wellness” as being fit, healthy, and leading a balanced life, a dramatic shift has taken place: As the survey reveals, consumers’ #1 definition of wellness has changed from “being healthy” to “re-inventing.” Just take a look at the difference between the top 3 answers from last year to this: it’s clear that we’re operating in a whole new consumer environment.

What does wellness mean to you?
2008	2009
Being healthy	Re-inventing
Feeling good inside and out	Surviving
Being balanced	Sleeping well

Here are some of the ways responders described the change in their own lives:

Ø "Before, wellness meant eating right and exercising. Now it means being sane in a very desperate world."

Ø "Wellness used to mean feeling comfortable within my own skin, no matter how much I had to spend. Now it’s the peace of mind that comes with knowing I can pay the rent."

Ø " I used to believe in taking care of myself pre-emotively and proactively. Now I’m trying to maintain my mental heath and stress levels so I can function daily."

The more we’re affected by the economy, the less we tend to take care of ourselves, even in such basic areas as food and exercise. When we do work out, it’s all about stress relief, rather than appearance. The economy is taking a toll on our appearance – even our sex lives are suffering.

So what’s a wellness marketer to do? Here are our top 5 tips for making your brand relevant to today’s consumers, along with some of our favorite “wellness” campaigns that tap into the new zeitgeist. Most of these examples aren’t from marketers traditionally associated with wellness… but who’ve learned that true wellness transcends old definitions

1. Look at how your product helps people reinvent their lives -- and even their everyday experiences. Wal-Mart’s new spot for Blue Bunny ice cream emphasizes that having ice cream at home can be just as much a treat for kids as going out to the local cone shop.

2. Help people see opportunity for change and rebuilding. Home Depot’s “Say Hello to savings” campaign celebrates the “budgetmasters” and “can-doers” who are busy improving both their homes and their lives.

3. Show how your product can help consumers keep what they have. Allstate’s “Back to Basics” campaign reminds consumers that what they have is worth cherishing – and protecting.

4. Reward consumers for being smarter, savvier shoppers. We’re learning to clip coupons, compare prices and find ways to make ends meet in ways that most of us haven’t had to think about for years. Microsoft’s series, “I’m a PC,” emphasizes that PC laptop buyers can have the functions they value, at a “value” price… and at least in the spots, rewards savvy shoppers who choose a PC with a free laptop.

5. Connect with people’s need to stay sane in a crazy world. Despite the mess we’re in, we’re still looking for ways to connect and have fun, without spending a lot of money. Selfishly, we happen to think that our campaign for Durex says it all… reminding people that there are all kinds of ways to find some pleasure.

We're happy to share more complete results! Email me at johanna.skilling@saatchiwellness.com.

Hope this finds you well!

Johanna

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