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Transportation Secretary Ray La Hood sent Toyota stock into a nosedive two years ago when he told a congressional House Appropriations subcommittee, “My advice is, if anybody owns one of these vehicles, stop driving it.” Jay Leno quipped, “Things are not looking good for Toyota. In fact, today, two crash test dummies refused to get in [...] High end retail is changing. As part of a presentation to the International Retail Design Conference “A New Age of Luxury Retailing,” we talked to luxury shoppers on New York’s Madison Avenue and to former LMVH executive Philippe Soussand about brand expectations and design. The key trends: Luxury design and luxury products are becoming more common [...] Three years ago, Christmas shoppers were rocked by recalls of some of kids’ most beloved toys from most trusted brands. We talked to consumers back then, but wondered, What is the long-term impact of those recalls on consumer opinion, brands, and “made in China?” Merriam Associates went out Christmas Eve to put that question to [...] We went out into the rainy, dark, early morning hours of Black Friday, November 26, 2010 to take the pulse of holiday shoppers. Despite the continuing recession, we found a spirit of enthusiasm, a hunger for brands, and a nose for bargains. Here’s what bargain hunting consumers had to say while out holiday shopping very, [...] Merriam Associates doesn’t often cover politics, but when we found ourselves in Washington DC during the Glenn Beck Restore Honor rally, we couldn’t resist asking participants why they came, what they stand for and what they hope will happen next. We discovered the “Glenn Beck brand” of politics is different than portrayed and is broader [...] How are the recalls and bad headlines affecting the Toyota brand? In Context Opinion hit the parking lot to talk to everyday drivers to find out if the brand is in trouble. What we heard is that people still value the brand—some passionately. While some people are concerned about the way Toyota initially handled the recall [...] With toy recalls filling the news, what do shoppers think? How is lead in popular brands affecting the decisions shoppers are making? We interview toy buyers at the Times Square Toys R Us on 12/1/07. |
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