DDi - June 2013 - (Page 16)

16 | Shopper Insights Creative marketers T he seeds of creativity live in everyone. Some individuals are fortunate that their sprouting imagination was nurtured and grew into strong creative thinking abilities. Creative people invent, imagine, problem-solve and communicate in fresh, new ways. Every business requires creative thinkers in one form or another. In shopper marketing, creativity thrives well outside the traditional roles of creative and art directors, encompassing various disciplines, such as researchers, technology innovators and business entrepreneurs. Those with the ability to “think outside of the box” will lead the future and make special things happen when it comes to retail and influencing shopper behavior. Not completely sold that creativity will drive the future of shopper marketing? Just take a look back at GlobalShop 2013, and you won’t need much more proof. On the show floor, we saw the products and services of creative entrepreneurs and businesses that are rethinking how we design, interact and engage with the retail environment. There’s a common misconception that shopper marketing revolves entirely around in-store marketing and consumer packaged goods. While those elements play a significant role in the shopper marketing landscape, they are only part of the bigger retail picture. Shopper marketing isn’t just tactical—it’s about doing strategic work that helps solve business challenges with creative solutions. In order for shopper marketing professionals to create, they need to have an equal balance of information and inspiration. Strategists and creative leaders need to work with business leaders and insights teams collaboratively. The way ideas are created should be fluid and not confined to pre-determined silos of operation. After all, “pretty for pretty’s sake,” isn’t a very convincing (or winning) business proposition in today’s marketplace. Moreover, technology rapidly is changing the future of shopper marketing—in terms of the amount of research available about shoppers, as well as the way people shop. The two biggest trends influencing the future of shopper marketing are mobile and social. To be more precise, we’re talking about the peer-to-peer factor—the ability of social to influence what you purchase, when you purchase and why you purchase. It is the new normal. Marketers have no choice but to embrace it and get creative as to how this extends to the in-store environment, as well. Consider that the way people shopped just a few years ago is dramatically different from how we shop today—buying merchandise online and through our mobile devices, for example. Rather than having only one moment of truth at the point of purchase, there now is a ubiquitous moment of truth. Although you can buy anything, any time, anywhere you want, there’s still no more compelling reason to purchase than in-store. The problem is: are we being creative in how we communicate and educate the shopper to take action at the shelf edge? In a world where shoppers now engage with brands and retailers 24/7, there are more opportunities for brands and retailers to use shopper marketing in innovative ways. All they need to do is be creative and ensure that their message is consistent across the entire path to purchase—pre-store, in-store and post-store. —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. | June 2013 www.ddionline.com http://www.popai.com http://www.ddionline.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of DDi - June 2013

DDi - June 2013
Table of Contents
From the Editor
From the Show Director
Newsworthy
Shopper Insights
Editor’s Choice
Design Snapshot
Cover Story: Isetan
Little Bookworm
Polaroid Fotobar
Creative Roundup
The Art of Drawing
Globalshop 2013: Post-Show Coverage
Right Light
Product Spotlight
Calendar
Advertisers
Classifieds
Think Tank

DDi - June 2013