Consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands must be on top of the latest and greatest PR and marketing trends to maintain or increase market share. We’ve rounded up some of the top trends we are seeing and highlighted how CPG brands can integrate them into their annual marketing strategies:
Connection – Having a connection with the consumer, past the simple transaction of purchase, is imperative. Shoppers want to go beyond their purchase and engage with brands they like. In fact, 57 percent of consumers increased their spend with brands that they felt connected with, and 76 percent purchased from that brand over a competitor. To grow an authentic connection, CPG brands should develop informative and engaging content and implement a digital marketing strategy that reaches consumers at every stage of the buyer journey. CPG brands can also look for opportunities to create two-way conversations with customers via social media or other channels. Investing in a connection can have a high ROI in terms of building long-term brand loyalty.
Experiences – Having a great product with good customer service and a strong advertising plan used to be enough for a CPG company to be successful, but today’s consumers are looking for more. They want an experience, and that could mean a variety of things based on the product and the target audience. The point here is integration of the brand into more than the purchase interaction and to create something that fans of the brand can share. Event Marketer calls out a few companies that are leveraging experiential marketing to build a deeper connection with their audiences, including a multisensory tour of the Cinnamon Toast Crunch ‘Cinnaverse,’ glamping with M&M’s and a partnership between Lucky Charms and Shipt for St. Patrick’s Day. Other ways to create an experience can be having pop-up stores or creating Instagramable moments – such as inspired art on a building that customers can pose with and share on social media.
Research – Consumers are taking advantage of easily accessible information to help them shop. In today’s market, the customer journey begins online with 81 percent of shoppers reporting that they researched a purchase online before determining what to buy. This means that a brand’s online and digital marketing presence must be outstanding to attract shoppers. Good reviews, engaging social, solid content and exceptional customer service/engagement are no longer nice-to-haves. Creating content that is optimized for search and leveraging a mix of earned and owned content can help ensure that your brand shows up above the competition.
Personalization – Customers want to feel valued by CPG brands with which they engage. That means personalization. If a customer already has a relationship with a brand, they want the brand to remember them and provide a custom experience. Seventy-one percent of consumers expect personalization and 76 percent become frustrated if they don’t receive the personalized experience they are seeking. Additionally, brands that are adept at personalizing generate 40 percent more revenue than competitors. This can include having specific pop-ups on your website for returning visitors or follow up emails showcasing new offerings based on products they have purchased.
Influencer Marketing – Several years ago “influencer” may have been a buzzword, but not anymore. Influencer marketing is expected to reach $16.4 billion in revenue in 2022, with nano- and micro-influencers becoming increasingly popular. A CPG brand that hasn’t considered using an influencer marketing campaign should investigate adding one to its marketing mix.
Omnichannel capabilities – Technology and digital marketing are no longer separate from the in-store experience. All messaging and services must be integrated into an omnichannel experience. In-store employees should be able to access online activity, and vice versa. The same goes for marketing. Brands must have cohesive branding across all channels.
CPG PR trends
These are a few of the CPG PR trends we see continuing throughout 2022. Brands that want to stay at or rise to the top will benefit from integrating these PR trends.
Are you looking to hire a PR agency that can assist your sales team? Give us a call to connect with one of our marketing experts at Beyond Fifteen.
For more on this topic, check out our e-book “Seven Strategies for Successful Content Marketing: Case Studies and Examples of Companies Just like YOURS that Beat the Algorithms and Won at Marketing.”