Coca Cola’s push to connect with customers
A CPG Matters, Coca Cola shares how they're keeping connecting with the customers and staying in the front of their minds through this economic recession.
Four key solutions they're focusing on are:
-Occasion based approach
-Shopper segment and merchandising
-Bundled solutions
-Packaging solutions
How are you keeping with your customers through this economic time? Are you providing a great alternative to what they currently could have been shopping for in previous times? Read the full article here.
Registered for another October event but wish to attend Fusion? We’ll pay your cancellation fee.
That’s right, we’re so confident that you’ll find all you need at Shopper Marketing Fusion 2009, that we’ll pay your cancellation fee if you’ve signed up for another October 2009 event.
Check out our event website: http://bit.ly/4bl1V4
In today’s fast-paced world, everyone’s making split second decisions. We recognize the challenge in breaking through the clutter and “popping out at desk” and that many events often look quite similar on the surface. Fact is, ours is quite superior and we’d like to highlight the premium benefits for you right now.
What makes Shopper Marketing Fusion different from any other conference or trade show?
Large Shows...what you can expect
The needle in the haystack. Having to navigate through hundreds of attendees, most of whom AREN’T RELEVANT TO YOU
Large WAREHOUSE LIKE SPACES that are conducive to rows of booths, but not to connecting on next generation learning
TRANSIENT ATTENDEES that come and go, depleting connectivity and in-depth conversations
NO REAL ENGAGEMENT
TACTICAL-FOCUSED professionals
The star of the show is the BOOTHS, not the content
RECYCLED presentations, overused speakers
Pay per session that can lead to you MISSING crucial breakthrough IDEAS
VENDOR-LED presentations that come across as SALES PITCHES.
The difference with a PREMIUM event…Shopper Marketing Fusion
SENIOR-LEVEL ATTENDEES who want to discuss STRATEGY and co-create real solutions
The star is the CONTENT that elicits the RIGHT CONVERSATIONS.
Not about fixtures, pop-ups or lighting, but instead on strategy, ACTIONABILITY and insights
Continuity in your experience, develop long lasting relationships with THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS
An isolated, retreat-like venue that lends itself to OPTIMAL LEARNING with minimal distractions.
COMFORTABLE MEETING ROOMS to set the mood for strategic conversations.
Walmart Smart Network session at NO EXTRA CHARGE sharing new, never-heard before information
Answers to your MOST PRESSING ISSUES within category management and in-store marketing.
NO COMMERCIALISM from the podium, just real case studies, by client-side leaders
ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS with speakers.
NEW TOOLS to assist you in executing on your ideas including a post-conference report, user-generated report, return on attendance toolkit and more.
Join our LinkedIn group for 15% off the standard rate.
To learn more about the content that drives the right conversations, visit http://bit.ly/gge13
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Cheers,
Shopper Marketing Fusion
CMSI LinkedIn Group
Only the Strong Will Survive
Retailwire discusses in this post how recent research from Grant Thornton predicts that the number of store closings will nearly double from last year, reaching nearly 10,000 closings across the country. Last year, the closings focused primarily on home furnishings, electronics stores, and clothing stores. According to the research these same types of stores will be joined by book stores, food/beverage locations, and large department stores.
Scott Davis, principal at Grant Thornton's Corporate Advisory and Restructuring Services, mentioned:
"Although there's high risk in the retail industry, now is the time for companies to fine-tune their business and take advantage of new opportunities.The winners will be the disciplined companies investing the time, effort and resources to reexamine their strategies and position themselves for growth."
In other words only the strong will survie.
Whole Foods and its current brand perception
On August 12, the CEO of Whole Foods, John Mackey, wrote an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal about his personal stance on health care. He doesn't believe in government run health care, you can see more of his views here. However, the general consumer at Whole Foods does not take this stance, which has lead for many consumers to start an online boycott of the store.
Mashable recently examined Whole Foods reputation online after these comments were made. Using YouGov, they saw that on a scale of 100 to -100, 0 being a neutral point, Whole Foods score started at 22.8 on August 12 before the op-ed column and fell to 13.6 on August 20. Mashable credits this to the Boycott Whole Foods Facebook group, which has grown to over 28,885 members.
Oklahoma Lawmakers Provide Incentives for Grocers to Bring Healthy Options to Shelves
Barbara Hoberock of World Capitol Bureau writes that two Oklahoma lawmakers to will begin an interim legislative study that aims to provide information about incentives to attract grocers selling healthy, affordable, locally grown produce.
Rep. Seneca Scott, D-Tulsa said that providing incentives to healthy grocers helps the economy, lowers health care costs and means Oklahomans won’t have to choose between convenience and health.
What incentives or ideas could you share with Oklahoma lawmakers or grocers?
Retailers Cranking Up AC to Bring in Shoppers in the Dog Days of Summer
There are many retailers that prop open their doors to lure in potential consumers with air-conditioning, but NY is the first city to ban large retailers from doing this. According to this post on retailwire, most of society are viewing this as a shameful sign of energy waste.
A survey conducted by the Natural Resources Defense Council points out that keeping the door open with the AC on raises energy costs by as much as 25 percent but can lower temperatures outside the store by as much as 20 degrees. With environmental issues becoming a huge concern for consumers now, it's no wonder why many shoppers are angry. The lesson learned for retailers is keep your doors shut when the AC is on to not only save on energy costs, but to keep consumers happy as well.
Shoppers not making it to the checkout
In a recent article at the Associated Press, they discuss how the number of items left behind before the check out has risen. As many customers are thinking twice before checking out, up to 25% of them leave items either before or at the checkout. The numbers of abandoned carts online have risen too, from 47-53% over the past seven years up to 59%. Not only does this result in less revenue earned, but also gives more work to the already low staff levels at stores. Read the full article here.
Jamba Juice to Develop Grocery Store Line of Smoothies
NACSonline.com reports that Jamba Juice will be selling the blend-and-serve kits in retail environments, namely grocery stores.
“The make-at-home smoothie is an emerging category and represents perhaps the most literal extension of the Jamba brand to date,” said Susan Shields, vice president for consumer products and licensing at Jamba Juice Company. “We want to serve the healthy habits of our consumers wherever they live and shop.”
Will Jamba's reach spread to groceries around the country? One question is if Jamba Juice is recogizable across the country. How can in-store marketing introduce customer's to the brand?
We'd like to hear how effective you think this may be.
Online Ads for CPG Compared to Television Ads
This post on retailwire highlights how recent research conducted by comScore has found that online ads have driven sales for CPG (consumer packaged goods) at or above the levels of when associated with television commercials.
Over the 12-week period of the research, sales from online ads for CPGs grew to percent which is higher from previous research done by Information Resources which came to 8 percent. Gian Fulgoni, executive chairman of comScore mentioned,
"These early results confirm the ability of online advertising to successfully build retail sales of CPG brands on par with the impact of television advertising. It is likely that the more precise targeting ability of the Internet - especially in terms of accurately reaching the desired demographic segment -- is a key reason for its effectiveness."
Will we see a huge shift in companies moving most of their television ads for CPGs to online ads?
Shopper Marketing Fusion Speaker: Jesse Spugin, VP, Shopper Marketing ConAgra Foods
Jesse Spungin,
VP, Shopper Marketing
ConAgra Foods
Promomagazine.com had a fascinating discussion with Shopper Marketing Fusion speaker, Jesse Spungin in February of this year. Here are a few excerpts that we thought were particularly timely.
PROMO: So ConAgra has embraced shopper marketing.
SPUNGIN: We used to call it customer marketing, but we changed the name a year ago to shopper marketing to be more in line with the industry standard. The one thing manufacturers and retailers can all agree on is the shopper. It's the common ground we can start with and put all the other issues aside, like fighting over trade dollars and slotting efficiency.
P: Is your customer shopping any differently in this economy?
s: In many ways. When gas prices were up, for example, the number of trips to retailers went down and so did the total basket ring. This crossed all income levels because people with higher incomes love great deals and people at lower levels need great deals. ConAgra has a diverse portfolio that has value, and that provides a big opportunity for us and for retailers.
P: Have you launched any value-driven products?
s: We launched Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers, a lunch product, last September. It's a great at-work option for $3.
P: What role did shopper marketing play in this?
s: It was part of the integrated plan. We understand who the shoppers are, and we developed customized programs for the launch at SuperValu [grocery retailer]. These included point-of-purchase communications, in-store shippers and other tactics that were different from what we did at Walmart. The Walmart shopper is different, so the messaging has to be different. The programs paid off with profitable results.
P: Is shopper marketing more important in a recession?
s: : In these times, there's a danger in pulling back on marketing. Now more than ever, you need your message to break through.
We look forward to hearing from Jesse at this year's conference!