Circana Growth Insights

The Love of Pets is Good Business

COVID-19 has spurred a surge in pet adoptions, which in turn is having a positive impact on sales of pet food and pet products. Given that many of these new pet parents are Millennials, we see that many pet parents extend their personal shopping preferences to their pets, both in products purchased to how they shop. Hannah Polk, registered dietitian and associate data product manager at SPINS, shares the attributes that pet parents shop for and the opportunities this presents for the pet market.

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C-Suite Conversations: Kroger’s Blueprint for Caring

IRI’s C-Suite Conversations series features C-level leaders and their strategies for managing through the COVID-19 pandemic. This fourth session features Stuart Aitken, chief merchant and marketing officer, The Kroger Company.

Here, Stuart speaks with Andrew Appel, president and chief executive officer, IRI, about his journey globally and to grocery retail, and how keeping the well-being of both Kroger associates and customers front and center of every decision turned into a blueprint for reopening America. Kroger shared its blueprint, which has supported businesses in the U.S. and internationally, helping to save lives and support economies. 

Foot Traffic on the Road to Recovery

The degree of mobility varies market to market throughout the U.S. Holly Carlson, IRI’s Media Center of Excellence and Diane Perlman, chief marketing officer of Blis, a location-based data and analytics firm, and a partner of IRI’s, describe the connection between consumer sentiment and their actual behavior, and how brands are connecting with shoppers wherever they are. Learn strategies for generating messages that fit the moment and the location.

Recipes: A Peek into the Pandemic

Not only do the recipes people seek offer insight into our pandemic behavior, they also are an opportunity for brands and retailers to connect with shoppers in meaningful ways. Holly Carlson of IRI’s Media Center of Excellence and Yuni Sameshima, CEO and co-founder of Chicory, a leading digital shopper marketing platform, talk about the insights behind shoppable recipes, the importance of an omnichannel marketing approach and how contextual marketing creates new ways of connecting with shoppers. 

The Big Game – Private Brands vs. National Brands at CPG Retail

Private brands gained significant share since the Great Recession of 2008-2010, and retailers have invested heavily in their own brand programs since then, creating tiers and unique products that make a retailer a destination for shoppers. But Kurian Thomas, IRI’s chief operating officer of retail, finds that current recession and health crisis is upending what we’d expect to see from store brands. This episode provides insight into pandemic behavior and what we can anticipate from private brands in the months to come.

C-Suite Conversations: Albertsons’ COVID-19 Approach Feels Local

Albertsons launched an IPO during a global pandemic, an economic recession and social unrest, all the while keeping the company focused and moving quickly on implementing safety protocols for employees and customers. The company also committed an additional $50 million for hunger relief. With its vision to be a locally great and nationally strong company, it is focused on leveraging its $60 billion in sales to support well-merchandised and well-run local stores underpinned by technology to support productivity. Vivek Sankaran, president and CEO of Albertsons Companies, talks about the pandemic trends likely to last, using technology to transform CPG retail and why nothing will replace listening to shoppers.

The Rapid Rise of E-commerce

Sam Gagliardi, EVP e-commerce for IRI and Sucharita Kodali, VP and Principal Analyst, Forrester Research GET REAL in this episode about all things e-commerce.  Plenty of insights and implications are uncovered for marketers from: myths about e-comm penetration; which retailers are gaining share at Amazon’s expense; and the reality that online purchases are beginning to eliminate shopping because people aren’t re-shopping, they’re re-buying through auto-fulfillment, previous purchase conveniences and voice. Check out our [link to] “Potential Impact Of Reduced Unemployment Benefit Changes On Food & Beverage Spending” thought leadership mentioned in the episode.

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The Role Women and Girls Play in Marketing and Advertising

This podcast is all about women! Specifically SeeHer, a movement launched by the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) at the White House in 2016 to increase the accurate and authentic portrayals of women and girls in marketing, advertising, media and entertainment. SeeHer has also developed the “gold standard” for uncovering unconscious gender bias in advertising and programming, called the Gender Equality Measure™ (GEM™). Listen in on an inspiring and soothing conversation with IRI’s Jennifer Pelino, Executive Vice President, Omnichannel Media at IRI, and Nadine Karp McHugh, President of SeeHer at the ANA, who are championing the movement and the expansion of GEM across the industry. This particular podcast will be an ongoing series, as there’s more to explore on this very important issue for our times and the opportunities for brands. To learn more, read IRI/ANA “Gender Equality in Advertising“ whitepaper.

C-Suite Conversations: PepsiCo’s Operational Excellence During COVID-19

Throughout it’s 55-year history, a top priority for PepsiCo has been operational excellence, viewed through the lenses of precision and closed-loop measurement. This value proposition held up to the strength test of COVID-19 while giving the global food and beverage company an opportunity to pressure test new tools and capabilities. Ram Krishnan, PepsiCo’s global chief commercial officer, talks with KK Davey, IRI’s president of strategic analytics, about new ways of connecting with consumers, improved go-to-market strategies, and the value of agility in making quick, smart decisions. 

The Future of Brands

CPG brands have been gaining new buyers as most of the food dollar has remained in the home during the COVID-19 pandemic. An unintended consequence has been a total focus on keeping the shelves stocked with the most popular SKUs and suspended promotions. IRI’s Jennifer Pelino, EVP Omni Channel Media and Nishat Mehta, president of IRI Media, explain why advertising and innovating during the current crisis is critical to the future success of brands.