Kraft: No More Cheesy Extensions†

Brandweek, April 29, 2008 — Until recently, Kraft's growth strategy largely revolved around extensions, like Philadelphia Cream Cheese snack bars or Jell-O cheesecake snacks entry with peaches and bananas. But now the company is taking a different approach.

Consumers Consider Sustainability When Picking CPG Brands

MarketingVox, January 11, 2008 — Approximately 50% of US consumers consider at least one sustainability factor in selecting consumer packaged goods items and choosing where to shop for those products, according to a survey conducted by Information Resources, Inc., reports Environmental Leader (via MarketingCharts).

The Fastest-Growing Medium? Shopper Marketing†

Deloitte Study Shows In-Store Spending Is Outpacing Even the Internet

Advertising Age, September 27, 2007 — BATAVIA, Ohio (AdAge.com) — The fastest-growing medium isn't the internet, but shopper marketing, where retailers and package-goods marketers are shifting hundreds of millions of dollars — doubling their expenditure in the past three years alone.

A new study finds shopper marketing has grown from 3% of the overall marketing budgets of the 19 package-goods manufacturers surveyed in 2004 to 6% this year. The manufacturers expect it to reach 8% of marketing budgets by 2010.

Bad News For Brands: Supermarket Shoppers Don't Care

MediaPost Publications, June 26, 2007 — WHEN SHOPPING IN SUPERMARKETS OR drug stores, are consumers likely to show any brand loyalty? Practically none. A new report from TNS Retail Forward finds that three-quarters of shoppers will happily switch brands, motivated not just by what's cheaper, but even what's at eye level. "Few brands are immune to switching behavior," the market researcher reports.