LAS VEGAS — Frito-Lay North America, a business unit of PepsiCo, Inc., Purchase, N.Y., sells approximately 18 million units per day. To build sales velocity and advance the company’s financial objectives, Frito-Lay’s marketing team is focusing on serving individual consumers with personal experiences. Smartphones have changed the expectations of how consumer-packaged goods companies interact with consumers, said Jennifer Saenz, senior-vice president and chief marketing officer for Frito-Lay North America. Ms. Saenz spoke at Information Resources Inc.’s Growth Summit April 18 in Las Vegas. “It is critical we anticipate consumer wants and needs and understand how technology is changing how people shop,” she said. “What consumers are looking for are personal experiences. Being personal to someone also means we have listened and offered a solution that speaks to them.” But listening is only one part of the equation. Marketing efforts must also be frictionless and simple, Ms. Saenz said. “Technology has made us fickle consumers,” she said. “There is little tolerance for slow experiences. In some cases, people are more concerned with saving time than money.” Successful and frictionless examples she cited include the hotel industry’s offering of digital keys that have streamlined the check-in process, and Amazon Go retail outlets eliminate many aspects of the retail shopping experience. To understand and respond to consumer interests requires companies utilize data that assess overt and latent personal consumer characteristics and develop marketing ideas that align with a company’s strategic goals. “This is where the magic happens,” Ms. Saenz said. Two examples Frito-Lay has executed in the past 12 months that she cited focused on the company’s Cheetos and Tostitos brands. The first was a pop-up restaurant concept the company created called The Spotted Cheetah.
“Through social listening we learned Cheetos was being used as an ingredient,” Ms. Saenz said. “We were seeing it everywhere, in salads, sushi, etc. We took that inspiration and created a restaurant concept where all of the dishes used Cheetos as an ingredient.” The company partnered with a celebrity chef, promoted the concept through social media, and opened the pop-up restaurant during New York’s restaurant week. When reservations for the dining experience became available, all 500 seats sold out in less than 7 hours and there was a waiting list of 8,000 people. To capitalize on the consumer interest, Frito-Lay created a downloadable book that featured recipes of all of the dishes served at the pop-up restaurant. Between the social media interest, physical venue and e-recipe book, Ms. Saenz estimated the brand received more than 4 billion digital impressions. The Colorado-based Japanese, fast-casual chain Tokyo Joe’s is apologizing for a sign posted on a bathroom door at a Denver location saying the “restrooms are for Tokyo Joe’s addicts only.” State Rep. Jonathan Singer, D-Longmont, took issue with the sign Wednesday, posting a photo on Twitter with the caption “#addiction is no laughing matter.” He added: “We had a bill to help stop overdose deaths in bathrooms. @TokyoJoes can do better.” The chain said it agreed that the sign was inappropriate and was only meant to ensure paying guests were using the restrooms. “We agree this was 100% inappropriate and inconsistent with our brand values. We would never make light of the opioid epidemic,” the restaurant said on its Twitter account. “We apologize for letting our fans down. We will be addressing this internally first thing (Thursday) a.m. We can and will do better.” Tokyo Joe’s loyalty program is called the “Addict Club.” The Denver Post reached out to a representative from the restaurant chain Thursday but didn’t immediately hear back. The situation comes amid heightened scrutiny of late involving other signs and marketing materials from Colorado restaurants. Boulder-based Hapa Sushi’s ad campaign in downtown Denver was pulled last month after concerns were raised about a message pairing a tweet from President Donald Trump with the restaurant’s logo and a message that read, “Eat well before it all ends.” Ah, Instagram. You either love it, hate it, or you’re scared to try it. Regardless, this photo- and video-sharing app can be a powerful tool for marketing your business. Here’s why.
1. It’s for people of all ages. While Instagram attracts a slightly younger demographic, more and more “older” folks are beginning to jump on the Instagram bandwagon. Your business should take the leap now — before your competitors do. 2. It’s here to stay. Instagram boasts more than 800 million users and is now one of the largest social media platforms in the world, eclipsed only by Facebook and YouTube. 3. It’s easy to use. Once you try Instagram, you’ll marvel at its simplicity. You can accomplish 95 percent of your tasks with five user-friendly icons at the bottom of your screen. If you can get up in the morning and brush your teeth, you can use Instagram. 4. It’s great for brands that rely on visuals. Instagram is a natural fit for businesses that have lots of photo and video opportunities throughout the day. This includes restaurants, salons, interior design firms, real estate agencies, retail stores and more. 5. It’s also great for businesses that think they’re too boring for Instagram. Maybe you’re a bookkeeper or mortgage lender, and you can’t imagine what to post. Share anything that humanizes your brand! This will help you build trust and attract more clients. Consider posting about your staff at fun events. You can also post brief videos to answer questions or make announcements. |
Marcus Guiliano
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March 2020
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