What Québec Wants™

Pet Parents in Quebec

Mark Penn, better known as Hilary Clinton’s chief strategist who predicted she would clinch the nomination with the California primaries, wrote a book about microtrends (Microtrend: the small forces bdehind tomorrow’s big changes, Hachette Book Group USA, 2007). While his credibility as a trend watcher may have taken a hit, he’s credited with having identified “soccer moms” as a crucial constituency in President Clinton’s 1996 reelection campaign

His book lists more than seventy such microtrends in the US – trends that are wielding great influence on politics and business that marketers can tap into. Penn claims that only one percent, or three million people, is enough to launch a business or social movement. I periodically review some of these trends and look for signs that they offer similar opportunities in Quebec.

Microtrend: Pet Parents

There is a new breed of pets, and they have a new role in our society. They are replacing kids as the  number one companion in America. And as literally the new kids on the block, some pets are being elevated to a new life of luxury, with practically a black American Express Card, a Platinum Frequent Flyer card, and permanent maid and a butler. They have achieved what few have achieved before them – the chance to have high-class problems and a high-class life. In America today, the top 1 percent of pets live better than 99 percent of the world’s population.

What about “pet parents” in Quebec?

In January 2006, RBC’s Annual Housing Survey asked Canadians if they had pets in their home. 56% of Canadian said yes, 52% in Quebec, 57% in Ontario and as high as 67% in the Maritimes. It also asked Canadians if they had altered their home in any way to accommodate their pets. That would most likely be a sign of pet parenthood… 21% of Canadians with pets in their home said yes – as high as 30% in BC. Quebeckers were the least likely to say yes at 11%.

In his book, Mark Penn writes about the market opportunities created by Pet Parents – clothing, toys, and even mattresses. He refers to Honda’s 2005 introduction of the Wow, a concept car for people who regularly transport dogs. The floors are wood for easy cleanup and the back door has compartments for leashes, brushes, and pooper-scoopers. But Pet Parents’ biggest impact has to be in the area of animal medicine. We took a look at the purchase of animal health products among pet owning households in Quebec and the ROC based on PMB data. Quebeckers are significantly less likely to have purchased these types of products in the past year than Canadians in the rest of the country.

Based on these two data points, I’d say that Pet Parenting isn’t yet a microtrend in Quebec.

When something gets lost in the translation

The first Official Languages Act was adopted by Parliament in 1969. This Act recognized English and French as the official languages of all federal institutions in Canada. It granted equality of status of French and English not only in the Parliament or before courts, but also throughout the federal administration.

Five years later, the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act came into force, along with regulations with respect to bilingual labelling of consumer products. Bilingual – and increasingly trilingual - packaging has been an important, and not always easy, part of marketing ever since. (By the way, 35 years later it’s not unusual to hear Quebeckers visiting Toronto who are surprised to see French on labels. Maybe they thought that only Quebec had bilingual packaging…)

Yet despite the law and all good intentions, I regularly see some of the funniest translations on packaging and signage.

A menu board in a coffee shop at Pearson International Airport listing its “FEATURES” on one panel and its “DISPOSITIFS” on the French panel. In French, the word “dispositif” refers to a device or the characteristics of a product but it does apply to the sandwich that is being “featured” today.

This is one of my favourite. Had this product been called ”hand soap” in English, I’m sure the  translator would have use the words “savon pour les mains”. But they called it “Hand Wash”. The French version on the label is “La main se lave” which means “the hand is washing itself”. It must be an incredible product.

Translation software and online translation tools can be dangerous in the wrong hands (even self washing hands).

Office affairs

This ad is appearing in business magazines in Quebec. It promotes the Bizhub from Konica Minolta.  The headline says “Love affairs at the office” and the sub-head reads “when efficiency and flexibility meet”.  I’m sure the folks at Konica Minolta believe this double meaning will resonate with their target prospects. Here’s some related data.

Quebeckers and love at the office:

Léger Marketing asked Canadians in June 2002 whether they believe companies should have strict rules forbidding flirting and intimate relationships between co-workers. Quebeckers were significantly more likely to say “no” than Canadians in the rest of the country. Perhaps Quebeckers don't feel the need for rules because they're significantly less likely than Canadians in the ROC to say they've ever cheated on their partner (only 18% in Quebec say they've cheated compared to 31% in Ontario and as high as 37% in Alberta) according to a January 2004 survey by Ipsos Reid. But before you conclude that Quebeckers are more faithful, see what they describe as "cheating". They are significantly less likely than other Canadians to say that a secret dinner date, a kiss, and online/internet flirtation is cheating.

But I digress... - back to Quebeckers and office copiers:

In April 2006, Ipsos-Reid asked Canadians about their use of office copiers for personal reasons (Ipsos-Reid survey for Canon Canada). Quebeckers were significantly less likely to say they print or copy personal materials or documents using the centralized office printer/copier. Interestingly, among those who use the office printer/copier for personal reasons Quebeckers were more likely to print shopping coupons while Ontarians were more likely to print driving directions. Shopping coupons??? Sounds like counterfeit to me. It’s well documented that Quebeckers are avid coupon users but this is the only survey I’ve seen that confirms they’re printing them on the office’s colour copier…

The same survey also asked Canadians what they do when the office printer stops or if an error message appears. Canadians in the rest of Canada were more likely to say that they usually contact the office manager/administration personnel. Quebeckers were significantly more likely to say they try to fix it themselves. I would too if I was printing coupons…

Game time

A recent study by Ipsos Reid (July 14, 2008) conducted on behalf of the Entertainment Software Association of Canada reveals that four in ten (40%) parents ‘agree’ (12% strongly/28% somewhat) that ‘video games are increasingly becoming a family activity’ in their household’.

The only significant regional variation is in Quebec where more Quebeckers agree that ‘there is currently a good selection of video games available that are well suited to playing video games as a family’. 82% agree strongly/somewhat agree compared to 69% nationally and 64% in Ontario.

That’s rather surprising. Quebeckers seem to be as involved in videogames as Canadians in the rest of  Canada (according to PMB 2008 data, 18% of Quebeckers played videogames in the past 30 days compared to 19% in the ROC) and the titles likely don’t differ that much.

Either Quebeckers have found more games “suitable for all ages” or their definition of what is suitable is more liberal.

Francophones and Anglophones in Quebec

Not so different after all, according to a new study.

The study authors also say there are three distinct personality/culture areas in North America: Quebec; the U.S. South; the rest of Canada and the U.S. combined.

When I present our firm’s analysis of the differences between consumers in Quebec and in the rest of Canada I’m often asked “what about the differences between English and French consumers in Quebec?"

My answer has always been that there are actually more similarities between the two groups in terms of consumption patterns than differences. In other words, the spending patterns and product/service preferences of English-speaking Quebeckers are often closer to those of French-speaking Quebeckers than to those of Anglophones living in the rest of Canada.

Now a new study published in the U.S. Journal of Social Psychology offers further evidence or, at least, an explanation.

The study report’s conclusions:

Our primary finding was that Francophones and Anglophones did not differ on most of the personality traits on which they were compared. This is consistent with the geographical or proximity model that states that people who live close together will have similar personality profiles, perhaps as a consequence of living in the same physical environment or of being exposed to common features of their cultures. However, Francophones scored higher than did Anglophones on psychoticism, which accords with previous research showing that people from France generally score higher on psychoticism than do people from English-speaking countries. Although this implies support for the biologically based trait model that relates personality to culture, we contend that the reason for the difference between Francophones and Anglophones on psychoticism was not clear and may also have a cultural basis. In addition, Francophones scored higher than did Anglophones on one measure of extraversion, but this result was not replicated on the second measure or in the multiple regression analysis. Future researchers should reexamine this comparison. Finally, Anglophones scored higher than did Francophones on conservatism, which is consistent with previous research and is most likely a cultural product.

Source: Personality and culture: a comparison of Francophones and Anglophones in Quebec. Date: 4/1/2008; Publication: The Journal of Social Psychology; Author: Gibson, Kerri L.;McKelvie, Stuart J.;de Man, Anton F.

Predictably, the media in Quebec picked up on these findings. Here’s an excerpt from an article published in Montreal’s The Gazette on July 12:

So it was a remarkable pleasure to learn, this week, that the linguistic, cultural and social divergences that seem to flare up so often are, according to academic researchers, basically insignificant. A new study has found that there are very few important differences in attitudes between francophones and anglophones in Quebec. Anglos here are far more like francophones than we are like anglophones in the rest of Canada or in the United States.

Writing in the U.S. Journal of Social Psychology, researchers from Bishop's University conclude that Quebecers, no matter what their mother tongue, show comparable open mindedness and emotional stability and are equally productive on the job, careful, attentive and agreeable.

A couple of stereotypes do remain true to some degree, the psychologists said of their sample of 50 francophones and 50 anglophones: anglophones are slightly more conservative.

But centuries of living together have not only made us similar, but have also given us something of a distinct personality. That's a real "us," all of us, francophone and anglophone alike.

For the full article:

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/editorial/story.html?id=944871c7-aa9d-4a38-b870-23235ad3ccec

While this was not the focus of their investigation, the study authors say there are three distinct personality/culture areas in North America: Quebec; the U.S. South; the rest of Canada and the U.S. combined.

For more on that, read Joel Garreau’s Nine Nations of North America.

Social networking and marketing

Marketers are full of hope for social networks. But the buzz isn’t always there. Don’t write off traditional advertising yet, particularly in Quebec.

I use two online social networks – Facebook and LinkedIn. I enjoy the benefits of the social networking part but I can’t say that I enjoy the invitations to join brand-sponsored networks (e.g. the beer brand’s network of cottage partygoers).

Not long ago I attended a meeting where a young “director of social media” from an ad agency made a PowerPoint presentation essentially claiming that the old model is dead - that the world of Web 2.0 has changed everything and that consumers now shape your brand’s message. I did not disagree with the growing impact of engaged and interactive consumers but I disagreed with the notion that, as a result, the old ways are dead. It’s not because Apple lets a young guy create an iPhone spot on YouTube that Apple no longer believes in traditional advertising…

An item in last Sunday’s New York Times (Sunday, July 6, 2008) seems to confirm the nuance I was hoping to convey to this social-networker-turned-marketer.

The idea behind viral marketing is irresistible: plant your message in the right place, then sit back and watch people spread it through social networks, email and word of mouth.

It really should work. After all, the viruses that lead to diseases and computer breakdowns spread all too easily – even when we desperately try to stop them. But trying to infuse some positive and constructive energy into metaphorical viruses turns out to be very hard. According to a report by Jupiter Research, “24 percent of marketers have run a viral marketing campaign, but many struggle to get the expected buzz.”

Marketers aren’t giving up the fight. They plan to continue their viral efforts on social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace through such tools as fan pages and special videos. But marketers still need to deploy complementary efforts like traditional advertising, Jupiter says.

Otherwise, they face a society that is all too quick to develop natural immunities to their efforts.

Perhaps one reason why “many struggle to get the buzz” is that it’s not as easy as creating a network of cottage partygoers or posting an in-your-face video on YouTube.

I once heard someone express the challenge this way (not sure who originally said it):

“We have to find amazing ideas to ignite conversations that will become contagious.”

For one amazing Dove Evolution spot on YouTube, there are tons of silly ideas that won’t ignite any conversation.

Jupiter Research’s prescription that “marketers still need to deploy complementary efforts like traditional advertising” is likely even more important in Quebec where the appeal of social network has not yet reached the level it has in English Canada.

While 42% of Canadian in English Canada say they have personally conducted activities on social media  networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Windows Live Spaces or online dating sites, only 24% say so in Quebec. And according to April 2008 data from Comscore, only 15.2% of the Quebec population uses Facebook compared to 32.2% in Ontario and as high as 33.6% in the Maritimes.

Pools in Quebec

Quebeckers own more pools but swim less for leisure...

I recently asked a colleague from Quebec about his plans for the weekend: “I’m going home to enjoy my pool.” There’s nothing particularly unique about that. Except perhaps the qualifier he used: “my inground pool” - “ma piscine creusée” in French.

Why would someone emphasize the fact that a hole was dug and concrete was poured?

Here’s a possible answer: Quebeckers are swimming pool crazy. There are significantly more households in Quebec with swimming pools than in the rest of Canada. It certainly can’t be attributed to warmer weather or longer summers.

Data from PMB 2008 reveal that 21% of homeowners in Quebec have a swimming pool compared to only 5% in the rest of Canada.

But that doesn’t explain my friend’s need to emphasize he has an “inground” pool. While I haven’t seen data about this, I would suggest that there are proportionately more swimming pool-owning households in Quebec with above ground pools. Just fly into Quebec City over the suburb of Ste-Foy and the sight is absolutely amazing. There are round blue dots everywhere.

Here’s a Google Earth image of one neighborhood.

However, the proliferation of swimming pools in Quebec does not mean that Quebeckers are more likely to engage in swimming a major leisure activity. In fact, they are less likely to mentioned swimming as a leisure activity according to data from PMB 2008.

Perhaps swimming pools simply add to the comfort of the home by providing refreshing breaks from all that sun tanning – see the post below about Quebeckers and sun tanning habits – Sun Haters in Quebec (June 23, 2008)