Travel has never been more popular. According to ONS figures, there were a record 72.8 million visits overseas by UK residents in 2017, with holidaymakers splashing a massive £44.8 billion. But if recent media reports are anything to go by, our desire to travel is wavering in the face of Brexit uncertainty. The Financial Times reports that Thomas Cook, the nearly 200 year old UK holiday company, is exploring selling up after a difficult year during which its market capitalisation tumbled 80%. Meanwhile, the BBC states that easyJet has warned customer demand for the peak summer season is unexpectedly weak. The airline blames uncertainty over the global economy and Brexit for the slowdown in forward bookings. Likewise, forward bookings at Jet2.com and Jet2holidays for the summer continue to reflect “some consumer uncertainty”, reports Travel Weekly. However, according to Abta, the decision to delay Brexit to October should give people the confidence they need to book their summer holidays. To get a snapshot of how the economic/political environment is really impacting consumer behaviour, Attest surveyed a nationally representative panel of 1,000 working-age UK residents. We asked them about their upcoming travel plans, as well as their worries, wants and needs in order to help travel brands create offers that will resonate. Click to view research
2017 Food & Drink Consumer Trends Report August 21, 2017 To say that food and drink is big business for the UK would be a gross understatement. The Food and Drink Federation, a UK trade body, estimates that the industry contributes some £28.2 billion to the UK economy; and across the whole supply chain it produces over £100bn in economic value each year. That’s £2,453 (...)
2017 Media Consumption Report August 31, 2017 Marketers in the UK had a media spend of £21.4bn in 2016. This was a 3.7% rise, and the 7th consecutive year of growth. Spend looks set to continue to grow in 2017 in spite of Brexit. And media spend continues to increase inn digital, with 95% of new media spend allocated to digital-mobile media (...)
Brand Intelligence in the Age of Dark Social and Bad Data August 31, 2017 A great brand raises the bar — it adds a greater sense of purpose to the experience, whether it’s the challenge to do your best in sports and fitness, or the affirmation that the cup of coffee you’re drinking really matters. Howard Shultz, Executive Chairman and former CEO, Starbucks Why start with this quote? Because (...)