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Nominations Sought for 2010 Shopper Marketing Hall of Fame

By Bill Schober

This is my annual call for nominations to the Shopper Marketing/In-Store Marketing Institute Hall of Fame for the class of 2010. Please submit your nominations online by December 1.

Every year, the Hall of Fame, which was initiated in 1994, honors three consumer product marketing and retailing executives for their achievements in-store. And every year, I invite readers to submit the names of a retail chain or brand executive that they think is a candidate for such an honor.

Now, as we all know, the in-store-marketing "industry" (and I'm using that term very, very loosely here) is in the midst of an evolution. Once viewed primarily as a menu of tactical tools, it's more and more seen as a strategic, multi-lateral marketing discipline. In fact, eventually, we may even start to refer to it as the shopper marketing "profession." So it's fair to ask, what are the qualifications for a "shopper marketing/in-store marketing"-type of Hall of Fame?

My short answer is trust your instincts. For some of you, the term "shopper marketing" denotes something very specific on an org chart, such as the retail account teams. In other companies, it's more of an umbrella term for integrated team oversight. And there are any number of other possibilities in between. The same holds true for the term "in-store marketing." Sometimes, it denotes a coordinated, company-wide effort; sometimes, it just refers to the person who buys displays.

That's why, taking my cue from Ronald Reagan, I say that it's a "big tent" with room for representation from different retail channels, product categories or marketing specializations. In the Related Articles below, you'll find profiles of past honorees that reflect a range of expertise: corporate management, merchandising, supply chain, sales, creative, and so on. Basically, if you'd describe your candidate as having a passion for the business, integrity, and exceptional creativity and insight, then consider nominating them.

As you've no doubt observed from the pictures attached to the profiles below, this is definitely not one of those "Grandpa's retiring" Hall of Fames either. In short:

  • If you work for an agency or producer, nominate your retail or brand client -- but not your bosses ... they're not eligible.
  • If you work for a consumer product brand or retail chain, nominate yourself or your bosses.

If you are at all hesitant about this, call me at (847) 675-7400, ext. 132 and we can -- in total confidence -- bounce your ideas around.

The three 2010 inductees will be honored at the 17th Annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and breakfast, which kicks off on the third day of the In-Store Marketing Summit, to be held April 21-23 at McDonald's Hamburger University in Oak Brook, IL. They'll also be profiled in early 2010 issues of Shopper Marketing magazine, and will join 47 past recipients on the "Wall of Fame" at the In-Store Marketing Institute's headquarters.

Published: November 2009

Source: In-Store Marketing Institute/Shopper Marketing

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