Marketing For The New Digital Shelf

Rapid Changes In Consumer Behavior Have Chartered A New Frontier For Marketing

Right now is the most exciting time I can remember in my marketing career. The pace of change as a result of advances in technology and a more connected world has accelerated, creating new opportunities for marketing professionals. Better access to data has revolutionized the discipline of marketing, creating a blend of art and science.

The definition of what makes an effective marketer is also changing rapidly. Classic Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) marketing skills like creativity, strategic thinking, and consumer insights will continue to be important, but now the expectation and need is for marketers to be more fluent in using data and emerging technology to reach consumers. This is fundamental for marketers and reaching today’s consumers is even more scientific and precise.

As a CPG marketer,one statistic that stood out to me during the onset of COVID-19 is howthe adoption of online grocery shopping advanced four years in just four weeks in 2020. This reality has forever changed how consumers behave and has enhanced the importance of the ‘digital shelf.’ Marketers today need to enhance their understanding of how consumers shop online by harnessing the power of data. We are the ones who must identify and merchandise on the digital shelf with the same rigor and consistency as in-store.

We were prepared for this shift before the pandemic, and within our Integrated Marketing Communications team, we created an Omni-Channel Center of Excellence (COE) which includes marketers, analysts, sales representatives, and shopper marketing. The goal is to reach consumers wherever they are with creative, compelling, and relevant messages. It also aims to create a consistent brand experience on the digital shelves regardless of the channel or how consumers are shopping online. The shopper journey will never return to what itwas pre-pandemic and marketers will succeed only if they become experts in this realm.

A high-performing omni-channel COE should serve as a resource for digital category management by offering thought leadership surrounding the strategic planning and execution for the CPG’s retail partners. There is tremendous opportunity in the growing areas of retailer media and retailer search, one being the ability to partner and leverage retailer shopper data to create win-win solutions for both the retailer and the brand. Marketers can develop and offer rich content for these sites and invest in key search terms to ensure the brand’s products rise to the top when consumers are shopping online. Understanding the influence and promise of this space is the key tosuccess in this new frontier.

In addition to retailer channels, marketers should focus on brand ‘shopability,’ or the idea of finding ways that people can buy products at any point along the consumer journey. Another area of interest is the rising prominence of social commerce – using social networking sites like Facebook (Meta), Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok as vehicles to promote and sell products. These sites enable ‘shoppable media,’ where one click or tap on a digital advertisement takes the consumer straight to a retailer’s ecommerce page, making purchasing products easier than ever. This almost instant way to shop has significant implications for marketers and has forged a new path to purchase. Gen Z and Millennials spend much of their time online, so traditional methods of reaching them, such as television and print,are becoming less effective. Over time, I expect that CPG marketing spend will invest more to accelerate in the digital spaceand shift away from traditional media.

My call to action for marketers or those seeking out marketing careers is to be flexible and open-minded. Consider a well-rounded skill set that includes an understanding of data, technology, and advanced analytics. Be curious about the future and choose to work for organizations that are committed to innovative thinking and investing in their employees.