P2PIQ-0521

MAY 2021

Path Purchase

pathtopurchaseiq.com

TO

E N D - TO - E N D S T R AT E G I E S F O R D R I V I N G C O N S U M E R D E M A N D

INSIDE PEOPLE TO WATCH: 12 RISING STARS

DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER: NEW BRAND PLAYGROUND

RETAIL MEDIA FORUM: BUILDING BEST PRACTICES

ACTIVATION GALLERY: SHOPPABLE MEDIA

SPECIAL REPORT

GROCERY TRIP PURCHASE INFLUENCES Exclusive Institute research finds a lot still happening in the physical store In cooperation with:

Great Northern Instore

POWERED BY

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THE PATH TO PURCHASE INSTITUTE is the only community that connects commerce and marketing professionals to the intelligence, innovation, and influence needed to navigate the complexity of today’s consumer retail landscape and drive growth.

JOIN THE LEADERS WHO ARE SHAPING THE FUTURE OF COMMERCE!

THE INTELLIGENCE: Expert and editorial insights covering in-store, digital, retail marketing, actionable insights to drive shopper engagement and sales. Highly relevant and content-rich professional development and training courses designed to provide the know-how for tomorrow.

THE INNOVATION: Amplify your thought leadership, competitive edge, and be part of the elite consumer goods executive community.

THE INFLUENCE: A community that unites brand manufacturers, retailers, agencies, and solution providers through world-class events and peer-to-peer partnerships.

BECOM E A M E M BE R TO DAY !

To learn more about membership packages that align with your goals, please contact your sales representative or visit p2pi.org/membership.

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Contents E N D -TO - E N D ST R AT E G I E S F O R D R I V I N G C O NS U M E R D E M A N D

E s o e s .

24

People to Watch This year’s class features 12 individuals who are making names for themselves by doing exemplary work driving success for their brands.

14

SPECIAL REPORTS

38

Grocery Trip Purchase Influences

Proprietary Institute research finds that the traditional store is still the destination of choice for grocery shopping and fertile ground for influencing purchase decisions.

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Direct-toConsumer Sales

Lured by stronger consumer engagement and the data it brings, CPGs are increasingly focused on DTC sales — and retailers on DTC brands.

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May 2021 VO LU M E 3 4 | ISS U E 3

DEPARTMENTS 6

‘Shop Now,’ Cry Later

8

P2PI Member Perspective:

Transforming the Shopper Experience

NEWS

10

Editor’s Note:

9

P2PI Member Spotlight:

ShoptoCook

42

58

Activation Gallery:

Shoppable Media

46

P2P Toolkit

Spotlight: Data & Analytics

50

Store Spotlight:

Hy-Vee

13

10 Retail Media Forum Review

Attendees at the Institute’s Retail Media Forum learned about planning, executing and evaluating their retail media network strategies.

54

NEW Horizons

55

Solution Provider News

57

Personnel Appointments/ Editorial Index

50

13 Filippo Berio Doubles Down on Stores

While many have focused on e-commerce during the pandemic, the olive oil brand used a targeted approach to drive shoppers to stores.

58 Zatarain’s Celebrates at Kroger

In the lead-up to Mardi Gras, the brand partnered with the retailer for a digital campaign activated through Kroger Precision Marketing.

Path to Purchase IQ (USPS 4568, ISSN 2688-4984 ) is published monthly, except Feb, April, July, Aug. , by EnsembleIQ, 8550 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Ste. 200, Chicago, IL 60631. Subscription rate for the U.S.: $90 one year; $166 two year; $14 single issue copy (pre- paid only); Canada and Mexico: $108 one year; $194 two year; $16 single issue copy (pre- paid only);Foreign: $122 one year; $233 two year; $16 single issue copy (pre- paid only); $60 one year digital; $95 two year digital. Periodical postage paid at Chicago, IL 60631 Copyright 2021 by EnsembleIQ. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Reprints, permissions and licensing, please contact Wright’s Media at ensembleiq@wrightsmedia.com or (877) 652-5295. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Path to Purchase IQ, 8550 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. Ste. 200, Chicago, IL 60631.

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With the industry moving faster than ever, the Path to Purchase Institute understands the critical need to fully and consistently measure the impact that Shopper Marketing has on sustainable sales growth.

In collaboration with leading industry stakeholders, our goal is to develop a foundational playbook and a standard method of measurement that will allow Shopper Marketing to be accurately evaluated—and thereby better appreciated—within the overall marketing mix.

“We will work to foster an objective, industry-wide understanding of the true value of shopper marketing across the entire path to purchase and a standard approach to measurement that can be adopted across the industry.”

— P ET E R BRE E N, Editor-in-Chief, Path to Purchase Institute

S P E C I A L T H A N K S T O O U R I N A U G U R A L PA R T N E R S

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FOR MORE INFORMATION OR T O JOIN THE COMMISSION, PLEASE CONTACT PATRICK HARE AT PHARE@ENSEMBLEIQ.COM

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Editor’s Note

Editor-in-Chief Peter Breen, pbreen@ensembleiq.com

‘Shop Now,’ Cry Later

Executive Editor Tim Binder, tbinder@ensembleiq.com Managing Editor Charlie Menchaca, cmenchaca@ensembleiq.com Associate Director/Content Patrycja Malinowska, pmalinowska@ensembleiq.com Associate Editor/Content Cyndi Loza, cloza@ensembleiq.com

PETER BREEN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Associate Editor/Content Jacqueline Barba, jbarba@ensembleiq.com

As I checked the hockey scores on NHL.com the other night, I ran into an ad for my favorite chocolate candy brand. “Shop now,” it invited me, and when I took the click-bait it brought me to a landing page on the brand’s website. There, I was given the choice of four retailers from which to buy something – although through the magic of real-time inventory tracking I learned that one of them was out of stock.

Soon after, I rabbit-holed my way to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s website (to find something related to Buffalo Bills’ free agent opportunities, I think) and encountered a “Save Now at Costco” ad for a 48-count box of a far healthier snacking option, granola bars.

I didn’t pursue either purchase (although, in the interest of full disclosure, I did hit the kitchen soon after to see what we had in the house). I have fully embraced online grocery shopping, and am even trying to get my 89-year-old mother to do the same, but I’m not yet at the point where snack shopping is a stand-alone digital “impulse” occasion.

The Institute’s editors have come across a variety of “shoppable media” campaigns in recent weeks, as you’ll see in this month’s Activation Gallery (page 42). Digital technology has made it possible for every online branding moment to be a targeted call to action, complete with direct links to relevant points of purchase. “All the world’s a stage” is still a relevant quote (as TikTok surely illustrates), but for marketers, “All the world’s a store” seems to be true as well.

If legitimate, that fact offers many opportunities for marketers but some potential pitfalls as well. The increasing volume of “Shop Now” ads being deployed has me flashing back about four years,

when remarketing was raging and I couldn’t make a work-related visit to a business software provider’s website without being stalked (and it really felt that way) with related ads for days wherever I went online.

Those software providers had no way of knowing that I wasn’t really a potential customer (just an editor looking for information). But they should have considered the very strong likelihood that, even if I were, I had no interest in considering their product at night as I checked sports scores. CPGs now have to consider that, too.

So should retailers, of course. In the intensifying gold-rush race to develop offplatform opportunities for their retail media networks, they need to remember what makes their assets such ideal advertising vehicles in the first place: proximity to shoppers in relevant situations, the consumer “in shopper mode” rather than simply a click or two away from buying. Just because consumers can shop at any time doesn’t mean they’ll want to.

One of my favorite moments during the Retail Media Forum the Institute hosted in March came when Spencer Baird of Inmar Intelligence advised retailers to stop planning media networks and start building marketing networks.

The difference? The former involves “Monetizing [the audience] hoping you meet shopper needs” vs. “Meeting needs trusting that you’ll sell a lot more,” Baird explained. (Read a full overview of the event on page 10).

From the consumer perspective, that’s the difference between bothering me while I’m looking up hockey scores and actually reaching me when I want to buy some snacks. And for marketers, it’s probably the difference between failure and success.

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Editor Emeritus Bill Schober, bschober@ensembleiq.com Director – Production Ed Ward, eward@ensembleiq.com Creative Director Colette Magliaro, cmagliaro@ensembleiq.com Art Director Michael Escobedo, mescobedo@ensembleiq.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Erika Flynn, Ed Finkel, Michael Applebaum, Chris Gelbach, Dawn Klingensmith, April Miller, Samantha Nelson

SALES & P2PI MEMBER DEVELOPMENT Managing Director Tanner Van Dusen, 312.518.5000, tvandusen@ensembleiq.com Brand Leader Joe Territo, 973.727.7338, jterrito@ensembleiq.com Associate Brand Director Arlene Schusteff, 773.992.4414, aschusteff@ensembleiq.com Senior Account Executive Katrina Lopez, 813.732.5281, klopez@ensembleiq.com Senior Director/Member Development Patrick Hare, phare@ensembleiq.com Director/Member/New Business Development Todd Turner, tturner@ensembleiq.com

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ENSEMBLEIQ LEADERSHIP TEAM

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urner,

“The global economy is dynamic and tumultuous.

But, there is always an opportunity to innovate, collaborate, and delight today’s shoppers.”

— TANNER VAN DUSEN, CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER, ENSEMBLEIQ

THE FUTURE TAKES FOCUS

NOW

Unexpected market forces rapidly change the way we build trust in our brands. It’s time to join the only community that connects thousands of professionals to the insight and influence essential for solving business problems and driving growth into the future. The time to align with Path to Purchase IQ is NOW.

everal

PathtoPurchaseIQ.com F O R M O R E I N F O R M A T I O N , PLEASE CONTACT ARLENE SCHUSTEFF, ASSOCIATE BRAND DIRECTOR, AT ASCHUSTEFF@ENSEMBLEIQ.COM

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Member Perspective

Transforming the Shopper Experience

BY T O BY J O H N S O N , C A M P B E L L S N AC KS

We may not realize it, but how we shop is being transformed. In fact, 75% of us are reporting shifts in our shopping behaviors over the past year. COVID-19 has highlighted a unique tension between our need for control and immediacy and our inherent desire for experience and connection.

Human beings are designed to interact through more than a computer screen, but have we ever been more reliant on our devices? After a year, we also miss people and places that hold deep meaning in our lives. Therefore, the solution isn’t one or the other for retailers and brands. The omni-world of the future will be one where digital is even more interwoven with the in-person purchase.

Control & Immediacy. Consumers love shopping online, but what they really want is control over where and how they receive their online orders. This couldn’t be more evident than it has been during the pandemic. Why make multiple stops when you can serve your needs while sitting on the couch without a mask or six feet of separation? What can be more immediate than ordering on-demand at the tip of your fingers?

In 2013, late night TV host Stephen Colbert quipped this advice to Amazon: “Locations that customers can walk into and buy things. And the inventory would be arranged not as drop-down menus but as rows of physical merchandise that the customer can actually touch … and instead of waiting 30 minutes for a drone to arrive, they can place their selections into some sort of wheeled basket conveyance … Thus, they have the products instantly. I call it, Amazon Live.”

This hilarious bit preceded Amazon’s first brick-and-mortar store in 2016 and its acquisition of retailer Whole Foods in 2017. Why would the world’s largest online merchant feel a pull to the in-person store experience?

Experience & Connection. Since its inception more than 100 years ago, the grocery store has played a critical role in meeting our daily needs. These needs have evolved, and so have retailers. A 1998 Harvard Business Review article introduced the idea of the “experience economy,” which describes how the values on which consumers base their purchases have evolved. Millennials, the generation currently with the greatest buying power, have a declared preference for travel over material things, and 86% prefer vacations where they can explore new cultures.

The right shopping experience can feel like exploration, engaging all the senses

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with the smell of fresh-baked bread, a delicious morsel offered up as a sample, the cheerful greeting of a store employee, a package being turned over in your hands, or rounding a corner to discover a beautiful display. Being connected is a multi-sensorial experience, and there is comfort in this connection.

Many experts suggest we are now evolving beyond experience into a “transformation economy,” where shoppers crave something authentic and meaningful: deeper connection that ultimately has the power to change their lives. That is a high standard for companies to deliver, but it also demonstrates the trust and openness that today’s shoppers are bringing to the marketplace.

During COVID-19, the online and in-person worlds have been on an accelerated collision course. The drive to reach the now always-connected shopper can be illustrated in two data points: 87% of customers start their product searches online, but 90% of actual purchases are made in-store.

Traditional retailers have witnessed this through the explosion of click-andcollect, where shoppers enjoy the speed and convenience of picking up orders from a nearby location when it suits them.

Interestingly, nearly 40% of click-andcollect shoppers still run into the physical store during the pickup for an additional last-minute purchase.

When these shopping platforms seamlessly integrate, magic can happen.

My Campbell Snacks team is focused on resolving shopper desire to have it all while also elevating experiences, reducing friction and, most importantly, deepening relationships. For those who obsess about shoppers and meeting their needs, our changing world holds endless opportunity for the future. IQ

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Toby Johnson is Senior Vice President of Sales for Campbell Snacks. Before joining the company last summer, she spent 13 years with PepsiCo in diverse roles across the FritoLay, Pepsi Beverages, and North America Nutrition businesses.

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Member Spotlight

ShoptoCook

A Q&A with Al Jones, VP, Advertising Sales and Marketing, for the consumer-facing digital tech company

ShoptoCook and Adsta to the CPG community. The Adsta digital network is structured to make it easy for CPGs to partner with independent retailers and leverage a network representing more than $20 billion in grocery sales.

How has your company’s work been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic?

JONES: The pandemic impacted our business primarily as a result of the strain on the supply chain and the reduction in advertising and promotion that resulted.

With that said, our network continued to grow as the consumer transitioned to digital media for information and planning of their shopping at brick-andmortar stores as well as e-commerce.

What role do you see retail media playing in the future of marketing?

JONES: We believe retail media has emerged as the primary source of information for the consumer. As a result, providing a fully integrated and seamless digital platform for our retail partners has become our primary focus.

Looking ahead, our development will focus on emerging technology and media platforms. This includes social, mobile initiatives and transforming the in-store experience into a digital media center allowing consumers to engage whenever they are in shopping mode. IQ

Tell us about your latest solution.

JONES: ShoptoCook and its partners have created Adsta, a digital media platform with a focus on connecting independent grocers and their CPG partners directly with consumers. With more than 3,000 retail locations and growing, the Adsta platform can deliver more than 45 million advertising impressions a month across our network using a multi-channel approach. Ad creative can be featured within grocers’ digital assets, including apps and loyalty-targeted programs.

Adsta performs with 100% retail compliance.

Every CPG should get excited about this national opportunity to digitally target millions of shoppers who shop at independent retailers. Whether it’s targeting these shoppers via the web, mobile, e-circulars, in-store media or all of the above, Adsta is the answer.

How does your company use its P2PI membership resources?

– FRANK PULEO, FORMER INDEPENDENT GROCER EXECUTIVE

JONES: Our focus for P2PI is to introduce

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MEMBER UPDATE Path to Purchase Institute is delighted to welcome new and returning members to our community: Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits, Dorel Juvenile, The Krazy Coupon Lady, PromoteIQ, Sargento Foods, Snipp Interactive, The Wine Group and Ubisoft.

Join the hundreds of companies that benefit from P2PI every day with strategies and best practices on succeeding in today’s chaotic omnicommerce environment. For more information, contact Katrina Lopez at klopez@ensembleiq.com.

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RETAIL MEDIA FORUM OVERVIEW

Industry Seeks to Understand, Leverage Retail Media Networks

BY I N S T I T U T E S TA F F

Attendees learned a lot of hard facts about retail media networks during the Path to Purchase Institute’s Retail Media Forum, a virtual event held March 30-31. They received actionable takeaways about what to consider when planning their activity, what to do when executing their programs, and how to evaluate their performance at the end. (Recordings of every Retail Media Forum session are available to members of the Institute in the presentation library at P2PI.org.)

How to Navigate the Retail Media Landscape Reid Greenberg, EVP, Global Digital & E-Commerce Practice, Kantar

Several trends taking place right now make retail media more important than ever. Verifying direct results is now a media imperative. Retail media networks are growing in size, number and use, spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic. New cookie policies are ushering in a world with no (or much less) thirdparty data, so retailers are looking for ways to use their firstparty shopper information to attract advertisers who still want to target personalized ads. Focusing on the big four players will be critical: • Walmart has a massive system behind its Walmart Connect platform, but execution and transparency need improvement.

• Kroger is very hungry to figure out how to become a disruptive advertiser outside of its own assets to drive sales back to the 84.51-managed platform. Measurement is more holistic than at other media providers and connects to broader marketing efforts.

• Amazon Advertising is a behemoth in terms of capabilities, offering advanced measurement techniques and tools along with massive reach and high shopping frequencies, but it provides limited engagement with its advertising team.

• Target’s Roundel allows media buyers to use their own demandside platform and is very conscious of where ads are placed, promising “brand-safe” placement.

Connecting the Retail Media Ecosystem David Peterson, VP, Sales, Roundel, Target; Sherry Smith, Managing Director, Retail Media, Americas, Criteo

Retail media isn’t just a shopper marketing play anymore. It’s delivering full-funnel marketing solutions. Recognizing this, Target renamed its in-house media company Roundel in 2019, signaling plans to be a more aggressive player in the sector. Since doubling

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down on its media network, the retailer has seen growth in its e-commerce business – fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic – and most notably in its alternative fulfillment services such as Drive Up curbside pickup, which grew 600% in 2020. As shoppers embrace more ways to shop at the retailer across digital and in-store, brand marketers need to adapt their David Peterson strategies to reach shoppers wherever they are and, according to Peterson, retail media is in a great position to do that. Among other key takeaways: • Omnichannel shoppers at Target spend four times more than in-store-only shoppers and 10 times more than online-only shoppers.

• Retailer media networks have the ability to measure results that help inform not only if a campaign was successful, but how it can be improved in the future.

Retail Media: Overview, Comparisons Mindy Fashaw, COO, Pacvue; Karen Satterlie, E-Commerce Manager, Henkel

Amazon and Walmart own and operate their own platforms, while Instacart (a third-party marketplace) and Criteo (a platform provider) place advertisements for retailers. Amazon generally has the highest amount of paid placements, and that number has continued to increase in the past year. Walmart, in contrast, has fewer paid placements on the first page of search results, but Walmart category buyers have the capability to manually push or pin certain SKUs to top placements. Amazon’s platform offers huge scale but is complex, competitive and expensive. Walmart’s is growing fast, but it has a low clickthrough rate. Instacart delivers high conversion but no storeor region-specific data. And Criteo covers a wide range of retailers but no keyword-based targeting. Among other key takeaways: • The number of paid placements on the first page of search varies across platforms. Retailers are really aware of the prime real estate these search results represent, and therefore they’re changing the placements in which advertisers have opportunities to invest.

• While paid keyword search is important, brands shouldn’t get stuck on that alone. It’s also important to show up anywhere on the retailer site where people are shopping.

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RETAIL MEDIA FORUM OVERVIEW Retail Media 3.0: Retail Marketing Networks

Challenger Brands Leveraging Retail Media

Spencer Baird, EVP & President, Martech, Inmar Intelligence

John Denny, VP, E-Commerce & Digital, Cavu Ventures

The evolution of retail media networks has involved three phases: 1. Retail ad networks, “which was kind of code for, if there’s a way to monetize it, let’s figure it out, let’s get the logo slapped on and let’s make some cash,” said Baird, whose career includes time at H.J. Heinz, Dannon, Kellogg and Ahold Delhaize/Peapod.

2. Retail media networks, which is “the here and now … age of retailers stepping forward, enabled by ad tech companies, putting their stake in the ground,” he said. “It’s much more integrated between marketing and merchandising on the retail side, and you’re seeing a lot of good behavior on the CPG side.”

3. Retail marketing networks, which is the “next generation,” according to Baird. “We think media is too narrow, and frankly creates a lot of confusion. In the world of retail marketing networks, it’s a high degree of integration between marketing and merchandising, it’s monetization in the context of shopper needs, and it’s a whole new territory of opportunities.”

The difference between media networks and marketing networks is “monetizing hoping you meet shopper needs” vs. “meeting needs trusting that you’ll sell a lot more and [then] be able to monetize on a much higher level,” he explained. “Those two things send you in very, very different directions.”

Physical store distribution has dominated CPG strategy for the last century, but digital is now influencing the vast majority of sales even if they still occur in stores. The tools that have been created to influence today’s consumers are more powerful than anything that has previously existed, and challenger brands are far more likely than larger companies to leverage them in innovative new ways to accelerate quickly. Challenger brands: • Understand that e-commerce success drives retail demand. Their strategy is to launch through their own channel first and then follow with physical retail.

• Go all in on digital strategies. They prioritize the new digital platforms and invest at aggressive levels.

• Zig when everybody is zagging. They leverage e-commerce and retail media to build the brand while everyone else focuses merely on ROAS and performance.

The entire industry believes that retail media is about return on ad spend and performance marketing, but it can be a brand-building platform from day one. The idea that performance advertising is all that matters is a myth. The reality is that brand messaging outperforms performance messaging 80% of the time.

Retail Media and Macro Shopper Strategies Moderator: Ethan Goodman, SVP of Commerce Media, The Mars Agency; panelists: Marie Catanzaro, Team Lead, Shopper Activation, Mars Petcare; Stephen Chriss, Customer VP, Shopper & Omnichannel Marketing, Campbell Soup Co.; Lisa Matos, VP, Sales Capabilities and Commerce, Conagra Brands

This panel discussion addressed retail media topics such as which discipline/functional team should own it, how it should be funded, which KPIs should be reported, how it fits into joint business planning, and even if it should include instore offerings. Panelists suggested retail media needs to be handled in a hybrid manner internally, which requires the need to remove silos. Companies should treat their activity as one demand-connected commerce experience across trade and sales, and can lean on the media team for execution. In regard to pushing back on retailer demands, panelists suggested there needs to be a bit of a balance. “They respect us, we respect them. We’re trying to grow each other’s business,” Chriss said. Other takeaways included: • Not all retailer platforms are created equal, both from an inventory standpoint and the data they provide. In regard to JBP alignment, every retailer is different. Some isolate their networks so they aren’t included in strategic planning.

• Brands ideally need consistent measurement across platforms, and often want a hard-core ROI perspective. Return on advertising spend (ROAS) needs to evolve as a metric. An unbiased third-party measurement provider could be the answer.

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Kellogg & Omnichannel Sales at Kroger Gail Horwood, Chief Marketing Officer, Kellogg North America; Cara Pratt, SVP, Kroger Precision Marketing, 84.51

It’s hard to ignore the rise of gaming. More than 50% of the U.S. population is engaging in some form of gaming, and core gamers spend more than 15 hours a week on the activity.

Gail Horwood Recognizing this consumer behavior, Kellogg identified multiple brands in its portfolio, such as Cheez-It and Pringles, that over index as go-to snacks for gaming. Armed with the insight of this emerging gaming/snacking occasion, the manufacturer teamed with Kroger for a program with Xbox that leveraged the grocer’s Kroger Precision Marketing media platform. Horwood noted that working with retail media networks is a learning journey because “if we simply evaluate retail media only through the ways we’ve evaluated our traditional media investments ... we’re missing a larger opportunity.” Among other key ways Kellogg approaches retail media: • It looks at holistic measurements. Traditionally, Kellogg has used marketing mix modeling, but now it’s augmenting that with new tools and measurement strategies.

• It leverages data. The company is always game to mine new sets of data, such as KPM’s loyalty and consumer data, to unlock unique activations for shoppers.

• It has dedicated resources. The manufacturer is allocating the resources needed to understand and unlock value through measurement in retail media. “This is not a part-time job for a couple of people,” said Horwood.

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RETAIL MEDIA FORUM OVERVIEW Oreo Thins: Mondelez’s Recipe for Success Steven Boal, CEO and Co-Founder, Quotient Technology; Anne Martin – Customer Director, Shopper Marketing, and Steve McGowan, RVP, OmniShopper Activation & Strategic Partnerships, Mondelez International

• Data partnerships to provide enhanced relevance.

• Campaign optimization via algorithms.

• Self-service tools for advertisers.

The emergence of retail media doesn’t necessarily mean “Out with the old and in with the new,” especially when the old is in-store merchandising. However, in Mondelez’s experience, it does mean marketers should adjust the old so it works in tandem with the new.

In other words, creating a truly omnichannel experience. The CPG giant is doing that, most recently through a program with Albertsons Companies aimed at driving trips and increasing awareness of Oreo Thins that started with a digital coupon. The partners leveraged the retailer’s Quotient-powered retail media network, Albertsons Performance Media, to target shoppers that aligned with Oreo’s brand segments and used incremental in-store displays to match the online experience and drive users to the digital coupon. Among the key aspects of the program’s success: • Strong retailer relationships. While retail media data and metrics are obviously important, the relationship with the retailer allows for effective collaboration on test campaigns.

• Linking digital and in-store. Amplifying the digital consumer experience with in-store merchandising is key to driving meaningful and measurable in-store sales velocity.

• Accelerating digital spending. Mondelez fully acknowledges that, as it increases investments in search marketing, digital content and media, it becomes even more critical to maximize efficiencies and campaign outcomes.

Non-Endemic Opportunities for Partnerships

What it Takes to Win with Retail Media

Best Practices for Shopper Marketers

Mike Ellgass, EVP, Retail Marketing Solutions, IRI; Abishake Subramanian - Senior Director and Head of Advertising & Partnerships, Sam’s Club Media Group

Moderator: Jason Young, Digital Industry Expert; panelists: Kasey Moss, Brand Director, CHOMPS; Katie Neil, Director, Connected Commerce, Coca-Cola Co.; Nicole Rainey, Shopper Marketing Manager, Mars Wrigley

The COVID-19 pandemic has without question spurred a massive shift in shopper behavior, and the rise of retail media has been a major part of the ripple effect it has had on shopper marketing and e-commerce. But while many retailers have come out as winners amid the Abishake Subramanian pandemic, some brand marketers are still evaluating how they feel about the growing retailer-led media opportunity. Subramanian helps Sam’s Club address that by giving brand marketers what he says they need to succeed, and pushing the Sam’s Club Media Group team to think like performance marketers to better target the retailer’s members. That often means targeting members across touch points. For example, some marketers use print ads to promote an offer in an instant savings booklet and amplify the deal through digital touchpoints for deeper targeting. The goal is learning how to drive consumption and draw new consumers to a category. Providing brands with in-campaign data and insights is also becoming more critical. In terms of the future of retail media, Subramanian has his eye on: • Machine learning to enhance one-to-one personalization at scale.

Brand marketing organizations are utilizing retail media networks as both an advertising tool and a sales driver. When looking at a network’s suite of product solutions, brands have to “learn by doing” to determine where and how to best deploy the capabilities.

As some networks are able to provide data in near- or real time, brands could test anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks to decide how to use the solutions. At the outset, marketers have to frame up and connect with the consumer in the right place with the right message at the right time. Depending on the end goals, they can either seek to drive shopper conversion or brand awareness.

As the brand journey evolves, they should establish benchmarking and decide, “What do we want to learn out of this?” And once they learn it, ask, “What’s the path forward?” Brand marketers have to set the tone with any retailer media network and make clear: • What moves the needle on their business.

• What exactly they need to have measured.

• What they need to know about the network’s ability to provide what they need as a partner.

• Their needs for the network to be as nimble, agile and transparentas possible to optimize performance. IQ

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Janine Flaccavento, New Stream Media Solution Lead, Merkle; Brent Rosso, Former VP, Digital Media, Target

Non-endemic advertisers are brands that don’t sell directly through a particular retailer but offer complementary products or services.

Retail media networks offer an opportunity for non-endemic brands to connect with shoppers that might be similar to their own consumer demographic. In defining the non-endemic advertiser at a big-box retailer, the range starts at brands in a “category sold but product not listed” (such as DTC brands). Then it continues to “consumer adjacent” (paint and appliance brands), “connected through partnership” (Redbox, MasterCard) and “connected through behavior” (Molly Maid, Mass Mutual). It concludes at “not connected but aligned to audience/mindset” (Ford, Hulu) and “not connected or aligned to mindset” (financial and home security). A total of 76% of CPG brands plan to have to non-endemic spending, and 19% of those already are doing so, according to research from Merkle.

Noteworthy use cases include a co-branded effort between CVS Media Exchange and PayPal that ran on a dedicated web page, product display pages and sponsored social media updates; and Amazon’s monetization of its owned-and-operated spaces, such as on-box advertising, lockers, Prime Now and Amazon Go, Treasure Truck and Amazon Books.

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Omnichannel Marketing

Filippo Berio Drives In-Store Purchases During Pandemic

BY S A M A N T H A N E L S O N

Filippo Berio USA had been planning a media campaign for April 2020, but it had to change plans when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The company pushed the effort back to July to let the initial period of uncertainty and panic buying calm down. But while so many brands were focused on capitalizing on the surge in e-commerce, Filippo Berio wanted to drive shoppers to stores.

“At the time the campaign would be running, shipping carriers were overwhelmed and some retailers’ online ordering systems had kinks to be worked out,” Filippo Berio marketing manager Meghan Boyd says. “Some retailer sites had no appointments for pickup or delivery for months out, so consumers had to go in-store. Some consumers were taking this omnichannel approach because if there was an out-of-stock at the local-store level, they might be going online to find it

elsewhere and, vice versa, still requiring that trip to the store. Finally, that trip to the grocery store for many people might have been their only time in the week to escape their homes due to lockdowns or other COVID restrictions. It became a lifeline to the outside world.”

Working with Norwalk, Connecticut-based agencies Media Horizons and Colangelo as well as Vericast’s Valassis, Filippo Berio launched a heavily researched campaign to target the Midwest and Southeast regions, where shoppers were very aware of the olive oil category but weren’t buying the brand. A second flight of the campaign, which kicked off in October, added the Northeast, where the brand wanted to defend its strong position.

“We found through some internal research that the brand is underdeveloped,” Boyd says. “Our brand is very tied to the Italian ‘nonnas,’ and we love that, but we need to plan for the health of the brand.”

The campaign used Valassis’ Illumis

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13-P2PIQ_Berio.indd 13

intelligence platform to target 25- to 44-year-old shoppers through a mix of digital display, social media and connected TV advertising that spotlighted the brand’s extra virgin olive oil. Consumers were targeted when activity like recipe lookups indicated they were in a buying mindset.

Dynamic creative optimization meant that the streaming TV spots were customized to show the consumer the nearest store where they could buy the brand. That function was based on Valassis’ dynamic radius trade area, which measures how far shoppers in an area are typically willing to travel, something that varies strongly across city centers and suburban markets.

Valassis set up impact studies using POS data from key retailers to test where the digital media drove sales. The effort resulted in a 6% sales lift on the featured product at the store level during both flights with a 3% brand halo lift in the first flight and 5.5% lift in the second. The gains were especially strong at Publix, where the extra virgin olive oil saw a 46% sales lift in the first flight and a 10.1% increase in the second. Most of the buyers there were ages 35-44.

“I think we learned a lot about consumer mindset,” says Boyd. “At the time, people were brand shifting as they were dealing with out-of-stocks. We saw that there was a 3.4% brand halo that included all of our other olive oil products. That was huge because we always want not just the product but the brand to gain from any campaign we run. Seeing that really showed us the power of this targeted media and how it can drive those sales.”

Kevin Leary, executive director of CPG at Valassis, says that connected TV advertising has become increasingly in demand over the past year as brands try to reach younger audiences where they are. “A lot of our agency partners who historically have been broadcast buyers [are shifting a lot of those dollars]to connected TV,” he says. “I think a big part of that is you can get so much more targeted, so much more granular in terms of the consumers whom you want to reach with your brand to truly minimize waste.” IQ

More at P2PI.org

Read other case studies about how brands have adjusted to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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SPECIAL REPORT: GROCERY TRIP PURCHASE INFLUENCES

AISLES OF

Institute research finds that even the best-laid

BY P E T E R B R E E N

In cooperation with

FACT: The path to purchase for consumer packaged goods has become a lot more complex in the last decade as digital technologies have provided shoppers with an ever-growing supply of touchpoints and sales channels for learning about, and buying, products.

FACT: Nearly all trips to buy groceries are now influenced to some degree by the use of these digital technologies.

FACT: Despite those two facts, product marketers still have plenty of opportunities to influence purchase decisions within the brick-and-mortar store – where the vast majority of grocery trips are still taking place.

That final fact is derived directly from the findings of the Path to Purchase Institute’s latest proprietary research, which surveyed 1,000 consumers from across the U.S. about their most recent trip to buy groceries.

While the shopper commerce industry has been – quite understandably – focused on the pandemic-fueled shift to online shopping and ordering that has taken place since March 2020 and the corresponding rise in importance of retail media networks within the marketing playbook, the traditional store clearly remains the destination of choice for most grocery needs and very fertile ground for influencing purchase decisions.

How clearly? Respondents were asked at the outset of the survey if their most recent efforts to buy groceries took place online or in a store, and the latter was the case for 86% of them. What’s more, a significant number of respondents who did shop online ended up going into the store when they went to pick up their orders. (More about that later.)

And once they’re in the store, shoppers are being influenced by many of the standard

May 2021

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s

F OPTIONS

d

shopping plans can be swayed in-store

P-O-P materials that have been driving purchase decisions since long before the term “shopper marketing” was even coined. So as marketers keep pace with evolving consumer behavior by enhancing their ability to engage with shoppers and drive sales through digital channels, they also need to maintain the in-store presence that, according to the research, remains critical to brand success.

The following article evaluates some of the more noteworthy highlights from the survey, the latest in a series of special reports that the Institute will conduct in 2021. Institute members have access to a more comprehensive set of results, including data at the channel, product and retailer level.

PLANNING THE TRIP For anyone who might glance at the survey’s methodology (page 20) and dismiss the dominance of brick-and-mortar trips on the fact that 63% of survey respondents were oldschool Baby Boomers and their parents, consider this: only 25% of younger shoppers overall – and just 11% of Generation Z respondents – conducted their most recent trips online.

But while physical stores continue to dominate as the destination of choice, supermarkets no longer corner the market on grocery trips like they once did. Still, the “OG” channel was the chosen format for 55% of shoppers, followed by mass merchants at 27% (Chart 1, page 16).

And by “mass merchant,” we mean “Walmart.” The world’s largest retailer gained 23% of all the shopping trips captured in the survey, the latest evidence of its superiority in the CPG world. The only other retailer getting more than 10% of the action was Kroger, which earned 11% across its flagship, Harris Teeter, King Soopers and Smith’s chains. Walmart’s nearest massmerchant rival, Target, trailed by 300 shoppers (Chart 2, page 16).

May 2021

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SPECIAL REPORT: GROCERY TRIP PURCHASE INFLUENCES

1. CHANNELS OF CHOICE

2. RETAILERS OF CHOICE 55%

Supermarket 27%

Mass 5%

Club

Dollar 3% Online-only Retailer 3% Online Delivery Service

2%

Drugstore

1%

Convenience

1%

Q: From which retailer did you make your most recent grocery purchase?

2%: Albertsons, Food Lion, H-E-B, Safeway, ShopRite, Stop & Shop, Whole Foods, Target, Sam’s Club, Dollar General 1%: Giant, Harris Teeter, Jewel-Osco, King Soopers, Shaw’s, Smith’s, Vons, Walgreens, 7-Eleven, Instacart Source: “Grocery Trip Purchase Influences” (Path to Purchase Institute, March 2021)

0%

5%

Pre-trip planning is, naturally, common for grocery trips that encompass significantly large basket sizes in most cases (see more later). More than half of all shoppers (online or in-store) assessed their inventory beforehand, and 44% of grocery trips take prepared a written shopping list. That place in a physical behavior is significantly more likely among in-store shoppers than it is for their store. online counterparts – who, quite logically, are instead creating digital lists (Chart 4, page 18).

Similarly, and not surprisingly, pre-trip behavior does vary substantially between online and in-store shoppers. The online cohort is far more likely to conduct “research” by checking out ratings and reviews, comparing prices, searching for recipes, specifically looking for product information or scanning the digital

FAST FACT

7%

Other

23% 11% 8% 6% 5% 4% 4% 3% 3%

Walmart Kroger (net) Kroger Albertsons (net)* Ahold Delhaize (net) Aldi Publix Costco Amazon

10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% 55%

Q: From which type of store did you make your most recent grocery purchase?

Source: “Grocery Trip Purchase Influences” (Path to Purchase Institute, March 2021)

That leaves 14% of shoppers who made their most recent grocery purchase online, as noted earlier. Within that group, 60% opted to take complete advantage of the channel by fulfilling their order through home delivery. Among the 40% who instead ventured to the store to pick up their items, 28% (roughly 16 shoppers, for perspective) used the opportunity to keep shopping – and not just to quickly grab milk or eggs, apparently: the average purchase was an additional 7.2 items (Chart 3, below).

86%

3. GENERAL GROCERY TRIP BEHAVIOR PURCHASE METHOD

METHOD OF FULFILLMENT Pick-up in-store

Online

14%

Average=7.2

8%

Yes

Pick-up curbside

Delivery In-store

IN-STORE PURCHASES DURING ONLINE PICKUP*

60%

32%

86%

28%

additional items purchased when picking up online order

No

78%

*Q: When you went to the store to pick up your order, did you go into the store to pick up any extra items?

Source: “Grocery Trip Purchase Influences” (Path to Purchase Institute, March 2021)

May 2021

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4/20/21 2:15 PM

SPECIAL REPORT: GROCERY TRIP PURCHASE INFLUENCES

4. PRE-GROCERY TRIP ACTIVITY Total (n=1,000)

In-store (n=856)

Online (n=144)

Checked inventory at home

56%

55%

57%

Added items to a written shopping list

44%

46%

33%

Reviewed a printed store flyer

27%

28%

22%

Looked at a store flyer online

24%

23%

33%

Looked at and/or clipped digital/online coupons

20%

19%

26%

Added items to my digital/online shopping list

19%

16%

39%

Looked at the retailer’s website*

17%

17%

n/a

Cut out/collected physical coupons

15%

16%

10%

Looked online for recipes

14%

12%

26%

Compared prices across different store flyers

14%

13%

16%

Looked through recipes in cookbooks or recipe cards

13%

11%

22%

Did price comparisons online

13%

11%

28%

Looked at the retailer’s app*

13%

13%

n/a

Looked online to browse/shop*

11%

11%

n/a

Got recommendations from family/friends

9%

8%

15%

Did a Google or other browser search

8%

7%

15%

Researched brand/variety/flavor online

8%

6%

24%

Reviewed product ratings/reviews online

7%

5%

22%

None of the above

7%

8%

3%

Q: Which of the following did you do before or during your grocery shopping ‘trip’? *Asked of in-store shoppers only (n=856) Source: “Grocery Trip Purchase Influences” (Path to Purchase Institute, March 2021)

6. PRE-PURCHASE MEDIA EXPOSURE Total (n=1,000)

In-store (n=856)

Online (n=144)

Television Ad

17%

16%

24%

Store Email

14%

14%

19%

Social Media

11%

9%

27%

Mobile App Ad

10%

8%

24%

Email

8%

7%

17%

Magazine

7%

6%

12%

Digital Ad

6%

5%

14%

Billboard

4%

3%

6%

Radio Ad

4%

3%

8%

Q: How were you exposed to the products that you purchased before or during your most recent shopping trip?

Source: “Grocery Trip Purchase Influences” (Path to Purchase Institute, March 2021)

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14-23-P2PIQ_cover story.indd 18

circular. In general, online shoppers do more planning than their brick-andmortar brethren, who only undertook two other behaviors more often: reading print circulars and collecting print coupons. In-store stoppers also are more likely to do “nothing” before starting their trip (Chart 4.)

Although 28% of almost none of BOPIS/curbside these actions shoppers purchased were employed by a majority of more products when shoppers (aside they got to the from the pantry store. check), they all had a significant effect on the ultimate purchase decisions of those who did partake. At least 40% of shoppers claimed “a lot of influence” from any of the activities they undertook, which suggests that these behaviors are likely habits that have already proved to be helpful (Chart 5, page 19).

Meanwhile, shoppers did not recall being exposed to much media advertising before or during their trip, with exactly half professing to have seen anything related to the products they ultimately purchased. However, the more task-oriented online shoppers were somewhat more likely to have encountered messages via social media, TV, mobile apps and digital ads in general. (Chart 6, left).

FAST FACT

THE BEST LAID PLANS … CHANGE Shoppers bought an average of 23.3 items during their most recent grocery trip, which gives this survey a greater focus on classic “stock-up” grocery shopping behavior as opposed to the single-purchase “spearfishing” habits that are such an integral part of e-commerce.

On average, in-store shoppers put three more items in their basket than did online shoppers, who conversely were significantly more likely to buy only a few products (Chart 7, page 19).

It would seem that many shoppers

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SPECIAL REPORT: GROCERY TRIP PURCHASE INFLUENCES still find a store visit well worth it when a trunk-load of products is needed, but might be using e-commerce to save them a trip for just a few things.

One of the most important data points emerging from the survey is that 78% of shoppers attest to making decisions about which products to buy during their trip. While “the last mile” of product delivery has garnered most of the industry discussion lately, it would appear that “the last three feet” remains important as well.

These “unplanned” shopper purchases encompass an array of different actions: • Choosing a different size or variety of the product they intended to buy.

• Buying a larger quantity of the product.

• Substituting the intended purchase with an alternative product (like choosing ground turkey instead of ground beef).

• Switching brands.

On top of all those decisions, 62% of shoppers say they bought at least one product that they hadn’t at all intended to purchase. In fact, shoppers added an average of nearly three (2.9) impulse purchases to their baskets (Chart 8, page 20).

Overall, roughly 40% of the items purchased were unplanned in some form.

While the average amount was relatively the same in-store and online (8.9 vs. 9.2 items), brick-and-mortar shoppers bought more impulse items (3.1 vs. 1.8). That fact validates the concerns of marketers of grocery shoppers in impulse bought products they purchase didn’t intend categories about to buy. the impact that the e-commerce shift is having on their sales.

The reasons for these switches are numerous, and start with the more obvious ones: 46% of shoppers changed their minds when they encountered

FAST FACT

62%

5. INFLUENCE OF PRE-TRIP ACTIVITIES ON FINAL PURCHASE DECISIONS 21%

77%

Written Shopping List (n=440)

23%

74%

Physical Coupons (n=154)

44%

Online Recipe Search (n=141)

40%

Recommendations from Family/Friends (n=93)

41%

Digital/Online Shopping List (n=194)

52% 52% 52%

49%

Researching Brand/Variety/Flavor Online (n=85)

51%

65%

49%

Digital/Online Coupons (n=200)

51%

47%

Printed Store Flyer (n=271)

46%

45%

Price Comparisons Using Store Flyers (n=137)

57%

Cookbooks or Recipe Cards (n=127)

45%

50%

Online Price Comparisons (n=134)

44%

48%

Product Ratings/Reviews Online (n=70)

44%

44%

43%

“Pre-shopping” Online (n=90)

49%

43%

Store Flyer Online (n=242)

66%

40%

Google or Other Browser Search (n=85)

66%

40% A little

A lot

Q: How much influence did each activity have on your final purchase decisions?

Source: “Grocery Trip Purchase Influences” (Path to Purchase Institute, March 2021)

7. BASKET SIZE FOR MOST RECENT GROCERY TRIP >20

11-20

6-10

2-5

1

Average

Total (n=1,000)

40%

30%

18%

11% 1%

23.3

In-store (n=856)

41%

30%

18%

10% 1%

23.7

Online (n=144)

37%

28%

15%

18%

1%

20.7

Q: How many products did you purchase overall during your most recent trip?

Source: “Grocery Trip Purchase Influences” (Path to Purchase Institute, March 2021)

a different product on sale, and 40% selected an alternative when finding their planned purchase out of stock (Chart 9, page 20 ).

But rest assured, dear readers, that marketing is having an impact as well. Online, almost one-third of shoppers (27%) responded to a recommendation made at checkout and 11% by ads on the retailer’s website, in addition to sales and special offers.

May 2021

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Inventory at Home (n=555)

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SPECIAL REPORT: GROCERY TRIP PURCHASE INFLUENCES

FAST FACT 8. LEVEL OF UNPLANNED PURCHASES, BY TYPE 62%

39%

43%

39%

Total Shoppers Making Unplanned Purchases

31%

78% Different Brand

Substitution/ Different Alternate Product Variety/Size

Larger Quantity

Unplanned Product

Q: Approximately how many of the products you purchased were…

Source: “Grocery Trip Purchase Influences” (Path to Purchase Institute, March 2021)

In stores, almost 46% of all shoppers half of shoppers changed their purchase (46%) who plans after encountering deviated from sales on alternative their original plans products. were persuaded to do so, at least in part, by a display or sign. The highly coveted endcap display topped the options in terms of impact from P-O-P materials at 30%, but displays in other locations also made their mark (Chart 11, page 22).

Among the shoppers who identified displays as a purchase influencer, equal numbers (40%) were influenced by endcaps and secondary displays in the same aisle as the product’s category set. In general, displays had a slightly greater impact at mass merchants (again, mostly Walmart)

9. PURCHASE VARIATION TRIGGERS METHODOLOGY 46%

Other product was on sale 32%

Special offer

30%

Endcap display *

27%

Recommended by website/app during checkout ** 21%

Coupon Store flyer/ad

19%

Secondary display *

19%

Personalized offer

15%

Shelf sign *

15%

Advertised on website/app

11%

Recipe specification

11% 12%

Sign in store (not at shelf)*

9%

Store associate recommendation 6%

Floor decal *

7%

Free sample in store *

7%

0%

The demographic breakdown is as follows: Gen Z ................................................... 4% Millennial ...........................................15% Gen X ..................................................18% Baby Boomer ...................................51% Mature ................................................12%

12%

Attractive packaging

Sweepstakes opportunity

The Path to Purchase Institute fielded an online survey of 1,000 shoppers from March 16–21, 2021. To qualify, participants had to be the primary shopper for their household and have shopped for groceries at least once in the prior week, either online or in a store.

40%

Planned product was out of stock

10%

20%

30%

40%

Q. For which of the following reasons did you purchase products/brands/varieties that you hadn’t intended to buy? *asked among shoppers that shopped in store or picked up order in store (n=678) **asked among shoppers that shopped online only (n=116)

50%

Survey participants were asked questions about their most recent shopping experience, beginning with the actions they took to help plan their trip and then the actions they took during the trip itself. A key determinant for some of the answer options given respondents was whether the “trip” took place online or in a physical store location.

Source: “Grocery Trip Purchase Influences” (Path to Purchase Institute, March 2021)

May 2021

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SPECIAL REPORT: GROCERY TRIP PURCHASE INFLUENCES

A Good Read on

IN-STORE BEHAVIOR

Great Northern Instore was very excited to participate with the Path to Purchase Institute on this timely research project.

We strive to bring the latest retail insights to our clients and translate those insights into successful retail activations. This past year, our course has been very different, and we felt the need to get an up-to-date read on shopping behavior.

Here are some of the key findings from our perspective:

media, and in-store assets – should convey a continuous message for maximum recognition and efficiency. This connects the consumer and shopper personalities, helping to close the sale more effectively.

By Dan Sabanosh

The physical store clearly plays a critical role in the path to purchase. As the research shows, 86% of shoppers made their most recent purchase in-store. Another 6% headed to the store to pick up their online order – so over 90% of shoppers went to the store.

If you feel that the 6% of pickup shoppers should not count, remember that over a quarter of shoppers picking up an online order purchased additional items in the store. And it was not just one cold beverage for the road: Respondents who made incremental purchases averaged over seven additional items. We conclude there are still great opportunities to drive incremental impulse purchase at the physical store to build baskets for retailers, drive item trial and garner extra sales lifts.

This is bolstered by the fact that grocery shoppers placed an additional 2.9 unplanned items into their basket, an increase of 14% from the number of products they planned to purchase. And these don’t just represent an isolated, single buy. Of the shoppers who made unplanned purchases or deviated from their original intent by buying a different item, 90% said they will repurchase at least one of those products. So these impulse buys drive longer-term purchase decisions. Thus, winning on the in-store battlefield delivers both short-term gains and long-term results.

The survey results also show that winning across the entire path to purchase is critical. To accomplish that, it is important that all marketing materials – digital, social, retail

May 2021

14-23-P2PIQ_cover story.indd 21

To win in the store environment, breaking through the clutter is critical. Respondents mention that “On Sale” is the No. 1 reason for buying items that differed from their intended purchases. Therefore, point-of-sale messaging should clearly call out the value offered.

Almost half of shoppers who purchased items not on their shopping list were impacted by in-store signs or displays. Of those, 50% realized it was an item that they needed but had not planned to buy. That suggests displays must clearly convey the product they are merchandising.

This sounds simple, but understand that a shopper is coming to the grocery store on a mission, focused on finding the items on their list. Respondents also stated that display size, images, and colors can help attract them to purchase those unplanned items, so eye-catching creative is vital as well.

The data finds some slight differences among purchase influences depending on the retail environment. Grocery shoppers who said that displays impacted their decisions identified pricing as the most influential aspect. In the mass and club channels, however, the leading factor was realizing they needed the product. Messaging, therefore, should be adapted accordingly to drive engagement in these environments.

Most importantly, respondents tell us it’s important to win all elements of the shopper journey. Everything must work together, and it is especially critical to win at the point of purchase – which is still the physical store for about nine out of 10 trips. Brands need to stand out and break through the clutter by showcasing their product and its value.

About the author: Dan Sabanosh is Director of Shopper Marketing for Great Northern Instore, a leading designer and manufacturer of merchandising solutions, where he helps clients be more insightful when developing their retail programs. Before joining Great Northern, Sabanosh worked for Colgate-Palmolive in both shopper marketing and brand management roles.

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SPECIAL REPORT: GROCERY TRIP PURCHASE INFLUENCES than at supermarkets (Chart 11, below). Of the shoppers influenced by displays and signs, that 7% of brick-androughly half were swayed either by the communicated price or the simple fact that the mortar shoppers display reminded them of their need for that product (Chart 10, below). were also swayed Displays and Other triggers covered a variety of P-O-P collateral, including signs in multiple by product signs inspired unplanned samples is a good locations, product packaging and even the relatively rare floor graphic. The fact purchases for 46% indicator that the of in-store tactic is gradually returning to the store shoppers.

10. ATTRIBUTES OF SIGNS/DISPLAYS INFLUENCING environment after largely disappearing during UNPLANNED PURCHASES the height of the pandemic.

In addition to the overt impact of 51% 50% P-O-P materials acknowledged by shoppers, and while it might be stating Influenced by a sign/display the obvious, here is another point to 27% consider: There had to be some visible, 17% tangible mechanism through which 15% 46% of shoppers learned about the sale and 32% discovered the special offer Product Realized I needed Size of display Graphics/ Color(s) Price the product (caught my eye) Imagery that ultimately altered their purchase Q: What aspects of the sign/display attracted you to purchase the other product/brand/variety? (N=355) plans. In an omnichannel world, there Source: “Grocery Trip Purchase Influences” (Path to Purchase Institute, March 2021) certainly is a chance that the deals were communicated digitally – Institute research published in March, in fact, found that 12% of shoppers utilize the 11. LOCATION OF DISPLAYS INFLUENCING retailer’s website or app while shopping UNPLANNED PURCHASE in the physical store. In most cases, however, it’s probably safe to assume Supermarket Mass TOTAL there was a display or sign (n=70) (n=32) involved.

Display in aisle with similar products 40% 44% 41% There also is at least some Display at end of aisle 40% 40% 47% circumstantial 90% of shoppers who evidence that made an unplanned Display in aisle with different products 29% 21% 25% in-store purchase purchase will consider triggers can lend buying the alternative Near fresh/prepared foods 25% 24% 31% a hand in driving product again. future sales: Of Store entrance 22% 20% 19% the 78% of shoppers who made some type of Near front of store (excluding checkout) 20% 16% 22% unplanned purchase during their most recent grocery trip, an eye-popping 90% Checkout counter/line 18% 13% 25% said they will consider repurchasing the alternative rather than the product they Seasonal aisle 18% 13% 25% originally intended to buy. A well-placed display today, therefore, could lead to a Near back of store loyal shopper tomorrow.

17% 21% 12% So while climbing to the top of search Near pharmacy/pharmacy counter results has become critical to success, it’s 7% 7% 9% important for brands to remember that staying prominent within the physical Q: Where in the store did you see the display for the product you purchased? (N=160) store remains crucial as well. IQ Source: “Grocery Trip Purchase Influences” (Path to Purchase Institute, March 2021)

FAST FACT

46%

FAST FACT

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Welcome to the New Reality INTRODUCING THE PATH TO PURCHASE IQ SHOPPER ENGAGEMENT PARTNER SHOWCASE

Explore our all-new, highly-interactive digital experience of product marketing solutions and agencies in an environment unlike anything experienced before on PathtoPurchaseIQ.com.

The Shopper Engagement Partner Showcase provides 24/7, year-round access to insights, trends, and valuable tools and services. Not virtual reality, this is the new reality, engaging marketers directly with solution providers and agencies when you can’t meet face-to-face.

THE SHOWCASE SHOWDOWN Participants can spotlight new products, portfolios, and unique capabilities.

Information is seamlessly displayed in a digital environment where visitors can easily click-to-connect.

G E T YO UR TOUR TO DAY !

Contact Joe Territo, Brand Leader (jterrito@ensembleiq.com, 973.727.7338), or your sales representative for a tour of the Shopper Engagement Partner Showcase.

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PEOPLE to WATCH

Our annual showcase this year shines the spotlight on 12 individuals nominated by their respective companies’ representatives in the Institute’s Commerce Executive Network. These rising stars are making names for themselves by doing the exemplary work their brands need to drive success.

BY E R I K A F LY N N

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PEOPLE TO WATCH Grown up in Reno, Nevada, Bronica Banks knew she wanted diversity from her college experience, so she chose to go across the country to Clark Atlanta University in Georgia. Her years at the HBCU (historically black college or university) taught her tenacity and instilled a fire that she believes is the reason she’s such a motivated employee today.

After earning a degree in mass communications that included internships at Coca-Cola and GE, she joined Union Pacific, starting in the railroad’s marketing and sales development program – a “standard fresh-out-of-college” training program, she says. She became a commodity manager, working on strategies, programs and services to expand Union Pacific’s presence in relevant markets. She then decided to make a career switch to CPG and searched for openings at Anheuser-Busch.

In April 2016, she landed her first position at A-B in Boise, Idaho, as a trade marketing manager, at the time a newer role for the brewer that thrust her into the booming craft beer market. She focused on trade execution and led a team of brand activation managers before being promoted to senior manager of onpremise trade programs. That came with a move to New York City, where she was charged with piloting all field activation programs and eventually supported all high-end imports.

In January 2020, Banks was named the director BRONICA BANKS of event strategy, a short-lived position when Company: the pandemic hit. She then worked on special Anheuser-Busch InBev projects until being named the director of Title: Director, Shopper Marketing shopper marketing in August 2020 when the Age: 31 The company’s Home Gate program, retail integration team became the shopper a response to the disruption in field marketing team with new titles, roles and Education: marketing plans at the beginning of responsibilities as well as added support Clark Atlanta University (bachelor’s, mass communications, the pandemic, is one of Banks’ career through its agency of record. with a concentration in highlights. “Approximately 40% of our Banks now works with all U.S. channel teams to PR management) sales and marketing package is dedicated deliver omnichannel customized retailer solutions, dollars to drive trial and encourage ‘liquid to leading a team of seven shopper marketing managers. lips,’” she says. The Home Gate program consisted They manage national cross merchandising and coupon of sweepstakes, digital and social activity as well as strategy to provide retail teams with turnkey programming sampling (the last handled by Field Agent). intended to improve rate of sale and provide basket-building The trial effort drove 15,000 samples of Bud Light Seltzer, the retail solutions while encouraging consumers to trade up. It also company’s No. 1 priority brand in 2021. And Field Agent is now collaborates with A-B’s agency to create below the line solutions utilized as a primary tactic for sampling, especially in the nonrooted in shopper insights to drive category growth and develop traditional environment, with initial program results showing shopper media plans to support new innovation brand launches 89% first-time buyers, 82% positive shopper sentiment and 83% at retail. repurchase intent.

Last year, the team also developed alternative sampling plans Banks credits her parents for teaching her to never give up, when traditional activity was paused due to COVID-19 and and bad bosses for teaching her what not to do. “Leading with strengthened partnerships with other CPG companies. “We really empathy is where I’ve seen the most success and where I hadn’t elevated and stepped our game up when it comes to partnerships to be much more than just a stand-alone rebate in-store,” she says. had support in the past,” she says. Her current manager – Colleen Kelly, A-B’s head of trade and shopper marketing – has been The team has gotten a lot smarter about creating 360-degree the mastermind behind setting the vision for the restructured omnichannel programs and engaging in the e-commerce space to shopper marketing team. “Her agility and steadfast vision is the talk to consumers when they’re in an active planning or browsing reason I am where I am today.” mindset, she adds.

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PEOPLE TO WATCH career at Big Lots for two years before joining start-up Zulily in a satellite office, starting as a buyer for several different categories and then moving into merchandising. She spent nearly seven years there, ultimately working on macro-level strategic initiatives and making Zulily the destination for online shopping for women.

At the end of 2019, Jaeger joined Scotts Miracle-Gro as a business development manager in e-commerce. An avid gardener, she quickly became passionate about the company’s product line. Her responsibilities included sales and marketing support for key retailer partners including The Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart and Target, with the goals of optimizing product assortments and educating shoppers about the portfolio to drive purchases, whether in-store or online.

“I work[ed] closely with internal and external teams to make sure Scotts Miracle-Gro is top-of-mind for the customer shopping cycle,” she says, adding that being in this position when the COVID-19 pandemic hit was exciting. “Every dream we ever shared with retailers ... they were forced to expedite, and we wanted to be partners to support them.”

Jaeger was recently promoted to director of sales for Walmart, managing store and online sales.

With an estimated 21 million new gardeners created by the pandemic, e-commerce has become a stronger focus at the company, Jaeger says. “We have all kinds of amazing data for some of these new customers who never bought online before and [we] supply them with targeted products we know they will want or need to buy based on things they’ve purchased in the past,” she explains. “The speed our retailers showed to support their customers was an amazing thing to witness.

We had retailers transition from all purchasing activity happening in-store, to developing infrastructure to allow for curbside pickup with no employee interaction.”

As things move back to the “new normal,” she knows retailers will never be the same. “Customers expect more, they want their shopping experience to be easier, better, faster – and I will be there to JESSICA JAEGER support Scotts Miracle-Gro in this.”

Jaeger has a proven track record of Jessica Jaeger had business acumen from Company: learning new businesses, finding white a very early age, having used all of her Scotts Miracle-Gro space, solving complex issues and chore money to buy office supplies and Title: executing solid strategies while exceeding then work role playing with her sister. She Director of Sales for Walmart financial and profitability goals, but took her first job at 15 because she wanted Age: 35 she says her greatest pleasure has been to, not because she had to.

Education: Penn State University developing her teams. “There is no greater After graduating from Penn State’s Smeal (bachelor’s, marketing; minor success than watching someone else succeed College of Business with a degree in marketing, in economics) and creating bench strength for the company.” she started working at Dick’s Sporting Goods As BOPIS and curbside experiences continue in the retailer’s merchant training program. It was to grow, physical stores will still remain the hub of a very competitive but very well organized yearlong fulfillment, she predicts, and she sees the space becoming program that sets people up for success, she says. “The more optimized to support this evolution. “This space could also foundation of my success was definitely built from that.” be used for mini-store shipping hubs to be close, quicker and Jaeger became an assistant buyer for baseball at the retailer, a cheaper to deliver to the customer.” position she held for two years. She then continued her merchant

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PEOPLE TO WATCH While studying marketing and management at Florida Atlantic leveraging consumer insights about low-income shoppers to University, Van Morris learned the different aspects of the “5 P’s” cater to them and meet their needs. That often means developing custom SKUs with smaller count sizes to meet specific price points and how crucial it is to implement the process efficiently to drive business. But diving heavily into analytics and how to interpret the and being very strategic and creative.

Morris learned her work ethic at a young age. Her parents 5 P’s at retail quickly became her passion. “I love looking at past emigrated from Vietnam, and with no financial support from trends and seeing how shoppers shop – and you can see that in her family, she had to work a full-time job while in college. “This the data,” she says. taught me to prioritize my time and stay focused on my goals,” Fine-tuning the art of storytelling and she says. “I really applied myself and worked hard to get to supporting those stories with data is where I am today.” something Morris says can’t be learned VAN MORRIS Looking ahead, Morris would like to gain experience in through school, but her experiences sales and customer strategy. “I love learning the different working in the industry have Company: Nature’s Bounty/ aspects of the business and how multiple teams all opened her eyes to opportunities The Bountiful Company come together to execute a plan,” she says, adding that beyond textbook marketing and Title: her long-term goal is to lead her own channel. advertising.

Category Development Manager Morris started her career as an Age: 33 analyst at Acosta Sales & Marketing Education: and then moved to serving as a client Florida Atlantic University insights manager for Pinnacle Foods (bachelor’s, marketing) at the agency. It was there she learned basic category management skills and handled many accounts in the Southeast region. Three years later, CDZ Sales recruited her as its category advisor to work in-house at Family Dollar.

“I worked very closely with the beauty care and personal care buyer to make strategic recommendations based on Family Dollar’s internal basket data and applied that to current market trends,” she says. While in that role, she developed strong relationships with the buyers and a greater understanding of the retailer’s perspective and how it operates.

When Family Dollar and Dollar Tree merged, Morris’ job was eliminated and she joined Colgate-Palmolive as a category development manager, handling the personal care business at Family Dollar. After three years at Colgate, she decided she wanted to get more exposure at a smaller company and so joined Nature’s Bounty/The Bountiful Company in late 2018 as a category development manager, the position she holds today.

Morris currently supports Publix and Dollar General for the vitamins and sports nutrition categories, with a focus on getting the right assortments and working with the buyers to make sure it’s easy for shoppers to navigate the shelf.

“Everyone is caught up with getting in and out of stores quickly now,” she says. “It’s crucial to get the planogram right and make sure we retain these new shoppers that are entering the category.” She also supports the sales teams as they present to the buyers at these accounts, which involves a lot of strategy work, data mining and storytelling.

Understanding the perspective of the retailer, the category and the shopper is crucial in category management. “Of course everyone wants to grow their business and sell in new items, but they also want to do what’s right for the retailer and ultimately the shopper,” Morris says, adding that she is motivated by effectively

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PEOPLE TO WATCH cross-functional partners, including brand, digital commerce, sales and frontline marketing, to deliver integrated connection plans, as well as using digital media to reach shoppers along their journey.

Her team drives omnichannel solutions across shared, earned, owned and paid connection points for the company’s beverage portfolio.

“We’re trying to see our whole consumer and all the touchpoints they go through until they purchase our product,” she says. “If we can insert ourselves across that consumer journey in the right way, to build brand equity, [sell] more products more often or deliver new and surprising product they’ve not heard of based on what we know about them, that is our goal.”

The trick is to translate big brand marketing campaigns, coming up with ways to drive actual purchase of the products being promoted, she says.

In response to the massive e-commerce growth sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic, the team quickly needed to pivot its media investment strategy to address the shift in consumer behavior, Kerins says. “As part of this cross-functional task force, we were responsible for building and managing digital investments on behalf of our operating units and brands. We built a prioritized digital commerce strategy in order to drive share and revenue growth across key e-commerce and retailer platforms. This ‘connected commerce’ – how we redefine our shopper investment team – is the evolution of how we think of our digital marketing in a digital world.”

Kerins credits her parents with instilling in her a drive and strong work ethic. “I learned at a very young age that nothing comes easy, so you need to work hard,” she says. Her current manager, Katie Neil, connected COLLEEN KERINS commerce lead for North America, has also influenced her significantly. “She is an Company: amazing leader who enables and empowers Colleen Kerins was an avid sports fan The Coca-Cola Co. individuals on her team to show up every growing up in Western Pennsylvania. She Title: day being their best self,” Kerins says, chose to attend the University of Florida Manager, Connected Commerce adding that peers in her various roles have not only for its business school but also Age: 33 been instrumental in blocking and tackling because of its strong football tradition.

Education: obstacles along the way to achieve success.

Her first job out of college was at Fox University of Florida She believes there will always be value Sports in Atlanta, a fitting move given her (bachelor’s, marketing) for consumers visiting a physical location to marketing degree. She began focusing on buy their products. The pandemic just pushed brand and media activation, both for TV and consumers to plan ahead more when it comes to digital as the latter medium took off, and ultimately what beverage they want to consume and when. moved to New York City after she accepted a media “In order for us to be more human-centric, we need to planner role at Fox Sports, along the way contributing to the first solve how our digital commerce strategy can reach the hyperlive-streamed Super Bowl. After nearly five years, she moved to connected consumer,” Kerins says. Developing a truly personal, IBM, where she was tasked with leveraging complex data sets to authentic connection with shoppers is key. “We need to stay deliver better digital personalization. She spent five years there, focused on delivering a seamless shopping experience – both ending in a media strategy and brand partnerships role. online and offline – across all touchpoints to drive repeat Ultimately wanting to apply her skillset on the brand side, purchase and brand discovery of our products,” she adds. “I’m Kerins made the move back to Atlanta and joined the Coca-Cola confident that the work we’re doing today will make sure we win team in late 2019 as manager of connected commerce. in this space.”

Kerins now focuses on leading strategy and planning with

May 2021

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PEOPLE TO WATCH on a variety of projects in category management, marketing and analytics. “The research, analytics and category leadership work I was doing in the beauty/skin care space quickly ignited a passion for shopper and category insights and demonstrated the intimacy these categories have with their consumers,” she says.

In January 2020, Zabrodsky joined Beiersdorf as category development manager. She focuses heavily on new categories, identifying the vision, strategy, trends and white space opportunities at play. She leads category research, creating consumer decision trees and path to purchase studies and doing a lot of analytical work including developing dashboards to help understand assortment, innovation, and brand and category performance. “A lot of my responsibilities are also centered on being an expert storyteller, infusing data, research, consumer insights and category trends into unbiased recommendations and strategy that will unlock category growth for both brands and retailers and deliver on unmet consumer needs,” she says.

One of her first projects after joining Beiersdorf was coleading a new “distribution and assortment process” to define core assortment priorities by category and retailer across the company. Previously, Beiersdorf didn’t have many different sources of information the cross-functional teams consider when assessing the portfolio or a clear definition of success that considered both brand OLIVIA ZABRODSKY assortment performance and category benchmarks important Company: Beiersdorf U.S. to retailers.

Title: “We wanted to not only streamline information Category Development Manager sources but also create a tool that the organization could use as one source of truth Age: 26 infusing many types of data and metrics that Olivia Zabrodsky has always had Education: would help us make relevant and insight-driven a passion for the art of storytelling Case Western Reserve University decisions,” Zabrodsky says. The tool was created and the way it can influence and (bachelor’s, management, marketing major; bachelor’s, with a unique weighted analytical methodology inspire people. She studied marketing theatre) that incorporates many sources of information into a and theatre at Case Western Reserve final ranking system.

University, a combination that she says “The analytical methodologies in this tool provide offered complementary skill sets, both our cross-functional teams with a deep understanding of our centered on compelling stories. “It taught me how categories, brand performance, and direction on decisions [before to approach problems and stories through facts, evidence, line] reviews that will result in beneficial outcomes for our brands, detailed analytics and creativity to inspire an outcome,” she retailers and consumers,” she says. It also has helped the team says. “It laid the groundwork for identifying insights that might serve as white space or ‘reason to believe’ in an unmet consumer quickly make data-driven decisions and understand the state of the company’s portfolio benchmarked against the competition, need, which is imperative to the work we do in category she explains. management.”

While many believe the physical store is losing importance in Zabrodsky says the CPG industry excited her from an early the digital media era, Zabrodsky thinks it will still play a critical age. She spent a lot of time reading about brands and looking at role in the future, especially in the beauty and skin care space. product marketing, and then interned at a lab where she focused “Digital and omnichannel strategy can’t be ignored as we have on food science, specifically testing the viscosity of peanut butter seen the accelerated role online is playing, especially throughout cups. “I quickly realized that what excited me most was not the COVID-19 for many categories,” she says. But consumers are still R&D side of CPG, but rather consumer trends and needs that seeking elevated experiences when shopping for skin care and influenced categories and brand marketing,” she says. beauty and – now more than ever – they will seek to escape She began her career at Cadent Consulting Group, working through meaningful in-store experiences, she predicts. in food, beverage and beauty/skin care and providing solutions

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PEOPLE TO WATCH After completing St. Joseph’s University’s food marketing cooperative program, Michael Fulton found his passion: working in the CPG industry with an eye on healthcare. His schooling included three semesters of real-life, industry-specific experiences working full-time with two companies in the U.S. and one in Ireland, where he learned from former food industry leaders.

After graduation Fulton entered Johnson & Johnson’s sales and leadership development program, where he called on Walmart.

Starting in sales analytics and quickly moving into category management in support of Walmart buyers, he was propelled into numerous customer-facing roles.

He spent more than three years in the consumer medical devices industry with J&J Vision Care in customer marketing. With that experience, Fulton says, shopper marketing was a natural fit for his aspirations to connect consumers and shoppers with brands across omnichannel retail environments.

Today, as senior manager of shopper marketing at Sanofi Consumer Healthcare, Fulton is responsible for developing insights-led, customer-specific plans that will distinguish the company’s portfolio of brands from the competition while connecting with shoppers. “In doing so, I’ve had to be nimble in order to traverse the challenges of starting a new function while blazing new opportunities for connection with consumers via the retailer experience,” he says, adding that he was hired virtually via Zoom calls and has yet to visit the company’s offices.

Since coming on board, Fulton has built the shopper marketing function from the ground up with director of shopper marketing Nellson, establishing best practices while revolutionizing how the organization creates connections with consumers. “With many folks communicates through retailers to shoppers in MICHAEL FULTON coming from diverse work experiences, there the long run.

Company: were varying degrees of knowledge about Fulton’s passion for the industry has Sanofi Consumer Healthcare and adoption of the shopper marketing now expanded to include working on Title: function,” Fulton says. “As the value has brands at companies that seek to improve Senior Manager of Shopper Marketing the quality of life for consumers as well been showcased and programs begin to Age: 36 elevate how we go to market, more and as working for organizations that are more colleagues are becoming strong environmentally and socially responsible.

Education: St. Joseph’s University (bachelor’s, business administration, believers in shopper marketing.”

“Having worked in CPG for more than 13 food marketing cooperative program; The team has worked tirelessly, in years, you get to see how much goes into minor in international conjunction with The Mars Agency, to build the end-to-end process and how organizations business) and begin to execute cohesive, insights-fueled can do their part to better the community and customer-first shopper activation plans, he says. It has the world both ethically and sustainably,” he says. begun to elevate and amplify programs around tent-pole “I will continue to push these upward as part of the art of windows while leveraging pre-existing consumer promotions continuous improvement.” and national media to incorporate retailer media network plans Fulton also plans to continue to eliminate friction in the along with customized shopper activation plans. “In short, we’re shopping experience for shoppers while growing market share creating maximized engagement with shoppers and ensuring through targeted activations. With the COVID-19 impact in they cannot shop, browse or think about a need state without mind, the roadmap has been “completely thrown up in the air,” knowing Sanofi Consumer Healthcare has the right solution for he says. He hopes to one day be running integrated shopper them,” he says. The team’s efforts have taken Sanofi to a new marketing across a specific group of retailers and leading place in terms of how it works with retailers as well as how it industry-wide change.

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PEOPLE TO WATCH Since her college days at Michigan State, Rielly Whims has been fascinated by the grocery shopping experience. She likes to explore new stores and discover products on-shelf, walk every aisle and take pictures to better understand each retailer’s strategies as well as how brands are representing themselves to shoppers. “What we do in-store influences the way people think about our products,” she says. Such journeys started during her school days, when during a six-week advertising program at the University of Rome she and her classmates learned about international business, walked the streets of Rome and studied Italian advertisements.

After her time overseas, Whims started an internship at shopper agency Mosaic in Chicago, focusing mainly on retailtainment events for Walmart. She agreed to stay on part-time, working remotely, while she went back to East Lansing, Michigan, to finish her degree. After graduating, she joined the agency full-time in account management. Three years later, she moved over to Kraft Heinz as a shopper marketing analyst for Walmart, and then, in February 2020, joined Bimbo Bakeries as an associate brand

manager in shopper marketing supporting multiple retailers.

Today, Whims leads the shopper marketing efforts at Publix and Meijer, working between Bimbo’s brand teams and customer teams on brand initiatives and innovation updates while keeping the retailers and their priorities top-of-mind. She is currently transitioning Target and H-E-B to a new colleague as the company’s shopper marketing team continues to grow.

Julie Haferkamp, a senior director at Mosaic, was instrumental in shaping Whims’ early career, as well as her vision for the future. “She was the kindest leader who worked incredibly hard and inspired others to do so as well,” she says. “You’d never know she was leading the charge because she worked just as hard as anyone and no task was beneath her. She wasn’t the intimidating leader I originally thought came along with success and experience.”

Whims is proud of all the brands she’s worked on during her career and feels she already brings a unique perspective, having started at an agency and now has experience with two large CPG organizations. “I’ve gotten to work for some amazing brands,” she says. “It’s been a real asset to see how RIELLY WHIMS different CPG companies are utilizing Company: Bimbo Bakeries USA shopper marketing and have those Title: Associate Brand Manager, conversations about what is best in Shopper Marketing class and how we can continue to Age: 27 be excellent.”

She sees herself diving deeper Education: into the CPG industry, eventually Michigan State University (bachelor’s, advertising, with a working in innovation or gaining focus on media and management) the experience of managing a specific brand. “You have to unlock a whole new set of skills from the shopper marketing perspective within brand management,” she says. “I think that would help me be a more well-rounded marketer as I learn to put the brand first as opposed to the retailer.”

Whims predicts time in stores will continue to decrease as shoppers adopt new behaviors post-pandemic, making product placement in-store even more important and valuable as they focus on perimeter departments. “Retailers are prioritizing meal solutions and items you can grab and go, and it’s getting shoppers out of the routine of [preparing food] at home more than we ever thought possible,” she says.

Bimbo products are staples, and she believes the company has the opportunity to incorporate them into those solutions.

“We’ll continue to market in-store and will also increase funds on our [DTC] platform since so many platforms have made that plunge,” Whims says. “People have learned a new and convenient way to shop, and the ‘purchase again’ feature makes things so easy that shoppers can continue to be reinspired.”

May 2021

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PEOPLE TO WATCH Following internships at NBC News and “The Late Show with David Letterman,” Kelly Taylor planned for a career in broadcast journalism or television production. But she pivoted while finishing her degree at the University of Notre Dame to pursue a career at E. & J. Gallo because she was drawn to the company’s culture and the promise of building a long-term career.

She was recruited into Gallo’s Sales Leadership Development Program, starting as a retail sales representative in Detroit inside Great Lakes Wine & Spirits, a Gallo distributor, followed by district manager and key account analyst positions. She then transitioned to roles working directly for Gallo, calling on retail customers as a project analyst and regional account manager in Chicago, and has been its manager of e-commerce sales since July 2019.

Taylor is tasked with maximizing alcohol e-commerce sales across external sites and platforms. “I partner with the Gallo sales organization to consult with grocery retailers, specialty chains and independents on their e-commerce business,” she says. “Our team is committed to delivering datadriven recommendations to retailers to improve online alcohol availability, increase category KELLY TAYLOR visibility and optimize the online shopping Company: experience for wine and spirits.”

E. & J. Gallo Winery As consumer adoption of e-commerce Title: accelerated tremendously in 2020, Manager, E-Commerce Sales Taylor’s team heavily shifted its Age: 29 marketing spend toward digital and experienced substantial e-commerce Education: revenue growth as new stores and University of Notre Dame (bachelor’s, American studies, restaurants began selling alcohol online. television studies) “We partnered with winery sales to consult my roles independently, contributing to an distributors, retailers and restaurants on best entrepreneurial culture that is rooted in Gallo’s practices for online category growth,” she says. company values of integrity, commitment, teamwork, As a result, online alcohol sales gained greater share humility and respect.” of mind across merchants, leading to increased category Persevering through the early days as a retail sales availability, visibility and prioritization. “We strengthened our representative and district manager led Taylor to where she partnership with both retail and on-premise partners as we is today. “Pushing through the holiday season as a wine sales provided suggestions on navigating the changing landscape representative is no easy task, but it’s entirely rewarding once and capitalizing on e-commerce sales.” you reflect on the hard work and sweat equity.”

Taylor has also been focused on developing retailer-facing Understanding entry-level sales responsibilities is crucial to insights, resources and best practices that help accounts succeeding in future roles at the Winery, she notes, since so improve the online shopping experience and maximize sales. much of what the company accomplishes is dependent upon “We also build sales-facing resources that enable our sales force the sales representatives at the store level. to identify opportunities for a customer’s e-commerce business,” Being on the e-commerce team in the midst of the COVID-19 she says. “As a result, we’ve encouraged sales to increase their pandemic has been immensely challenging but extremely e-commerce fluency to accomplish e-commerce and digital rewarding. “Our team was thrust into the spotlight in 2020 and objectives.” rose to the challenge to support our sales organization quickly Taylor points to the managers she has worked with since and effectively,” she says. moving into roles inside Gallo as being instrumental in The team operates with an entrepreneurial spirit that allows it fostering her professional development. “They have all to seek out untapped opportunities and create solutions that set struck an impressive balance of providing ample support it up for success in the e-commerce sphere. Says Taylor: “I’m very while simultaneously allowing for personal autonomy,” proud of the body of work and the e-commerce wins we were she says. “My managers have put trust in me to execute able to accomplish.”

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PEOPLE TO WATCH Bridget Nordlund believes that lasting solutions to our

to switch paths into marketing by joining the admission team at greatest environmental issues are found through collaborating her alma mater, Saint Benedict’s and Saint John’s University. “That’s purposefully, asking questions and not being afraid to test new when I decided marketing was my future,” she says. approaches. While her degree in environmental studies from Wanting to be back on the brand side, Nordlund moved to the College of Saint Benedict didn’t lead her into the field of startup City Girl Coffee Co. as head of brand development. She corporate sustainability like she had at once planned, she’s found stayed there for two years before taking an opportunity on the that the same mindset holds true for finding solutions to the e-commerce team at General Mills. She has served as senior largest business issues. “The best answers are found when you’re planner – brand experience, e-commerce, since March 2020. not afraid to strip the problem down to hundreds of questions, As part of the e-commerce pure-play unit mainly focusing admit you alone don’t have the single key, and then work as a on the company’s Instacart business, Nordlund partners closely team with full humility to build something that’s never been built with other planners on the e-commerce shopper team while before,” she says. collaborating with their sales counterparts. “Together we ask Nordlund started her career as a business analyst at Target, tough questions and set the bar high for what we want to focusing on the retailer’s private-label sleepwear lines. She achieve,” she says. “The weight that e-commerce has on the was promoted to senior business analyst in the shoe growth of General Mills as a whole has evolved and department and then became a sourcing manager more eyes are on e-commerce,” she explains. “So responsible for negotiating costs and building we’ve had to navigate new waters almost daily BRIDGET NORDLUND the retailer’s vendor matrix. and ensure that methods and processes ... are Just a few years into her career, she decided best in class so our efforts meet the needs Company: General Mills of the company and what we believe the Title: Senior Planner – future holds.”

Brand Experience, E-Commerce Nordlund points to several individuals Age: 35 who have helped her in her career thus Education: College of Saint Benedict far. While in her last position at Saint (bachelor’s, environmental studies, Benedict’s and Saint John’s, she reported political science); Gonzaga University to Tammy Moore, the CMO, who “has this (masters, communication and leadership studies) unprecedented ability to immediately see to the core of complicated issues, and she made them instantly uncomplicated,” she says. “More than that, her superpower was bringing teams together to solve those issues.”

While at General Mills, her mentor Christine Wicker has made a significant impact as well. “Her trust, the challenges she tasked me with, and her guidance allowed me to own the business at a far quicker pace than I thought possible,” she says.

Nordlund has effectively built relationships with her team and the broader cross-functional team. “It’s been a wild and crazy year for all of us with the pandemic and the growth of e-commerce,” she says. “But if anything, it’s accelerated us.”

She’s also capitalized on opportunities to drive efficiency and consistency.

“If I find what I believe to be an answer to an issue on my particular business and projects, I don’t let it stop there,” says Nordlund. Instead, she works to share her learnings with the team and understand if the tool or process she has adopted can fit broader needs outside of her immediate business. “By doing so, it allows for strategic conversation and is a welcome reminder that we’re climbing the same mountain. I try to be that bridge that thinks through how the process and tools can allow us to break down unnecessary barriers to be a larger force together.”

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PEOPLE TO WATCH A native of Bentonville, Arkansas, Hannah Manchester understands what the growth of Walmart has meant to her hometown. She watched it happen during her younger years, and when it came time to go to college, she looked no further than the business school in which the Walton family had invested so much.

“The Walton College of Business emphasized the importance of hands-on application, real-life experience and learning from industry leaders,” she says, thinking back to courses that brought in executives from the community working in and for the Walmart ecosystem.

Having topics brought to life by leadership in the business community across Northwest Arkansas gave them a tangibility that would have otherwise been lost, she says. “I also couldn’t do what I do today without the knowledge of how to work across a team, united to the common goal and drawing upon each person’s individual strengths to drive the business forward in a meaningful way.”

Manchester’s career began at Tyson Foods as HANNAH an intern while still attending the University of MANCHESTER Arkansas. The position was important to her not only for the career potential but also Company: J.M. Smucker Co. because the company had deep roots in Title: Manager, Commerce Marketing, Arkansas. After she graduated, she became Walmart & Sam’s Club Pet a Tyson marketing assistant and ultimately Age: 32 worked her way up to associate product Education: University of Arkansas, manager on the innovation team. After five Walton College of Business years at Tyson, she moved to Sam’s Club and (bachelor’s, retail marketing) led the retailer’s Tier 1 national programming and co-led holiday executions and campaigns for Easter and summer grilling.

Following time off to have her first child, Manchester became a marketing manager focused on corporate marketing and insights for George’s, a local family-owned and operated The Doggie Days of Summer program recognized that dog food business. Less than a year later, with the desire to get back food treats aren’t the consumable categories that likely come to to shopper marketing, she transitioned to J.M. Smucker Co. as mind when someone thinks “summertime,” Manchester says. So manager of commerce marketing for pet at Walmart & Sam’s Club. the team wanted to create a program that would capitalize on a Manchester is responsible for collaborating across sales, seasonal opportunity to drive sales and share of Smucker brands merchants and retailer media groups to build marketing at Walmart. campaigns that foster emotional connections between shoppers “The program had an amazing inaugural year [in 2019], pairing and Smucker pet brands such as Rachael Ray Nutrish, Meow each dog food brand with social influencers who could best bring Mix and Milk-Bone. The ultimate goal is driving conversion and the specific brand promises to life,” she says. Video and static delivering against the joint business plans for the Walmart and visual content was featured both on Walmart.com and off-site, Sam’s Club accounts. “I own all phases of the planning process, leading to curated, shoppable experiences that allowed shoppers including analyzing shopper, category and POS trends, aligning to connect to each brand in a meaningful way. key brand and customer priorities, and executing best-in-class “After seeing how the campaign drove conversion and marketing campaigns that drive traffic and conversion for my [brand share] at Walmart during this time, we decided to accounts,” she says. expand year two to include dog treats,” Manchester says. The Campaigns such as “Doggie Days of Summer” and “Treat the effort paired food and treat brands together based on target Snuggle Season” have proven to drive demand in white space audience and messaging, creating a total solution for Walmart seasons, and programs for new innovation like Meow Mix Tasty dog owners. “We were able to capitalize on a season that didn’t Layers and Rachael Ray Nutrish Savory Bites have aligned to have a lot of pet talk,” she says. “We were able to own that national media for maximum reach and efficiency. timeframe at Walmart.”

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PEOPLE TO WATCH her career. She spent five years at FreshDirect, rising to vice president of merchandising for the grocery, dairy and frozen categories.

In early 2020, Mesing took a position at Danone to oversee e-commerce, strategy and marketing, and that came with another move, this time to Broomfield, Colorado.

A recent company restructuring gave Mesing responsibility for all aspects of the e-commerce consumer experience at Danone, including strategy, which she says is in place to evolve internal capabilities to adapt to the rise of grocery delivery and click-andcollect channels. “My role to date has been focused on developing the acceleration roadmap, including the staffing plan, data and analytics infrastructure, demand generation and marketing strategy, and phased investment approach,” she says, noting that all digital content falls under her purview as well as search marketing.

In her time at Danone, which consisted of just two weeks in the offices before the pandemic hit, Mesing has been able to build and evolve the company’s data infrastructure by collaborating with cross-functional teams. That has provided a foundational data source supporting all e-business initiatives. “When I joined Danone, it was CARRIE MESING very challenging for us to piece together the full Company: Danone picture of our e-commerce universe,” she says. “By Title: Director, E-Commerce collaborating with partners across the organization Consumer Experience – including finance, sales, shopper marketing and Age: 32 business intelligence – we were able to centralize inputs and build data visualization tools that have Education: University of Pittsburgh (bachelor’s, business administration, helped us leverage data for storytelling versus marketing; minor in economics) simply ‘reporting the news.’”

Not surprisingly, e-commerce at Danone exploded as a result of the pandemic. Despite heavy consumer A self-proclaimed food fanatic who adoption, the channel was still foreign to Danone, Mesing thrives in fast-paced, entrepreneurial says. “As people across the organization became more interested, environments, Carrie Mesing was studying our role expanded to include internal education.” developmental economics in college when she fell On a more general note, she points to the major adjustment in love with the food industry and took an internship at Giant needed to continue fostering a strong culture in a virtual Eagle. A native of Pittsburgh, Mesing stayed in her hometown environment. “Beyond virtual happy hours and Zoom meetings, to earn a degree in business administration and marketing with encouraging open communication and feedback and connecting a minor in economics, with several of her courses focusing on on a personal level has helped us keep the positive momentum consumer psychology, buyer patterns and the art and science of during a challenging time.” uncovering trends in data.

David McInerney, the CEO of FreshDirect and Mesing’s previous Upon graduation, she accepted a job with Daymon Worldwide boss/current mentor and friend, has had the biggest impact on in San Antonio, Texas, first as a management development her career. “David has been on a ‘tastes great’ crusade for the past associate and a year later taking a position with the local H-E-B 20 years and has informed my food philosophy,” she says. team. She was then asked to be a founding team member for Mesing believes consumers will continue to push retailers to FreshDirect, part of the new e-commerce channel of trade, still embrace an omnichannel approach to commerce, which will working for Daymon but based in New York City. strengthen the role of digital/e-commerce. “My role will continue Mesing joined the FreshDirect team in early 2015 and oversaw to evolve as retailers embrace and integrate interactive displays, the building of its private-label program from scratch, which augmented reality and other forms of technology into the she considers a career highlight. “It was a private brand that was consumer experience – both in-store and online,” she says. “We mission-based,” she says. It was there that her passion for being need to connect the in-store and online environments into one transparent with consumers – about where food comes from and cohesive experience.” what’s in it – began and became a constant thread throughout

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PEOPLE TO WATCH Finding a passion around food as both an essential need and something that consumers have an innate emotional connection with, Catie Hoffman entered into the world of food marketing while at St. Joseph’s University. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the school’s esteemed program while also studying in its Leadership, Ethics and Organizational Sustainability major.

Frequent interaction with the CPG companies that worked with students to solve real-life problems in their businesses sparked how she wanted to shape her career path. And an internship program through Mars Wrigley – in which she was placed on an actual team and in the office every day working on real solutions – gave her the ultimate preparation for what a full-time role would require at the confectionery giant.

Hired as an associate shopper marketing manager in August 2019, Hoffman has been backfilling a manager for several months, with a focus on program strategy, planning and execution for key grocery customers. Working with the sales teams and crossfunctional partners on customer strategy, she strives to determine how shopper marketing can be a strategic lever to pull when trying to accomplish CATIE HOFFMAN overall customer goals. “We look at our retailer’s Company: Mars Wrigley priorities and how those intersect with our priorities so that we can identify the right Title: Associate Shopper levers to drive an intended outcome,” she Marketing Manager says. “Shopper marketing plays a critical Age: 23 role in how we bring our brands to life inEducation: St. Joseph’s University store and online and drives conversion with (bachelor’s, food marketing and shoppers.” leadership, ethics and organizational sustainability) Day to day, Hoffman concentrates on building omnichannel approaches to hitting overall company business goals, managing the challenges of growing the Mars Wrigley grocery shopper budget as well as the team of agency business while simultaneously working with new partners, and communicating with internal stakeholders retailer media groups to drive shopper marketing on how to execute shopper-facing systems more efficiently. “I’m initiatives and how those two go hand in hand. “I’m proud planning our overall strategy, the programming that ladders back of how we’ve been able to grow those relationships with to the strategy and then executing all the programs at six major our retailer media groups across the grocery landscape,” she grocery retailers,” she explains. says. “The results of that have been really driving the Mars Hoffman says three individuals have already influenced Wrigley business.” She also works closely with cross-functional her during her time at Mars. Hannah McKee, former shopper teams internally and with third-party groups to bring thought marketing manager, taught her to be tenacious and have leadership to retailers in the digital space, which has been confidence with internal and external stakeholders. “She ensured pivotal during the pandemic, she notes. we had that North Star of where Mars Wrigley is moving and how In an effort that DeVleeschouwer says has brought clarity to the that affects shopper marketing,” she says. importance and value of the shopper marketing team, Hoffman Darren DeVleeschouwer, Mars’ director of shopper marketing partnered with another associate to create Mars’ Shopper Marketing and consumer promotions, has helped her understand the Playbook, a set of guiding principles that ladder back to the overall importance of bringing the full vision of the organization down team strategy. “We saw the gap for the shopper marketing ethos to a shopper marketing level. And Sue Barkalow, head of strategic and the pillars of shopper marketing to be explained to the overall channel solutions, has been a role model for how to balance work organization,” she says. The playbook is used to inform planning, and family. “Having a really strong woman in a leadership position strategy and has been so important for me as I’m trying to see what my future execution and as More at P2PI.org Profiles of our People to Watch, could look like,” she says. a reference during named annually since 2005.

Hoffman says she’s pleased with her ability to balance the annual planning. IQ

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DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER:

A VIABLE OPTION

Lured by stronger consumer engagement and the data it brings, CPGs increasingly focus on DTC sales – and retailers on DTC brands.

BY S A M A N T H A N E L S O N

The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t revolutionize retail or CPG marketing so much as it accelerated shifts toward digital shopping that had been building for years. One of the clearest examples of the impact can be seen in direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales, which has piqued the interest of major brands for years, leading them to test the waters primarily through acquisitions of digital natives or tests with personalized products, experimental brands, unique pack sizes or subscription services.

But as pandemic restrictions led to a massive surge in shopping from home, some CPGs decided it was time to really take the plunge into the DTC space.

Omar Haque, vice president of e-commerce for Bimbo Bakeries’ Acelerada unit, says that DTC had been on the company’s radar for the past three years, but it had been “backburnered” due to budgetary constraints. When COVID-19 hit, the company took note of insights finding that screen time had increased and consumers concerned about their safety were browsing more brand and DTC websites than before as they searched for delivery options. PepsiCo/ Frito-Lay had launched the DTC websites PantryShop.com and Snacks. com in May 2020 based on those same insights, and Bimbo didn’t want to be left behind.

“We wanted to create that direct connection with

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DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER: A VIABLE OPTION the consumer,” Haque says. “Retailers today know more about consumers than us. We wanted to get more data and insights. We wanted to know what products people were searching for. We are the leaders in our categories. We wanted to be thought leaders.”

Bimbo launched SweetSnacking.com right before Thanksgiving to capitalize on holiday gifting sales. New York-based digital engagement agency NX3 designed the website, which is powered

by Shopify plugins. Haque says relying on partners and taking a plug-and-play approach let the company get the website up in three months. Now he’s working on increasing traffic through spending on paid search.

While Haque acknowledges that he doesn’t expect DTC to ever be a huge revenue play for Bimbo, he says the goal is to use the website for product innovation. “Instead of going to a retail channel where it’s more commercialized [and requires] bigger batches, this is a great testing ground.”

Bold Strategies president Allan Peretz led DTC for Procter & Gamble eight years ago. Back then, many big CPGs were worried that launching DTC stores would disrupt their relationships with major retailer partners, so the potential benefits didn’t outweigh the risk. Small companies that didn’t have to worry about their partnerships with Walmart or Target turned to DTC, and some like Harry’s Inc. wound up becoming retail darlings.

“Today, you’ve got retailer buyers out there scouting for upand-coming DTC brands,” Peretz says. “They’re doing that because they want to understand trends and they want to potentially bring those brands in-store. I think everyone’s acknowledged that there’s a lot of exciting stuff going on online given the competitive nature and the low barriers to entry. For that reason, competing online in different and unique ways becomes more acceptable – even in those big relationships.”

While big CPGs might feel more freedom now to experiment with DTC, Peretz notes that they often are at a disadvantage compared to digital natives because they’re siloed by channel and often have long lead times for marketing and innovation.

“The small companies that are coming up in DTC, they take a much more integrated view of things,” he says. “They’re also more data-based in terms of understanding what’s happening in the e-commerce channel than a lot of the big companies. They’re always out there trying things, trying new concepts. They do it

“What we’ve been able to do sometimes is launch first on DTC and then use those learnings and insights to more effectively launch at retail.”

— Andrew Feldman, director of e-commerce, Hello Products

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“You’ve got retailer buyers out there scouting for up-andcoming DTC brands. They’re doing that because they want to understand trends and they want to potentially bring those brands in-store.”

— Allan Peretz, president, Bold Strategies

very quickly and fail fast.”

Oral care company Hello Products launched its DTC business in 2017 and was purchased by Colgate-Palmolive in January 2020.

Hello director of e-commerce Andrew Feldman says he expects to see more big CPGs buying companies to gain their DTC expertise.

“Companies like Hello have proven that we can be more nimble and often form deeper and more resonant connections with people, and that just allows us to gain insights faster and go to market quicker than typical CPGs have been able to do historically,” he says. “I think companies like that look to brands like Hello to teach them how to pivot and innovate on a rapid scale.”

The brand has an online community called Hello Friends that provides product ideas. And while Hello products are also available in a wide range of retailers including Dollar General and Whole Foods, the DTC site offers exclusive SKUs and provides a testing ground for innovation. “What we’ve been able to do sometimes is launch first on DTC and then use those learnings and insights to more effectively launch at retail,” Feldman says. “We’re able to demonstrate to our retailer partners that the high level of interest and engagement will be there because we have the real data from DTC.” Keith Anderson, Profitero senior vice president, strategy & partnerships, suggests that depth of consumer engagement is one reason that big CPGs are looking to buy DTC brands. “Part of what you’re buying ... is innovation that emerged from somebody who was paying better attention to certain consumers,” he says.

The number of DTC businesses has surged in the past decade because of the increase in digital shopping platforms like Shopify and targeted advertising that makes it easier to reach shoppers, Anderson says. According to him, the new growth model for DTC brands is: “Launch one to maybe three products in a category ripe for disruption, really focus on the quality of those products, set up a beautiful DTC site, and then use Instagram, Pinterest, increasingly TikTok, and some of the other emerging visual social media platforms to reach the audience that you want to reach, and they can buy these individual items almost as seamlessly as Amazon’s one-click model.”

According to the Path to Purchase Institute’s Trends 2021 report, which examined strategic/tactical changes caused by

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DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER: A VIABLE OPTION

“Brands are frustrated.

They’re worried that, at some point, they could be completely replaced [by retailers]. That’s why they’re trying to dip their toes in the water right now and figure it out because they see a long-term risk.”

— Mike Mullen, co-founder, Analog Commerce

the pandemic, 17% of CPGs temporarily increased DTC sales due to COVID-19 and another 24% permanently increased their activity. One of the main drivers was concern over supply chain disruption, but Peretz says he expects the growth to continue because DTC sites have gotten so much easier to launch.

“You’ve got solutions that really make it a one-step, two-step process for brands like Shopify and Shopify Plus,” he says. “I see even big companies using those packaged solutions to experiment with DTC because it’s quick and easy and it doesn’t turn into a major IT project for months and years like it did in the past. ... For that reason I think more brands are going to say, ‘Why not?’”

Although 95% of major CPGs have yet to try DTC, that’s changing as brands grow more concerned about how their products are being sold online by retailers, particularly Amazon,” according to Mike Mullen, co-founder of DTC solution company Analog Commerce. “You go to the brand site and you click over to Amazon, and Amazon shows you competitive stuff and private label stuff,” he says. “A small percentage of brands are frustrated. They’re worried that, at some point, they could be completely replaced. That’s why they’re trying to dip their toes in the water right now and figure it out because they see a long-term risk there.”

DTC sales are typically more expensive than selling through traditional retail because of shipping costs, Mullen says, but established brands can still win in the space by differentiating their product and the experience. That’s especially relevant as retailers focused on SKU rationalization have pushed CPGs to reduce the number of flavors and formats they sell in stores. “You can use your limited retail distribution as a way to introduce the brand to people and have them also see that there’s more that you can do,” he says. “I think the future of DTC for traditional CPG becomes a long tail play.”

That strategy has also been embraced by DTC companies that have begun

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DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER: A VIABLE OPTION

selling their products through brick-andmortar retail. “A lot of [DTC brands] see retail as a way to drive sampling and trial,” Peretz says. “It’s no longer only a volume driver for them. It’s a way to scale up their business. Someone’s going to go to the big box retailer and buy their product for the first time, but they hope that the second purchase comes through their DTC site where they actually have more control and more profitability.”

Major retailers are still eager to get DTC brands into stores to bolster their selection of exclusive and on-trend products. Peretz says he expects that to continue because DTC brands are finding stronger ways to innovate than major CPGs, who are more prone to small changes like new scents or packaging.

“A lot of the DTC brands have tapped into things that consumers care about like sustainability and social responsibility,” he says. “The retailers see that and they bring these brands in because that gives them a cool factor. Consumers want that and the big brands aren’t always offering it.” IQ

Target Keeps Thinx-ing DTC Target regularly partners with digitally native brands to give them an in-store presence. Among recent examples was an exclusive, budget-friendly line of period underwear from Thinx.

Thinx for All recently rolled out to Target.com and Target stores in brief, bikini and high-waist styles, which the brand boasts have the absorbency of up to three or five tampons, depending on the style. Priced at $17, the underwear are available in sizes ranging from XS to 4X and, according to reports, will be available at other major retailers later this year.

In Target stores, Thinx for All SKUs enjoy secondary merchandising space via endcaps outfitted with signage positioning the brand as “underwear that absorbs your period” and promoting the line as “new and only at” Target.

A Target.com promotional page detailing how the line works and a March 1 Instagram update from Thinx support.

Thinx’s products made their brick-and-mortar debut through a partnership with Nordstrom in 2019. However, the new line debuting at Target both expands the brand’s in-store presence and makes it more accessible to cost-conscious shoppers. (One Thinx undergarment can cost up to $42 on direct-to-consumer website SheThinx.com, or at retailers such as Nordstrom and Amazon.)

“Thinx for All is here to bring better period protection to even more people,” the brand noted in its Instagram update. “Inclusive sizing, more accessible price point.

See ya in the underwear aisle at Target.”

— Cyndi Loza

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ActivationGallery

Shoppable Media Having watched activity increase over the last year (and even further back) Institute editors put the spotlight on “shoppable media” for this month’s gallery. Going beyond the retailerdriven media promotions on which our industry has been focused, shoppable media encompasses digital ads and promotional messaging outside of retailer websites and other assets. These ads may appear on third-party consumer websites or apps or in emails, social media posts or the websites of brands. Their defining characteristic is a mechanism (“where to buy” or “available at ...”) that directly links viewers to a method of product purchase.

Many more shoppable media activations, as well as numerous retail media activations, are showcased in the image vault at P2PI.org.

Sanofi’s Allegra ran a digital banner ad on consumer websites (pictured: historical movie review site RogerEbert.com) in February promoting its “non-drowsy” allergy relief as “unlike” rival Zyrtec (Johnson & Johnson). A “Buy Now” button linked to Allegra.com, where a clicker from Norwalk, Connecticut, was first greeted by additional product information but then given “Where to Buy” options (through brand commerce platform PriceSpider) from Walmart, CVS, Target and Walgreens.

L’Oreal USA sent emails to L’Oreal Paris News subscribers promoting the new Elvive Total Repair 5 product and its availability at Walgreens. “Shop now” links directed consumers to the e-commerce section of Walgreens.com for purchase.

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Utz Snacks tapped into March 14’s designation as “National Potato Day” with an email offering free shipping on all orders placed on UtzSnacks.com, a directto-consumer website selling the company’s products in bulk packages (like a 60-count “Variety Box” of 1-ounce bags).

Procter & Gamble’s Head & Shoulders in early March used a sponsored Instagram post to tout the fact that the brand is “clinically proven” to deliver “Up to 100% Dandruff Protection” (while failing to mention the lower level of that range). A “Shop Now” button linked to a landing page (operated by e-commerce enabler MikMak) that invited viewers to “check out” via Target, Kroger, Walgreens or H-E-B.

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Kellogg Co. promoted the availability of its Joy Bol granola smoothie bowls at Walmart with a Feb. 10 email blast to registered Kellogg’s Family Rewards members. The email linked directly to an e-commerce product page for a chocolate hazelnut with chia variety, dangled a coupon delivering $1 off the purchase of any two SKUs, and provided instructions for “how to enjoy” the new type of snack.

When Unilever’s Suave launched what it calls a “style ready” hair care line exclusively at Walmart earlier this year, the supporting marketing campaign included social media updates from the brand.

Some linked to a dedicated Suave Pink showcase within Walmart.com, while others offered tap-to-shop functionality for individual SKUs.

Shell’s Rotella ran a display ad directing consumers to “buy now” at Amazon. Spotted on BestOfSenior.com, the ad touted the product as “the engine oil that works as hard as you do” and linked to an Amazon.com brand shop presenting “add to cart” buttons for a number of Shell Rotella formulas.

Bayer spotlighted several OTC brands delivering “fast, powerful cold relief” in a display ad directing consumers to “shop now” via Amazon Fresh.

Spotted on StarTribune.com as well as an arts and crafts blog, the ad linked to an Amazon Fresh shop presenting a slew of the manufacturer’s products for cold, cough and flu, and beyond.

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ActivationGallery

Procter & Gamble deployed a sponsored Instagram story to herald the availability of 9 Elements liquid dish soap at Walmart. The ad touted the new product as “plant based” and “vinegar powered” and leveraged the platform’s “swipe up” functionality to link directly to a Walmart pickup & delivery product page.

Coca-Cola Co. activated its official sponsorship of ESPN College Football by presenting a turkey chili recipe in a display ad giving Walmart an “available at” mention. Spotted on Shliza.com, the ad sent consumers to a Walmart.com brand showcase offering several game dish recipes and purchase options for a variety of CocaCola SKUs.

Procter & Gamble’s Olay is using a sponsored Facebook update to tout the availability of a new “Brightening + Vitamin C” collection at Target. The ad directed shoppers to Target.com.

Johnson & Johnson in February used a sponsored Facebook update to direct consumers to an e-commerce page for Listerine on Kroger. com. The update highlighted the brand’s ability to kill millions of germs that brushing misses and encouraged Kroger shoppers to “finish strong” with Listerine mouthwash.

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Anheuser-Busch promoted its Michelob Ultra organic seltzer (launched March 1) on Pinterest with sponsored pins spotlighting an alcoholic “Peach on the Beach” recipe. With a click on the ad, a swipe-up functionality directed users to dedicated “peach on the beach” search results within Albertsons Companies’ Jewel-Osco website without exiting the Pinterest platform.

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Nestle Purina Petcare ran ads, powered by LiveIntent, in Adweek’s weekly newsletter linking to a web page within Sam’s Club’s website listing multiple SKUs from the pet brand. The ad invited shoppers to “discover pet-approved favorites in-club” above a “Flavor that’s totally wow!” message.

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PepsiCo’s Quaker ran a mobile display ad touting instant oatmeal value packs and to-go cups at Walmart.com. Spotted on a recipe blog, the ad plugged the products’ “simple ingredients” and contained an “add all 3 to cart” button.

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Scotts Miracle-Gro used a sponsored Instagram update to spotlight Scotts Turf Builder lawn care items and promise Home Depot shoppers up to 25% off select SKUs. The ad included a “shop now” link directing shoppers to a page within HomeDepot.com that listed eligible items.

Over 450 label holder profiles & sizes for every need.

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www.TrionOnline.com Toll-Free 800.444.4665 © 2020 Trion Industries, Inc.

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Technology Innovation

P2P Toolkit

A roundup of technology-driven tools that drive consumer understanding, engagement and conversion on every step of the path to purchase.

Last month, an April Fool’s prank – a husband startled to find his front yard filled with 41 Amazon delivery boxes – became a viral video with a million-plus views in four days. The boxes were empty, but the folks at Jersey City, New Jersey-based Olive Technologies think that’s a problem, nonetheless.

Led by Nate Faust, one of the founders of Jet.com, Olive is a fashion-site shopping and delivery coordination service that consolidates an individual’s various purchases into one cardboard/corrugate-free delivery. A user can shop from hundreds of fashion retailers using Olive’s mobile app or browser extension.

The various shipments are centrally received, unboxed and placed into a sustainable shipper at Olive’s Northern New Jersey and Southern California facilities, and then held for delivery on a once-weekly schedule.

Returns can be picked up using the two-way pictured here, which is made with recycled materials (plastic water bottles, pallets, cups and polyester) and has an anti-microbial finish. The company says this system significantly reduces last-mile emissions and ensures that all the original boxes are recycled most efficiently. Currently the service is available in about one-third of the U.S.

In March, Durham, North Carolina-based QuickCollect Solutions announced a distribution and service partnership with Florence Corp., a manufacturer of smart indoor/outdoor lockers, that is designed to help U.S. retailers expand their contactless curbside and in-store pickup points. QuickCollect Solutions helps retailers determine site-specific system configurations and software user experiences. It has a portfolio of automated pickup solutions including temperaturecontrolled grocery lockers, drive-up stations and kiosks that automate the prescription-pickup process. Late last year, Albertsons began piloting its contactless lockers in select Chicago-area Jewel-Osco and San Francisco Bay-area Safeway stores.

Bill Schober is Editor Emeritus of Path to Purchase IQ. He’s been associated with the Institute since 1994, covering all aspects of consumer marketing with a special emphasis on the shopping experience. He welcomes any questions, comments, requests or pitches about P2P Toolkit, and can be reached at bschober@ensembleiq.com.

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In early March, Bluedot, a San Francisco-based location-technology specialist, introduced Hello Screens, an efficiency system that enables shoppers to save time when they enter the drive-thru, pull into a curbside space or arrive at a service desk for pickup orders.

The system features an in-store dashboard that sends audio alerts to a participating retailer’s staff when the customer is en route, estimates a time of arrival and then alerts to the arrival itself.

The system’s Wave feature lets customers tap on their phones to notify stores that they’ve arrived.

Hello Screens is said to be a turnkey solution and simple to implement, working alongside a store’s POS system, according to Bluedot.

Late last year, Truckee, California-based Conscious Container launched a pilot program in partnership with Anheuser-Busch called “Refill My Beer.” The pilot is designed to collect 16,000 specially labeled bottles of Michelob and other brands in Sonoma and Marin counties. The goal is to demonstrate how the bottles can be sanitized, inspected and approved to be refilled with product and recirculated an additional time.

Shoppers who purchase the participating brands can later return the empties to specially marked bins, located in various stores. They can also sign into an app from Globelet, scan the QR codes on the bins’ signage, fill out a survey to provide feedback on refillable packaging, and learn how much trash they are preventing from entering landfills and oceans.

Anheuser-Busch is partnering through its 100+ Sustainability Accelerator program.

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P2P Toolkit

SPOTLIGHT: Data & Analytics Boston-based Salsify and Chicago-based Label Insight in late January announced a partnership to enable “bidirectional data transfer” between Label Insight’s product attribute metadata platform and Salsify’s commerce experience management (CommerceXM) solution. One key goal: enable CPG brands to optimize their product attribute metadata for “need-state shoppers.”

According to the companies, 84% of brands fail to claim the top-three most-searchedfor product attributes for which they qualify. As a result, shoppers often can’t find features such as “low sugar,” “Keto diet” or “cruelty-free” in their attribute-based searches on retailer websites. Combining a product-attribute-metadata platform (Label Insight) with a commerce-experience-management platform (Salsify) could eliminate CPG brands’ manual analysis and activation processes, which tend to vary among retailers.

Chicago-based IRI and New York City-based 1010data recently announced they’re partnering to “democratize data-driven analytics” for the CPG ecosystem. By leveraging the data, technology and relationships both companies possess, the partnership aims to help CPG manufacturers and retailers create more flexible supply chains, design more efficient sales strategies and optimize in-store and omnichannel performance. Companies ranging from 84.51 and comScore to Experian, GfK and MaxPoint are already in the IRI Partner Ecosystem. 1010data recently issued a “State of Grocery Report,” identifying pandemic shopping patterns that are likely to endure.

In early March, San Francisco-based Zenreach said it was rolling out “industry-first technology” that will enable retailers to see both online and in-store shopping attribution from online advertising efforts. The new technology – part of Zenreach’s “WalkThrough Marketing” package that tracks a shopper’s presence, builds up a profile and then targets the best customers – is said to measure return on ad spend by factoring both online conversions and in-store visits.

Data can be segmented by campaign, location, specific ad creative or time period, and map visuals depict customer movements in real-time. Foot traffic is measured using a store’s guest Wi-Fi signal to monitor when a shopper enters.

Guildford, UK-based Eagle Eye Solutions has announced a partnership with Jersey City, New Jersey-based Neptune Retail Solutions to build a connected omnichannel ecosystem for Southeastern Grocers. Neptune (formerly News America Marketing) leverages first-, second- and third-party sales data to target offers and promotions to a brand’s most profitable shoppers. Eagle Eye’s AIR platform synchronizes and delivers personalized offers and digital coupons. The goal is to yield more than 200 million combined offers, coupons and recommendation variations each month that can be automatically loaded to card into shoppers’ SEG Rewards loyalty accounts and redeemable at checkout.

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P2P Toolkit

SPOTLIGHT: Data & Analytics

In late January, Aliso Viejo California-based UST launched “Walk-In, Walk-Out” frictionless, contactless shopping technology that enables shoppers to walk into a store, grab their items and immediately walk out. The company says this solution is being piloted with Retail Business Services, the services company of Ahold Delhaize USA. By integrating AI, sensors and cameras working together, UST’s system lets shoppers enter a store by scanning a QR code in a mobile app, shop and, upon exiting, receive a digital receipt in seconds without having to interact with anyone. UST says the system can be installed and running in as few as eight weeks, allows for more accurate inventory management, and offers insight into shopping habits and product trends.

In March, Perksy announced that its mobile-first platform, a first-party panel of survey respondents – “real consumers, not professional panelists” – was becoming part of the Nielsen Connect Partner Network.

Perksy’s consumer-facing mobile app is particularly aimed at Millennial and Gen Z shoppers who can earn gift cards for answering questions.

Brands can execute quantitative and qualitative research including market exploration and in-store experience testing, according to Perksy. The company also claims that its “bot-prevention” features and gamified experience achieve engagement rates 40 times industry averages.

Shoppers who want their own analytics can turn to Everything Food, a data-driven platform and customizable comparison app that rates a half-million food products and brands, sorting them on price, dietary preferences and availability for in-store or online shopping. Recently, Everything Food turned its hand to TV production, creating “Smart Eats,” a show that might cause a few stomach aches for CPG marketers. “Consumers get tricked at the grocery store,” says Food Network chef Monti Carlo, pointing at breakfast cereal that’s preserved with petroleum or expired candy that’s being fed to beef cows. “You won’t believe what some companies are getting away with.” Yikes. The first season is available at EverythingFood.com.

May 2021

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Ascendan

The path to purchase has become infinite.

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Shopper Journey AscendanceTM from EIQ Insights & Innovation shows you how your customers navigate the omnichannel experience and empowers you with a strategic plan to influence behavior.

Partner with us to master your view and elevate your performance. ascendance@ensembleiq.com

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5/7/19 11:10 AM 4/20/21 2:18 PM

StoreSpotlight

Hy-Vee

BY C H A R L I E M E N C H AC A

The retailer employs large ceiling banners with “Low Price Lockdown” messaging and oversized packaging shots of a variety of brands, from Kimberly-Clark’s Huggies to Del Monte Foods green beans.

Even after 91 years in business, Hy-Vee continues to experiment and test different offerings to enhance its shopper appeal. Charles Hyde and David Vredenburg opened their first store in Beaconfield, Iowa, in 1930. These days, the employee-owned grocer has more than 275 stores in eight Midwestern states.

The retailer is not afraid to employ a variety of signage and display types to grab shopper attention.

For instance, the amount of balloons in its stores is dwarfed only by the COVID-19 safety messaging that is all but standard at retail these days.

With some locations boasting footprints of more than 90,000 square feet, the retailer has room to devote to experiences that set itself apart from other supermarkets. In the fall of 2020, Hy-Vee opened DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse mini-stores within six of its existing Minnesota sites. In April, the retailer opened the first of several in-store nail salons planned for select locations through a partnership with The W Nail Bar.

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Crate-style shelving is incorporated into endcap displays and, in some cases, the crates are positioned next to floorstands or stacked on top of each other.

Products spotted in the crates include Hormel’s Planters peanuts, Blue Diamond Growers almonds and King’s Hawaiian buns.

The retailer’s upfront Health Market hosts a bevy of better-for-you brands such as Kind and Hint on shelves with wood accents to distinguish the section from the standard grocery aisles.

At select Hy-Vee stores in Minnesota, shoppers can walk right into the DSW mini-shop from the grocery side. Messaging on a shoe display wall encourages shoppers to scan QR codes corresponding with different pairs to link to DSW.com for purchase.

The retailer is big on utilizing threetier wicker basket stands in all upfront areas of the store, including checkout.

Basket dwellers included The Hershey Co.’s Skinny Pop, Mondelez International’s Sour Patch Kids and Swedish Fish, and Procter & Gamble’s Vicks NyQuil.

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StoreSpotlight

Within the Health Market, in-line merchandising for Performance Inspired supplements is accompanied by a header with “Exclusively at Hy-Vee” messaging and a TV playing promotional videos – all featuring actor Mark Wahlberg, one of the brand’s co-founders.

Like DSW, Basin brand bath and beauty products have been highlighted in store-within-a-store concepts at Hy-Vee. Locations that do not contain a full mini-store have unique shelving dedicated to Basin in the beauty department.

More at P2PI.org

Members can access the full library of Store Spotlights on the Institute’s website.

May 2021

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Illuminated endcaps near the pharmacy carry brands such as Unilever’s Bed Head, Chattem’s Gold Bond and Henkel’s Sexy Hair.

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Caetlyn Roberts Giant Food

Great companies need great women

E

ntry and mid-level women are leaving our industry at nearly twice the rate of men — senior-level women are leaving at nearly four times the rate of men.* NEW provides solutions that retain and develop great women leaders. Our learning programs, career development, conferences and local events help tens of thousands of women advance each year. Our insights, best practices and advocacy help transform organizations and create a better industry workplace for all. Join our movement today at newonline.org. * Download our report

The Female Leadership Crisis Why women are leaving (and what we can do about it) newonline.org/crisis

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Advancing all women. It’s just good business.

4/20/21 2:22 PM

NEW Horizons

Creating a Pipeline for Success

BY S A R A H A LT E R

Sarah Alter is president and CEO of the Network of Executive Women, a nonprofit learning, leadership and gender equality advocacy organization of 13,500 members (representing nearly 900 organizations), 300plus national and regional corporate partners, and 22 regional groups in the United States and Canada.

that are inhospitable to them. That might be represented by a lack of support for up-andcoming female leaders, of course, but more insidiously, that may be due to unconscious bias, microaggressions and an environment that makes especially women of color feel unwelcome.

HOW DO WE PATCH THE PIPELINE?

WHERE ARE THE CRACKS?

Patching the pipeline for female leaders must start from the bottom up. At NEW, we’re committed to Advancing All Women – companies must commit to doing the same.

A recent study by Pinsight found that men were three times more likely to be identified as candidates with leadership potential. Demolishing bias in promotions takes work, and for the companies willing to do so, NEW is here to help. We’re piloting a program designed to create male allies in workplaces, “Beyond Allies,” to ensure women have support at every level of their career journeys. Male allies are critical in supporting women as sponsors, as mentors, and by helping clear the path to success of the insidious barriers of bias.

The cracks where women “leak” out of the leadership pipeline come in many forms. A massive hole was created, for example, by the COVID-19 pandemic, and this loss of women from our workforce – 100% of net job losses in December 2020 – will affect the number of women in leadership positions for years to come. If anything good can be said to have come from this, the pandemic exposed just how vulnerable women still are to the pressures of caring for children and other dependents in comparison to men, who simply did not fall out of the workforce in numbers anywhere near that of women.

But talented leadership candidates also fall out of the pipeline due to workplaces

That support needs to be all the stronger for women of color. NEW’s own research study, “Advancing All Women” (2018), found that women of color could hold one in four manager, senior manager and executive roles by 2027 if companies implement strategies that address hiring, promotion and turnover challenges that affect their workplace experiences. We know that many companies simply lack the cultural and infrastructure support to ensure women of color get a fair shake. Creating architectures of understanding and eliminating unconscious bias is the path forward. Only systemic action, and education to create understanding of the unique challenges

In 2020, just 37 executives of Fortune 500 companies were women – a record high but still far too low. While many vocal advocates have called for more women to advance into the C-suite, one thing is certain: No one makes it to the C-suite in a day. Women need support at every level of their careers to reach the heights of business leadership, and that means fixing a pipeline which, at the moment, has leaks and cracks all along the way.

SUPPORT FOR WOMEN OF COLOR

May 2021

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women of color face, will help.

NEW recently launched our “DEI Workshop Series” for this precise reason, to help our partners ensure women of color in their workplaces can bring their whole selves to work. With greater understanding, businesses will not just be more welcoming to women of color, they’ll be poised to take advantage of the unique strengths and experiences they bring to the table.

CREATING STRONG LEADERSHIP Education and training for management are one key step, but helping women upskill and gain confidence in their leadership potential is also of critical importance. At NEW, we also offer numerous opportunities for women to self-assess their strengths and weaknesses, and to bolster the critical skills they need to shine as leadership candidates. When women are confident in their ability to lead and the barriers in their way have been removed, a brighter future awaits us.

Companies that create welcoming environments for women and provide them with career support will find themselves with more women in leadership positions, and they will be helping to patch the pipeline from the ground up. By building male allies to sponsor women’s careers, supporting women of color and providing women with the leadership development support they need, we’ll create a path to success that will serve women long into the future. IQ

More at P2PI.org

Members can access dozens of profiles of female executives on the Institute’s website.

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Solution Provider News

Criteo Retail Media Adds New Partners Tech company Criteo expanded its Criteo Retail Media API program with new partners including Pacvue, Perpetua, Flywheel, Kenshoo and Tinuiti. The program enlists partners that can give brand advertisers more choices for managing and optimizing their retail media campaigns at top retailers while expanding their activity to reach highintent shoppers in new, cookieless channels. In a report with Forrester Consulting, Criteo found that 76% of brand advertisers in North America said that the growth of their businesses depends on retail media advertising.

Tops Friendly Markets Picks Inmar Intelligence for Its Retail Media Network Tops Friendly Markets is expanding its use of Inmar Intelligence’s retail cloud to include targetable and attributable on-site and off-site media at scale to accommodate brand advertising. Leveraging these additional capabilities as a part of the Tops Shopper Link Digital Media Network will allow brands to access ad placements on topsmarkets.com, shopper-targeting offsite ad placements across programmatic media and paid social, and real-time sales reporting at the UPC level.

Tops was already an Inmar Intelligence partner for shopper incentives and loyalty, through which digital promotions are integrated into supplier campaigns. The

Inmar Intelligence Retail Cloud is powered

by ShopperSync, a data intelligence platform that enables retailers to leverage their firstparty, anonymized transactional data across all media and promotions channels in their network while managing permissions and governance rights.

Albertsons, Google Hope to Reinvent Grocery Shopping Albertsons Cos. and Google have formed a multiyear partnership aimed at making shopping more convenient. The partners are developing digital shopping aids such as shoppable maps with hyperlocal features, AI-powered conversational commerce and predictive grocery list-building via Google Cloud. Later this year, Google Maps will provide information about online ordering from many Albertsons stores directly within mobile search.

The partnership builds on projects already implemented to improve the shopper experience. For example, Albertsons this spring began using Google Business Messages to help consumers get up-to-date information about COVID-19 vaccines at the retailer’s pharmacies. The companies said their teams have been collaborating behind the scenes for the past year.

Crisp Joins Nielsen IQ Connect Partner Network New York-based Crisp, which in December launched what it called the first programmatic commerce platform for food and beverage

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brands, has joined the NielsenIQ Connect Partner Network. The partnership allows the Crisp platform to give food and beverage brands direct access to NielsenIQ Retail Measurement market data within their own tools, such as Snowflake, Microsoft Azure, Power BI and Excel.

According to Crisp, this will provide a process for executives within production, marketing, merchandising, supply chain and other departments to leverage NielsenIQ market data and insights to improve and optimize business operations.

NielsenIQ collects consumer sales information from roughly 900,000 stores, including grocery, fresh produce, pet, cannabis, drug, convenience, discount and e-commerce retailers. That market data can be integrated with real-time business data via the Crisp platform to offer new perspectives on current business performance and opportunities.

Innovatus Capital Partners Acquires Public Label and Match Retail Investment adviser and portfolio management firm Innovatus Capital Partners has acquired Match Marketing Group’s Public Label and Match Retail from Southfield Capital. The acquisition comes on the heels of Innovatus’ January purchase of VSA Partners, a design and brand experience agency that represented the foundational entity in a planned global marketing services platform.

The acquisition marks the next stage of evolution for Public Label and Match Retail following Match Marketing Group’s restructuring and official launch of the two agencies in December 2020.

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Solution Provider News Diversity, Sustainability Drive 2020 Product Trends RangeMe released its annual end-ofyear Retail Recap report, which analyzes data from the company’s retail buying platform. The report, which showcases data that supports industry trends based on real-world search data from retail buyers across the U.S., identified diversity and sustainability as the leading CPG product trends amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2020, COVID-19 supplies and CPG essentials experienced dramatic growth across categories, including frozen foods, pasta sauces, diapers and, of course, toilet paper. The health and beauty category played a big role in increasing the visibility of personal virus protection products, as buyers searched for healthconscious and better-for-you products.

The trend in personal virus protection products was evident in high-growth keywords that most buyers searched for on the platform, including face masks and disinfectants.

external communications. It unites retailers and suppliers on a single platform with product data and communications tools for bringing products to market more efficiently.

As part of its capabilities, Surefront aims to streamline bulk uploading for thousands of products, provide tools needed for product lifecycle management and expedite product syndication with custom formatting for users.

NielsenIQ Now a Stand-Alone Company NielsenIQ began a new chapter as an independent company with the closing of its acquisition by Advent International in partnership with incoming executive chairman and CEO James Peck. As a standalone business, NielsenIQ says it is positioned to accelerate transformation and strengthen its position in the market. The company is planning new capabilities while it refines existing operations. It was formerly known as Nielsen’s Global Consumer Business.

Collaboration Platform Launches for Retailers and Suppliers Surefront, an end-to-end collaboration platform, made its debut at Groceryshop 2021. The company was founded by California Institute of Technology engineer Dr. Luke Wang to solve industry pain points for retailers and that Wang has dubbed a “unified collaboration management” platform that he modeled after the Bloomberg Terminal computer software system. Surefront streamlines the tools needed for merchandising, product development and internal/

Quotient Teams with Peapod Digital Labs on Promotion Amplification Tool Quotient Technology partnered with Peapod Digital Labs to make promotion amplification part of the solution provider’s Retailer Performance Media platform. Peapod owner Ahold Delhaize USA banners are the first to offer the tool through the AD Retail Media platform. The solution – for which Quotient has filed a patent – combines retailer POS and loyalty card data with weekly temporary price

May 2021

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reduction (TPR) feeds to target and automate digital media to the right audiences at the optimal time. This triggers programmatic digital media on Quotient’s platform that delivers accurate and specific information for each promotion and leverages flexible, custom creative from the brand. Media is delivered to granular audiences to amplify the TPR that the advertiser is offering that week, only while it is available. Performance of the amplified TPR can be tracked through to impact on sales.

Verizon Media Partners with Catalina to Link Ads to In-Store Sales Verizon Media has become the first demand-side platform to be integrated with Catalina’s data, allowing brands to link in-store and online purchases to digital media influences in real-time.

The partnership includes in-flight sales analysis matching media exposures to observed purchase events on a daily basis.

Powered by Verizon Media’s identity graph, the tool helps advertisers understand the effectiveness of their media at the userlevel in real-time. This allows for informed in-flight adjustments that enable advertisers to make the most of their campaigns.

Post-campaign measurement through Catalina might also provide independent validation of incremental sales impact to verify effective optimizations through sales lift measurement in partnership with Verizon Media. IQ

Send your solution provider news – new products, projects, programs and technologies – to Charlie Menchaca at cmenchaca@ensembleiq.com.

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Personnel Appointments BRAND MARKETERS Dole Packaged Foods, Westlake Village, California JC Dalto was named president and managing director, Americas, to succeed Brad Bartlett, who retired at the end of 2020. Dalto has more than three decades of CPG experience and spent more than half of his career with nutrition and wellness companies around the world.

Also joining the organization is Orzse Hodi as VP of marketing. She previously served as VP of marketing and innovation at Foster Farms.

Kimberly-Clark, Dallas Former McKinsey partner Paula Ramos was appointed chief strategy officer, becoming the first Latina to serve on the company’s executive team.

Mars Petcare, Franklin, Tennessee Jessica Hauff became the company’s first-ever general manager of e-commerce. She previously served as L’Oreal USA’s senior VP, e-commerce acceleration and data activation.

Hauff is tasked with leading teams of cross-functional associates dedicated to accelerating the company’s digital commerce presence and online business, while also ensuring a seamless shopping experience across all channels. Travis Reaves, former Tractor Supply Co. VP,

MIKE DONNELLY

GLENNIS HARRIS

strategy and development, was named vp, strategy and growth transformation.

RETAILERS BJ’s Wholesale Club, Westborough, Massachusetts Bob Eddy, EVP, chief administrative and financial officer, was named interim CEO following the sudden passing of Lee Delaney.

Dollar General, Goodlettsville, Tennessee The following executives were promoted: Rod West to SVP, distribution; Angela Martin to VP, customer insights and branding; Shareeka Meadows and Pooh Vichidvongsa to VP, division merchandise manager; Nick Snow to VP, decision science and analytics; Denine Torr to VP, corporate social responsibility/ philanthropy; and Jeff Vaughan to VP, channel innovation.

The Giant Co., Carlisle, Pennsylvania Glennis Harris was named SVP of customer experience to succeed John Ponnett, who

JESSICA HAUFF

DAVID SEWELL

retired in April. The former Ross Stores regional VP oversees all Giant Co. stores and the company’s e-commerce fulfillment centers, as well as asset protection and safety, delivery operations and store support.

Kroger, Cincinnati EVP and COO Mike Donnelly is retiring this spring after 42 years with the retailer.

A succession plan is forthcoming.

SOLUTION PROVIDERS Ibotta, Denver Sunit Patel, former EVP, merger and integration at T-Mobile, was named CFO. He is responsible for leading all aspects of finance, accounting and investor relations.

WestRock, Atlanta David Sewell was appointed president and CEO to succeed Steven Voorhees, who stepped down in March for health reasons.

Sewell previously served as The Sherwin Williams Co.’s president and COO. IQ

Editorial Index 1010data...................................47

Colangelo .................................13

7-Eleven ...................................58

Conscious Container ............46

Ahold Delhaize USA.......48, 56

Crisp ...........................................55

Albertsons Cos. ...............12, 55

Criteo ..................................10,55

Amazon .............................10, 12

Danone......................................36

Analog Commerce ................40

DSW ............................................51

Anheuser-Busch .......25, 45, 46

Eagle Eye Solutions ...............47

Bayer ..........................................43

E. & J. Gallo ...............................33

Beiersdorf U.S..........................30

Everything Food ....................48

Bimbo Bakeries USA .....32, 38

Filippo Berio ............................13

Bluedot ......................................46

Florence Corp..........................46

Bold Strategies ......................39

General Mills............................34

Campbell Soup Co. ................. 8

Google .......................................55

Catalina .....................................56

Hello Products .......................39

Coca-Cola Co., The .........28, 44

Hy-Vee ......................................50

Inmar Intelligence .................55 Instacart ...................................10 IRI.................................................47 J.M. Smucker Co., The ...........35 Johnson & Johnson ..............44 Kellogg Co. .......................11, 43 Kroger ..................10, 11, 15, 58 Label Insight ............................47 L’Oreal USA...............................42 Mars Wrigley............................37 Match Retail.............................55 Media Horizons ......................13 Merkle .......................................12 Mondelez International.......12 Nature’s Bounty, The .............27 Nestle Purina Petcare ...........45

May 2021

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Neptune Retail Solutions ....47 Nielsen ........................48, 55, 56 Olive Technologies ................46 QuickCollect Solutions ........46 Quotient ...........................12, 56 Path to Purchase Institute .10 PepsiCo .....................................45 Persky Inc..................................48 Procter & Gamble ...........42, 44 Profitero ...................................39 Public Label .............................55 RangeMe ..................................56 Salsify .........................................47 Sam’s Club ........................12, 58 Sanofi ..................................31, 42 Scotts Miracle-Gro..........26, 45

Shell ............................................43 ShoptoCook .............................. 9 Southeastern Grocers ..........47 Surefront ...................................56 Target ..........................10, 15, 41 Thinx ..........................................41 Tops Friendly Markets ..........55 Unilever .....................................43 Universal McCann .................58 UST..............................................48 Utz Snacks ................................42 Valassis ......................................13 Verizon Media .........................56 Walmart ............................10, 15 Zatarain’s...................................58 Zenreach ...................................47

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Retail Intel

Zatarain’s Celebrates Mardi Gras Digitally

BY C Y N D I L O Z A

instruct shoppers to add smoked sausage to the meal. “It makes sense and, then when you tie an offer to it, it just becomes a simple decision for the consumer.”

(Note: Full post-program results were not available as of press time.)

Sigma also plugged Zatarain’s smoked sausages at Sam’s Club ahead of Mardi Gras, running digital ads on the retailer’s website and deploying targeted emails to shoppers. Social influencers, radio spots and targeted mobile ads with links to recipes and videos were also employed to spotlight the brand’s smoked sausages at various retailers.

MARKETING BEYOND THE PANDEMIC

In the lead-up to Mardi Gras, Sigma’s Zatarain’s teamed with Kroger for a digital campaign presenting the brand’s smoked sausages as perfect complements to McCormick & Co.’s Zatarain’s rice and dinner mixes.

Running Jan. 18 through Fat Tuesday (the last night of Mardi Gras) on Feb. 16, the program employed targeted, on-site banner ads inviting Kroger shoppers to “jazz up the ordinary this Mardi Gras” while depicting Zatarain’s Cajun and andouille smoked sausages (manufactured through a license from McCormick & Co. and marketed by Sigma-owned Bar-S Foods) alongside the rice and dinner mixes.

Activated through the retailer’s Kroger Precision Marketing media network, the ads directed shoppers to an e-commerce page listing both the rice and sausage SKUs. The page also allowed Kroger shoppers to clip a digital coupon for $1 off the combined purchase of one Zatarain’s rice or dinner mix and one

Zatarain’s smoked sausage SKU through Feb. 28. A featured search campaign on Kroger. com supported.

Coupon redemption was aggressive, and additional investment was needed to sustain the offer through the entirety of the campaign, says Anthony Nguyen, director of trade marketing at Sigma. “Not surprisingly, I think consumers just really [responded to] the combination of the rice mixes and the … smoked sausages,” says Nguyen, noting that Zatarain’s rice and dinner mixes often

May 2021

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It’s no accident that Zatarain’s’ marketing plans leading up to Mardi Gras leaned heavily on digital and e-commerce. Given the significant increase in online grocery shopping brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Sigma has been investing more in digital or, as Nguyen looks at it, “trying to bring the grocery store to the [shopper].”

“Especially at the height of the pandemic, it was difficult because, as an industry, we spent a lot of time doing a lot of the in-store stuff – which, to be clear, still has a lot of value,” Nguyen says. “But I think it forced a lot of manufacturers and retailers to look at how they can continue serving their customers and their consumers.

For us, that meant going to digital, going to places where people are fully immersed.” These days, “that’s in people’s phones and on their computers,” he says.

Sigma will continue to lean into digital even after the pandemic as consumers continue to shop online. “For better or worse, [the pandemic] forced people to change the way that they shop, and I think for a lot of people they probably realized [online shopping] wasn’t as scary as they thought and was probably more convenient than they imagined.” IQ

More at P2PI.org

Read about other brands working closeley with Kroger on the Institute’s website.

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