Grocery Business - October 2018

CHECK IT OUT A quick-bite breakdown of the numbers behind industry hot spots

The 4 Pillars
of Occasion-
Based
Marketing
Opportunity
Occasion-Based
Marketing

In an era in which many shoppers have become desensitized to rote holiday promotions, retail trading partners would be wise to expand their occasion-based marketing e;orts beyond the major holidays in favor of campaigns that speak to consumers on a more personal level. Here are some ways to make the most of themed promotions year-round, according to New York-based PSFK’s ;;;; Occasion-Based Marketing Debrief.

Creating a Sales-Driving Occasion
;; OCTOBER ;;;; WINSIGHT GROCERY BUSINESS

Play—Participation
Fandom: Tie events
into pop culture and
sporting events and
allow customers to
interact with the story.

Grow—Intentional
Wellness: Help
customers work
toward long-term
health and fitness
goals.

Change—Distributed
Impact: Use days of
action to leverage
ongoing initiatives and
create an opportunity
for customers to come
together and take action.

Belong—Celebrating
Identities: Send
messages of inclusion
and celebrate
occasions that
speak to consumers’
multifaceted identities.

Strategy Checklist

When brainstorming occasion-based marketing campaigns, put the following on the to-do list:

Chew on This
• Who is the consumer, and how is this moment
relevant to them?

• How is the moment authentic to your brand, and how does it align with your overall mission?

• What role can your brand play in enhancing this moment?

• Are there any pain points around this moment that your brand could address?

• How can you use this moment to increase the quality of consumer engagement?

• How can this moment serve as a launch point for an ongoing initiative?

Conversely, slate the following
on the “do not” checklist:
• Undermine your message.

• Ignore cultural rules and taboos.

• Make hollow gestures.

• Go for cheap laughs.

• Go against your history.

37% An equal percentage of marketers and retailers (37%) named driving sales and strengthening emotional connection to the brand as the primary benefit of seasonal/ occasion-based marketing.

Be a Good Guest: Ensure that you are enhancing, not intruding upon, special moments in your customers’ lives.

Find Your Fit: Determine which occasions are meaningful to your customer base and a good fit for your brand.

Create Connections: Give consumers an opportunity to share what’s important to them and connect with like-minded communities by creating virtual or in-person platforms and interactive events.

Become a Partner: O;er consumers holistic experiences that provide expertise or guidance for achieving their health and lifestyle goals, and position yourself as an integral part of their daily routines.

Forget About Calendar Dates: Think beyond traditional holidays and marketing events and consider how you can create more frequent occasions to connect with consumers year-round.

Value Engagement Over Sales: Consider how occasions can be used to create consumer engagement and build long-term loyalty instead of measuring the success of an occasion only by its dollar sales.