Jenny Danzi

I had the distinct pleasure of sitting with Kantar BrandZ for an in-depth conversation about global brands through the lens of PepsiCo's iconic portfolio -- what makes a brand valuable, the role of brands, how to stay relevant, deploying distinctive assets in a consistent and connected way, how the best-of-the best do it and so much more. I believe brands have a bigger role to play than before and at PepsiCo we talk about Positive Brands. We want to inspire people to make better choices for them and the planet. We are developing programs that leverage the scale and power of our brand marketing to accelerate our sustainability journey and connect with consumers. And we recognized brands are only relevant to people to the degree that they connect to something meaningful in their lives; something bigger that connects to core human needs like community, security, control, connection, enjoyment, etc. When it comes to deploying distinctive assets, we have to be very humble as marketeers. Memory structures, distinctiveness, brand meaning is built over generations. As marketeers, we stand on the shoulders of the giants that went before us. I'm very humble to the generations of incredible marketeers who have built these brilliant brands. Thank you Kantar for recognizing PepsiCo in the BrandZ Top 100 Brands Global Report 2024. Check out the full conversation: https://lnkd.in/eE3mtGxZ #PepsiCoProud #BrandZ #Kantar

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General Mills spoke recently at a Barclays investor event and used the platform to reassure investors of its plans to return to growth. While it has been a difficult stretch for major CPGs as consumers' wallets are tighter than in years past the company did highlight some indicators suggesting near-term growth. But beyond that General Mills emphasized a need to create a new competitive playbook. They highlighted misses on innovation, pricing movements, and packaging sizes, as areas of concern. Identifying the problem is always the first step, but how do they correct course? Immediate levers to pull like boosting media and trade spending, will improve top lines in the short term, but a commitment to consistent consumer and competitive research is needed to help realize efficiency gains on the bottom line. #Fletcher #CPG #CompetitiveIntelligence https://lnkd.in/gxMcbGDU

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I’ve been a longtime fan of Siete Family Foods, and seeing their journey unfold has been truly inspiring. Now, with PepsiCo acquiring Siete for $1.2 billion, I’m curious to see how Pepsi will integrate this brand into its portfolio without losing the authenticity that makes Siete so special. Siete’s ability to blend health-conscious products with Hispanic heritage is what sets them apart. It’s not just about products; it’s about values and culture. The real question is—how will Pepsi leverage Siete’s unique position in the market, and what does this acquisition mean for the evolution of Pepsi’s brand portfolio? Excited to see how this unfolds. How do you think big brands like PepsiCo should approach acquisitions like these? Check out the full story here

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some insight from the linkedin algorithm

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Modernizing legacy brands for a new generation of consumers is no easy feat. Earlier in my career, I was fortunate to work on teams that accomplished that for two legacy Kraft Heinz brands: Jell-O and Crystal Light. Critical to those successes were the same lessons Gail Hollander discusses in this article: * how to successfully update a brand by understanding its role in the culture and category without walking too far away from the brand truth and its DNA * creating winning marketing strategies by leveraging the art (creative thinking) and the science (data-driven decisions); and * breaking down silos to align the entire organization around long-term brand building I took these lessons I learned and recently wrote an article about how integral they also are for building successful CX strategies: https://lnkd.in/ecPhFpMz

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I’ve listened to this conversation 3 times already, so good! Must listen for anyone in the FMCG space. I could’ve listed so many more, but here’s 5 of my favourite snippets…👇 1. ‘Just Stay Alive’ David discussed how lots of things happen in business that feel fatal at the time, but in the grand scheme of things they really aren’t as damaging as you think. Once you’re alive, there’s always hope, and things can always get better. Just stay alive. 2. ‘Don't feel shame around failure, get energised by it’ I love this one. So often we run from failure, because we’re scared of what failing says about us & what we're capable of - and ultimately it dents our ego. But once you reframe failure as something that can help you to become better, it can allow you to actually learn and grow. Drop your ego, have a growth mindset, and use failure to get better. 3. People will always have something to say about what you're doing, how you're doing it, and how it could've been done better - but that doesn’t matter. Your one job is to stay alive. People will always pick holes & highlight how you could’ve done better, no matter what you do. You have to be open-minded, but you also have to be decisive and to believe in yourself & your vision. 4. ‘Your good decisions compound, your bad decisions compound’ This is powerful. What you do consistently matters - even if you can’t see it at the time. Cutting corners consistently, even on small things, will eventually catch up with you, and consistently making small steps in the right direction will eventually pay off. 5. ‘There’s lots of reasons why things don’t work, and there’s lots of reasons why things work’ I’ve saved my favourite to last! Everyone wants a quick fix, the top tip that’ll transform their business or their life, but that’s just not how things work. Success or failure isn’t down to one single thing, but a collection of things over a long period of time. Huge thanks to Jason Gibb & all the team at Bread and Jam for giving early stage founders the opportunity to hear these conversations, Fiona Fitzpatrick for asking such good questions & facilitating such an interesting conversation, and to David Lester for your honesty, humility & insight 🙌

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Reflecting on this monumental moment, I wanted to wait until the news was "official" before sharing my thoughts and feelings... Almost 7 years ago, a good friend now who started as a good client invited me to his new office in NJ to explore a plant-based protein company he was considering acquiring. That's when I first encountered OWYN. Honestly, I wasn't sure what to make of it initially. Plant-based, vegan protein drinks weren't in my usual "repertoire" of ideation and marketing. But after trying the product that day, I knew I wanted to be part of the journey. And what an incredible journey it has been! Throughout the last 7 years, in my capacity as a "strategic advisor," I've embraced a multitude of roles and responsibilities, working closely with a diverse array of talented leaders. From individuals who made significant contributions from the outset and have since moved on, to those who have ascended to leadership positions, such as CEO Mark O. and Chief Sales Officer Matt OConnell, as well as "more recent" additions like CMO Julia Perez, who came in and made an immediate and substantial impact, our collaboration has been characterized by passion, mutual respect, and an unwavering commitment to innovation. Now, fast forward to today. After countless hours of strategic discussions, meetings, and partnerships, we've achieved something remarkable. We've taken a niche brand, crafted with the finest ingredients, and found the perfect successor in our recent acquisition. If you notice, even as a "consultant" I always will refer to it as we. When I work with brands, especially from day 1, I consider myself a true part of the team. Being part of a brand from inception to this pivotal moment is incredibly special. As a matter of fact, it's been a huge goal of mine since that fateful day 7 years ago. I'm eager to see what lies ahead for OWYN and hopeful that I can continue contributing to a product and brand that means so much to me and countless others, especially our consumers. #OWYN #PlantBased #Acquisition #Journey #Gratitude #Business #CPG #SimplyGood https://lnkd.in/emY6UT2g

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Many beverage brands are finding success in partnering with retailers, influencers, or icons (think Marvel, Disney, etc) to help boost consumer awareness and trial. In the last year at Circle Beverage we’ve had some of our largest-growth clients benefit from this trend, as recently as this week when we produced a new collaboration between a high-potential brand and a well-aligned influencer. Commercializing these types of projects is challenging. There are extra “opinions at the table” when it comes to formula adjustments, packaging design, and more. Due to the understandable lack of industry experience of the influencer partner, often times these changes come late in the process. Late changes require the manufacturer and operational teams to apply considerable flexibility and attention to detail to execute without error or turbulence. Changes that usually take weeks or months often need to be pulled off in days or hours. I can’t say how long this collaborative trend will remain in our industry, but it is gaining momentum every week. We are committed at Circle Beverage to keep perfecting the process that it takes to pull it off. #cpg #manufacturing #influencermarketing #beverageindustry

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I’m happy to see private brands finally get the star treatment they deserve. This story from The Wall Street Journal Jesse Newman and Stephanie Stamm highlights a key statistic that speaks to the power of private brands: They now capture 22 cents of every grocery dollar. And it’s not just because consumers are cutting back on spending. It’s because private brands today offer not only value, but quality. In many cases not just quality but unique distinctive innovation as well. As retailers make real investments in development, packaging and marketing on private brands, the retail landscape is shifting in a major way. And no one knows that better than Daymon. https://lnkd.in/eFT2edZN   #PrivateBrands #Retail #RetailTrends #ConsumerBehavior #RetailInnovation 

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I'm beyond HYPED to announce that Wild Bill's has rocketed into the top 5 fastest-growing products on RangeMe, sharing the spotlight with stellar brands like poppi (Mother Beverage), OLIPOP PBC, Perfy, and The Coca-Cola Company. It's thrilling to be recognized among such iconic names! Rocket Pop’s spot on this list transcends mere seasonal trendiness—it’s a testament to its year-round appeal and our commitment to authentically enhancing experiences wherever people gather. I might be a bit biased, but honestly, no one nails experiential, occasion-based selling quite like Wild Bill's. We're not just showing up; we're a major hit across an insane variety of events. I kid you not, we do over 400 events a year—everything from comic and anime conventions to e-sports competitions, county and state fairs, motorcycle rallies, air shows, military reunions, renaissance faires, civil war reenactments, regattas, car shows, steampunk festivals, Scottish and Highland games, Celtic festivals, Italian feasts, food truck festivals and more. At Wild Bill's, we don't just attend these events; we transform them, enhancing every experience with our unique flavors, one sip at a time! To discover more about the Wild Bill's event experience, please check out this video: https://lnkd.in/ewwDA96U NielsenIQ Byzzer powered by NielsenIQ ECRM Allison Ellsworth Vasa Martinez #CPG #Beverage #Retail #Grocery #Foodservice #Events #VeteranOwned

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Clear. Strategic. Insightful. Marketing is a multidimensional field that requires more than just digital know-how. It is getting more and more complex but there are a few critical competencies all marketers need to master… Read the full article from my esteemed colleague Bronwyn Heys at The CMO Syndicate to unlock the full power of marketing! 🚀🚀

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Did you know that while pricing is important to the Hispanic Consumer, things like Brand Reputation are even more critical to them than other shoppers? Our #pepviz data and analytics proprietary practice has helped us gather interesting findings on our consumers that help us reiterate our commitment towards consumer centricity. Learn why Brand Reputation is so important to the Hispanic Shopper here: https://bit.ly/pepviz_data  

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PRIME DAY LIVE TAKES: DAY 2 We’re wrapping up the second and final day of Prime Day. It’s looking like Amazon has accomplished its goal of beating last year’s Prime Day performance… by a healthy margin. Not only that, but participation from CPG brands this year felt like the highest it’s ever been! Here are some hot takes from Day 2 (maybe a bit less rosy!): 💹 Are the deals fake? - I got questions about price increases ahead of Prime Day, which has the impression of making the deals seem “fake”. (I think this is trending on Tiktok) - This definitely exists, though it’s not so simple to pull off: requires months of planning. “Reference price” is closely monitored and if it moves ahead of Prime Day, you often have to recreate your deals or restructure - In our categories we actually worried about June or July deals or price matching which would make your reference price too *low*, requiring too deep of a discount brands couldn’t afford. On that topic… 🏷️ Price matching from other platforms is getting worse: - Chewy and Target have started price-matching promos or sales prices which can jeopardize Prime Day deals. - Because of this, it’s becoming almost table-stakes to have unique assortments for different retailers. ♻️ Amazon is emphasizing repurchase behavior: - This year, Amazon showcased deals from brands on “Buy It Again” list (appearing high on the homepage) - S&S coupons were everywhere - a 50% coupon was a great follow-on to a deep discount - The mega brands you know were some of the biggest deals - Apple, Dyson, etc. Best Buy now operates as a 3rd party seller - Paired with less prominent badging of deals, feels like Amazon focused on driving sales a bit more than new product discovery 🛠️ Prime Day also had lots of technical issues: - The Amazon advertising console was down for over an hour last night - Brands experienced several strange, new suppressions that prevented them from running coupons or promos. - Prime Day badging displayed somewhat inconsistently, causing confusion for shoppers (and frustration for brands!) The next 2 weeks is critical. The purpose of Prime Day is—and always has been—new customer acquisition. Brands should specifically target new people who visited their pages. Follow-on promos for people still in cart, emails about the follow-on promos (”Did you miss it?” FOMO is strong!), retargeting ads, and repurchase campaigns should all be launched in the coming days. Finally, want to know if your Prime Day was good? My advice: look at your Best Seller Ranking compared to your direct competitors. It’s the simplest measure of relative performance! You can use a tool like Keepa or Helium10 to track both this and price (to see if any brands pulled price increase tricks!). - - - - - Next week, we’ll be aggregating all of Cartograph’s Prime Day performance data and writing a deeper list of learnings from this year.

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Beverage alcohol consumption has undergone significant changes in recent years, influenced heavily by the pandemic and evolving preferences of younger consumers aged 21 and older. I joined Joan Holleran Driggs for an episode of Circana’s Growth Insights podcast to explore these shifts and offer insights into what we can expect for 2024 and beyond. Here are the key takeaways: 🍺 Traditionally, adults aged 21+ started with beer or wine. Now, many young adults are beginning with ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages, particularly spirits-based options. 📉 Despite a plethora of choices, overall beverage alcohol consumption is softening across generations. However, premium beverages are still experiencing growth. 🥤 The appeal of RTD beverage alcohol among younger consumers is largely due to innovative packaging, including on-the-go options like ball form, slim cans, and aseptic packaging. 🥃 Whiskey, tequila, spirits-based RTDs, and imported beer from Mexico continue to drive the beverage alcohol market. Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gqRdf9Xd #Circana #BeverageAlcohol #RTD #GenerationalTrends #PremiumBeverages #CircanaGrowthInsights

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Reading this message from the new CEO of Starbucks, I think Brian Niccol's approach to recapturing some of the Starbucks magic is just what the iconic brand needs: - He humbly respects the roots of the company as being a valuable part of the communities and customers they serve. - He sounds focused on the customer. All good business and marketing strategy is about deeply knowing the customer - Storytelling: This is a superpower for Starbucks. Flexing this muscle will pay off. - He has a clear plan which should instill confidence among employees (partners) and shareholders. What do you think?

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With 2025 right around the corner, prioritizing company goals while balancing emerging technologies and growth expectations should be top of mind for marketing professionals. I shared my thoughts and predictions for #AI and marketing with Michelle Castillo in Campaign US – read the full article below: https://bit.ly/3YwYbOr #Marketing #McKinsey

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🚛 A large part of managing CPG brands is the distributor relationship. This is an insightful read from The Dieline on International beverage products breaking into the U.S. market and being challenged by distributors on branding that doesn't fit 'old school' stereotypes. There thinking tho is FAR from the truth and consumers are proving it! 🔑 Here's 3 key takeaways: 1. Create genuine buzz around your product. 2. Build your community. 3. Target smaller markets first. Prove your products worth and then scale up! 🚀 #CPGMarketing #DigitalMarketing #Branding #SocialMediaMarketing

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If you think it's been a tough environment for CPGs, buckle in. This 1-pager highlights the five market forces disrupting the industry and provides actionable insights on how to turn them into competitive advantages. #CPG #Retail #Consumer #Commerce Interpublic Group (IPG) Inc. Magazine

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