"Make It So" ... Un Shopper Marketing

Not many shoppers in Chain "M" were ever well exposed to this unit

At Foreknowledge, we are heavily involved in helping our clients monitor the implementation at retail of their Shopper Marketing programmes.  We tell them where it is, where it isn't, is it implemented properly, timing, all the basic nuts and bolts that have to be in place in order for the shopper to actually be exposed to the programme that has involved so much thought, time, and money to develop. Despite several decades in this business, I continue to be astounded at the naivité of many manufacturers.  Since they have developed the programme and paid very good money to the retail organization to implement it, just like Captain Jean-Luc Picard, some feel all they have to do next is say "Make it so".

Ahhh ... actually, no ... it takes more than that to ensure compliance. A lot more. Retail organizations, as technologically savvy and as supply chain sophisticated as they claim (and we assume and expect them) to be, on the shop floor are very human driven , or not driven as the case may be.

Let me share with you a brief case history.  This example, from a couple of years ago, is NOT a client of ours.  But it was a major Shopper Marketing initiative from a top selling brand.  So major, in fact, that the brand's top competitor (our client) wanted to measure its implementation.

This brand's promotion involved a very heavy payment to a major Drug organization for prominent placement opposite the pharmacist's counter of a large display unit, complete with brochures and other product information, also tied in to TV ads. The display was to be up for a 6-month period.

Some time after this programme had ended, I ran into a senior sales executive at this firm, and we got around to discussing this particular promotion. "How successful was it?" I asked. "Not very", he replied. "Didn't seem to get a lot of traction".

What he apparently inexplicably didn't realize, and what I and his competition did know, was that the promotion, as well thought out as it was, was never going to get traction. Why not? Simply because it never really happened. We monitored its retail exposure 3 times over 5 months.  It never got more than 40% distribution in that time. Above all,  not in the high volume "A" stores.

if you would like to see what we do visit our web site www.foreknowledge.ca

Update to Last Post on Loblaws

The link to the Halifax Chronicle Herald in the last post now requires registering and a password.  Here is a copy of the article.  Hope it is readable.

You Gotta Follow Up!

Pity poor Loblaws (LCL), Canada's largest grocer.

I’m sure you have heard of their recently announced National programme to highlight “locally” grown produce over the summer months.

See the Loblaws press release here
http://micro.newswire.ca/release.cgi?rkey=1808119777&view=62151-0&Start=0&htm=0

Grown Close To Home is, to me, a good idea that ties in to all those things Canucks hold dear (hard working, salt of the earth farmers, tasty fresh produce in at least part of the year), it ties in to the trendy “100 mile diet”, and it’s also an answer to those critics in the past who have complained that Loblaws carries "mostly" imported produce even in the summer. What’s not to like?

Well, wouldn’t you know it, someone in Halifax noticed some mislabeling, and incorrect signage. Seems some U.S. and Ontario produce was signed Atlantic and Grown Close To Home.

Here’s the article from the Halifax Chronicle Herald.
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Metro/1196845.html

And senior PR honcho David Primorac at Head Office in Brampton had to respond. Because this is an important National CORPORATE programme remember.

Now, is anyone in our industry actually surprised? I doubt it. I’m not a betting man, but I would be immensely shocked if that was the only LCL store across the country where the produce stocking and displays weren’t according to Hoyle. Everything we have ever done on special promotions, displays over the past almost 20 years, says somewhere between 40% and 60% of stores will be non-compliant in terms of timing, location, signage etc. for the promotion without special attention, follow-up, or checking. And this isn’t just a Loblaws issue … it’s a retail "I have too much to do and only have so many people issue".

The learning? No matter how important, no matter how high profile the promotion, if you want your programme (even LCL's head office) properly implemented … you gotta follow up and check!

if you would like to see what we do visit our web site www.foreknowledge.ca