MARKETING
BASICS
MARKETING
BASICS
SHOPPER
SHOPPER
OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
What do P&G, Coca-Cola, and Bacardi have in common?
All were built off the back of strong shopper and sales teams. It’s vital for all strategists to have a grasp of the basics of shopper strategy. Thanks to Akhil Menon for case studies.
Enjoy,
Julian Cole
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JULIAN COLE
is a strategy consultant who works with brands and agencies to create world class integrated campaigns.
CREATED BY
MARCO DEL VALLE
is a strategist at Epoch in Bristol, and creator of the #30DaysofStrategy Challenge.
DAVIS BALLARD
is a LA-based freelance strategist who moonlights as a music man at Rainbow Jeremy FM and Parang Recordings.
Understanding the shelf means...
Understanding our own strategies.
Shopper is a pressure test for our strategies - if they don’t translate in-store, then they aren’t simple enough.
Understanding our�clients’ needs
Knowing shopper shows that we get the practicalities of clients business, it’s critical to getting buy-in from sales, who are key to approving campaigns.
Understanding our consumers
The most time people spend thinking about our brands is at the supermarket aisle.
SO WHAT’S SHOPPER MARKETING ABOUT?
Source: PRS IN VIVO
The truth is - people find shopping as boring as we do. On an average trip, they’re exposed to 3,700 different displays, promotional messages. But typically, they tend to pick the first brand they latch onto.
Our mission is simple:
Make it easy for them to choose your brand.
EASY TO SEE
What can we do?
What’s the issue?
This display by Malfy gin uses bold colour, unique structures and a great central location to stock stand out from other gin brands.
70% of shopping time is spent in “cruising mode” - it takes a strong visual impact to shock shoppers out of that mode. Moreover, consumers only see ⅓ of the brands available - so making your brand visible is critical.
BE PRESENT
The more shelf-space you take up, the more likely a shopper is to choose you. Consider tactics like second-sightings (see the touchpoints section)
BE DISTINCTIVE
The more distinctive something is - the more likely people are to see it
BE CENTRAL
Anything at eye-level leads to increased purchase, while anything above that range is far less likely to be chosen.
EASY TO NAVIGATE
What can we do?
What’s the issue?
In this example, Schwartz uses a parasite unit to stock its cider spice mix next to cider brands
When you can’t find the right shelf or product format you need right away - it can be pretty frustrating. Herb Sorrensen calls this Navigational Angst, which leads shoppers to purchase less (and often not at all, especially for men)
CATEGORY NAVIGATION
Shoppers use “signpost brands” to find the right category - some brands use headerboards, aisle fins as a big signal to their consumers
SHELF NAVIGATION
Your packaging and displays should make it clear what the different ranges/variants are, and which range works best for different needs
RELEVANT ADJACENCIES
Stocking your products in adjacent categories (e.g. placing biscuits in the tea section) can make them easier for shoppers to find.
EASY TO UNDERSTAND
What can we do?
What’s the issue?
These displays by milka and Coke aren’t overly complex, but they use brand assets (colours and shapes) to make them instantly recognisable
Shoppers typically only choose between two products - and because they only spendless than 30 seconds at shelf, it helps to make things as clear and simple as possible.
SIMPLE MESSAGING
The more messages that are on a particular piece of communication, the fewer messages consumers take away
SIMPLE VISUAL
Studies show that consumers find visually complex products less attractive and less impactful`
CONSISTENCY
Consumers shop based on familiar brand assets (like color). Changing your packaging often leads to a drop in sales, as it makes it harder for them to spot your brand
CHANNELS
CHANNELS
Different types of retailers suit themselves to different types of shopping trips and touchpoints. It’s always helpful to understand (or recommend) which retailers should be top priority for your brand!
Convenience�Typically smaller ranges, quicker trips.. Tends to be very important for certain industries (e.g. drinks and snacks) - but can be pretty difficult to activate in, given their size and number.
Health & Beauty�These are (understandably) focused on specific categories, and tend to vary in size and range. Showing and telling is important here, especially for categories like cosmetics where visuals and demos are key.
Traditional Trade�Sari-sari stores,warungs, mom & pops. These are hugely important channels across regions like SE Asia. Space is minimal here - but you can get away a lot by partnering with store owners!
Wholesale�Often cater to smaller stores and traditional trade (think about tailoring your messaging to these buyers!). You’ll often have touchpoints like dump bins that store large quantities of items.
E-commerce�No list would be complete without mentioning the juggernaut of e-commerce. However, it’s complex enough to require a guide in its own right, so I won’t discuss it too much here.
Supermarkets / Hypermarkets�Wide product range, typically used for longer, larger shopping trips. This tends to be a major channel for most FMCG brands - and you’ve also got more room for bigger scale activations.
THE 6-3-1 TOUCHPOINTS
THE 6-3-1 TOUCHPOINTS
6 feet, 3 feet and 1 foot away is a great way to think about the key shopper touchpoints that you have to work with.
They range in complexity from shelf-dressing with wobblers to interactive boards. Understanding the messaging capabilities of different units is key.
Second-Sitting
Endcaps (5) help stock products at center aisles while Free-Standing Display Units (6) and Parasite units can be used to stock products in adjacent categories
Signposting
Headerboards and vertical displays like shelf fins (3) help navigate to the right category - but you can also use floor decals (4) (e.g. footprint stickers) to do the same thing more creatively.
Shelf-Dressing
Things like shelf wobblers (7) and shelf strips (8), are a simple, easy way to draw attention to products - and are especially good at highlighting sales and promotions
Signalling
6-Sheets, Posters (2), and big foyer activations (1) can make a big impact at the front of store. Note - things placed right after the store entrance - the decompression zone - tend to be ignored
6 FEET
1 FOOT
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5
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READING LIST
READING LIST
There’s a lot more to shopper marketing than this document covers, but if you’d like to learn more, the following resources are a great starting point:
Inside the Mind of the Shopper - Herb Sorensen
A more academic book, and a bit more focused on retailers than brands, but it’s definitely one to read if you want more in-depth knowledge on shopper marketing
Why We Buy,� Paco Underhill
Easy to read, funny, and human - Why We Buy is a great practical introduction to how real people shop (even if it is a bit dated)
Industry Reports� Various
Reports and awards by P-O-P and POPAI are great resources to see best-in-class examples and up-do-date facts about the industry.
Influence� Robert Cialdini
Not technically about shopper marketing - but as the core book on behavioural economics, Influence is hugely useful for nudging shoppers (check out The Choice Factory as another great alternative)
BEST IN CLASS
BEST IN CLASS
Examples of stand out shopper campaigns
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