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Talking Back

By Peter Breen

In May, Brandweek published an interview with Draftfcb executive vice president Jim Lucas that concluded with the interviewer suggesting that "most people" think shopper marketing is "about shelf talkers and things like that."

Lucas (a longtime member of the In-Store Marketing Institute and a frequent speaker at our events) had already been quoted in the article discussing the "power of the retail environment," the sea change in perception within the marketing community that has led to the store being viewed as a brand-building venue; the trend among retailers to build their own brands by taking greater control of the messages presented in their stores; the resultant move among product manufacturers to align their own marketing strategies "to work through the voice of the retailer"; and the realignment of traditional category-based merchandising to reflect shopping behavior and product usage.

And that's all supposed to be taking place on a shelf talker? Wow. Give those copywriters a raise.

Truth is, the only possible way that "most people" equate shopper marketing with shelf talkers is if we're talking about the entire world population. Back in June 2003, when we released the first edition of the In-Store Marketer newsletter, some marketing professionals were guilty of being so misguided. Of course, "shopper marketing" wasn't even a commonly used phrase then, let alone a full-blown marketing discipline.

But now? Anyone suggesting that shopper marketing can be exemplified by a simple in-store advertising tool should immediately be escorted from the building. To understand why, read (or listen to) any of our content highlights this month. We're not talking about finding new places to display an ad message, but about fundamentally changing the message itself -- and even about revamping the planning and developmental processes that produces the message.

That's the most significant aspect of the in-store marketing industry that has changed since our first edition. Back then, the discussion centered on the store as the final frontier of mass media, the place where brand managers could continue to reach the tens of millions of consumers that television and other channels used to deliver.

While that potential still exists, the industry conversation has moved beyond that concept to encompass a deeper understanding of the store as an ideal venue for connecting with consumers in timely, relevant ways that can't be delivered through mass media. Shopper marketing isn't about finding new ways to reach consumers, but about finding new ways to meet their needs.

So if the term "shopper marketing" does conjure up images of little billboards jutting out from a shelf, I strongly encourage you to get out from behind those stacks of Nielsen ratings and focus-group analyses you've been hiding behind and get yourself -- quickly -- to the nearest Walmart supercenter. You're going to find a lot more than a few shelf talkers.

Peter Breen
Managing Director, Content
In-Store Marketing Institute



Published: June 2009

Source: In-Store Marketing Institute

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