Articles

11.11.2010 Brand owners look to shopper marketing

Shopper marketing is gaining ground among many major brand owners, with ConAgra Foods, Colgate Palmolive and Coca-Cola some of the firms leveraging this strategy. Industry body The Grocery Manufacturers' Association and consultancy Booz & Co surveyed 34 leading consumer goods groups, specialist agencies and retailers. It found that a net 83% of companies planned to place greater emphasis on this area during the coming three years. Such a total compared with 73% heightening the role of digital platforms, rising to 92% regarding social media, 86% concerning online brand advertising and 80% for mobile.

A further 18% agreed in-store promotions were likely to enhance their position, while traditional media registered a score of –6% and trade promotions recorded –21%. Currently, 83% of shopper marketing initiatives incorporate display and other in-store activations, and 79% employ special offers. In all, the GMA/Booz research revealed more than 40% of businesses believed search and thematic content were among the best ways to drive awareness and consideration. Deals, in-store and apps enjoyed a parallel status for prompting trial and action, with social media and relationship marketing constituting two mediums thought to stimulate loyalty and advocacy.

Interviews with 2,000 consumers showed 62% now access digital channels to “hunt” for offers before at least half of their shopping trips. This pastime was especially popular for the 29% of participants regularly using social media and who either own or hope to buy a smartphone. A 71% majority checked store circulars in newspapers and 59% clipped coupons from this source, measured against 42% logging on to retailer websites and printing online coupons.

B.L. 11.11.2010