The NPD Group says that teen spending is up 6-8% over last year. And, they’re buying what’s typical: fashion, lifestyle, electronics. I want to believe it, but I still don’t like what I’m seeing, reading and hearing about Back-to-School and the Fall 2010 retail season. Although the Discount/Variety store sector continues to have busy stores and monthly positive trends, there is much hand-wringing in the specialty and department stores.
The BTS period is highly compressed but is a harbinger for the Fall and Holiday seasons. With 09 comps so challenged as a benchmark but most having improved performance in 1st and 2nd quarters this year, many retailers bought product aggressively. And, of course, orders have already been placed for the balance of the year. Not surprisingly, we’re seeing pre-season promotions well before prior years. Check out the Washington Post article about Target, Toys R Us and Sears “Black Friday” sales.
Finally, amid the fierce competition in direct marketing, those who create and tell the stories — the imaginative creative voices — are gaining back their seat at the solution table. And, they should. Media, marketing, technology. None of it will spark interest if consumers are not first engaged, then captivated. It’s the work of the designers, the writers, the artists, that capture that moment.
Today, with a digital marketing industry that’s grabbing new and existing ad dollars, these words carry a truth that could solve the dominant online advertising challenge, that is how to bring the economics of targeting precision to display media. With the SEM and SEO industries maturing and their ability to grow sales naturally constrained by the limitation of consumer demand, this could be the old-guard display advertising’s missing ingredient. 
Take the 