For Immediate Release
Contact: Tara McNally
November 24, 2003
212/645-6900 x.115
SURVEY FINDS THAT AMERICANS WILL BE COMING OUT
OF THE CLOSET TO SHOP THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

National Survey Finds That What Goes On Outside of
A Store Affects What Goes On At The Register

New York, NY - As retailers scramble to get ready for the holiday shopping season, a national survey conducted by Jericho Communications has uncovered the ins and outs of what is on shoppers’ minds this year and how it will affect how and when they open their wallets.

The survey found that the show “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” has more than just an effect on the Nielsen ratings. On the day following a new episode of the hit show (Wednesday), men were five times more likely to go shopping than women and 49% of those men said they shopped with another man, compared to less than 12% of men who shopped with other men any other day of the week. Also, the number one thing men shopped for on Wednesdays was haircare products. And perhaps the most fascinating homage to the Fab Five, Carson Kressley was the number one celebrity that people would buy a product endorsed by.

The survey, which queried 2,654 people carrying shopping bags at seven malls across the country (Roosevelt Field Mall in New York, The King of Prussia Mall in Pennsylvania, the Shops at the Prudential Center in Boston, the Potomac Mills in Washington, DC, Water Town Place in Chicago, Westside Pavillion in Los Angeles and The Embarcadero Center in San Francisco), was developed to unearth how the world around us affects how we shop. Other interesting findings include: Kobe Bryant was number three on the list of celebrities who shoppers would most likely buy a product endorsed by – while Paris Hilton was tied for number five with Ben Affleck (Despite launching her own clothing line, J.Lo was low on the list with only 1% finding her a great endorser). Shoppers are least likely to purchase a product endorsed by famed bachelorette, Trista Rehn.

“Shopping is perhaps one of the most reactive habits that Americans partake in,” explained Eric Yaverbaum, president of Jericho Communications. “As we are about to embark on the wild holiday shopping season, we thought it might be interesting to see what is really having an affect on people’s spending habits – television shows, the weather, days of the week and even, sex.”

The survey also found that 37% of women said that they spent less on days following nights when they got some “lovin’” – compared to those following a non-sexual night at home.

Eric Yaverbaum is available for interviews.
*Complete Survey Results Available Upon Request.

For Immediate Release
Contact: Tara McNally
212/645-6900 ext.115

DID YOU KNOW…
According to a Survey of the Shopping Habits of Americans
Conducted By Jericho Communications

Queer Eye for the Sales Rack
On days following an airing of “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,”

* Men were five times more likely than women to go shopping
* 49% of men said they went shopping with another guy on Wednesdays after a new episode, compared to less than 12% who go shopping with other men on a non-Queer Eye day.
* A surprising 19% of people at the malls that were surveyed could name all of the Fab Five.
* The day following a new episode of Queer Eye, the number one thing men were shopping for was haircare products.
* The day after a new episode, men were three times more likely to shop for furniture compared to electronics.
* Underwear sales by men nearly tripled on Wednesdays compared to any other day of the week.
* In general, both men and women were twice as likely to spend more than $150 on a Wednesday following a new episode of Queer Eye.

Top Five Celebrities People Would Most Likely Buy Products Endorsed By

1. Carson Kressley (from Queer Eye)
2. Arnold Schwarzenegger
3. Kobe Bryant
4. Ashton Kutscher
5. Paris Hilton and Ben Affleck (tied)

Other things to note:

* J. Really Low…Only 1% of those people surveyed said that they would most likely buy products endorsed by J.Lo.
* The Battle of the 23’s…5% of those surveyed said they would most likely buy Michael Jordan endorsed products compared to 4% who chose basketball phenom, LeBron James.
* Bubba Takes on the Last Sumarai...4% of people chose former President Bill Clinton as the celebrity they would most likely buy products endorsed by compared to 2% who chose Tom Cruise.
* The Late Night Battle…2% chose Letterman as most likely to buy a product endorsed by, while 1.6% chose Leno.

Top Five Celebrities People Would Least Likely Buy Products Endorsed By

1. Trista Rehn
2. Donald Trump
3. George Steinbrenner
4. Ryan Seacrest
5. Rosie O’Donnell

The Perfect Way to Save
72% of women said they spent less than $150 on a day following a night of sex with their significant other.

A Couple of Beers Might End Up Costing You
While 65% of women said that they spent more than $150 the day following a husband or boyfriend’s night out with the guys.

It’s as If Your Conscience is Literally Shopping With You
Women are four times as likely to shop for sale or reduced price items when shopping with their husband or boyfriend, then when shopping with their sister or mother.

The True Definition of Black Friday
22% of respondents purchased black clothing on Fridays compared to less than 16% on any other day of the week.

Mother-in-Law Shopping Jealousy
32% of people said they shop with their significant other, while 20% said they shop with their mother. Respondents are least likely to shop with their brother.

The Shoe Fetish Reigns Supreme
34% of people said they bought shoes on the day we asked them, while 31% said shirts, 28% said jeans and 27% said haircare products.

Me, Myself and I
39% of people said they were buying something for themselves, 31% said they were getting something for a significant other and 12% were buying for a friend. Only 3% said they were buying something for their dad compared to 6% who said mom.

The Spending Rate
23% of people surveyed said they had spent between $75 and $150, while 20% said they spent between $20 and $75. A surprising 14% of people surveyed said they spend more than $500.

Sales, Sales, Sales
52% of people surveyed said they purchased something on sale or at a reduced price.

There’s No Gray Area
40% of people who purchased clothing said that it was black, while only 7% said that it was white.

The Week of Buying
The products women buy, and the days of the week they are most likely to do it:

Monday - Shirts
Tuesday - Underwear
Wednesday - Jackets
Thursday - Jeans
Friday – Cosmetics
Saturday – Bras
Sunday - Shoes