John Knotz

I've been seeing a *lot* of CPG brands make this same mistake: They're seeing closures of many key paths to market (like Foxtrot), and taking it as a sign that they should go straight to big retail. But let's be clear: **Most brands should NOT launch straight into big retail.** Historically, brands that have found success by launching straight into big retail share these characteristics (from what I’ve analyzed): → They have an extremely large addressable market → They have pre-existing brand awareness → They have access to capital and a retail execution network → They have a relatively simple product innovation that most people will understand immediately Think: Oreo’s Double Stuffed, Liquid Death Water in a Can, Sugar Free Coke If this doesn't describe you, proceed with caution. Retail can be your biggest sales channel...when you’re ready. But we need to respect the growth curve. Instead? Invest your time into other entry points to market for emerging CPG brands, like: 🌟 INFRA 🌟 Pod Foods 🌟 Faire 🌟 Pop Up Grocer 🌟 National Co+op Grocers Want to take this build-up approach to retail...but don't know where to begin? I'd love to support you on your journey going to retail. Shoot me a DM!

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BLEM is now the #5 flower brand in CA over the past 90-Days according to Headset analytics. I love looking at the numbers but don’t forget the human emotion/behavior and soft data side of sales is just as crucial in decision making and brand strategy. A lot of work to still do but super proud of our team. We’re just getting started. 🚀🚀 #cannabis #sales #cannabisbusiness #cannabisindustry #cannabiscommunity #marketing #business

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Here’s a little insider scoop on beauty products in grocery stores: Grocery buyers? They’re mostly focused on food—so hair care product sales are a bonus! That’s why many grocery store corporate buyers work with distributors (like TWT) who specialize in beauty. These distributors offer a specialized expertise of understanding the details of a category like Black or Hispanic hair care. They do some of the heavy lifting of curating hair care shelves in grocery stores and are key decision makers in deciding which brands and products make it to the shelf. Each item on a grocery store shelf is a financial investment, so a distributor helps grocery stores stay stocked without taking away from their main goal: selling food. If you're an emerging brand, this is key to know! Pitching to the right distributor might be the shortcut you need to get on those shelves.

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James and I are interviewing Rachel Peters (Clean Age) this Friday for our pod, BrandBusters. CleanAge has been laser-focused on serving Gen Z, and they bucked the traditional 2010s CPG launch by going RETAIL FIRST instead of DTC FIRST. They have an awesome brand aesthetic and make products with better ingredients (and sustainable packaging). What should we ask Rachel? #CPG #podcasts #brandbusters

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You don’t need to discount your entire inventory to make an impact this Black Friday. Think strategically: 👉 Offer a limited-time 50% off on select items — create urgency and excitement with a time-sensitive deal! 👉 Try “Flash Sales”: 50% off for just one hour or “While Supplies Last.” It’s all about exclusivity. Set aside some inventory at regular pricing, and focus your discounts on a select portion of your stock. This way, you’re driving hype without devaluing your brand. The key? Disrupt and surprise. You’re not flooding the market — you're making a statement. Gaining 30 - 50 new customers that buy at steep discounts that you nurture into full price purchasers is highly effective.

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CPG Brand Marketing Leaders: Do you ever wonder if there’s really a need for a long term strategy anymore?Since everything changes at lightspeed daily, what’s the point of trying to plan the future? 🤷‍♀️ That's a reasonable question. And I get it. It's tough out there! Just a few of the many challenges: 🤯 It’s nearly impossible to stay on top of a marketplace saturated with data and “intelligence” (Artificial or otherwise) 🤯 The “Marketing” function has been stretched like a rubber band around all the responsibilities you'd expect...and many you don’t. 🤯Global and national uncertainty sit like a cloud above us all the time, and our Crystal Balls are perpetually "in the shop". So, do we throw strategy out the window 🪟 and just rely on “agility” and “nimbleness” to adjust as the winds change? I say No. Way. And my sources (aka way smarter strategy experts than I am) agree. 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯 2024: 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: 3 years is a lifetime. 5 years is like infinity lifetimes. So, how about a 1-2 year Plan, with commitment to review key learnings and course correct every quarter? Sounds simple, not always done. 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙩 𝘿𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙀𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝘼𝙣𝙮 𝙎𝙞𝙯𝙚 𝘽𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨: traditional models built off large enterprises outcomes may not apply to a fledgling brand, a scaling business or a midsized company. When using case studies for best practices, find the relatable and engaging ones, with implications that the team can convert into action immediately. 𝗧𝗼 𝗠𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺/ 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆, 𝗯𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹:  To make the vision a reality, harness the power of Repetition...and make it a little Sexy. (Stay with me!) We marketers learn fast that to actually influence consumers, 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘚𝘵𝘺𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘚𝘶𝘣𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, so why not apply that principle for internal messaging? Flex those inspiring leadership muscles 💪 to evoke excitement among the peeps that Get 'Er Done. 𝘈 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳: Brand Strategy should always support/ align with business strategy, and shape every customer or consumer interaction. For a cliff notes on how to make that work for you, check out my 10 Question Growth Checklist for Brand Marketers. Link in comments below. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 (𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝘁) 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱? #brandstrategy #growthstrategy #insights

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To all the Marketing experts there! ZMET is a must know thing! Yes, its the sub- conscious that takes 95% of purchasing decisions. The key is to impact that! Olson Zaltman Lindsay Zaltman. What they have found out is worth reading and learning. https://lnkd.in/gu2GcxEb #neuromarketing #consumerbehaviour #psychology #marketing

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If it feels like we have been in Holiday Sale mode for some time, we have.. actually since before Halloween. We are entering the all-imporant home stretch of the retail season with some reasonably positive traction. Short term consumer sentiment in the U.S. is up 17% . Consumers are relieved to have the election over, for now. Retail and brand performances for the last quarter and YTD, which are barometers for the rest of the year, reflected consumer resilience. But consumers are continuing to reward brands and retailers that have unlocked consumer experience, product and pricing preferences. Walmart continued to outperform in the quarter and YTD with U.S. Comps ex Fuel +7%; Target’s YTD Comps were -2%. At Walmart, they have balanced National Brands such as U.S. Polo Assn., and Wrangler with their powerful portfolio of private label brands such as No Boundaries and Free Assembly each a multi-billion-dollar brand. Consumers continue to love the “hunt”, whether in the Clubs or in the Off-Price sector. In the last quarter, comp sales were +7% at Sam’s (x gas) , +3.8% at B.J., and +7.7% YTD at Costco U.S. (x gas). Even lapping several years of incredible growth, “Off-Price” continues to trend positively with comp sales last quarter: Burlington +1%, TJX +3%, Ross +1%, Nordstrom Rack +4% comp. The shift to specialty, vertical brands continues. The stars include Abercrombie & Fitch +16% total comp, Aritzia +6.5% comp, Decker’s +17% DTC comp (led by Hoka), Athleta (GAP) +5% comp, Sketchers +16%, and Anthropology +5.8% comp (Urban Outfitters). And Levi’s and Kontoor Brands (Wrangler) have intensified their Direct-to-Consumer platforms to fully control the customer experience with very positive results. The Department Store sector continues to try to re-engage with consumers, especially younger consumers. But In spite of multiple attempts to energizet Kohl's with new concepts, their stores lack of true point of view, as reflected in their -9% comps. Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s howver, have worked hard to restore the customer experience.The new jewelry and watch department at a suburban Bloomingdale’s is world class, with staffing to match. Positive improvements can be felt at the Macy’s go forward stores also, with imrproved comps. Nordstrom comps were +3.9% reflecting better assortments and service. The Luxury sector has hurt by multiple factors, including economic headwinds that left aspirational consumers on the sidelines; and the China marketplace for luxury has imploded. Exceptions include Hermes+14% and Prada +18% ( fueled by Miu Miu). The Home sector continues to struggle, facing a trifecta of high interest rate and mortgage rates, and inflation deflating demand for furniture, appliances and home improvement. Two shining exceptions: Shark Ninja +30%, and Yeti +10%. They have driven sales through product development and great innovation. After Thanksgiving, we will comment on the Fitness, Travel and Jewelry Sectors. Happy Thanksgiving!  

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CPG Brand Marketing Leaders: How do you feel about the expression, “𝘐𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘋𝘪𝘦?” I have a visceral reaction to it...that's not great. 🙄 I’ll explain. The classic marketing playbook says we can’t stay competitive without a constant flow of new stuff; so that’s what we expect from those with “Innovation” in their job titles. I’m here to say it a bit differently: 𝙄𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙈𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙚𝙩, 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙣 𝙊𝙪𝙩𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚. I spent much of my career leading Innovation teams to identify and launch unique, relevant new products. Some performed. 🎆Some didn't. 😓 There are many reasons for both outcomes. Now, as a brand strategy consultant, I’m less inclined to assume product proliferation should be the first Must Do to grow. Why the 180? ◀  Well, really, it’s more an Evolution. To be crystal clear, 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘴 𝘌𝘚𝘚𝘌𝘕𝘛𝘐𝘈𝘓 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘵𝘩. Yet road-tested experience reveals the pitfalls of a never ending quest for The Next Big Thing. Examples: ⚡We set such a high bar that solid ideas are left behind, and niche ideas go out too early ⚡In saturated, competitive categories (hello, CPG), an amazing idea may fail despite doing EVERYTHING right ⚡In those situations, the ROI diminishes, eroding confidence in the people or the process, which may be unwarranted. So, I reframed my set of Innovation Must Do’s—here are a few: ✔Find creative ways to understand consumer needs/problems at ANY budget ✔Lead by example in building a Culture that embraces failure, continuous learning, and adaptability ✔ Create Value through a wider toolbox that includes: Product Upgrades, New Business Models, Supply Chain innovation, and Innovative Marketing Here’s a litmus test on whether this is a productive shift:   💡 A focus on PRODUCT requires a LOT of time/$ investment from Product Development/R&D Teams, which brings opportunity cost to those resources 💡A focus on bringing INNOVATIVE THINKING into our every day requires daily commitment from EVERYONE. 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙚𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚? #innovation #innovationculture #insights  #brandstrategy 

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Step 1 for premium brand success at Walmart: THE RIGHT ASSORTMENT. Lol. No kidding. What's that mean? Stay on the shelf and prove value to Walmart. Four pointers: 1. NOT YOUR ENTIRE CATALOG. Could be 2-3 items, depending on aisle/segment. Walmart doesn't proliferate and your brand ain't the exception. 2. WIN INITIAL CONVERSIONS FROM: a) your brand's core, *and* b) Walmart's goal core. If Walmart needs price-sensitives and your #1 and #2 are both super-premium, dig deeper. 3. SIMPLIFY THE ROAD TO PURCHASE. Choice theory suggests a sweet spot in 2-4 items. 4. SUPPLY CHAIN MATTERS, MATTER. Maybe an extra item lets you ship FTL. Or maybe 3 of your 4 hero skus ship from the same origin. Be transparent and pass along the savings to win a plus-one. Above all, you're trying to stay on the shelf long enough to prove your brand's value. Each unnecessary sku dilutes that. NEXT POST: How will customers KNOW it's at Walmart? Please follow or connect so we can stay in touch.

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eCommerce & CPG Strategy: Your Circle 💙 Go where we are celebrated, not where we are tolerated. Justin Wright said it incredibly well. See his full post below. Summary: It's not selfish to distance yourself from people who drain your energy. It's self-care. Surround yourself with people who: • Lift you up • Inspire you to grow • Celebrate your successes And who always have your back. Life's too short to spend time with people who bring you down or cause you distress. It's okay to let go of relationships that: 🚫 Make you feel small 🚫 Cause you constant stress 🚫 Don't understand or support your goals Instead, focus on building a circle of people who: ✅ Stand up for you, even when you're not around ✅ Believe in you, even when you doubt yourself ✅ Challenge you to be your best self, always And remember, it's not about quantity. It's about quality. Be sure to share with your Circle and thank them. If we want to go fast, we go alone. If we want to go far, we go together. Ways to get in touch: The Retail eCommerce Club The CPG View Pattern® If you enjoy our content, check out our eCommerce newsletter. ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/eMx4Zh2k #ecommerce #digital #omnichannel #strategy #cmo #cdo #ceo #cro #leadership #retailecommerceclub #cpg #privateequity #playtowin

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I go shopping every Friday. Well, not exactly.     Every Friday, I go to a different retail store to observe how people shop for and interact with our products, and what they like and dislike.   Dan Frommer's recent trends report stresses the importance of understanding your consumer's behavior when looking at the successful rise of new beauty brands among younger consumers. Brands founded since 2014 now account for 40% of sales at major beauty retailers, and they are succeeding because they focus on understanding what Gen Z and Millennial consumers want – highlighted by authenticity in messaging while actively engaging with their younger consumers.   This shift in the consumer mindset is why I keep going back to how consumer behavior and experiences aren’t static, and how it’s our job to stay ahead of these changes. How do you learn more about the different ways consumers experience your products?

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“Sell the sizzle, not the sausage.” As a young brand manager at Kimberly-Clark in the 1990s, they drummed this marketing maxim into me. The sizzle of a sausage is often more appealing to a potential buyer than the sausage itself. Years earlier, the Harvard Business School professor Theodore Levitt captured the same conceptual essence with “sell the hole, not the drill.” But what if your sizzle turns out to actually be better than your sausage? Well, then you’ve got a painful customer retention headache. People may buy once, but they won't come back for more. Once (they’ve) bitten (your sausage, they will be) twice shy. That’s why your sausage must always be a match for—and ideally better than—your sizzle. In my profession as a motivational speaker, overdoing the sizzle can create what I call ‘continuity errors’; that uncomfortable feeling when something in the performance doesn’t quite fit. The TV and movie industry uses this same phrase to describe filming or editing gaffes where something on screen doesn’t fit with an earlier event. Like when Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, played by Judy Garland, sings with the Scarecrow and her hair mysteriously grows about four inches between shots, before returning to its original length as the song ends. Or that bit in The Simpsons, where there’s a flashback of an anxious Homer talking to Marge while she is pregnant with their unborn daughter Maggie, yet there’s a framed photo of Maggie on the wall. Continuity errors happen all the time in TV shows and movies because it’s easy to miss seemingly insignificant details. And they often only come to light after the show airs and eagle-eyed viewers spot the gaffes. For speakers, continuity errors happen when the speaker’s performance doesn’t live up to the sizzle and hype of the pre-event marketing. Whether that’s the speaker’s website, showreel, or other marketing materials creating an unrealistic expectation, or the event organiser over-promising to attract a big audience. It can feel really icky when what you see on stage doesn’t match your expectations. I once saw a speaker whose online profile picture was so out-of-date I wondered why he had sent his father to give the talk. Another speaker makes a big noise about having given hundreds of talks, yet always arrives unprepared and under-rehearsed. Continuity errors are hard to spot in the TV and movie industry. But they’re much easy to avoid for speakers and other professionals. Ensure your marketing materials are up-to-date, honest, and true. Make your sausage (your content) the hero, and don’t overdo the pre-event sizzle. Give bookers everything they need to promote you before and at their event, and politely request they don’t big you up unnecessarily. Provide an intro script and explain how they should introduce you so they never steal your thunder. A pleasantly surprised audience is infinitely better than a mildly underwhelmed crowd. Try not to overdo the sizzle. A little sausage can go a long way.

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Interesting move by Amazon, stripping back food *frills* and opting for basic, if not offensively cold, packaging for Fresh shoppers. The direction seems odd given the demographic of those using Prime for delivered groceries. Focusing on more inventive and unique private-labeled products (like chocolate almond butter at Target) would be more appealing to said demo. This shift to mass-produced food products comes at a time when concerns over historically harmful food production and consumption are increasingly evident. #Amazon #Fresh #Groceries #whatsyourtake #thoughts

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eCommerce & CPG: The Role of Amazon 🎯 Great write up by the EMARKETER team. Fun Fact: (1) 🎉 40% & ~$500b — “Amazon will account for 40.4% of US retail ecommerce sales for a total of $491.65 billion this year, according to our February 2024 forecast.” Key Themes: (3) 🔐 7% — “Despite its ecommerce dominance, Amazon will make up just 6.6% of US retail sales, per our forecast. Amazon’s retail share will grow to 7.0% in 2025 as more spending goes to ecommerce.” 🔐 8 of 10 — “Over the next two years, Amazon’s market share will increase in 8 out of 10 product categories, per our forecast. Those two remaining categories are home improvement (due to established home-improvement retailers) and auto (due to Tesla and Carvana).” 🔐 14% vs 11% — “Among major US retailers, only Walmart is growing its ecommerce sales faster than Amazon at 13.6% compared with Amazon’s 10.5%. Walmart has Amazon outpaced in digital grocery specifically, which could pose an increasing threat to Amazon as the category matures.” #ecommerce #digital #omnichannel #strategy #cmo #cdo #ceo #cro #leadership #retailecommerceclub #cpg #privateequity #playtowin

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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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📈 The numbers are in from August, and it looks like consumers are still splurging on those "must-have" items while keeping an eye on their wallets. Back-to-school spending gave a boost to electronics, apparel, and even home goods sales. With e-commerce leading the charge, it's clear that convenience is king in today's shopping landscape. As we gear up for the holiday season, it's important to stay agile and focus on customer connections and smart inventory management. #Retail #HolidayShopping #CustomerConnections

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Thank you, Digiday and Michael Burgi for this feature on Pathformance and Vibenomics, a Mood Media company! This collaboration presents a major benefit to brands looking to prove results from retail media investments, combining immersive in-store audio advertising with powerful analytics to create a revolutionary shopping experience. Learn more about the future of in-store measurement and how it impacts retail media strategy in the full article below. Elizabeth Johnson Paul Brenner Despite retail media’s growth, in-store measurement is still playing catchup https://lnkd.in/eHUj42i3

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"Ride trends and then hop trends. Never get married to trends." Diversification is critical for most CPG businesses. On our pod that drops today, Will Nitze from IQ Bar discussed the importance of having a dynamic product with multiple value propositions. "Ride trends and then hop trends. Never get married to trends." This approach has allowed IQ Bar to stay relevant and continue growing despite shifts in dietary trends. Will credits a few trends that have helped his bars grow - plant-based, low/no sugar, and keto-friendly. He says brands that tie themselves too closely to things like Keto (or one idea) have a hard time hoping trends as consumer preferences shift to the "next thing." #BusinessStrategy #Diversification #CPG

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