Isn’t Packaging the Zero Moment Of Truth?
Packaging is the most important media in fast moving consumer goods. Yet, in most cases it doesn’t garner the attention, investment and resource it deserves. This is the hardest working vehicle at grocer retail – 365/24/7 and often the shopper’s first interaction with a product.
So why is the whole packaging process so consumer-centric? Why does a new product launch budget absolutely eclipse the investment in packaging research, testing and validation? The simple answer is context. No doubt everyone will tell you how important they think packaging is. They will frame its significance around additional marketing support, increased usage occasions and how important it is to the mix.
Gondola Dead End
Gondola Ends, End Caps, end-of-aisle displays. Whatever you call them. Treasure, appreciate, respect, dress and love them. They don’t come around as often as you’d like, so give them a big hug and don’t let them go. More
Do we need Hypermarkets? Johannesburg, South Africa I have always viewed Hypermarkets predominantly as a bulk shop (once a month) destination that usually had the widest variety and you could save a few extra Rand versus shopping at your local supermarket. So why do Hypers in South Africa today offer the same products at the same prices as supermarkets especially when it comes to food?
Johannesburg, South Africa. Radio Interview - 702 - Shopper Marketing. Last week we spoke to Craig Page-Lee of Posterscope SA in the first of our series of insights into consumer behavior. Craig spoke about outdoor billboards and how their position very much dictates what they communicate. Those far from malls and high streets will contain different messages from those alongside malls – or even inside malls. Today they took a different tangent and spoke to the Integer Group resides at the intersection of branding and selling and their new MD is Jason Frichol.
The Power to Surprise at Pre-Tail™
Cape Town, South Africa
I work in one city and live in another. I rent a car nearly every week and usually opt for the two lowest classes, either a 1.3 or 1.4-litre engine choosing air-conditioning for a little extra in the summer months. Last week I had a pleasant surprise.
Open the boot, lots of space. I turn on the engine and the instruments light up. I’m already impressed by the digital display and beautifully crafted instrumentation. It’s spacious and it has multi-functional steering wheel. I drive her out of the lot; it’s a smooth drive. As I hit the highway, I decide to open her up (a little). Digital instrumentation is telling me to put her into sixth gear. This is definitely not the 1.4 litre that I usually get. The car rental company must have given me an upgrade. I was wrong. More
The True Cost of Point of Sale Material. Before adopting a shopper and channel-centric approach pre-2009, we were focused on economy of scale. We analysed the trade and promotional grid across retail banners and channels with the objective of creating a generic POSM unit (free standing unit, cross merchandising unit, blitz display, etc.) with a generic message that could be used in all spaces for all shoppers. Sometimes we even replicated the structure and used it for other brands. We were happy with 20% incremental sales. We thought we were smart. We thought we were saving and selling. We weren’t. More.
Don’t Forget The Father Shopper
Johannesburg, South Africa. Tinkering with secondary data, selecting the upper middle class who have children, a whopping of 39% of males claim that they are the primary shopper versus 61% females. The burning question given socio-economic parity is do father and mother shoppers behave the same way in store? Read more.
As the technology evolves, this could be a great medium for store fronts. Imagine being able to dress your window (or part of your window) based on time of day, shopping mission, ad hoc specials etc.
This is awesome. More please.
This transparent screen will fit any window up to 46 inches at a resolution of 1366 x 768. The thing is completely see-through, but what you’re viewing on the screen is completely private from those outside. It’s fully controlled by your touch, and reminds us of a scene right out of Minority Report or Mission: Impossible. (via Samsung’s Smart Window Reminds us of Minority Report)
Source: thenextweb.com
Nightmare Christmas for Father Shopper
Are Music Retailers Missing a Beat?
Brick & Mortar music retailers in South Africa are struggling and jostling for relevance. Touted as one of their key saviours is gaming. It looks like they have a long way to go. I’m tired of petulant pimpled store personnel who have no or little product knowledge/experience and even less interest in shopper service and satisfaction. There is one Computer/Consumer Electronics retailer that is getting a lot of this right and I presume that much of this has to do with its commitment to product training and incentivising their store reps based on percentage of sales. Retailers and brands need to take joint responsibility – the right product, at the right time, at the right place with floor personnel armed to deliver shopper satisfaction. It’s doubtful that I’ll return to these retailers in future for gaming. I’m going to do a good deal of pre-tail research – online scanning of reviews and opting to download at almost the same price of retail with less the angst and wasted time. Click here to read full blog.
Jason Frichol (FRiCH)
Brilliant Grocer Approach with consummate QR application that actually helps shoppers. Would be very interesting if this could be translated into other retail formats.
Tesco: Homeplus Subway Virtual Store
Interesting concept from South Korea which brings the shop to customers. Created by Cheil, who won a Media Lion Grand Prix award for their efforts.
Source: rewiredhq
Shopper Marketing: Pringles Scotland, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town, South Africa. One of the few store fronts that drew me in this festive season.
It is better to be vaguely right than exactly wrong.
Source: gutenberg.org
Marketing Measures Must Focus On Incremental Sales
“Establishing a value for increased awareness and positive image on its own is much like establishing the value of half of a $100 Bill. Unless you can get the matching half, it has no value. The goal for both strategic and measurement purposes is to establish a stronger connection between mass-marketing and sales-oriented marketing channels,” writes James Lenskold, Author of Marketing ROI: the path to campaign, customer, and corporate profitability. Read more.
Case Study: Pringles Top 100 Store Drive Oct ’10
Fore Good Group took over the sole distributorship for Pringles in Southern Africa in March 2009. Since the launch of Pringles into South Africa 10 years prior, where the brand had peaked in awareness and market shares, it was now on a downward spiral due to a number of both external and internal factors. Read more.
