Vocabulary:

it was a godsend… - это явилось большой удачей для компании, это было настоящим подарком судьбы

stepping stone – средство для достижения цели, улучшения положения

account for – объяснять; приходиться на долю

division of the company – отделение, подразделение компании

(Syn.: a branch, a business, an arm, a unit)

a breakeven point – точка безубыточности; уровень производства, при котором величина расходов равна выручке

«Six Sigma» program – программа «Шесть сигм» – это подход к совершенствованию бизнеса через поиск и исключение причин ошибок или дефектов в бизнес-процессах.

Сигма (σ) – знак, который используется в статистике для обозначения среднеквадратичного отклонения значений в генеральной совокупности. «Шесть сигм» – такой уровень эффективности процесса, при котором на каждый миллион возможностей или операций приходится всего 3,4 дефекта.

roll out a product – зд.«запустить» новый товар на рынок

(Syn.: launch/ introduce a product)

the unit’s profits are a cushion for the company – прибыли, получаемые этим подразделением компании, способствуют росту всей компании

46. A Brand New Opportunity In the Empty Nest

The new advertising campaign for Pillsbury, the General Mills-owned food brand, is designed to appeal to par­ents whose children have just left home. It sounds like an advertising gimmick yet it is anything but. New research suggests that "empty nesters" present some of the most significant opportunities and challenges for household brands.

The findings come as no surprise to Andrew Edwards, president, for marketing services agency Arc Worldwide. Arc has conducted its own study of empty nesters and identifies them as a critical group for consumer goods brands.

"Leaving home, getting married and having children are widely acknowledged as the triggers most likely to prompt consumers to reas­sess the brands they buy," Mr Edwards says. "A fourth, however - the period of re­adjustment parents face once children depart the family home – is just as, if not more, important."

The reason is simple. Women control 80 per cent of household purchases in many countries. And moth­ers between the ages of 45 and 64 have the highest dis­posable income of all.

"Irrespective of social, ethnic or demographic back­grounds, when their children leave home a mother re­appraises many - if not all aspects of her life," Mr Edwards adds. Our research shows when kids leave home a mother is likely to change 80 per cent of the branded goods she regularly buys."

"Few [brand owners] can see beyond the stereotype of two parents, two kids, let alone understand what hap­pens to those parents' brand loyalties once those kids have grown up,” she says.

The challenge household brands face is to understand how to capitalise on empty nesters' spending power and desire to try something new. The best approach is to evolve both their products and marketing strategies, according to a report pub­lished in the US last month by Imago Creative, an agency specialising in mar­keting to women over 40.

Empty nesters' mixed emo­tions about their children's departure present the poten­tial for brands to reassure as well as capitalise on new lei­sure time. They could also tap mothers' growing inter­est in communications tech­nologies to stay in touch with offspring, and their desire to redefine themselves through new interests.

Mr Edwards says it is important that retailers and marketers respond proactively when their custom­ers experience a big lifestyle change. "There's clear poten­tial for brand owners to make better use of consumer data to pre-empt when a mother's children will leave home and target communi­cations accordingly. It is also clear there is a role for brands to offer them support and advice," he says.

A growing number of brand owners are modifying products for older consum­ers. US sports shoe brand New Balance, for example, is rolling out a wider range of products designed for older people, and advertising designed to appeal to an over 45-year-old audience.

Mr Edwards hopes more brands will follow Pillsbury's example. "More accurately representing these consumers' lifestyle in advertising is just the tip of a very big iceberg."