A conversation with a professional marketing manager and how their company sells new products into big retail stores.

Catalpha:    I'm talking with Tracy today.  She is the Retail Marketing Manager for a large consumer health products company.  Tracy, if you could tell me a little bit about what your responsibilities are?

Tracy:     Sure. My responsibilities are to build out the marketing programs within retail. So that's creating the tools for the stores, whether that's indoor events or signage or it could be coupons. 

I'm driving traffic to the store in the Sunday paper, and driving traffic to the aisles and increase the sales in the stores. As well as working with each individual retailer on their marketing program.

And part of that is supporting our sales team and getting them the tools they need to make sales calls, trade shows and trade ads to sell our products into stores.

The digital age has created a dichotomy between consumers and organizations that is unlike anything the business world has encountered before. Thanks to social media, past customers can leave reviews, giving consumers a voice and holding businesses accountable for their actions. Plus, it's easier than ever for potential consumers to type a business name into a search engine to find all their dirty laundry.

After 17 years, Coca-Cola recently changed their slogan from "Open Happiness" to "Taste the Feeling," as part a new plan to globally unite the company's brands. As part of their new strategy, Coca-Cola's upcoming slogan and brand image aims to rely on the product itself as means of advertising. Namely, rather than approaching each individual Coca-Cola product with a different brand identity, the company will instead use a "one brand" approach, with all products featuring "Taste the Feeling" as their tagline.

The New BUD LIGHT Package Design Soon To Be In A Store Near You

Next time you hoist a cold one, think about this: Marketing beverages is a difficult business.

The selection is so varied and there are so many beers to choose from on the market today that simply going to the store can be overwhelming. 

Every box showcases bright colors, catchy slogans, and other forms of custom product packaging meant to seduce run-of-the-mill beer drinkers.

Over the past year or so, McDonald's has been going through a serious rebranding process. In 2015, Steve Easerbrook, President and Chief Executive Officer of McDonald's started to whip the notorious fast food chain into shape, approaching the issue in a multifaceted manner.

The following conversation is with George Prior, an entrepreneur who, along with his brother / partner, invented, built and is now marketing the BBQ Dragon - The Charcoal Fire Supercharger product. They came to Catalpha recently to take their packaging to the next level. I thought their story is interesting and could be helpful to many that are now going through the same situation or are launching their own products.

Packaging design has a direct correlation to the success of your product.

When similar products are placed together in a store or marketplace, the design of the packaging is the predominate differentiator to make them stand out from one another.

The packaging you choose will have to fit the product you are selling correctly, it will have to portray the right image and position the product as the best choice in the consumer’s mind.