AWForward - Retail presented by Facebook | Emma Rayner

This conference was geared towards brands, agencies as marketers in order to prepare and inspire them as we move into a year of unrivaled change, growth and opportunity. Omnichannel shopping behaviours have been disrupting traditional retail models for years, but COVID-19 truly transformed shopping as we know it and the shopper expectations along with it.

The following 3 stats set the tone for the webinar:

• 8/10 consumers are saying their shopping habits have changed
• 9/10 say these habits will stay
• However the majority of people are interested in going back in store
  

The discussion got me thinking:

• Are we heading for another roaring 20s? 
• What does that mean for CPG? 
• How do we keep customers coming back for more?
  

 

“We are entering a new phase of discovery” - Nicole Lapin, host of the live event.

“The pandemic put brand loyalty to test…” - Karin Tracy from Facebook (head of industry, retail, fashion)

Digital has accelerated if not collapsed the purchase funnel which Tracy now calls the “discovery purchase” - consumers go from awareness to purchase in one sitting whereas before they were taken on a journey as the brand revealed touchpoints over time. This entire funnel now needs to happen in real time and a consumer expects to easily discover products based on their needs and preferences.

Tracy says it is imperative that we consider these 3 things for future of retails:

1.    How we shop has changed forever
    a.    Once people experience the joy of online shopping there is no going back
    b.    55% of people us mobile instead of desktop, mobile has become our new storefront
2.    Social is blurring the lines between digital and physical
    a.    Digital platforms need to shift from being transactional to experiential
    b.    We need to envision retail stores as an additive experience - serves more as a touch point                 physical space for “me time”.
3.    Omni channel personalization is now table stakes
    a.    Experiences should feel tailored and consistent to “me”
    b.    This can assist with feeling overjoyed instead of overwhelmed
    c.    Machine learning is the magic that create moments of serendipity for people

“We need to use high tech to recreate the high touch experience of retail days” - Karin Tracy

Alicia LeBeouf - head of industry retail, superstores and grocery at Facebook, unpacked the 8/10 and 9/10 stats above and added that 

“80% of purchases are still happening in stores so brands and retailers need to figure out how to do both really well."

 

LIVE Q & A Session with Alicia LeBeouf - head of industry retail, superstores and grocery at Facebook

Name one way your brand has reimagine how to connect with consumers over pandemic:

• Petco: “the pandemic hastened behaviours we were already seeing, people want to shop Petco however and whenever.” They imagine themselves as an omnichannel platform with digital at the centre - social is their biggest drive - they are hosting a pet fashion show on Facebook live shopping where they can purchase and join live time
• American Eagle: is focused on Gen Z and are naturally social creatures in both the digital and physical world. They created social and IG moments in store and Craig is so encouraged by innovation in the industry, not scared of it.
• Loreal: has to think about brand and activation in store, Malm spoke of recreating the in store experience online and fully leaned in to virtual try on, diagnostic tools, product quizzes - replicating experiences in a digital way.
  

“53% of Gen Z-ers only want to do business with brands that resonate with their personal values.” - Craig Brommers

 Petco is a mission based company and Altschuler speaks to the way they have transformed from pet specialists to health and wellness centres - they put the care of pets front and centre. This gave them a foundation for marketing their blueprint, they now call their brick and mortar locations “pet care centres” not B&M - pet retail is not only food and supplies but now also services (grooming and vet). He noted that consumers want end-to-end solutions - new pet parents - 3.5 million pets were adopted this year and how to service them is how they moving forward.

“Product exploration - ⅓ customers have tried something new and 79% have said they will be loyal to that brand going forwards” - Alicia LeBeouf

Loreal: for makeup and skin, people don't recognise what you wearing when you walk down the street, it comes down to inclusivity and authenticity, and targeted comms - Malm says its top priority to make Loreal feel like it is a relationship with their consumers.

What’s the role that social media has played on commerce, for eg. live shopping?

• American Eagle: 63% of consumers say they are interested in social before they make a purchase. They are a socially led marketing company - the influencer is here and more powerful than ever - he was initially skeptical but he has seen them truly influence top and bottom line
• Petco: are thinking of it end to end, stores are social first IG stores, speaking to the experience of being at a Petco centre and having an experience - pet fashion resembles that of sneaker and drop culture so they want to leverage social channels going forward even more.

Pre pandemic social was a big part of brands - while social is NB, 80% of purchases are still happening on store - how are they connecting this?

• Loreal: stores are at the centre - we envision this as being a connected experience - for example they plan to print qr codes on products in order for customers to scan and see what a product looks like on their face via a digital experience
• American Eagle: connecting dots by activating store associators as influencers in their community

How are you attracting and converting?

• Loyalty, assortment, events, social expression
• Personalistion and how to bridge that gap
  

Branding Creativity in the New Normal LIVA Q & A with Edlynne Laryea - Head of Industry, CPG Food & Beverage at Facebook

 What do we mean when we say the word “brand”

• Deutsch: “a brand is a product manufactured by a company but how do we find a great brand” asks Kelleher - clear purpose, value proposition, insightful view of customers and distinct and identifiable design identity
• MRM: “what a brand does and how it behaves is much more complex than we think but the opportunities are great” says Ng. We need to think about what role that it plays in your life and does it add value to your life, he is all about a brand being an earnt space in ones life.
• Facebook: Mulhern adds that we need to understand how it makes you feel, the resonate that stays with you after you have interacted with that brand

Where do you see challenges or opportunity with brands during the pandemic?

• Brand loyalty is the biggest challenge, either people will be much more picky or much more loyal as we return to normalcy
• Even more an important time for brands to earn a space in people's hearts
• Brands needs to get in between inspiration and transaction (the tap of a finger)
• Touchpoints are so important so there has to be a shift to digital
• People have become inherently less sticky

Pre pandemic there was a general shift in comms that were centred around purpose - the pandemic zoomed into this focus, what do you think about these types of ads?

• People pick brands that are aligned to their purpose and belief as well as where they work and spend their time
• Consumers are expecting brands to actually take action not just pledge money
• We have learnt that brands need to stay in the conversation with their consumers during times of crisis

What do they want to take with and what to leave behind from the pandemic?

• The best creatives have a life outside of work, this is so important to push for in the creative workplace, Kelleher is looking forward to being back out there and having human interaction with his creative teams
• Mulhern is so excited to move away from existing in a space of what we “need” to buy instead of what we “want” to buy