To begin with, do you think Shopper Marketing as a concept needs to be redefined today? Can you elaborate?

Yes, absolutely. The traditional approach to shopper marketing that most consumer goods companies deployed assumed a consumer to be unidimensional- meaning he would be loyal to a channel either on-line of offline; either traditional trade or modern trade. Today, thanks to technology, most consumers shop omni-channel and many businesses have yet to adapt their store marketing to this consumer. Shopping behaviour is changing from a world where consumer go to stores to get products to one where products come to consumers.

What are the critical factors that can make shopper marketing succeed, especially for an FMCG/CDIT/Service brand ?

Consumers, not retailers or brands, now own the relationship. The power has shifted to socially adept consumers who come fully armed with all information, often knowing as much as the retailer. Businesses need to recognize that every consumer comes in with the ability to make price comparisons on his phone/ read reviews of his peers. Hence the focus in store must shift to enabling the consumer to experience the product, get his queries clarified and build the relationship.

Many shopper marketing agencies in India have failed to make it big. What do you think are the reasons for this?

I think most shopper marketing agencies in India do not invest enough to study consumer behaviour: how people shop and what are the levers that can help them make the process more enjoyable.

Is there a focused approach to Shopper marketing on the part of brands today?

I am not sure brands have focused on shopper marketing as much as they should have. The focus has been far more on e-commerce.

Read the full interview in November 2019 Edition of Point-of-Purchase Magazine.