The Consumer packaged goods industry is comprised of companies that sell a wide range of everyday items like snacks, over the counter healthcare products, beverages, personal care products, and cleaning supplies both in the e-commerce and retail store settings. Not only are these not the most exciting products, but the CPG sector is also highly competitive, making it difficult to capture consumer attention and build brand loyalty. Let’s take a look at how some of the biggest CPG brands accomplish this and how you can steal their marketing strategies to find success.
Examples of CPG Companies You’re Probably Already Familiar With
Let’s take a look at a few examples of consumer packaged goods companies who have successfully marketed seemingly boring products with highly effective marketing techniques to spark some creativity for your own campaigns.
1. Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble (P&G) offers a range of consumer products that spans household products, personal care items, women’s wellness products, and cleaning products. Some of their well-known brands include Tide laundry detergent, Charmin toilet paper, and Crest toothpaste. P&G has set the standard in CPG marketing, overtaking Unilever in 2016, and earning themselves the title of “most effective global advertiser.” One of their most famous campaigns, #LikeAGirl, featured videos of women and girls proudly participating in activities “like a girl” in a very successful effort to shine a new light on the phrase. Keep in mind, this campaign’s goal wasn’t to sell flashy new products.. they were selling menstruation products. Before this ad aired, only 19% of US girls aged 16-24 had a positive association with the phrase “like a girl” while after, 76% no longer view it as an insult.
Why it works:
P&G’s success with the #LikeAGirl campaign lies in their deep understanding of their target audience. They recognized that women and girls do not want to spend time thinking about or discussing periods in mainstream culture. Instead, P&G focused on building confidence. Their language and marketing have always emphasized that women can participate in their daily activities with confidence, even during their periods. By addressing the sharp drop in self-esteem that many girls experience during puberty, P&G aimed to support girls in their journey into womanhood from a more positive place. This empathetic approach resonated deeply with their audience, fostering a strong emotional connection.
P&G’s strategic use of distribution channels also amplified the impact of the #LikeAGirl campaign. They harnessed the power of social media by using the branded hashtag #LikeAGirl which encouraged widespread engagement and sharing.The campaign’s culmination in a 60-second video during the 2015 Super Bowl was a masterstroke in ad placement, ensuring maximum visibility and cultural impact.
2. Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola and Pepsi are constantly going head to head, challenging each other to come up with new and innovative marketing to win customers over. There have been so many marketing campaigns over the years that we could explore, but let’s choose one of the most iconic: The “Share a Coke” Campaign.
Coke’s brand hinges heavily on nostalgia, drawing on themes from “the good old days” when times were simpler, and this campaign, which saw 250 of the most common U.S. millennial names printed on coke cans, was no exception. The Wall Street Journal reported over 125,000 social media posts referenced the campaign in the first 2 months and 12% of online conversations about the brand can be attributed directly to this marketing effort. Coke also created a campaign-specific website where over 350,000 virtual coke bottles were shared amongst friends and family during the short three-month lifespan of the campaign. In Australia, it also boosted Coca-Cola product consumption by 7% amongst young adults and earned them well over 18 million social media impressions.
Why it works:
While CPG brands might take this idea and run with it, printing people’s individual names onto everyday products isn’t really considered a “good” marketing strategy. The reason it worked so well for Coke is because it plays directly into their existing branding and content strategy which is to take people back in time when drinking a Coke with a friend or loved one was a general pastime for many Americans. This campaign brought back a sense of simplicity and community that people crave in the digital age. Simply put, Coca-Cola played into their existing marketing scheme and mastered the art of storytelling with this campaign.
3. Nestle
Nestle’s extensive range of CPG products includes dairy products, snacks, and personal care items. The company excels in implementing direct-to-consumer (DTC) models, emphasizing sustainability efforts to reduce environmental impact, and driving digital transformation in supply chain management to enhance efficiency and meet consumer demand.
One of Nestle’s more impactful marketing efforts was KitKat’s #SwitchOff campaign which supported the Earth Hour Initiative. The goal of this campaign was to draw attention to global warming and encourage people to “take a break” from electricity. Nestle decided the best way to display this initiative was on a billboard that turned featured a clock ticking down to zero, at which time the billboard turned itself off. The messaging included phrasing like “#SwitchOff for planet earth” and “Have a break, have a KitKat.” The campaign, with no additional media budget, was able to reach 100k unique Instagram users and 50k people on Twitter.
Why it works:
KitKat creatively merged their well known catchphrase “have a break” with a much larger movement that people were already in support of – the climate. The clever use of a branded hashtag was one piece of this creative puzzle that allowed this campaign to catch on like wildfire on social media platforms. When brands show that they care, and they use social media as a platform to communicate that to young consumers, consumer behavior usually shifts in support of their products on the grocery store shelves.
4. Pepsico
Pepsico, known for its success in the snacks and beverages market, employs innovative strategies such as effective shelf space management to maximize product visibility, strategic product replenishment to ensure availability, and embracing fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) trends to stay ahead in a competitive market. Unlike Coca Cola who relies on their image of long history and tradition, Pepsi decided to take a different route, targeting younger demographics with its marketing campaigns. You’ll often see them taking advantage of celebrity endorsements and sponsorships of different music and sports events to capture this audience’s attention.
Pepsi’s “That’s What I Like” campaign was one for the ages.
“We created this campaign to pay homage to this unapologetic mindset embraced by our most loyal fans, with a music-forward expression to pinpoint the feeling our consumers have when they genuinely enjoy themselves in an uninhibited way.”
– Todd Kaplan, Vice President of Marketing at Pepsi
Why it works:
Perfectly timed at the start of the new year, when New Year’s resolutions are set and consumers vow to drink less soda, Pepsi replaced that messaging with one of joy and being unapologetically you. Not placing restrictive resolutions on yourself, but enjoying all that the new year has to bring with your favorite soda in hand.
This campaign was spread across multiple media channels, including TV, digital platforms, and social media, reinforcing the brand’s position as a source of joy and refreshment.
Stand Out in the Competitive CPG Market With These Marketing Best Practices
1. Interactive Social Media Content
Organic content is key to building an authentic connection with your audience. By regularly sharing engaging and relevant posts on social media, brands can foster a loyal community and enhance brand visibility. The more interactive and visually appealing the content, the higher the engagement rates, which leads to increased brand awareness, customer loyalty, and shopping in online stores.
2. Out of Home Media Solutions
Out-of-home (OOH) advertising remains a powerful tool for capturing consumer attention in physical spaces. By integrating digital experiences with scannable QR codes, brands can create interactive and 100% shoppable ads. These ads effectively bridge the gap between offline and online shopping by providing a seamless path to purchase. Consumers can engage with the ad in their environment, scan the QR code, and be directed to a digital storefront. This method not only increases engagement but also drives conversions, enhancing the overall effectiveness of OOH campaigns in the CPG market.
3. TV Advertising
Television advertising continues to be a great medium for reaching a broad audience. Creating custom long-form content allows brands to tell compelling stories that engage viewers on a deeper level. This storytelling approach can drive social shopping by inspiring viewers to explore and purchase the featured products. When audiences are captivated by a narrative, they are more likely to take action.
Partner With First Media For Effective CPG Marketing
First Media specializes in crafting content that not only captures attention but also drives action. By focusing on the unique needs of CPG brands, we create engaging stories and interactive experiences that resonate with consumers, encouraging them to take the next step towards purchase. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you craft a winning CPG marketing campaign with state-of-the-art content creation and strategic distribution.
