Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Unexpected Connections #35: Tabloid Sales and CellPhones

To keep my edge as an expert on strategic innovation, helping clients turn problems into opportunities, I'm always looking out for key trends and unexpected (or unusual) connections / correlations in the marketplace.
Recently, while stuck in a checkout line at the grocery store, I noticed that I (and others) were using our phones. In the past, people waiting in line used to read the tabloids. It struck me that, now that cell phones are widely available, tabloid sales must be suffering.
I did some research when I got back, and found out that this was indeed the case. Sales were not just down for tabloids, but also for the other merchandise (like mail clippers, candy, mini-flashlights, etc.) that stores stick in the checkout aisles.
Companies need to think about how the accelerating changes around us affect their sales, not just through direct competition, but through indirect means–such as competing for our attention, which is getting more precious as it becomes less and less.