As the coronavirus crisis reached the U.S. in March, sending many businesses into an economic spiral, King Arthur Flour became an early (bread)winner, seeing sales rise like the sourdough bread that bored quarantined consumers couldn’t stop baking–up more than 2,000% year-over-year. “From my perspective, baking is the new baseball–it’s become the national pastime,” Karen Colberg,…
Like most other industries, the world of beauty has been hit hard during the pandemic. With temporary store closures and consumers sheltering in place, cosmetic giants such as L’Or?al and Est?e Lauder have reported a drop in sales. Even Johnson & Johnson, which owns skin care brands Neutrogena and Aveeno, recently noted that demand for…
With restaurants, sports arenas and movie theaters closed due to the pandemic, the Coca-Cola Company’s net revenue decreased 28% to $7.15 billion for the quarter ending June 26. Away-from-home channels like these account for about half of the company’s business. As shelter-in-place orders ease, however, Coca-Cola noted that performance has improved. Unit cases, which represent…
Native, a direct-to-consumer personal care brand known for its simple, safe and effective ingredients just added another dimension to its portfolio: sustainable packaging. Starting with its paper-based deodorant applicator, the brand has committed to offering every one of its soaps, deodorants and toothpastes in sustainable packages by 2023. While there’s certainly a trend toward more…
Heather Malenshek will move on from her own Milwaukee consultancy to Minneapolis-based Land O’Lakes, joining as its chief marketing officer effective Sept. 8. “Heather possesses a sterling record of unparalleled success in designing and implementing marketing strategies for companies and organizations, and driving business growth,” said Beth Ford, president and CEO of Land O’Lakes in…
Imagine that National Ice Cream Day is your brand’s version of the Super Bowl, and you’ve relied heavily for years on high-touch activities like handing out samples to hype your product in July and beyond. That’s the reality for Russell Barnett, L.A. Brand Stars honoree and CMO of fast-growing My/Mo Mochi. The brand’s team had…
LiveRamp has acquired Acuity Data, a platform that serves the CPG industry, to bolster its Safe Haven product. Introduced in March, Safe Haven is a neutral “clean room” where advertisers and media owners can develop data partnerships in a privacy-safe way. The acquisition will help LiveRamp bolster the retail analytics capabilities of Safe Haven. The…
Johnson & Johnson’s worldwide year-over-year sales declined 10.8% in the second quarter of 2020, as fewer consumers had elective surgery or opted to buy beauty products during the pandemic. The company’s medical device segment dropped 33.9% to $4.3 billion, while its consumer health division, which includes skin care brands Neutrogena and Aveeno, fell 7% to…
Doritos is putting America’s quarantine talents to the test with a new advertising challenge, and it’s certainly a chip off the old block. For 10 years, Doritos encouraged aspiring filmmakers to “Crash the Super Bowl” by creating a 30-second commercial for the most-watched television event of the year. And while the snack brand has retired…
Due to the pandemic, the summer of 2020 has turned into a season of stress and canceled plans. Attempting to tap into the current moment and provide a little levity, ice cream brand Blue Bunny has teamed up with experiential agency FCBX to debut a ticket exchange where disappointed consumers can upload images of receipts…
Thanks to Razor, a number of brands are about to get a lot more mobile. The company, famous for its non-electric scooters, is rolling out its first-ever branded products created in collaboration with Sharpie, Takis, AriZona Beverages and Sriracha. Each scooter is designed to reflect the logo, brand identity and hues associated with its respective…
As consumer packaged goods companies look to present their products in ways that demonstrate their commitment to sustainability, many brands are targeting the packaging itself–either by cutting down on plastic, increasing recycled materials within packaging or creating compostable containers. To keep up with this trend, alcohol conglomerate Diageo announced today a new partnership with venture…
Consumers are still reaching for big-name comfort foods as PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay and Quaker divisions both saw increased sales for the quarter ending June 13. Revenue for Frito-Lay North America climbed 7%, while Quaker Foods North America rose 23%. But with sports stadiums closed and fewer people visiting restaurants and convenience stores, PepsiCo’s North American beverage…
Going green doesn’t mean a company’s bottom line has to suffer. Evidence suggests the opposite is true, according to new research from global consulting firm, Capgemini. In a survey involving 750 senior executives at various consumer product and retail organizations located around the globe, results found that 77% of company leaders said sustainability initiatives have…
At a time when many CPG manufacturers are reducing the variety of products they offer consumers, Conagra Brands is going in the opposite direction. This summer, the Chicago-based packaged-food company plans to introduce more than two dozen new products, ranging from meatless lasagna under its Birds Eye brand to a line of Orville Redenbacher’s microwave…
Companies in the cannabis and CBD space are no strangers to dealing with a constantly shifting marketplace–changes in consumer sentiment, adjustments in regulation, new competition backed by big-name investor money. In a sense, the need to pivot their approach to marketing during the pandemic is something they’re prepared for because they’ve never stopped pivoting. In…
It’s difficult to know something well if that thing is deemed too taboo to discuss openly. That’s the concept behind Tampax’s latest ad campaign starring comedian and actor Amy Schumer, who has a track record of exploring uncomfortable topics in her films and stand-up specials. In a series of videos that feel more like comedy…
Starburst has a new product that deviates from its familiar cube-like shape. Called Starburst Swirlers Chewy Sticks, the long, rope candy comes in two-in-one flavors such as cherry-lemon, strawberry-orange and cherry-strawberry. To promote the new product, the Mars Wrigley brand decided to mirror the product in Starburst’s first vertical-only ad campaign designed for viewing on…
The longer people stay close to home, the more CPG manufacturers continue to benefit. Surging rates of new coronavirus cases, coupled with some states either pausing or reversing their reopening efforts, suggest this trend will last for the foreseeable future. General Mills and Conagra Brands are the latest companies to reveal just how in demand…
A line of superimposed text in a new ad from Dole Packaged Foods, owned by Japan’s Itochu Corporation, states, “We deserve the world we live in. Our children don’t.” The 90-second spot, titled “Dear Leaders of the World,” is part of the company’s push to build a better future. Told through the perspective of a…
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