An increasing number of companies are employing college students as their representatives on campuses in the United States to tap the student market; college students spent some $36 billion on computers, mobile phones, and other consumer products in the 2010–2011 school year, according to Re:Fuel. Brands hire popular students as “brand ambassadors” or “campus evangelists” to give out freebies and promote their goods and services.  Some university officials, however,  are uneasy over the practice, especially cases that entail extensive on-campus presence such as Target’s sponsorship of several school-year opening events for students. The trend, however, is likely to continue, with companies aware that college students are potential lifelong customers.

An increasing number of young males in New Zealand are using cosmetic grooming products, according to the research "Retailing Masculinity: Gender Expectations and Social Image of Male Grooming Products in New Zealand," conducted by Otago University lecturer Lisa McNeill and L'Oreal scholar Katie Douglas. Male consumers, however, still find having more than five grooming products as being too feminine. Overall, the 18 to 22-year-old males who took part in the study said they were comfortable with using grooming products; however, only in situations that do not run against their image of masculinity. Dr. McNeill said “They were very functional about their grooming choices, needing to see the products as practical solutions to specific needs, rather than providers of beautification.”

Consumers put more importance on skin care than other beauty products, according to Euromonitor. Skin care products accounted for 23 percent of the total sales of cosmetics and personal care products in 2010 to reach US$88 billion, with anti-ageing products posting the highest compound annual growth rate at 5 percent. Euromonitor also found that sales of supplements are rising strongly, from $2 billion in 2006 to $3 billion in 2010, but that manufacturers could to a better job of informing consumers about anti-ageing benefits nutricosmetics seem to offer. 

After growing from 70 stores in 2007 to more than 300 stores in 2011 Walmart said it will focus its China business on smaller cities and online opportunities, both areas where the company sees faster growth opportunities.  Walmart’s plans include opening supermarkets and Sam's Club warehouse markets in the country. China currently accounts for less than 10 percent of Walmart's revenue outside the United States although the market is expected to quickly grow in sophistication and size; sales revenue in China's retail sector is forecast to grow 14.5 percent annually to reach $5 trillion in 2016, according to Bloomberg News.

Google has launched its Google Catalogs application that allows consumers to browse in one app catalogs from a range of retailers on their iPad tablet computers. The app includes interactive videos and additional content, links to online stores help in finding nearby retail outlets.  Google plans to release an Android version of the application soon.

A study of over 5,000 Millennials in the US found they are more aware than other generations of youth-oriented cause campaigns (26 percent versus nine percent for the gap RED campaign) and are switching to web-media (Millennials watch 42 percent of TV programs online). The study – "American Millennials: Deciphering the Enigma Generation," by Barkley, Service Management Group, and Boston Consulting Group – also found that 70 percent of Millennials said they appreciate peer affirmation and advice; they are more likely to shop with others; and they seek adventure. Further details of the study will be released at the at the “Share.Like.Buy.” conference on September 22-23, 2011.

Social coupons and viral marketing enabled Snack Factory to grow its snack brand Pretzel Crisps' Facebook fan base from 14,000 to 62,437. The online marketing campaign aimed to attract more customers and encourage them to try the snack brand. A $1 off coupon campaign developed by Buddy Media for the brand increased the number of Facebook fans from 6,800 to 13,700 in February. Pretzel Crisps then launched a buy one, get one free promotion, but relied only on viral marketing instead of announcing it, which led to further growth and a 95% redemption rate.

Television and print media advertising in India grew 18 percent and 16 percent, respectively, in the first half of 2011 compared to the same period in 2010, according to data from Adex India. Food and beverage, personal care, and services accounted for the three largest shares in TV ad spending, while educational and social advertisements brought the most money to print advertising. The Top advertisers on TV were Hindustan Unilever, Reckitt Benckiser, Coca Cola India, Cadburys India and ITC, while the top brands by TV spend were Sprite, Complan, Colgate dental cream, Maaza and Idea Cellular. 

In August 2011, American consumers' confidence about the economy dropped to levels lower than during the recession, according to a survey by the University of Michigan. A rise in consumer confidence seen at the start of the year stalled on news about oil price hikes, drops in job growth and home prices, and political fighting over the debt ceiling. The downgrading of U.S. debt by Standard & Poor's, as well as volatility in the stock markets, also shook consumers’ confidence. Absence of income growth has discouraged consumers from spending and an unwillingness to buy will restrain prospects for economic recovery in the US.

Shoppers in Asia Pacific are increasingly relying on promotional offers to deal with the soaring prices of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs), a Nielsen study revealed. Higher prices accounted for 75 percent of the FMCG market's growth in Vietnam in the first quarter of 2011, prompting almost 9 out of 10 shoppers to say they actively seek promotional deals. Malaysian consumers come next with 86 percent, higher than the 77 percent in 2008; China follows with 80 percent, a moderate increase from 74 percent in 2008. Increase in number of creative promotional deals from retailers and marketers also helped increase the number of consumers taking part. Impulsive shopping affects consumers in India (33 percent), Hong Kong (30 percent), and the Philippines (29 percent) the most. The study also revealed a bigger number of male consumers who say they are their households' main shoppers.

Food trucks have grown more popular among food lovers, becoming a significant player in the US restaurant market. The food truck trend has spread beyond foodie centers like New York and Los Angeles to cover the country's other cities. College graduate chefs, young Americans' passion for exciting and ecology-friendly cuisine, and the economic slowdown have been driving the food truck sector's expansion. A chef survey by the National Restaurant Association revealed that food trucks are a top operational trend in 2010, while 91 percent of consumers familiar with food trucks say these are "no passing fad," according to a Technomic study.

US fast food chains are expanding rapidly in Russia, a market that some analysts say is similar to the United States half a century ago.  Russians have lower annual income ($7,276 compared to $43,539 in the United States) but a bigger portion of their salaries is disposable and demand for fast food is rising strongly. After opening the first American fast-food restaurant in 1990, McDonald’s now has 279 restaurants in Russia; Burger King opened 22 restaurants in the last two years and Yum Brands (owner of KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell) is a partner in some 350 co-branded restaurants. Demand looks set to rise; while Manhattan has 4,000 pizza restaurants for its population of 1.6 million, Moscow has just 300 for its population of 13 million.

Western consumer packaged goods companies are investing in consumer research to adapt their marketing campaigns to local conditions in Russia. Reckitt Benckiser spends around 12 percent of its $440 million revenue from the former Soviet countries on consumer research and marketing, an investment that helped the company launch a successful advertising campaign for its Calgonit dishwasher tablets after research found that Russian women spend inordinate amounts of time on washing dishes because dishwashers are not common in Russian homes. The company also found success in marketing its Clearasil anti-acne treatment although Russian teenagers had been using soap and water until ten years ago. Unilever signed up Russian celebrity Vera Brezhneva to endorse its Rexona deodorant after research showed majority of Russian women viewed her as their ideal of a perfect woman.

Consumer packaged goods companies are learning that promoting their Facebook and Twitter accounts in online ads, especially within the ad so users do not need to click away from the site they are on, leads to higher response rates. For example, Mrs. Meyers recently ran an online ad that posted consumer-interaction data much better than the industry's average figures, with 35 of every 1,000 online users clicking the ad's Learn More button, which leads to the brand's Web site, about 35x the average rate. Hyperlink seller Kontera designed an online ad for Kraft that highlights the food company's promotion deal with the TV program "Glee." Adding Facebook and Twitter content transforms online ads into something more alive, according to marketing expert and author Andy Smith.

The FDA has warned HBB, L.L.C. that the agency can confiscate the melatonin-flavored brownies the company sells under the Lazy Larry brand. HBB has marketed the brownies as a dietary supplement, but the FDA letter says the product is promoted for use as a conventional food. The FDA argues the product is marketed together with snack foods; the company's web site claims the product has "the same ingredients your mother uses to make brownies;" and the product is packaged as a brownie. HBB has 15 days from receipt of the FDA warning letter to correct the situation.