What Québec Wants

Quebeckers take less pictures (with traditional cameras and camera phones).

Readers of my most recent post Is there a market in the hole? have asked if Quebeckers were therefore less likely to use cell phones with integrated cameras. We don’t have data on ownership or usage but it’s definitely a feature Quebeckers attach less importance to.

Having a camera integrated in the phone is not as important a feature for Quebeckers (13%) as it is for Canadians in general (20%).

Source: 2006 LG Electronic survey conducted by Ipsos Reid

There's a hole in the market but likely no market in the hole.

It’s often said that to effectively sell an innovation, marketers should focus the sale on the quarter inch hole, not the quarter inch drill. Because consumers care less about the innovation itself than about the way it will benefit their lives.

Sometimes though, consumers aren’t interested in either the drill or the hole. I suspect this will be the case for what is undoubtedly an amazing technological achievement from a company that is struggling to become relevant again.

As reported in today’s New York Times, Polaroid is introducing instant digital photography printing with a neat little device that connects wirelessly with your picture taking cell phone via Bluetooth to print 2-by-3 inch pictures while you’re on the go. [NYT article: Instant Digital Prints and Polaroid Nostalgia]
NYT article: Instant Digital Prints and Polaroid Nostalgia

Since Polaroid built its business on letting folks take and print a picture that could be shared instantly, it seems like a natural evolution into the digital age. But I doubt it will fly. Why would anyone today print a picture on the spot to share it? Aren’t most digital pics taken with cell phones sent via the web and posted on social networks like MySpace and Facebok for the “community” to see?

Perhaps Polaroid is hoping to capitalize on the previously successful strategy of encouraging people to use instant photography to capture evidence or information. Remember the “See what develops” campaign that had people take a picture of a broken gizmo so it could be shown to the repairperson?

A valid approach but it’s an angle others are already exploiting with wireless technology. Fido Video Calling promoted the feature recently with a TV spot showing a guy using his cell phone in a drug store to show the feminine hygiene section to his partner at home in real time so he could buy her the right kind.

I’m not the only skeptic. Steve Hoffenberg, an analyst at the market research firm Lyra, is quoted in the NYT piece: “Potential markets can exist because they aren’t tapped, but also because they aren’t actually a market. It’s not always evident up front which is the case.”

I’d put it this way: there’s a hole in the market but I doubt there’s a market in the hole.

Some related data about Quebeckers and digital photography:

- Significantly more Quebeckers (22%) say they do not take pictures.

- They are therefore less likely than Canadians in the ROC to use photo-sharing tools such as online photo sharing websites, networking sites such as Facebook, and emailing photos.

- This is also true of “old fashioned” photo sharing. Significantly less Quebeckers say they give friends and family printed photos (56% compared to 69% in Ontario, 71% in BC and the Maritimes, 76% in the Prairies and 74% in Alberta. Asked how many printed photos they have, Quebeckers said 336.0 (mean) compared to 510.1 for Ontarians.

- Despite the proliferation of new photographic devices, Quebeckers claim they have not increased the amount of pictures they take while Canadians in the rest of Canada claim to be taking more pictures the past 5 years.

(Source: July 2007 survey conducted for Kodak by Ipsos Reid)

Quebeckers and quick service restaurants

It gets ratings for TV networks and it sells newspapers (or it simply provide provocative content for the free dailies). I’m talking about the type of hidden camera investigation you see on Dateline NBC.

Le Journal de Montreal takes it to the next level with its sensationalist stories usually involving undercover reporters. There was the stunt last January where a reporter pretended to be a unilingual anglophone and still managed to get job offers from 15% of the retailers she applied with. It got a lot of attention from other media and politicians in the province. As several commentators pointed out, no one talked about the fact that 85% of the retailers approached actually declined to hire her because she did not speak French. Read Fagstein’s blog for his views on this and interesting comments on this story. Journal-does-it-again

Then a month later, Le Journal de Montreal attempted to repeat the stunt but this time couldn’t distort the findings for effect.

Instead of a reporter, they hired Thierry Daraize, a chef who has worked at such fine establishments as the Ritz-Carlton and le Club St-Denis, to work at three fast food restaurants “incognito”: KFC, Burger King and McDonalds.

His big findings?

Speed wins over quality. Grease is involved in the process. Things are pre-cut to save time. Some of the food is pre-cooked and kept warm. Drinks are a mix of syrup and carbonated water. Quel scandal!

It got the front page of the Journal and not much else. You can view photos of Chef Daraize in various uniforms at Journal de Montreal

It was a silly stunt and Quebeckers learned nothing from it. They’re already well aware that they shouldn’t overindulge in fast food.

The findings from Stats Can’s Canadian Community Health Survey on Nutrition released in 2006 showed that Quebeckers adopt a more moderate approach to fast food.

In general Canadian diets are similar across provinces but the study also found some notable differences:

Quebecers eat less fast food than other Canadians, 18 per cent compared to 25 per cent. Ontarians were above average with 29 per cent of adults reporting they had eaten at a fast-food outlet in the previous 24 hours.

Quebec residents get a smaller proportion of their calories from snacks than other regions - 20 per cent for adults, compared to 26 in the Atlantic provinces. Twenty-three per cent is the national average.

Montreal, Paris and beauty

Paris Hilton was in Montreal last weekend to promote her new line of footwear at a downtown Browns Shoes store where she also declared Montreal “ a beautiful city”. If you’re interested in Ms. Hilton's insights into her life, politics and her friend Britney, read Mathew Hays’ article in the Globe & Mail - Entertainment

Paris Hilton’s declaration that the city is “beautiful” must make the folks at Tourism Montreal very happy. The organization is launching a new campaign to promote Montreal to Torontonians, New Yorkers and Bostonians. Unlike the usual tourism ads where “beautiful” refers to landscapes, landmarks or architecture, this campaign seems to emphasize the beautiful latte-sipping people of Montreal with gorgeous shoes. A contrast from the bland, grey folks you presumably find in Toronto, New York and Boston. It’s an interesting departure from the typical “Paris without the jet lag” ads attempting to convince the same target that a weekend in Montreal is like a weekend in Paris.

Is this a cliché about Montreal or is there more “beauty” there?

Since beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I won’t answer. But survey data paint an interesting portrait of Quebeckers and the importance of looking good.

An Ipsos-Reid survey from 2004 revealed that 75% of Quebeckers agreed with the statement “I’m high maintenance, I constantly make an effort to look and smell great” while only 38% of Canadians in the rest of the country agreed. Data from the Print Measurement Bureau supports this finding: 18% of Quebec women “don’t feel complete without perfume” compared to only 12% of women English Canada.

77% of women in Quebec agree with the statement “I always make the time to shop for clothes that are exactly right for me” while 56% of women in the ROC do so.

If looking young actually looks better, Quebec women are more concerned about looking younger. Almost twice as many women in Quebec (36% vs. 19%) agree with the statement “I want to do everything I possibly can to look ten to fifteen years younger.”

Yet it seems that Quebec women aren’t significantly more interested in cosmetic surgery than women in the rest of the country. An Ipsos Reid survey conducted for CanWest News Service in 2007 indicated that the provinces and regions where having plastic surgery is most desired were: British Columbia and Saskatchewan/Manitoba (24%), Quebec (21%) and Alberta and Ontario (20%).

Dion and Harper : Mac vs. PC?

An aspiring country singer once asked living legend Dolly Parton for advice. Her answer: “stay true to yourself and don’t let anyone tell you to change”. Liberal leader Stephane Dion could learn from Ms. Parton.

Whatever happened to Stephane Dion’s knapsack? While the embattled Liberal leader is rarely seen without it, its symbolic value has all but disappeared. The glasses have changed, the English is improving (slowly) and the suits have gotten more statesmanlike. Stephane Dion, likely at the urging of his handlers and image consultants, is trying to look and sound more like a seasoned politician than the respected and thoughtful academic that caught the attention of an Aline Chrétien looking to shore up her husband’s team.

Following his come-from-behind election as Liberal leader, Mr. Dion was quickly dismissed as “not a leader” by a barrage of negative ads and, by all evidence, the message stuck. His predecessor, Paul Martin, was labeled Mr. Dither for his indecision and that message also stuck. As it’s often said in marketing, if you don’t define your brand, your competitors will.

So what should Stephane Dion’s brand be? And is it too late?

The simple answer to the first question is “himself”. Being himself got him elected leader of a bruised Liberal Party desperate for a break with the past. His agenda to turn red into green connected with environmentally concerned Canadians long before the Conservatives made it their issue. And his awkward, professor-like delivery was a refreshing change from slick politicians. Rightly or wrongly, Stephen Harper is perceived as the cold, calculating, and power-hungry politician. No wonder women voters find it hard to like him. Dion should strive to contrast himself rather than emulate Harper’s image. The Liberals should borrow from the highly successful Mac vs. PC advertising campaign. The knapsack is very Mac while Mr. Harper’s pin striped suits and frame make him very PC (excuse the pun).

Liberals would also learn from the insightful observations of Jim Collins, management guru and co-author of Good to Great. What he describes as Level 5 Leadership could help reframe what a true political leader should be. Collins and his team analyzed the characteristics of ‘great” companies – those with long-term sustained performance. Looking at their leaders, they found something they did not expect. They saw mostly men who carried no airs of self-importance and had a total lack of pretense. Some actually came across as meek or soft. However, they were all individuals who blend extreme personal humility with intense professional will. To quote Collins: “It’s not that Level 5 leaders have no ego or self-interest. Indeed, they are incredibly ambitious – but their ambition is first and foremost for the institution, not themselves.”

The same applies to leaders in the social sector. They are not less decisive than business leaders, but as Collins adds: “they appear this way to those who fail to grasp the complex governance and diffuse power structure common to social sectors.”

Rather than attempt to change to become the type controlling political leader the Conservatives want Canadians to think they need, Mr. Dion should follow Dolly’s advice and be himself. Is it too late? Irreparable damage might already have been done but Apple also had a near death experience and recovered quite nicely.

Vegetarians in Quebec get a facelift and a drink.

The Quebec-based vegetarian restaurant chain Le Commensal www.commensal.com unveiled a new look described as trendier and friendlier. Le Commensal believes its brand is “nutritious, ethical, organic and conscientious” and that “health starts with what people eat”. That principle has obviously been extended to what people drink as the chain is now introducing a wine bar (offering organic wines of course).

Founded in 1977, Le Commensal moved into frozen meals sold in grocery stores in 1998. Its President, Pierre Marc Tremblay, had this to say about the brand’s future: “People who want to eat healthy will know, beyond a doubt, that our
foods are good for them, that the brand has integrity, and that the
ingredients are authentic and delicious.” CNW Release.

I’ve always loved Le Commensal and I’d patronize its Toronto location if it were next door to our offices. But I always feel the sting when the cashier weighs my plate. Why does healthy have to cost so much more? Quebeckers generally want healthier food options but find it difficult to do so. A 2005 survey by Ipsos Reid revealed that 59% of Quebeckers (significantly more than Canadians in the ROC) agreed with the statement “I know it’s important to make healthy food choices, but I find it hard to do so.” Perhaps what makes it hard is the price. In the same survey, 67% of Quebeckers disagreed with the statement “Healthier food options cost the same as regular ones” (significantly higher than in the ROC).

On a related point…

Le Commensal also announced that “to personalize its new image on the advertising level” it had recruited Josée Lavigueur to “add credibility and visibility”. Ms Lavigueur is well known as a physical activity enthusiast in Quebec.

There’s an interesting pattern here: why is it that advertisers anxious to promote healthy living and eating in Quebec all choose attractive blond women to do so? Le Commensal has Josée Lavigueur. Bon Matin bread has Marie-Josée Taillefer. And MangezQuebec.com has Annie Broccoli.