DDi - February/March 2013 - (Page 52)

52 | Get into the game of collaboration I t takes a lot to catch the attention of today’s shopper. From insights to activation to cart-stopping creative, the retail environment has become a frontier that is not for the faint of heart. In this highly competitive retail arena, strong partnerships and collaboration are the key to breakout success in the realm of shopper marketing. Collaboration between retailers, brand marketers and display producers shouldn’t be exclusive to just promotional campaigns, new product launches or supply-chain initiatives. Instead, collaboration should be a regular constant that ensures a win for all parties involved—including the shopper. Despite the clear benefits of strong partnerships and true collaboration, we often find that the mentality is that for one party to win, it has to be at the detriment of the other. However, this is a flawed logic and one that doesn’t help advance the industry forward. Each party brings a unique offering and knowledge of the shopper and retail environment to the table. The retailer understands the shopper trip type, shopping occasion and has access to a wealth of shopper data from loyalty programs. The brand marketer understands how to reach the shopper pre-store, and can build and leverage promotional programs to spur in-store behavior. And display producers can tap into their collective experience to help innovate displays and shelf-edge programs that act as true “shopper-stoppers” in the physical retail environment. With all three stakeholders working in tandem as a seamless entity, the end experience for shoppers is also greatly improved, helping them find new products and providing solutions for their unmet needs—ultimately boosting the bottom line for everybody involved. With the benefits of partnership and collaboration so obvious, how can we overcome the zero-sum mentality that exists? As is true with any endeavor of this nature, the first step is to find a good and reliable partner who also is a good fit. This is, perhaps, the most difficult step to overcome, because discovery can be a painful process. But, when you have discovered the right fit, the payoff is almost immediate and the possibilities nearly endless. If you are looking to expand your horizons in terms of display providers, there are two great resources at your fingers—POPAI’s Online Buyers Guide and DDI’s POP Supplier Listing (new in this issue). Both offer a great overview of the various players in the industry and their capabilities. Whether you’re a first-time buyer seeking guidance or a seasoned in-store marketing enthusiast, both of these resources have you covered. There is little doubt that, in an era where we are bombarded by a barrage of messages, both POPAI’s Online Buyers Guide and DDI’s POP Supplier Listing will be the go-to resources for those shopper marketing professionals looking for a quick guide to companies that can serve their in-store marketing needs. I encourage producers to review and enhance their listings, so that when brand marketers and retailers come looking for a true partner to collaborate with, your company will be among them. After all, meeting all of the in-store marketing industry’s needs in one place sounds like making a step away from a zero-sum to a win-win game for all parties involved. —Richard Winter is the president of POPAI, The Global Association for Marketing at Retail, an information source for brand marketers, retailers, producers and suppliers. Find out more at www.popai.com. | February/March 2013 www.ddionline.com http://www.popai.com http://www.ddionline.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of DDi - February/March 2013

DDi - February/March 2013
Table of Contents
From the Editor
From the Show Director
Newsworthy
Editor’s Choice
Design Snapshot
Special Insert: The Carlson Group
Harley-Davidson
Retail’s Expansion Explosion
Aaron Brothers
dELiA*s
Shopper Insights
Value—Retail’s Dirty Word
POP Supplier Listing
POP Products
GlobalShop Show Preview
Right Light
Product Spotlight
Calendar
Advertisers
Classifieds
Think Tank

DDi - February/March 2013