New General Market Forum delivers big insights at DSN/Mack Elevation event
New General Market Forum panelists included: (standing) Dan Mack, Mack Elevation Forum; Emmet Dennis, Sundial Brands; Wayne Bennett, DSN; Jean Legros, Mentholatum; Andrew Kingery, Beiersdorf; Rich Dennis, Sundial Brands; Bob Wiltz, Paris Presents; Chris Skyers, Wakefern; Paul Kenny, Combe; Dave Fox, Dentek Oral Care; and Craig Dubitsky, Hello Products; (seated) Debbie Brandwene, Unilever; Heather Warnke, Kao; Sarah Montante, Unilever; Steve Yde, Wahl Home Products; Shannon Curtin, Walgreens; and Bruce Kramer, Wahl Home Products.
CHICAGO, Ill. — There is a new wave of consumers that is quickly becoming the most powerful economic force in retail.
Enter: The New General Market consumer.
“It is causing retailers, marketers and all of us to rethink our blueprint on how to meet the needs of this new consumer. They are independent, digital and want to ‘engage’ as opposed to being ‘talked at,’” Mack Elevation Forum founder Dan Mack told attendees here, May 27, at the New General Market Leadership forum.
The New General Market platform – a Drug Store News and Mack Elevation Forum co-produced forum event explored why real consumer intimacy and authenticity are core to creating “emotional connection” with today’s new consumers. The forum partners included leaders from Sundial Brands, Beiersdorf, Paris Presents, Wahl Home Products, Unilever, Fleet, Hello Products, Mentholatum , Comb, Kao Brands, IRI, Social Deviant and Shannon Curtin of Walgreens along with Chris Skyers of Wakefern.
Richelieu Dennis, co-founder and CEO of Sundial Brands, a leader and pioneer in identifying and responding to this cultural shift, shared Sundial’s history and the company’s vision for creating products for today’s diverse consumer based on unique, unmet needs, focusing on fair trade practices, natural and certified organic ingredients. “At all levels of the company, we try to listen to the voice of consumers and engage in meaningful dialogue, not speaking at them,” Dennis noted. “We believe in loosening our grip on our brands and letting consumers help define and build the brand.”
Larry Levin, IRI EVP of Mid-Market said, “culturally competent organizations recognize the new mainstream is itself multicultural. These organizations recognize their consumer’s values, attitudes and lifestyles not just demographic profiles. They recognize the new consumer – fueled by Millennials — are influencing the culture.
Marc Landsberg, CEO of Social Deviant talked about the new rules for building brands socially. “A committed social network – who are advocates are your best brand influencer, “Landsberg said. “Engaging with specific communities is not about building walled gardens. It's about creating engaging content that incites action through intersecting needs, wants and interests. There is no such thing as a social strategy, everything is social.”
“We have brought together companies who are very open and have built relationships with consumers based on their aspirations and values — not just their demographic profile, DSN publisher Wayne Bennett said of the program. “It was an exciting day of insights.”
Mack added: “We hope to spark a conversation with the industry — including top retailers — sharing how some of the top brands are building authentic, emotional relationships with today’s changing consumer and the in-store implications, product groupings and activation.”
Participants in the May forum event are helping to define the best practices of winning brands that are connecting with Millennials and today’s diverse consumer. The highlights will be featured in a special cover feature in the August issue of Drug Store News.