In-Store Marketing Expo: Come Curious, Leave Inspired

The In-Store Marketing Institute will be holding the In-Store Marketing Expo at the Navy Pier in Chicago , October 7-8. For NARMS members, this event brings two value added bonuses. The first is that the seminar topics are highly relevant to members of the at-retail merchandising and marketing community. The second is that the In-Store Marketing Institute is offering Institute member rates to NARMS members for this special event.

The future of retail is changing fast. Dollars are being reallocated from traditional media to shopper marketing. While ad spending is expected to decline, in-store is expected to keep growing. Last year, companies spent almost $21 billion on in-store marketing. It’s becoming clear that retail is gaining ground as not just a marketplace, but as a medium.

This is creating new challenges at-retail. The seminar topics available at the In-Store Marketing Expo will directly address some of these challenges and opportunities. The seminars and keynote addresses will be conducted by speakers from Wal-Mart, Kimberly-Clark, Wrigley, ConAgra, Walgreen’s, Supervalu and Coca-Cola. Listed among the seminars are: “In-Store Sampling as a Targeted Measured Media”, “In-Store Events: Measuring Impact and ROI”, “Driving Purchase Through Impactful Sampling Experiences” (presented by Wal-Mart), and “Leveraging Shopper Marketing to Support In-Store Tactics”.

For NARMS members, getting the Institute member rate could mean gaining all this tremendous insight at a savings over 25% for a 4-pack of seminars. To receive the discount, type NARMS into the Company2 field on the registration form.

This is a great opportunity to come and share some of the key information that brand marketers and retailers will be using to shape a future that includes more emphasis at –retail. As the Institute’s promotional material says, “Come curious. Leave inspired.”

Sep 25, 2009 IRI / Morning NewsBeat

Below is the list of articles you will find for the week ending 9/25/09 edition of Retail Industry News.

- Coupon Redemption Grows As New Users Adopt New Habits
- Fresh & Easy…& Now Green
- Study: Private Brand Growth Continues
- Meijer Extends Grocery Express Service To Chicago Stores
- IRI To Hold Contest Recognizing Frugal Shoppers
- Sansolo Speaks: The Real Story
- Spartan Develops New Nutritional Labeling System
- FastNewsBeat
- The MNB Wal-Mart Watch
- Executive Suite

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NARMS Partners with UW’s Executive Education Effort

Stevens Point, WI … NARMS International and the University of Wisconsin School of Business Executive Education program have announced a partnership that will enhance educational programming for the retail industry gathering at the 15th annual NARMS Annual Meeting and Spring Conference, April 17-20, 2010 at Wesley Chapel, FL.

This joint effort will allow NARMS to extend a new level of quality educational opportunities of excellence under the NARMS-U “brand” as part of the agreement with the UW School of Business who will assist in the programming targeting the continuing educational needs of retail support service companies, manufacturers, retailers and all those affiliated with the retailing process.
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Spring Conference Opportunities Abound

Excitement is building and momentum is in full swing as we head for Tampa, Florida and the 15th Annual NARMS Spring Conference. Our showcase event will take place on April 17-20, 2010 at the beautiful Saddlebrook Resort. The reason for the excitement revolves around a theme that emphasizes the relationships between NARMS members and the manufacturers and retailers we serve. As usual, there are a number of sponsorship opportunities still available for companies looking for additional exposure during conference. Due to the planned focus on the customer relationship, this might be the best year ever to jump on board with your sponsorship dollars.

Registration for the event will open on October 1st and 2010 registration prices remain at 2009 levels. While registration fees and exhibitor fees help to defray the cost for the event, the simple truth is that without the financial support via sponsorship dollars, such an event is not possible. There are Platinum, Gold and Silver level sponsorships and many other different options to fit the level and financial commitment that you want to make. The opportunities include everything from speaker sponsors; lunch, dinner and reception sponsors and golf event sponsorships. There are also specialty item opportunities such as key cards, water bottles, gift bags and other advertising specialties. Additionally, there is an opportunity for a feature ad in the official conference program booklet. Click here to review all the options in detail.

If this is not the right year for a sponsorship, you can consider participating by becoming a FRIEND OF NARMS. For $100 you will be listed on www.narms.com and several places at conference. Your support will certainly assist in making the event a success. Find out more about how to become a FRIEND OF NARMS here.

Please take a few minutes to follow the links included in this article. Your sponsorship dollars are truly appreciated and demonstrate leadership in the establishment of an industry. As always, thanks for your support of NARMS and the Annual NARMS Spring Conference.

The Beam Team Acquires Ready Set Management

Atlanta, GA (October 2, 2009) – The Beam Team has recently acquired the merchandising division of Ready Set Companies (RSM) retail services. Ready Set is headquartered in Schaumburg, IL with approximately 250 employees. RSM provides retail services specializing in in-store merchandising installation including product assembly. With a strong business presence in the Midwest market, RSM will improve the Beam Team market coverage, enhance their service offering and generate new efficiencies.

According to Beam Team President, Rick Hall, “This deal is a smart move for both companies on many levels. It will improve our ability to offer our existing customers better coverage and make us more competitive for future growth opportunities. Ready Set provides many of the same services as we do and they have an experienced work force. Adding them to our team builds our commitment to employ full-time (W-2) workers who consistently out-perform companies who rely on a temporary work force. Ready Set also has strong management that we will leverage to grow our business. Leading this group is Ed Martin, a former director at The Home Depot, who will bring great insight into the industry.
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Toys R Us Announces 2009 Holiday Hot Toy List

Scampering Hamsters, a Newly Crowned Princess, a Mind-Bending Game and a Towering, Transforming Robot Among Toys Expected to Top Kids’ Wish Lists this Holiday Season

WAYNE, N.J., Sept. 24 /PRNewswire/ — While times and trends change, one thing remains constant - every holiday season, kids dream of tearing the wrapping off their Christmas presents to reveal the toys that topped their wish lists. Today Toys”R”Us, the world’s leading specialty toy retailer, unveiled its annual Holiday Hot Toy List, filled with 36 items - new this year - that offer outstanding value in quality, price and play. The selected items provide parents with a starting point in developing their holiday shopping checklists.

Read the press release at PRNewsWire.com

Takin’ it to the Store

An item that appeared in the Monday edition of NARMS Newsfeed couldn’t help but catch my attention. Directional shifts from a CPG giant like Procter & Gamble Co. tend to do that. To quote the Advertising Age article, “If it doesn’t work at the store, it’s no longer a good marketing idea.” P&G is busy driving home this concept known as “store back” with all its marketing agencies. And P&G is putting its money where its mouth is. Last year, the company spent $3.5 billion on trade promotion and shopper marketing compared to $3.2 million in media spending.

The article points out that this mind set could give shopper marketing types a seat at the table when it comes to the development of creative. It is clear, from a P&G perspective that any marketing idea has to have the execution aspects in mind upon conception. For the first half of the year, P&G execs have been spreading the message to their agency community.

For the members of NARMS, leaders in at-retail merchandising and marketing services, this mind set comes as welcome news. We often find ourselves having to execute a program at shelf level with minimal time to prepare, and without knowledge of the bigger picture. While we have evolved and adapted to the point where we do this quite well, we have so much more to offer brand marketers.

In most cases, when we have the opportunity to consult with companies a little further up stream, we are able to help them fully formulate the idea from conception to execution. Look at any NARMS member deck of case studies and you will see a pattern of early involvement in the programs that our members like to showcase.

Obviously, at-retail is an important aspect of shopper marketing. As leaders, we must be ready to take on a more consultative role in the process while maintaining a level of excellent execution. It’s what we’ve been seeking for years. That time might be upon us.

NARMS Related Study Shows Sampling Is Rewarded

Stevens Point, WI … A recent marketplace study clearly shows the value of product sampling as leading to increased sales levels in stores. With data reviewed by Dr. Kenny Herbst, a marketing professor at the Wake Forest University School of Business in Winston-Salem, NC, Dr. Herbst found that when individuals were offered a sample, their general spending in the store and the amount of time they shopped in the store was 34 percent and 14 percent greater, respectively, than those individuals who were not offered a sample.

“Sampling can provide an opportunity for individuals to try items ‘on for size’ in a low-risk manner while simultaneously being exposed to a new product’s taste. At the same time, it can assuage anxiety about returning home with a product that does not pass the taste test,” said Herbst.
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Sep 18, 2009 IRI / Morning NewsBeat

Below is the list of articles you will find for the week ending 9/18/09 edition of Retail Industry News.

- The Old Gray Shopper Ain’t What She Used To Be
- A&P CEO Sees Turnaround On Horizon
- Sweetbay Opens First In-Store Medical Clinic
- Sansolo Speaks: One Year Later
- Whole Foods Catches The Wind
- Schnucks Opens First Cooking School
- The Domino Effect From Grocery Price Declines
- For Fresh & Easy, It (Finally) Pays To Advertise
- Publix Continues To Grow Convenience Concept
- FastNewsBeat
- The MNB Wal-Mart Watch
- Executive Suite

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Webinar to Explore Virtues of Virtual Store Tests

Just as consumers are doing on-line research to make buying decisions before visiting the store, manufacturers are using web-based virtual shopping as a method for shopper marketing research. Join us on Tuesday, September 22 at 1:00 p.m. CDT for - Virtual Shopping Platforms - the next installment of the NARMS Webinar Series. Guest retail experts John Karolefski and Walter Haug will lead us through the hour long event as we explore this emerging method that is being adopted by leading companies. The NARMS Webinar series is sponsored by Natural Insight and brought to you through the technology of NARMS Associate Member ReadyTalk.

Virtual store tests provide a faster, more cost-efficient alternative to in-store tests and deliver a more accurate representation of at-shelf shopping behaviors than traditional methods of consumer research. Several leading manufacturers have leveraged virtual shopping to make recommendations for optimizing product assortments and for implementing new shelf sets and aisle configurations. They have later implemented these recommendations for retailers such as Wal-Mart, Kroger, and 7-Eleven.

John Karolefski is an authority on consumer packaged goods marketing and technology. He founded CPGmatters.com to keep manufacturers up to date on changes in the industry. He is the co-author of three books, “TARGET 2000: the Rising Tide of TechnoMarketing,” which tracks the convergence of marketing and technology in the retail and CPG industry, and “All About Sampling,” written for the Promotion Marketing Association (PMA). Karolefski’s latest book is entitled “Consumer-Centric Category Management.”

Walter Haug is a classically trained marketer with more than fifteen years of progressive experience building businesses and brands, having held senior marketing positions at Lysol, Fujifilm and Pinnacle Foods. He led the Marketing and Customer Marketing functions at ACCO Brands through the turnaround of the Wilson Jones Bindery Brand. As VP Client Service for Decision Insight, Haug brings formidable research capabilities and a consultative, actionable approach in order to help clients build shopper insights that will win in the marketplace.

Through this webinar, you will learn why a virtual shopping platform will change the status quo. When and why would someone use a virtual shopping methodology? How can virtual shopping research optimize product assortments and change shelf sets and aisle configurations? What unique aspects need to be considered when evaluating findings from a virtual shopping study?

For the answers to these questions and more, click here to register to attend the hour-long event. You will find the NARMS Webinar series time well spent and a compelling value added benefit of your membership.