A national ice cream manufacturer sought to make an impact in the market with the launch of four new SKUs. Understanding the critical first two weeks of a product launch, the brand partnered with Wiser Solutions to gain insights into distribution, on-shelf availability, pricing, planogram compliance, and the effectiveness of promotional materials at the store level.
The Cold Hard Challenges
Launching a new product is never without its hurdles. The brand invested heavily in both above-the-line and below-the-line marketing to drive in-store conversions. Promotions and discounts were strategically deployed to entice shoppers to try the new flavors, complemented by eye-catching Point of Sale (POS) material designed to draw attention to the freezers.
Yet, despite meticulous planning, brands often find themselves skating on thin ice due to a lack of visibility at the point of sale and an absence of real-time data to guide proactive adjustments. This disconnect can lead to non-compliance, missed sales opportunities, and a diluted return on investment from their marketing activations.
Wiser’s Role: Transitioning Data to Action
Wiser embarked on a data-gathering initiative, zeroing in on the presentation, accessibility, and promotional tactics of the new ice cream products. This deep dive into the data produced targeted recommendations designed to amplify the visibility of the ice cream range and refine the overall promotional strategy, ensuring every element from shelf placement to in-store advertisements worked in harmony to captivate consumers’ attention.
The Results
- Product Distribution: The data revealed a slow time-to-market due to a logistics issue on the retailer’s side, providing a clear direction for immediate resolution.
- Point-of-Sale Availability: Alerts about missing promotional material led to the discovery of a delivery issue with POS materials, a crucial component for capturing shopper attention.
- Timely Resolution and Success: The real-time visibility afforded by Wiser’s insights allowed for the prompt resolution of these challenges, ensuring a successful product launch that met both sales and brand visibility goals.
Incorporating External Insights
Effective execution involves more than just placing products on shelves. It requires a nuanced understanding of retail dynamics, shopper behavior, and the competitive landscape. Integrating real-time data and insights is pivotal for adjusting strategies on the fly, ensuring new product and promotional materials are correctly deployed, and verifying that pricing and planogram compliance are up to snuff.
Conclusion
This case study serves as a reminder of the critical role real-time insights play in the successful launch of new products in the FMCG sector. As industry veterans, we understand that the difference between a product launch that goes unnoticed and one that captures the market’s imagination often lies in our ability to leverage data to make informed decisions.
The journey of this ice cream range from concept to freezer showcases the power of strategic planning, the importance of promotional execution, and the invaluable role of partnerships in navigating the icy waters of retail execution. Let this be a guide for brands looking to launch new products, emphasizing that with the right insights and actions, every new product can find its (summer) day in the sun.
To learn more about the Commerce Execution Suite, contact us at intel@wiser.com or visit www.wiser.com. Here’s a PDF version of this use case.
