strategy+business: CONSUMER PRODUCTS

Kicking the Sales Promotion Habit

by David Ganiear and Karla Martin — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Promotions are a reality in today's marketplace, but they don't have to hurt your business. Like so many other potentially addictive behaviors, promotions can be healthy in moderation. Used judiciously, they can boost sales and profitability, while enhancing the brand and creating a competitive advantage. We describe five steps that can help retailers build an effective promotions capability, consistent with their brand positioning and customer expectations, and in support of their company's long-term goals.

s+b Trend Watch: Grocery Shoppers Plan to Stay Frugal

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 05:00:00 GMT

According to a recent survey, many of the frugal habits that grocery shoppers adopted during the recession are here to stay.

"I'm Still Standing," Say Consumers

by Thom Blischok, Nicholas Hodson, and Christopher Perrigo — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 05:00:00 GMT

This year's holiday retail outlook suggests that the post-recession shopping patterns are becoming permanent; however, there are still some reasons to celebrate. Consumers are shopping more frugally, but they are still interested in keeping up the heart of the holiday season: gifts, gatherings, and a little bit of luxury.

The Thought Leader Interview: Douglas Conant

by Art Kleiner — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 05:00:00 GMT

In this Thought Leader interview, the coauthor of TouchPoints and former CEO of Campbell Soup Company explains how companies build capabilities by cultivating people. Douglas Conant turned around a moribund company in part by focusing the portfolio, redesigning training, setting high standards, and writing dozens of notes of praise every day.

Rethinking the Product Launch

by Max Cuellar, Leslie Moeller, and Heberto Molina — Tue, 29 May 2012 18:00:00 GMT

Organic growth requires you to look freshly at your customer value proposition. This systematic process combines creativity and analysis to do just that -- for a hamburger chain like Wendy's or for any other consumer-facing business.

The Case for the Brand Ideal

by Jim Stengel — Mon, 14 May 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Behind many a successful product, there's a sharply focused intention to improve lives. The former global marketing officer of Procter & Gamble describes how he learned to foster a brand's aspirational value -- even for a product as seemingly simple as Jif peanut butter.

How Ikea Reassembled Its Growth Strategy

by Deniz Caglar, Marco Kesteloo, and Art Kleiner — Mon, 07 May 2012 05:00:00 GMT

During the Great Recession, an iconic European furniture company found a growth strategy that let it cut expenses while raising customer loyalty. This interview, conducted for the forthcoming s+b article "Is Your Company Fit for Growth?" shows how Ikea thrived by reinvesting its savings in its most important capabilities.

Consumer Packaged Goods: Invest in Shopper Marketing

by Matt Egol, J. Neely, and Richard Rawlinson — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 06:00:00 GMT

Retail: Become Better Curators

by Deniz Caglar, Nicholas Hodson, Karla Martin, and Marcelo Tau — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 06:00:00 GMT

What's Your Company's Facebook LPM (Likes per Million)?

by Nicholas Hodson, Umut Aytekin, and Jon Crawford — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 06:00:00 GMT

Social media is giving us an intriguing new measure of brand engagement. Every company can compare its brand value to that of its competitors based on a scale that really matters: the love of Facebook fans, adjusted for company size. On this scale, developed by Booz & Company, some brands place unexpectedly high (Forever 21, Starbucks, Subway), and others (Amazon, Microsoft, Toyota) are surprisingly low.

Making Customer Segmentation Deliver

by Corey Yulinsky — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT

As the ability to gather sophisticated data grows, here's a four-step process for making segmentation drive improved performance.

How Coca-Cola Manages 90 Emerging Markets

by William J. Holstein — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT

The world's largest beverage company has delegated major decision making to individual markets, but it maintains its global brand through collaborative practices. In this interview, Ahmet C. Bozer, president of the Coca-Cola Company's Eurasia and Africa Group, explains how this iconic international company has structured itself to compete in emerging economies.

Competing for the Global Middle Class

by Edward Tse, Bill Russo, and Ronald Haddock — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Three types of companies are jockeying for position in emerging economies, seeking to capture the loyalty of billions of new consumers.

Data Points: Finding Shoppers Where They Live

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 05:00:00 GMT

The New Web of World Trade

by Joe Saddi, Karim Sabbagh, and Richard Shediac — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 05:00:00 GMT

The Gulf economies of the Middle East are forming partnerships with other emerging markets, redefining the ancient trade routes that once linked East and West.

Consumer Packaged Goods: Escaping the Consolidation Mentality

by Steffen Lauster, Elisabeth Hartley, and Samrat Sharma — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Holding fast to the two myths that have long dominated strategy in consumer-oriented industries -- that bigger companies win, and that one or two players control every product category -- can get a firm into trouble. A capabilities-driven strategy can provide a better path to profit.

Focus vs. Hocus-Pocus at Alberto-Culver

by James Marino — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 05:00:00 GMT

The CEO of this nimble cosmetics company explains the advantages of a small size and a coherent strategy.

M&A in the New CPG Strategy

by J. Neely, Paul Leinwand, and Amit Misra — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 05:00:00 GMT

For consumer products companies seeking acquisition targets, the game-changing deals are those that bring more coherence.

Next-Generation Product Development

by Barry Jaruzelski, Richard Holman, and Omar Daud — Mon, 30 May 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Combining agile up-front processes with a lean approach to the back end can help companies outperform the competition.

The Virtual Fitting Room

by Annette Kramer — Mon, 02 May 2011 05:00:00 GMT

As simulation technologies transform the apparel shopping experience, retailers must decide how rapidly to embrace innovation. The Fits.me story demonstrates how challenging -- and rewarding -- an Internet marketing strategy can be.

Values vs. Value

by Timothy Devinney, Pat Auger, and Giana M. Eckhardt — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 06:00:00 GMT

New research revealing a disparity between what shoppers say and what they do debunks the myth of the ethical consumer.

The Coming Wave of "Social Apponomics"

by Matt Anderson, Henning Hagen, and Gregor Harter — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 06:00:00 GMT

The secret to profitability on the Internet has finally arrived in an innovative blend of social media, Web mobility, and creative e-commerce applications.

The Power of the Post-Recession Consumer

by John Gerzema and Michael D'Antonio — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 06:00:00 GMT

An analysis of attitudes and spending reveals a return to traditional values, driven by consumers searching for quality, affordability, and connection.

The M-Commerce Challenge to Retail

by Matt Anderson, Nick Buckner, and Stefan Eikelmann — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 06:00:00 GMT

As smartphones change shopping, merchants face a stark choice: Fall in behind their newly enabled consumers or fall behind altogether.

A Better Choosing Experience

by Sheena Iyengar and Kanika Agrawal — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT

When consumers are overwhelmed with options, marketers should give them what they really want: ways of shopping that lower the cognitive stress.