Technological advances mean shopper marketing has broken out of the confines of the retail environment and can be found all around us, driving massively increased investment in the sectors, which is becoming one of the key areas for promotional marketing spend.
This is the conclusion of a webinar, Shopper Marketing Amplified, hosted by Carey Trevill, Managing Director of the UK’s Institute of Promotional Marketing and featuring contributions from marketing technology specialists Snipp! Interactive and retail and shopper marketing experts TPN.
The webinar, which took place at the end of November 2015, can be viewed on YouTube.
Camille Kennedy, Senior Director of Marketing at Snipp Interactive, pointed out that “spend on Shopper Marketing in the US has doubled over the past two years. A large proportion of that growth has been due to digital and mobile.” Kennedy added that research shows that “more than half of purchasing decisions are happening outside the store – but 30% are still happening in-store.”
Justin Stephenson, Managing Director, TPN Retail Marketing, focused on the changing role of Shopper Marketing in the UK, where it is becoming a key weapon in the marketer’s armoury as the retail landscape goes through massive changes.
Stephenson discussed the impact of the economy, changing consumer shopping behaviour and the introduction of a range of new retail formats. Shoppers now shop more often but are more purposeful in their ‘missions’.
He pointed out that supermarkets’ ‘clean floor’ policies have significantly reduced brands’ opportunities to create brand engagement with consumers. As a result, digital marketing, particularly involving content, has become more important. “Content becomes increasingly more important. Content that is accessible will change the way shoppers engage with brands through different digital media, such as social media.”
Snipp’s Camille Kennedy endorsed this point, saying that in the US, 92% of shoppers “say they are making decisions because of social media.” Retailer apps are becoming incredibly important in the in-store environment, she added.
The hour-long webinar covers a range of topics including the role of Shopper Marketing; differences between the US and UK retail landscape; the impact of social media; the rise of mobile; e-commerce and m-commerce; loyalty; and data collection and measuring ROI.
