Some of my cohorts from Insight and Strategy are in NYC this week at the Retail Forward Conference. They are tweeting live some interesting tidbits. Check them out: http://twitter.com/ShopperCulture
Wednesday
Retail Forward Conference in NYC
Tuesday
Alice.com Delivers
The very definition of in-store is changing, even for the most basic of products. For buying something as simple as shampoo, opportunities are both real and virtual. The growth of services like Peapod and Amazon Fresh as well as online ordering for brick and mortar stores like Safeway and King Sooper have changed the game.
At this point, Alice.com has received a decent amount of press, and I have been following them for a while. First on their blog, anxiously awaiting their beta to end and for them to open to the public. Then when the opportunity finally arrived, I registered for my account. The registration process gathered smart and select details about my household (number of adults, children, their ages, etc.). Enough to be useful, but not so much as to slow the process.
I went online and pulled together my first order last week. The process was simple and the site easily shoppable. I would have like to have seen a little more cross-merchandising though, but I'm sure, as they gather more info about their shoppers, they will better provide recommendations. Anyway, I received my first order 4 days. Everything I ordered was in the box, intact and great. In pack sampling, however, I hope is something they start doing.
The question this raises for me is... will shoppers start brand switching because only limited brands are sometimes available through these new, highly convenient services?
Monday
Fresh and Easy Reason to Twitter
As everyone on the planet is rapidly signing up for and figuring out Twitter, I have been keeping an eye out for great retail uses of it. (see recent post about Meijer) So, when the above popped up on my Twitter feed from Fresh n Easy, I was pleased. Outside of the usual news and deal announcements employed by most retailers, or even promotional offers as Meijer has done, creating a feedback loop with shoppers is a great innovation. It represents a retailer truly understanding the need to have a conversation with its shoppers, not just push out messages at them. Well done Fresh n Easy!
Tuesday
Favorite Tech and Trend Tidbits Effecting Retail in 2008
Since I have been MIA for a while on the blog, I thought I would fill you in on what I have be up to and thinking about for the past few months. Tech and Retail. They are integrating in new ways, and to stay innovative in both the retail and online spaces, I have spent a lot of time playing in this space. Check out a few of my favorite things from 2008 in this arena.
Meijer Launches WineList Widget – Qponix 12/19/08
“Meijer launched WineList, a compact finder widget we developed. WineList allows you to explorewines in your local Meijer store. It compresses lots of interactivity and abundant data into a160x300 embeddable, viral application. The playful interface gives you many ways to find interesting wines. After choosing a location, you make the big choice: will it be red, pink or white tonight (R, P or W)? You then play with a set of selectors - winery, price, varietal, from (region), flavor, and pairing - to refine your search. You can save wines you like to a favorites list and print it out.”
My Thoughts: Along with their Mealbox shopping "widget turning mobile app" Meijer is doing impressive work in this area. Much more useful than the Target snowglobe app, my only question is... how ready are shoppers for this? But sometimes we need to forge ahead of the current state to be truly innovative.
Shop Savvy With Your Cell Phone – ABC 2 News 12/3/08
“Now, there's new technology that can save you money when you're shopping. Some smart phones are now equipped with applications that allow you to scan barcodes to find the cheapest price. The nnew scanning technology called “Shop Savvy” can be found on T-Mobile's G1 phone.”
My Thoughts: Its that app that every retail agency wanted to come up with first, but didn't. Its basic and fantastic all at the same time.
Stop & Shop Deploys Scan It! in 50 Stores – Mediaweek 1/8/09
My Thoughts: I love this system. Its makes the experience easy for shoppers, delivers targeted promotions for brands and shoppers, and overall is a smart use of data and tech.
Consumers will seek help to guide them through online product selection – unitedbit.com – 3/30/08
“Overwhelmed by an ever-increasing variety of products and services for sale online andoverloaded with choice, consumers will demand better ways to quickly find what they are looking for with absolute accuracy. They will increasingly turn to price comparison sites, consumer ratings and reviews, and product finder and selection tools. Smart retailers has already offer enhanced product discovery tools, such as Cybertec Research’s Online Shopping Advisor software or HP’s Retail Store Assistant shopping assistant.“
My Thoughts: I find this interesting only because I am the opposite type of e-shopper. I like the research I get to do. However, I think I am in the minority. So, this seems like the future of product search and its great to hear that sites are optimizing for it already. These days tech adoption needs to move at these types of speeds.
Target Builds Snow Globe Effect as iPhone App - mediabuyerplanner.com - 12/3/08
“Target is one of the first brands to create an iPhone application. The Target “gift globe” allows iPhone users to shake their phones to launch a snow-fall effect.”
My Thoughts: I was truly disappointed in this app as it was nothing more than window dressing with great press. It did little to enhance the shopping experience.
“Cellfire recently signed a deal with Kroger, the grocery chain, to show users a list of 10 to 30 offers, like 50 cents off Cottonelle toilet paper or 75 cents off a box of Chex cereal. When you select a discount, Cellfire feeds the coupon information directly to the grocer’s loyalty program. Users submit their loyalty program membership numbers to Cellfire; with subsequent swipes of the loyalty
card, all of the chosen discounts are credited.”
My Thoughts: This is the future of couponing. Paperless, simple and secure. While the cell part might take some adoption, there are web versions for the less tech savvy shopper. But overall, the tie to loyalty cards means more targeted deals increasing relevance for shoppers and redemption for brands.
Mintel Predicts Top Trends for 2009 - You are in CONTROL – Business Wire11/11/08
“Over the years, people have become more confident and demanding about how they live their lives and spend their money. Even as a recession hits, they’ll want to stay in control of their choices wherever they can. Consumers will seek out products and services that give them exactly what they want, when they want it, especially as their budgets tighten. And the Internet will be key. It shows people every option available and gives them the power to demand more, while also allowing them to influence others through user reviews and feedback.”
“What it means for businesses: Manufacturers will respond with products that suit people’s specific needs and lifestyles. “Those companies that give consumers precisely what they want or give them the freedom to customize their purchases will do well. Companies that fail to do this will see consumers walk away,” says Joan Holleran. In addition, Baby Boomers will be of particular interest to businesses. Companies will move beyond traditional “old age” products and services to ones that embrace the active, healthy lifestyles of many older consumers.”
My Thoughts: We’ve known about consumer control for a while…(especially after Time Magazine made all of us, the person of the year in 2006.) However, the impact on shopping behavior on a broader scale is now starting to take effect and we can start reaping the benefits through smart marketing, or get left behind by remaining “mass marketers”.
“If you look at the statistics, it would seem that the free shipping debate has all but been decided for online retailers. In a 2008 survey conducted by PayPal and comScore, 43 percent of shoppers said they abandon their shopping carts because of unexpectedly high shipping charges. Forrester Research reports that 61 percent of online shoppers prefer to shop with a retailer that offers free shipping than one that doesn't.”
My Thoughts: As a part of a brick ‘n’ mortar focused retail marketing agency, beginning to apply our long earned learnings to eCommerce, we face new challenges. However, getting at the same basic understanding of how shoppers, pull product off the shelf, put it in their cart and ultimately get through check out follows requires same discipline, just with new variables. And understanding facts like the above go a long way to driving conversion and creating happier clients.
Why Twitter Should Matter to E-Commerce Shops - ecommerce-guide.com 12/15/08
“Less altruistically, some businesses have discovered that Twitter is an effective way of
communicating with consumers. Dell says Twitter has produced $1 million in revenue over the past year and a half through sale alerts. People who sign up to follow Dell on Twitter receive messages when discounted products are available the company's Home Outlet Store. They can click over to purchase the product or forward the information to others.
Dell started experimenting with Twitter in March of 2007 after the South by Southwest conference, an annual tech/music festival in
My Thoughts: Although ultimately disturbed by Twitter as I’m not sure that people care that much about what I do, minute by minute, as a marketing tool I love it. From network TV programs to information companies, everyone is finding ways to make this short form messaging engine work hard for them.
“while
My Thoughts: No Duh... To use an expression from years past. This wasn’t surprising as much as it validated what we already new. Shoppers were already going to the web to be better informed shoppers due to new financial stresses and as the top online e-tailer, Amazon stood the most to gain from this trend. “I love it when a plan comes to gather” –
E-Commerce Trends for 2008 and 2009: Trying to Cash In on Social Sites – ecommerce-guide.com 12/30/08
“Perhaps the biggest conundrum of 2008 in regard to online sales was how to make a profit by marketing and selling on social networks such as Facebook. Widgets and special e-commerce applications abound for social networks, but so far, members seem to want to communicate more than they want to shop.”
“Still, word-of-mouth marketing is powerful, and research continues to cite the fact that consumers continue to share — and trust — information about products they gain through social networks, even if they aren't actually making purchases there. So, we're certain in the coming year we will see more services and technology designed to help online businesses both market and sell through these sites.”
My Thoughts: This is a big challenge because linking sales back to word of mouth can sometimes be difficult. However, as the tool box for these technologies advance, hopefully as marketers we can engineer in some better metrics to show the value of 2.0 tech. Its there somewhere, like an answer on the tip of your tongue that you just can’t quite verbalize.
“Letting customers rate products on e-commerce sites is the top Web 2.0 spending priority, according to online retailers in the
My Thoughts: Engagement and experience are something that online retailers are still working out. There are many shoppers who still like going to the store because they feel that ecommerce while maybe simple and intuitive can lack a certain experiential factor. Just as in-store experiences have changed to accommodate shopper desires, it only follows that the web world will work the same. And lets be honest, it’s a lot cheaper and easier to change one website that redesign the interior of hundreds or thousands of stores.
Hope you enjoyed the little recap, if you want anymore info on any of these topics, please throw a comment in and I’ll get back to you.
Monday
White Paper Madness Giveaway - Clean Store, Digital Retail...
I haven't posted anything lately because we have been slaving away at work on a couple of interesting white papers regarding the in-store world.
An associate of mine wrote a very interesting piece cleverly titled, Clean Store Policy: A Point of View. As the title suggests, he delivers our point of view on current trends in Clean Store Policies. (just messing with you Andrew, its a great title).
As for myself, I have been working closely with Craig and Morgan to launch our new Digitail™ intiative. Digitiail is a new focus at Integer around the convergence of the digital and retail spaces. Technology shifts and changing shopper behaviors, in addition to a number of other factors led us down this path. Take a look here to find out more.
Safeway goes Hollywood
I'm feeling a little lazy, but at the same time need some new content for you all. So, I'm pillaging a post I also recently threw up on our work blog. But, the story and point of view are interesting I swear. Here you go.
The Promo Magazine website recently featured a story about Safeway partnering with Warner Bros. to launch a kid friendly extension of their Eating Right product line. In a marketplace where many popular kids brands are having to turn away from licensed characters for their "not-so-healthy" products, Safeway is taking advantage and moving aggressively with their private label brands. This isn't their first step in redefining private label (see Safeway to Market Private Label Brand to Other Supermarkets).
According to the article, "More than 1,700 Safeway locations in the U.S. will carry the line, which includes Toasted Os cereal, frozen meals, such as chicken enchiladas, and beverages." By adding popular licensed characters to their Eating Right line, how long will it be before kids have an affinity for healthy private label products over long established kids brands, because they feature Bugs, Taz or Marvin the Martian.
In-store TV Evolving in the Right Direction
When I was home in L.A. over the holiday break, I took the opportunity to check out one of IBN's latest installs of their PerfectMedia In-store TV network. Conveniently, it happened to be in my parent's favorite Ralph's, so as I made the ever dreaded Christmas day "fill-in trip" for whatever ingredients mom's was missing, I killed two birds.
Overall, I was impressed with the offering. Large perimeter screens 
with their vertical orientation do standout, and the choice of locations, produce and bakery, meant that shoppers might actually slow down long enough to take in some messaging. Also, the creative I happened to see were nice in-store specific executions featuring video within a seeming flash-based branded environment. You can check out some creative samples here.
More interesting however, were the in-aisle placements. In the fabric care aisle, there was this placement. 
Right at eye level and with audio just loud enough to hear within close proximity of the screen, but not so annoying that you heard it beyond more than a few feet away. As I passed it, there was some content, I think sponsored by Better Homes, about organizing your home or something to that effect. Relevant enough for a placement in the household needs part of the store.
If in-store TV networks are going to live up to the hype currently in the marketplace and truly become a medium of the future, its networks like this, focusing on increasing relevance through context and quality placements over quantity, that will take this vehicle to where it needs to be. Now, unfortunately, they just need to roll out into more stores. Currently only available in less than 100 Kroger stores, PerfectMedia is evolving in the right direction, now they just need build their reach.
Tuesday
Instant Consumer Segmentation
I’m straying a little outside the store on this one into Morgan's territory, but its still retail related...
So I was on smartsource.com checking out who is utilizing the world of online coupons and ran across something interesting. Instant self-reported segmentation. 
Instead of the usual "click here" for your coupon, you "clicked here" to reveal your savings, after answering 2 questions.
And POOF, much to my delight, my coupon value was upgraded from 55 cents to $1.25 off.
In a world where not every product needs or gets a big promo site with drives for registration, this is a great approach to be smarter about coupon distribution.Monday
Excited yet Conflicted about the Future of Retail
The more I read and hear, the more I wonder where Retail Marketing is going. PRISM hopes to simplify the media aspects of it, while Retailers are also becoming more demanding in Customer Specific concerns as well as now Customer/Shopper specific efforts.
WARNING: This a long one, but worth it for those whose bread is buttered in this arena.
I was reading a fantastically interesting article in the Hub about shopper marketing which got me thinking about the myriad of forces at work on retail marketing. The article written by Chris Hoyt and Gail Peterson of Hoyt and Associates basically outlines the shift by retailers to better shopper segmentation and what in means to anyone selling goods at retail. Check it out here.
The net net is that retailers are now aiming to better serve their shoppers by customizing stores (product selection, layout, etc...). The hope of the more shopper relevant store is, as always increase sales, but also increase loyalty.
"This store understands me" seems to be the general response we are looking for here. I love this, its smart, makes complete sense, but in everyway complicates what we as an agency are going to be tasked with in the future. Try customer specific programming across a clients top 10 retailers and you can go a little nuts. But now, its going to grow geometrically as each customer specifc program will have 4 - 8 "shopper specific" twists.
Again, I love this, it will only lead to more targeted programming which hopefully means more effective and successful work. I just think we made need a few more folks on the home team.
My conflict comes as I have the pleasure of working with the PRISM folks on the development of that fantastic tool. As stores differentiate further, what does this mean for uniform measurement and planning. I would argue the measurement factor can remain less affected as "eyeballs are eyeballs" in the world of media measurement. An impression in prime time TV is added on top of an impression in Time Magazine and then added again to a Yahoo impression is terms of overall plan delivery.
Yes, the levels of engagement are different, but that's a separate consideration as a part of the planning process. But as far as Neilsen is concern, they are measuring "opportunity to see"; eyeballs are eyeballs. (Its the same song for TV, Print and everything else measured)
So, this leads me to the part which is affected by all this retailer specific mumbo jumbo; planning retail programs. While thanks to PRISM we will know how many people will see our in-store pieces, how to interupt and engage will become a more important artform.
This is very exciting. Encouragement on the part of retailers for more specific programs around the "kind of shopper" that is in a particular store provides an opportunity to start testing the limits of in-store creative. How do we take a once simple promotional tool and update and inspire it to be more. What kind of creaive measurement do we establish to test what works where and for whom? I could tell you my thoughts, but I'd have to charge you.
While its a somewhat confusing time...
unform measurement vs. store specific segmentation,
clean store policies vs. a growing retail media landscape,
Retailer Brands vs. CPG Brands vs. Consumers vs. Shoppers.
...its an exciting time. Its exciting because conversations are being had that weren't had before. Positions, departments and companies are being created to address all the colors of the retail rainbow. Legitimacy is around the corner, if not here already. Now we just need more hands on deck.
Thanks for playing... I'll make my next entry shorter I promise!
Wednesday
Everybody Likes a Pizza Party
Its true...and Schwan Foods is counting on it driving traffic to their web promotion from retail. Using their entire portfolio of frozen pizza brands (Freschetta, Red Baron and Tony’s), they are driving traffic to pizzapartypro.com for the chance to win the “ultimate party” including a party planner, day spa treatment, party day attire, digital camera and a flat panel hdtv. 
They had three placements in the frozen aisle including a floorgraphic in front of the Red Baron pizza along with a shelftalk, then further down the aisle was another shelftalk in front of the Freshetta. While the “Party Like a Pro” sweeps was carried through all, the individual placements also maintain the equity of each brand. 
The site itself is really really basic; a couple party tips, sweeps info and an entry mechanism. The engagement online could have certainly been more compelling, but the traffic driving vehicles in-store showed a commitment to store as a medium. The fact that they invested in 3 placements and had absolutely no sell messaging, but instead simply used retail as a medium to drive awareness of their online promotion is impressive.
Thursday
Healthy Choice - Retail to Web
Since we all sit around talking about in-store as a medium, not a sales tool, it’s nice to see it used for something other than simply trying to drive sales lift. Healthy Choice currently is running an interesting in-store drive to web promotion. The main window of the shelftalk pushes the current promotion “START MAKING CHOICES” which drives you to web to “get your personalized health and wellness tools at healthychoice.com.”
Beyond that, the outer extension is pushing other portfolio products, namely their Healthy Choice soups. Obviously their frozen offering is their marquee product… so they are harnessing their equity there to drive awareness of other extensions as well as create an online experience. This is in-store as a medium; its driving awareness as well as push to web. Oh, and to date, the website currently boasts over 35,000 people who have signed up to "START MAKING CHOICES"!
Macro Trends + In-store Trends = New Opportunity?
With our Trends and Technology conference still recent in memory, and a lot of 2006 recaps/2007 predicitions for in-store in the press, my brain spit out an interesting dicussion... Does Storytelling and the rise of digital signage in-store create a new forum for brand engagement. (Also, do shoppers want it)
"In-Store TV is Hot
Target launched "Channel Red" in its entertainment departments, Kroger discussed its "Perfect Media" plans for integrated TV-radio networks, and Meijer went live with a chain-wide network...Wal-Mart best exemplified the issues surrounding in-store media...by placing monitors in aisles and on endcaps"
- In-store Marketer 2006 trend recap...
Also, more recently it was announced...
"Two divergent players in the world of in-store advertising are teaming up for a test that would surround shoppers with an ambient, multimedia advertising and marketing experience. The test, which will rollout in a sample of supermarkets owned by The Stop & Shop Supermarket Co., will combine the place-based programming of InStore Broadcasting Network (IBN) with personalized shopping media developed by Cuesol. 
During the Stop & Shop tests, IBN will deliver synchronized advertising messages via its audio and video platforms in the store, which will be combined and integrated with Cuesol's technology, a high-tech shopping cart equipped with a digital personal shopping assistant dubbed the "Shopping Buddy."
- MediaPost 2/6/07
These applications in-store allow us to provide more in depth brand experiences to shoppers. Do shoppers want them? I don't know, we'll have to ask. If we push a bunch of complicated messaging at people, I'm guessing they won't be happy. But if user initiated content can be served up to shoppers to bring them further into our brands, how valuable is that? What does this mean in a world where we have espoused the notion that we have 3 seconds to seal the deal or shoppers will be lost.
Anytime we have a challenge to our conventional thinking, I smell opportunity. It may be an opportunity to fall flat on our faces, but opportunty none the less.
Storytelling: Consumers want to hear our story and share their own...
Technology: Shoppers can have an interactive, audio visual in-store experience...
The intersection of these two concepts has to mean something. I'm curious to see what.
Monday
The omni-present Sunsilk
Thought I would start this thing off with the on-going case study of Sunsilk which I'm sure many of you have probably heard of, seen on TV or seen in-store.
My interest in Sunsilk began when I came across them in-store with a series of humorous cross category placements far from the hair care aisle in both grocery and mass. When they launched this campaign they viewed the store truly as a medium capitalizing on the reach of the whole store, not just the HABA categories. Placements ran near soda, ice cream, laundry and so on, all with contextually relevant messages that brought the brand's fun, humorous personality to life.
While this intrigued me, I was more impressed as I began to dig deeper and see how the in-store leg of the campaign worked so well within the broader media mix.
As I am not an 18-34 year old female, I haven't seen a ton of their TV, but by all accounts, most young women have. Along with a ton of national magazines, in-theater ads and online media, the TV rounded out a compelling campaign which had roots in a larger idea. A non-traditional idea for the category certainly. The brand is the star of the spots, this fun, clever persona which they created takes center stage, not Hair. There aren't dramatic slow mo shots of hair being flipped about present in any of the ads.
The last piece of the campaign, and the goal of much of the communication was a drive online to http://www.gethairapy.com, the brands site. After some initial intro which set up the tone not only for the site but the brand, the first thing I noticed were the two promo modules on
the homepage, one for a free sample and one for a sweeps. While there is certainly plenty of content around the site to keep users around for a while (video, blog, advice etc...), they didn't completely disguise there intentions... get a free sample, enter a sweeps, we are incenting you interact with us and our brand.
While I don't find my hair to be particularly in need of special care, I signed up under the free sample section and was met a few weeks later with a nice DM piece with my sample and a couple other fun things which again illustrating the playfullness of the brand and typically driving you back online to the site.
Overall, this started in-store, but through that I stumbled on to a very interesting and well glued-together wholistic campaign.
Subsequently, now out of the launched phase, they have evolved there in-store strategy with stronger purchase drivers. Currently they are now more focused in the hair care aisle with banners bookending the product and a coupon machine to drive trial.
Final bits...
1. In terms of non-traditional, I don't know the category
tremendously well, but I find it interesting that their spokespeople
are three men...no hair models.
2. Integration, integration, integration...they do a great job
of maintaining consistency of message, look and feel accross all
their vehicles, but, they don't neccessarily try and do everything
everywhere. For example, we never see the spokespeople in-store,
but the same humor is used.
Strange side note:
I'm not sure if its a new Unilever thing, but I saw another
out of category placement today at Safeway for Suave in the laundry
aisle. Interestingly, its the second Unilever brand in the past
couple months to put hair care in the laundry aisle.
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