media update’s David Jenkin was in attendance at the Bryanston Country Club to hear the latest trends and strategies shaping the shopper marketing sector.

1. Consumer confidence is waning

Consumer confidence has been going through a rollercoaster ride, explained Esti Prinsloo, consumer research director at ACNielsen. Consequently, people are more price sensitive, prioritising essentials and searching for value.

This is illustrated with the growth of dealer-owned brands, although there is still a place for premium products. Manufacturers and marketers need to be more innovative in identifying unmet needs, creating differentiated packaging that delivers the brand’s message clearly, and deploying it effectively in store.

2. Consumers are driven by emotions

Emotions subconsciously drive 95% of human behaviour, said Mark Drummand, co-founder of neuromarketing consultancy, Neural Sense.

Neuromarketing seeks to understand those forces in the context of consumer buying behaviour and translate it into practical solutions. A well-designed point of sale, for instance, can make a significant improvement to sales.

3. Marketers must embrace technology

Jacqui Le Sar Fourie, managing director of Inperspective, asked marketers to consider how they can use technology to maximise their return on investments.

Applying digital lessons on how people are shopping can make the process easier and shed light on what is and isn’t working in store far more effectively than trial and error. Tools such as beacon technology and RFID tags can map the path to purchase and all the influences along the way.

4. Malls need media

John Faia, general manager of MallAds, part of Provantage, emphasised the important role that media plays within a mall environment.

It serves to inform (especially with regards to store locations), educate, engage, and persuade, but there are certain environments where customers are more receptive to certain types of messaging, so placement needs to be carefully considered.

He advised a mix of physical and digital media, as well as brand experiences. Malls campaigns provide brands with the opportunity to engage with shoppers in a way that doesn’t feel like traditional advertising.

5. Brand loyalty is earned

Under utilised avenues for brands to stand out and foster brand-love was the focus for Mpume Shange, CEO of Expressive Through the Line Agency.

She discussed stokvels and how brand involvement improves attendance at meetings and provides a platform for activations, product education, competitions, and sampling.

Brands can also earn the love of communities by getting involved in traditional events and by helping communities through sponsored talks, entertainment, skills development programmes, and the like.

6. Target millennials

The topic of millennials was addressed by Bianca Joynt, business unit director at Liquorice DigitasLBi, and how dividing this broad group into life stages is what really matters.

Millennials are digital natives, but targeted marketing must recognise the life stage of the consumer, and this will affect their media palate.

7. Incorporate augmented reality

Mobile marketing methods were explored by Candice Goodman, managing director of Mobitainment.

From augmented reality (AR) to chatbots and bluetooth beacons, there are a host of new technologies in the mobile space allowing for innovative campaigns, avenues for engagement and data-driven insights.

Read more about augmented reality in our article, Three quotes about the future of marketing. 

8. Small businesses should utilise big data

We are currently in a very exciting technological period, said Dana Buys, CEO of CloudOne.mobi, in relation to the advancement of big data and how small businesses can utilise it.

He cautioned, however, that there is a grave risk of “winner takes all”, where the first to perfect big data in their business will quickly swallow their opposition. In order to compete against industry giants, smaller businesses (which don’t generate enough data on their own) need to look into ways of aggregating and consolidating data using cloud solutions.

For more information, visit www.marketingmixconferences.co.za

Interested in the latest marketing trends and insights? See more in our coverage of this year’s Marketing Indaba in our article, Day one of Marketing Indaba packed with insights.