muse category trends tool

See how our clients are using Muse.

Ahalogy is a data and software solution that makes it easier for marketers to act on changing customer interests. We combine category trend data, influencer network and social discovery optimization software to deliver proven ROI for both content/branding and direct-response/e-commerce companies.

Content Planning

  • Retail Promotion Planning

Companies often have to start planning for promotions as long as 6-9 months before they launch. Muse allows planning teams to look for emerging trends that could gain wider acceptance in the months ahead. Muse also helps to “jog your memory” of what is happening in a category when it is not currently on your mind.

  • Adjust Promotions Prelaunch 

The downside of planning over the long term is that you might miss something that is more current. Teams consult Muse right before promotions launch to look for issues and opportunities that they might be able to adjust for or take advantage of.

  • Holiday Jump Start

People plan for major events and holidays months before they make a purchase. For example, “Halloween Season” starts in the minds of consumers in August. Teams are using Muse to see when take-off is starting, and beating their competition to win share of mind first.

  • Geographic Targeting 

The more relevant the creative, the better its overall performance and ROI. A growing number of marketers see this value in varying creative based on geography. They are using the Audience Data in Muse to see which states and regions are driving trending topics in order to improve targeting.

  • Creative Shoots

Print and television shoots are critically important and are large investments for brands and agencies. Teams are using Muse to make sure the items they include in shoots are relevant for the time of year and consumer trends.

  • Email Conversion

Email remains the biggest priority for marketers, and a growing number are seeing higher open rates by selecting and prioritizing content that is most on trend before they hit the send button.

  • Food Holidays

Did you know that there is a “food holiday” for every single day of the year? Whether its National Gingerbread Latte Day (Dec 15th) or National Fried Scallops Day (October 2), Muse can help you find when it’s happening and how your brand might play along.

  • Seasonal Reminders

Throughout the year in the U.S. there are seasonal peaks for most produce. During these times the produce can be more plentiful on your consumers’ plates (and easier on their pocketbooks). Use Muse to help unearth these peaks and ideas for tying your brand to them.

  • Influencer Discovery

Influencer marketing of growing interest among brand and agency teams because it offers the chance to source new ideas from trusted sources. These teams are using the Viral Stories and Inspired Stories within Muse to look for high-quality, high-performance influencers and reaching out to them on projects
 

Product Development

  • Test Kitchen Inspiration

In-house test kitchens are responsible for developing new branded recipes, and they are often experimenting with new ideas and combinations. Muse is a starting point for test kitchen teams to see emerging trends that might fit with their branded products.

  • R&D Input

Muse is currently accessed by several research & development teams as a way for them mine consumer insights and trends and may lead to new product ideas

 

Inspiration + Thought Leadership

  • Brainstorm Inspiration

Muse exists to help you put the consumer at the center of a wide range of creative projects and decisions. A growing number of teams are using Muse to get their creative juices going by starting with an analysis of what is trending on their minds of consumers. Warning: Do not use Muse on an empty stomach.

  • Inspire a Story

New Emerging Trends appear on Muse daily, and often there is a bigger story or trends behind their rise. And we’re all waiting to see what is the next Kale or Sriracha. Reporters, authors and in-house brand writers are using Muse to look for these story ideas.

  • Chef Inspiration

Chefs are constantly looking for new ideas and inspiration to influencer their changing menus, and a growing number are consulting Muse to trigger their brains and our taste buds.

  • See Bigger Trends

Muse can help you see multiple, related topics that are all benefiting from a larger trend. For example, the growing engagement around sauerkraut and cucumbers in early winter shows a bigger opportunity around pickling.

  • Mobile Inspiration

The modern marketer spends a lot of time on the move and making decisions away from her laptop. That’s why Muse has a responsive design that works well from smartphones and tablets, allowing team members to consult data and get inspired in a meeting, at lunch, or by the water cooler. We are not responsible for your access of Muse while operating a motor vehicle.

  • Daily Dose Inspiration

Marketers spend so much time heads down on projects, email and meetings that they can miss the quickly changing dynamics in their consumer and category trends. Some are checking into Muse for a few minutes each day to ground themselves in what’s happening in their space. Try it. You’ll be inspired and smarter in the time it takes for your coffee to cool down enough to be drinkable.

Social Listening

  • Buzz-worthy Ideas

Topics sometimes takeoff very quickly in social media, and there is a chance to benefit by creating a branded variant quickly. For example, “Apple Fries” and “Ice Cream for Breakfast” caused a stir for a few days. Teams are using the “Emerging Topics in the Last Day” on Muse to stay alert of these opportunities.

  • Day-of-Week Trends

Muse Daily Popularity graphs are helping brands see trends in daily, weekly and monthly engagement with their categories. For example, breakfast topics are most active on the weekend (when people have more time to cook and enjoy), and the most engagement with Mexican Food occurs on Saturdays (sorry, Taco Tuesday!). Teams are using these insights to select timing of social media posts and to inspire bigger ideas that meet consumer habits.

  • Uncover Traditions

Did you know that many people in the midwest eat sauerkraut for good luck on New Year’s? It is a Pennsylvannia Dutch tradition that is growing. Did you know that Coquito is a traditional drink from Puerto Rick that “spikes” on Thanksgiving and Christmas? Muse helps uncover these traditions so that your brand can be more relevant to niche groups and potentially help these trends get much bigger.

 

Social Media Stategy

  • Paid Social Promotion

The more relevant a social post, the higher chance of it being noticed, read and shared. Social media teams charged with paid ad placement have found that their campaigns perform significantly better when they are using Muse as a starting point to select which creative to promote, and how to describe it in ad copy.

  • Keyword Bidding

Paid social and search teams use Muse to see which topics are trending, and are making keyword bidding decisions based on the Related Topics that they find in Muse.

 

Data-Driven Decision Making

  • Creative Sell-In

Creative direction can be difficult to support without some data to back it up. Teams are using Muse to bring the voice of the consumer and relevant trends into presentations and discussions.

  • Shopper Marketing Sell-In

Shopper marketing teams must continually make the case for their recommendations to retail buyers. While these retailers have endless sales data, they are lacking category trends. Shopper teams are using Muse to inspire their ideas and bring proof to back up their recommendations.

  • Co-promotion Partnerships

Many shopper marketing programs tie together multiple brands, including across manufacturers. Teams are using the Related Topics feature on Muse to get inspiration on trending combinations of ingredients and meals, making it easier to find a winning partnership.

  • Side Dish Decisions

Muse can help teams select which meal side items and main courses should be paired together in a wide variety of situations.

  • Validate Research

More than one data point is needed to create a trend line, so several Muse clients use our software to validate or gut-check research from other companies and sources.

  • Pitching a Winner

The new business pitch process is a time when agencies must wow their prospects with brilliant ideas backed by smart strategy and insights. Muse agency partners are using the software to inspire their directions and prove to clients that consumer data is at the heart of what they do.

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