RetailWire: What Does the Future Hold for DTC Retailers?
Click here to read more about the article along with David’s comments below as a BrainTrust Panelist.
Podcast: Rite Aid’s Brace for Bankruptcy
Don’t miss my guest appearance with Mark Young and Justin Girouard on the CPG Insiders podcast where we talk about what the progression of Rite Aid’s bankruptcy filing could look like over the next few months for vendors and consumers. Click here for the link.
Podcast: Understanding Retail Buyers
Don’t miss my guest appearance with Mark Young on the CPG Insiders podcast where we talk about what you should know before meeting with a retail buyer. Click here for the link.
What to do About Kroger’s 90-Day Payment Terms?
Kroger recently announced a shift to 90-day payment terms, effective August 1, and many manufacturers are unhappy. What does this mean for you? Here’s my advice:
Target began making the same “request” one year ago. Here is the issue: once the supplier caves-in to Target, or Kroger, then it’s only a matter of time until the manufacturer will be under pressure to do the same for most other accounts, and eventually, your business model will need to adjust to 90 days for almost every retailer nationwide. That’s not a good situation.
I am advising my clients to hang tough. I am requesting a face to face meeting with the powers-to-be, so that I can explain why this does not work for the client’s business-model, and the impact it will have on the brand’s ability to advertise, and to support the retailer’s promotions. In any case, without a personal face to face meeting with the true decision-makers, we will hang tough.
What do you think? Leave a comment below, and here’s a link to the original story from RetailWire.net.
Walmart is focused on expanding its digital brand portfolio
One of the primary reasons for Walmart’s long-term survival, market leadership and success, and the reason it will continue for years, maybe decades to come, is that unlike Kmart, Sears, J.C. Penney, Toys “R” Us, etc., Walmart makes all the right pivots and adjustments to changing times and consumer purchasing cycles and trends.
Read the whole story from RetailWire here.
What do you think? Post in the comments.
Target-Kroger Merger Not Happening?
Talk of a Kroger – Target merger had bubbled up over the weekend, creating some exciting discussion and speculation. But alas, news organization Reuters reported today there is no truth to the rumors, at least according to their source.
The excitement started when tech magazine Fast Company reported that the two companies were in possible merger talks, which sent shares of both companies up. However, now it looks like this may not be true.
Does a Kroger – Target merger even make sense?
This reported merger between Target and Kroger never made sense to me, as the two companies operate with very different approaches to their assortment and branding strategies. Therefore I am not surprised to hear these reports being denied.
You can read the Reuters article here.
Why some retailers are opening more locations while others continue to close
In the midst of a seemingly darkening future as many well-known retailers continue to close their doors, there are a number of retailers who are actually expanding this year. Look for more Ulta, Target, Gap, Dick’s, Dollar General and Ross stores to open during 2018, which seems to buck the trend we’ve come to expect in retail.
Some growth despite bad news for others
Why are these retailers able to add locations as so many of their competitors shut their doors? Ulta, more than any retailer that I can think of, was the best at adapting to changing trends in consumer buying behavior, and for that reason, they are enjoying success.
In contrast, retailers such as Sears, Kmart, JC Penney and Toys R Us did not adjust well, and that’s why they are having problems.
To find out more about the strategy of these successful retailers, check out the original post by CNBC and linked by RetailWire, a uniquely engaging forum for the retailing industry.
Celebrity Endorsements – The Secret to CPG Success
Celebrity endorsements can be a big win for your brand, especially when “little known” celebrities take off and become big stars. It’s a tried and true formula that has brought much success to many different brands.
Just a few years ago, one of my clients wanted to secure some celebrity endorsements for their new product, OraWave. We did some research and lined up a few “little known” celebrities to endorse their product. Little did we know that many of these minor, at the time, celebrities would go on to become big stars.
Even Adweek, arguably the most influential publication in the advertising industry, has recognized the power of relevant celebrity endorsements. Click here to see some recent examples of successful partnerships.
Successful celebrity endorsements
Check out Rihanna, Katherine Heigl, Kate Walsh, Traci Bingham, James Denton and Tierra Mari holding their OraWave Pink Ribbon Twin Spin toothbrushes in the photo above. None were yet big stars when this photo was taken, but shortly thereafter they hit the big time and found fame. OraWave reaped the benefits of being associated with these up-and-coming celebrities and they increased their brand awareness dramatically.
There are many examples of successful celebrity endorsements: Neil Patrick Harris for Heineken Light, LeBron James for Nike and Sofia Vergara for Procter & Gamble for starters. Who would be your ideal celebrity to represent your brand?
Get started with your own celebrity endorsement
If you’ve got a product you think would benefit from a celebrity endorsement, and a budget for it, let’s talk. I have years of experience in developing celebrity brands and managing both talent and products to bring success and equity to new CPG brands.
Click here to send me an email about your brand and goals for celebrity endorsements. If I believe I can help, I will reach out to you and together we can implement a plan to help you increase your brand awareness with a well-suited celebrity endorsement.
