Identifying the seeds of motivation in the face of slimmed pocketbooks

AdAge, in a recent article, sums up the current economic forces that are now driving consumer behavior. The author suggests the top diet companies may be in for an earnings diet of their own. The experts weigh in, arguing that diet brands like Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers, might take a hit based on overall cost – after all they report, the business lies smack in the middle of that vulnerable zone we call discretionary spending.

And when gas prices reach uncharted levels — as in Chicago where we boast some of the highest prices in the Continental US — the consumer reaction may be to self-medicate their diet needs rather than seek outside support, help, and perhaps forgo the prepared dietary meals. Does it have to be that way? No.

This is a small metaphor for what is occurring all around us as experts and pundits sift through CPG categories in their attempt to determine what matters and what ultimately matters less on consumer shopping lists. The over-riding theory: consumers will cut back, go with generics, shift their spending, look for economies and walk away from anything that sings the slightest song of indulgence.

Hmmm. One man’s down economy is another man’s opportunity marketplace? There is a significant lesson here that plays out more naturally when the economy is booming, but perhaps gains special significance when things get tight. And the diet wars could be an excellent example of this phenomenon in the making.

Consumer behavior defined…

What matters to you? This generally is a starting point on anyone’s decision tree concerning what gets funded and what doesn’t. If 72 million Americans are indeed acknowledging they need of some shaping up and slimming down, and that’s no small number, what does this portend for companies like Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers in a tough economy?

In his book “Strategy and the Fat Smoker,” author/consultant David Maister theorizes that dieting runs smack dab into the tender soft spot of human behavior concerning our ability to stay motivated in the face of (for some) supreme sacrifice. We as a culture tend to want our cake and eat it too. We want to be slender; we also want to eat the cake, plus the icing. Hard to reconcile all the “wants” when to get one (slimmer) you may need to go without the other (bag of chips) in varying degrees. He spends considerable time mapping the DNA of motivation and how the willingness to put oneself through tough experiences and denial can be enabled under the right conditions.

The lesson has much to do with incentive and “the low hanging fruit” — those most likely to resonate to the need for change and thus open their hearts and wallets to the effort – even when the economy places greater weight on discretionary spending.

Consumer motivation enhanced…

For diet brands this may have a lot to do with transformational change. We’ve all seen the pics of the pleasantly plump young mom who magically sheds the inches and acquires flattery once again in her bikini-friendly figure. But can there be more to this story than meets the eye (candy). What about the emotional transformation of beating the odds and re-shaping ones self-image in addition to the physique? What about the rescued marriages, the rising personal self-esteem, the overall outlook on life that elevates as the pounds decline? Revived careers, improved family relationships, the list goes on.

Dieters need encouragement and leadership, and that may be the best service a Jenny Craig can provide. But more importantly the emotional underpinnings of transformation in lives and relationships can form a compelling rationale for making the inevitable sacrifices that in reverse effect often drag people off of the diet wagon – or in a down economy to avoid it entirely. Stories of transformation go beyond pounds and inches and into improved lives and loves.

What’s the lesson here for brands in the uncertain economy? Seek the emotional bull’s-eye. Look for the deeper foundation of what matters to people and build on it. For diet brands it’s a call to go beyond holding up the XXXL size pants and work to aim outreach and conversation squarely down the personal transformation trail. Its richer subject matter and underscores the benefits that transcend the obvious decrease in dress size. You can re-define this concept in many ways for many categories.

The outcome of this form of communication, aimed at the right prospects, is to switch on the emotional connections that drive the formula for how we determine what matters to us. And if the product or service truly matters, then it is inevitably going to be a part of how we define both our lifestyle and ourselves. When this “mattering” condition emerges the wallets will open – even when it means something else may get more “portion control” in the household budget.