Search Results

Hiring freezes. Fluctuating business needs. Struggles to fill critical talent gaps. While the employee “quit rate” has fallen to pre-pandemic levels, there are still 10 million+ job openings in the U.S., and the time needed to get the right candidate has now stretched to an average of 11 weeks. Finding the right skillsets in today’s dynamic environment is especially challenging, and traditional recruitment strategies are no longer cutting it, say over a third of HR leaders. That’s why many companies are embracing “fractional hiring” – part-time, seasoned professionals who are becoming a game-changer in today’s tight labor market. In fact, temporary business management roles have jumped close to 20% over the past two years, says the most recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report. Highly cost-effective, fractional hiring and other interim talent strategies provide the flexibility to ramp up or down as needed. Through our vast MPG FleXforce® network, we support both large and small companies with customized interim talent strategies. MPG FleXforce provides plug-and-play marketing or management support to bridge the gaps – whether for an interim project, a peak in work volume, family leave situations, a fractional CMO role, or during the process to find the right permanent candidate. What makes us different? Our vast network of interim talent with at least 15 years of relevant experience. And our own deep, front-line operational experience -- so critical in identifying the right professional to jump into a specific role, seamlessly, to support business needs. When does it make sense to turn to interim professionals? Consider: To satisfy pressing business needs during a lengthy hiring process or employee leave situation If there is a hold on headcount that has staff scrambling to deliver To fill an interim leadership or manager role until the right permanent candidate is found To quickly add new digital or other specialized skills to match evolving technological advances or marketplace changes If there is the need for the expertise of a CMO or another senior professional without the cost of a permanent hire – especially beneficial to a startup business. Notes FleXforce Founder Lisa Kent, “There are always market conditions that make FleXforce right for a business but especially now, in 2023, the marketplace needs very strong, qualified and flexible talent. We can help grow and run a business while people are out on leave. We can fill an interim leadership or manager role until the right permanent candidate is found, or manage a peak workload without adding headcount. We’ve provided the expertise needed to help start-ups punch above their weight. Across the board, our marketers, market research and analytics professionals, eCommerce and digital managers, finance, sales strategy and supply chain professionals are well-trained and can onboard rapidly, so opportunities aren’t missed.” To learn more about how fractional hiring can help fill talent gaps, contact Lisa at Lisa.Kent@mpgllc.com MPG FleXforce in Action MPG FleXforce experience recently came into play for an innovative protein company. Drawing from our vast network, we quickly jumped in to fill the gaps at a critical time, providing experienced management and marketers who took the company from product concepts to a comprehensive go-to-market plan – a plan that is now seeing successful implementation in the marketplace.

PRINCETON JUNCTION, N.J., May 1, 2023 – Market Performance Group, LLC (MPG) — a leading end-to-end, omnichannel strategy and ecommerce consulting agency — announced today that it has acquired Cyrus Advisors and Select Sales & Marketing Group, two boutique retail consulting firms, well-respected for their retail prowess. These acquisitions further build on MPG’s significant, best-in-class Omnichannel Strategy & Services capabilities. Like MPG, both companies have built strong reputations for their success in helping brands innovate, operate, and grow in the omnichannel marketplace. “Given the omnichannel importance of both Walmart and Sam’s Club, we are highly focused on the tremendous growth opportunities available with these leading retailers,” said MPG Chief Executive Officer George Cleary. “By adding the talent and expertise of Cyrus Advisors and Select Sales & Marketing Group to our already formidable team led by Todd Matherly, we can create valuable new growth opportunities for our brand partners.” Located in Bentonville, Arkansas, and Charlotte, North Carolina, Cyrus Advisors was founded in 2015 by Ben Thankachan, a former Merchant and Vice President at Walmart/Sam’s Club. He left Walmart to join a private equity firm as an executive leading the sales, strategy, marketing, and operations for early-stage food and beverage brands. That private equity experience coupled with the merchandising background gained at Walmart has enabled Cyrus Advisors to create great success for many clients. The Cyrus Advisors’ team consists of top omnichannel strategists with retail merchandising backgrounds, who echo Thankachan’s entrepreneurial spirit and passion for delivering profitable, sustainable growth. Steeped in Walmart and Sam’s Club experience, they are exceptionally skilled in helping emerging CPG brands pinpoint the appropriate retail opportunities to best compete versus “Goliath” brands in this complex space, while making it easy for retailers to want to grow with these partners. They pride themselves in helping brands to differentiate themselves utilizing compelling storytelling and relevant positioning that enables them to stand out at critical points along their brand lifecycle. Also with a keen focus on Walmart and Sam’s Club, Select Sales & Marketing Group drives branded and private label CPG product growth through innovative thinking and performance-driving omnichannel strategies. The Bentonville firm was founded in 2006 by CPG industry veteran Joe Murphy; Murphy has more than two decades of retail and Walmart-specific experience, including Carnation/Nestle Foods, Schwarzkopf & Henkel, Rubbermaid Home Products, and Premier Retail Networks, among others. Known for their customer focus, deep industry relationships and operational expertise, the Select Sales & Marketing Group team has had great success building emerging brands and driving scale for major brands at Walmart and Sam’s Club. “We’re excited to expand our MPG team with proven leaders like Joe Murphy, Ben Thankachan and their talented teams; together, we can best service Walmart, Sam’s Club and other retailers while providing suppliers with the best strategic solutions, ” added Cleary. “We continue to be driven by an unrelenting commitment to support our clients with the top talent, service, client intimacy, and industry influence needed to ensure success in the rapidly evolving omnichannel marketplace.” Since its founding in 2002, Market Performance Group has continued to evolve, both organically and through strategic acquisitions and partnerships. Today Market Performance Group offers best-in-class capabilities and integrated solutions for a wide range of strategy and commercialization needs, including Strategy & Business Consulting, Omnichannel Strategy & Services, Business Analytics & Insights, Consumer Marketing & Retail Activation, Order to Cash/3 PL and FleXforce®, for short- or long-term, plug-and-play support for marketing, sales strategy and other capability areas.

Written by Dave Van Howe Only a short time ago, access to health care outside of traditional boundaries was fraught with regulatory, reimbursement, technological and other barriers, and patient/consumer trust and adoption were at low levels. Then the pandemic struck and turned health care delivery on its head. Once formidable obstacles like reimbursement and HIPAA requirements were quickly addressed by regulators and insurance providers. Patients accelerated their adoption of virtual care. A more consumer-centric, blended health and wellness care model emerged — a model integrating digital and traditional care delivery. Several years later, omnichannel health and wellness has become the cost of entry as consumers demand convenient care delivery and the personalized, seamless experiences they’ve come to expect wherever they shop. And at the same time, we continue to see the role of the pharmacist expand with new prescribing rights, point-of-care testing and vaccinations, and new collaborative practice agreements. This new retail health landscape offers tremendous opportunities to improve patient access, engagement and outcomes across the care continuum, while also growing revenue and building loyalty. It’s no surprise that omnichannel health transformation is being propelled forward by some of the country’s largest pharmacy retailers, along with Amazon and other digital health disruptors. CVS Health, Walmart Health, Walgreens and Target are leading the way, ramping up investments in strategies that meet the consumer wherever they are, and in the process, transforming their businesses into one-stop health care destinations. Services now range from ecommerce, virtual care and education to urgent care clinics and Rx treatments to self-care options, personalized wellness experiences and beyond. We continue to see significant activity in the primary care and home care areas, driven in part by increased Medicare emphasis on value-based care models for chronic disease prevention and management. CVS Health is bolstering its position as the largest provider of retail health services in the U.S. by purchasing home health services provider Signify Health and acquiring primary care provider Oak Street Health. Walmart Health, committed to “addressing a patient’s whole health needs,” is planning to nearly double its freestanding health centers this year, building upon its existing virtual, in-store and clinical health services. Walgreens is rapidly expanding in its quest to “transform to a consumer-centric health care company,” with plans to open at least 1,000 Village MD practices by 2027, and continued investment in home health care through Care Centrix, with 7,400 provider locations. Target is instead focusing on the fastgrowing self-care area and is expanding its center-aisle wellness offerings. No matter what the channel, this evolving omnichannel retail health environment has greatly increased the opportunities we have to connect with the consumer in richer, more meaningful ways. It also presents greater challenges, including ever- changing consumer expectations and behaviors that impact in-store shopping trips, product pricing, in-stocks, supplier marketing strategies and retailer profitability. A complex environment to master, it requires a radically new longer-range planning mindset across suppliers and retailers. That Joint Business Planning process (JBP) we’ve all relied on for so long, with retailers pushing greater trade investment and suppliers pushing for higher performance returns, no longer works in today’s retail pharmacy landscape. It can only lead to a lose-lose situation in the long run, with ever-increasing supplier trade spend and eroding retailer margins as a result. It’s time to rethink the goals and objectives of the JBP process. In an omnichannel world, JBP takes on a new dimension, requiring new strategies. To achieve revenue growth and other financial targets, smart retailers and suppliers are embracing next-generation planning focused on real collaboration and sustained, long-term value. Seems daunting? Here are a few things we have our clients consider: Ensure that your consumer is always at the center of your JBP process, and reset the discussion by identifying win-win opportunities for collaboration. Focus on areas that deliver incremental profit growth for both your business and the retailer, like innovation introductions, preventive care or the wellness needs of the entire family. Or Retail Media Networks (RMNs), which can provide the opportunity to develop stronger retail partnerships and a closer connection to your targeted consumers. (More on this later.) Collaborate to drive the e-commerce experience and penetration. Reduce costs by collaborating on supply chain where it makes sense. Whether you’re a supplier or a retailer, make sure you understand your trading partner’s needs, goals and strategic initiatives and identify where they intersect with yours. Where can collaboration create value? E-commerce media, data sharing and forecasting, assortment strategies, category growth planning, sustainability … these are just a few of the areas where opportunities can be found. Focus on leveraging total investment; Identify working versus nonworking spend levels. Over the years, total commercial investment dollars have grown faster than sales. Many of the inefficiencies are within operational or supply chain programs that are no longer driving consumers into your stores or to your brands. Increased transparency, expanded strategic collaboration and establishment of mutual KPIs (key performance indicators) focused on the consumer are essential to reverse this trend and drive profitable growth for all. Relook at how you’re allocating funding for data analytics. Granular data sharing can drive the personalization today’s consumer expects at critical points along the buying journey. To be successful, retailers will want to focus investments on robust platforms allowing for precise consumer targeting, personalization and quantifiable metrics on selfserve collaboration platforms. Upend your current strategic planning process by including RMNs as part of total commercial spending. As we enter a cookie-less world, RMNs are expected to capture a significant, growing percentage of digital ad spend over the next five years. In fact, as much as $100 billion in RMN ad spending is projected by 2026. While still evolving (yes, they still have their pain points), RMNs are attractive, due to granular, first-party targeting data and closed-loop reporting that directly ties media placements to purchases. They provide access to an ever-expanding number of touchpoints around point of purchase, and allow real-time adjustments based on a shopper’s behavior. A robust RMN can be an important lever in driving brand awareness and conversion. Retailers who invest early and best meet advertiser needs will benefit from this new revenue stream and gain an edge over competitors. Help ensure RMN programs reach their full potential as powerful business drivers through co-ownership and coplanning by sales, marketing and media teams. Examine how you can best change the mix of spending to closely connect media investments with in-store activations. And consider new funding sources. Brand media easily comes to mind, but consider, what if we took some of the nonworking funds we talked about earlier, and put them into RMN programs as a test and learn? Remember, retail media isn’t just about online sales, but how these investments online impact in-store sales as well. As part of your new JBP vision, collaboratively develop a cross-functional scorecard for use by senior leadership (retailer and supplier) for long-range planning, strategic alignment and efficient use of commercial spending. An important tool, it should go beyond the day-to-day business needs of the retailer merchants and supplier sales team, and incorporate sales, marketing and supply chain. There is no doubt that we will continue to see the further convergence of physical and digital health retail commerce over the coming years. By pivoting to a next-generation JBP approach that encompasses total commercial spend and true collaboration, both suppliers and retailers can better serve the consumer while maximizing ROI and driving growth in the evolving omnichannel retail health landscape.

Recently, I asked a mass retailer DMM, “How many of your buyers first took on that responsibility during COVID?” The answer … about 60%! During that chaotic time, they quickly learned to virtually chase in-stocks and supply consistency, and virtually responded to new buying patterns. They — and their suppliers — became highly proficient at doing business virtually. Maybe too proficient. With the pandemic mostly behind us, many are just learning the ropes around in-person merchandising. Outdated approach? Actually, an even more important business lever in today’s complex environment. Smart operators see it as a key success factor and are prioritizing face time to: Create Customer Intimacy Zoom, Teams … We’re all guilty of relying on technology too much. Don’t become complacent in your trading partner relationships. Connecting only virtually, and only when placing new orders or communicating issues, won’t get you far in today’s evolved marketplace. Push for in-person meetings. This industry and many careers were built on deep partnerships. But partnership begins with trust — nurtured over time through in-person engagements, the kind where you can dig in and understand where the other guy’s coming from. Trust drives to next-level conversations. And it doesn’t shy away from the tough conversations. That’s how relationships grow. Walk Retail With Your Team Ahhh, the lost art of walking a store. Sam Walton taught me to “look for the good” and “steal shamelessly” to leverage the good nuggets I found. But you can’t “steal” if you don’t go inside. The learnings you gain in-store in one day are worth one month in the office. You see firsthand what retailers and competitors are doing (and not doing). You experience your brand at retail and know if it stands out. Most importantly, you see the consumer in action and learn what makes them tick. Still, be sure to walk the virtual store. Quick story: We were helping a CPG company prepare for a Walmart JBP meeting, and took a virtual walk across Walmart.com and Amazon.com. Immediately there was a glaring issue: They’d cut and pasted from one platform to the other, not recognizing that each had particular needs. We noticed … and so would have Walmart. Maximize Trade Show Presence Many merchants are walking trade shows for the very first time. What should they be doing? Meeting with existing partners? Looking for the next big item? Walking the floor analyzing new trends? Connecting and bonding with co-workers, suppliers and others? A resounding yes to all. Yet some are skipping or minimizing their time at these important meetings. For those of us who’ve walked those shows many times before, this is a great mentoring moment to share how to sharpen the eye and drive significant returns. Strengthen Collaboration Keenly focus on adding value, whether you’re talking innovation, supply speed or merchandising operational efficiencies. Remember, your buyers need to drive both top- and bottom-line growth. And their senior management is stepping in on major decisions. Know their goals, their pain points, their shopper. Share unique insights and solutions. Collaborate on long-term joint business plans and joint performance scorecards. Take a Co-Creation Approach When COVID forced us to work from home, I remember telling our merchandising team not to allow 2020 to become the Year of Boring on our shelves. Upwards of 30% of total revenue can be driven by a new product launch done right. The best way to drive innovation? I like to start by identifying what’s top of mind for the retail buying team as they head into category planning. The right buyer can help you identify true innovation that fills a white space or unmet consumer need, and then partner to deliver strong launch results. We’ve helped a lot of companies get in front of the right audience; it’s critical to go in with a relevant concept based on strategic consumer, category and marketplace insights. And know the right questions to ask. Finally, remember, “The only source of knowledge is experience.” Today, many are across the table from someone without that experience, even in our own companies. Consider how you’re leveraging people with different skill sets and experience levels. Who can share their retail wisdom? Who’s most skilled in negotiation? Who can best up-skill others in digital commerce? Sharing such experience can only lead to more productive face time and stronger retailer/supplier relationships in the future.

Retail Media Networks (RMNs) are receiving enormous attention and energy right now, as literally hundreds of retail and retail-related ecosystems look to monetize their value as advertising platforms. The speed of investment and start-up of so many RMNs have caught many CPGs off balance. While this breathless enthusiasm is yielding great opportunities, there is also confusion and frustration among the brands and agencies trying to leverage these platforms for success. Watch our discussion about the strategic PATH FORWARD, from promise to practice, for brand success in a retail media network world. Retail media legend Andy Murray of BigQuest joins MPG Omnichannel Strategy leader Larissa Dannenberg and Confluencer Commerce CEO Bryan Gildenberg for a robust discussion; hear their thoughts on how retailers will further develop their capabilities and how brands can best turn retail media initiatives into real and sustainable success. Learn More About Retail Media Networks In this podcast, Bryan, Andy and Larissa discuss: What is the promise of retail media today? The opportunities? The watchouts? What role should retail media play in terms of awareness and/or conversion? Where does it come in on the purchase journey? How can brands more effectively use retail media to optimize the shopper experience and drive better performance? How should brands approach the largely untapped in-store retail media opportunity to create a frictionless shopping experience? Without standardization, how do we know which metrics to use to know if our RMN investment is working? As a leading end-to-end, strategy & services omnichannel commerce agency, MPG is passionate about sharing best practices and charting the best PATH FORWARD for brands in the fast-changing omnichannel environment. Contact us to learn more >

A little while back, a report from FMI caught my eye. It provided some pretty compelling data on how hybrid grocery shopping is completely transforming the food retail landscape. Maybe you saw it, too? FMI noted that seven years ago, only 7% of surveyed shoppers reported ordering groceries online within the previous month. But by 2022, half yes, half – reported they now shop online every two weeks or more. No doubt, Grocery is one of the fastest-growing eCommerce segments today. Online grocery sales represented 12% of total U.S. grocery spending this past January, and that percentage is only expected to continue to grow. Every grocery category, every demographic group is seeing some shift to digital. But here’s what’s so interesting: It’s not all-or-nothing. According to recent data from PYMNTS, the hybrid grocery shopping model is “quickly becoming the norm.” Nearly 40 percent of consumers -- across all ages -- now buy their groceries through a mix of physical and digital channels. They’re driven by convenience and value. They like to save time and easily compare prices. They delight in discovery moments along the purchase path. But they also value the in-store experience. They value the sensory experience of Brick and Mortar, new product trial, and the chance to select their own produce, meat and other perishables. As shoppers embrace this new model, it’s time to relook at how to make your brands work harder in the new hybrid grocery landscape. Does your organization have the omnichannel enterprise mindset needed to serve the hybrid consumer? According to a recent 84.51°’s Consumer Digest survey of Kroger customers, omnichannel shoppers expect a consistent experience between online and brick-and-mortar shopping. To compete, brands must have similar personalization, pricing, promotions and product availability across channels. Consider: Is your supply chain set up to serve the hybrid shopper? With convenience a major motivator, brands that aren’t available where and when the shopper is ready to purchase will lose out to competitive products that are available. Driving performance in today’s new environment requires even closer partnership and joint business planning between suppliers and retailers. Many mass retailers and grocers are investing to improve their capabilities to track customer purchase history across channels. How can real-time data and advanced analytics available through Retail Media Networks help you to achieve seamless, meaningful experiences across your grocery consumer’s buying journey? How can it be used to adjust pricing where necessary based on consumer shifts in behavior? Are your long-term plans taking into account evolving market dynamics in Grocery? Buy-online-pick-up-in-store services continue to increase in popularity. And we’re continuing to see growth of online subscription services like Amazon Subscribe & Save, Walmart+ and Instacart+, due to their convenience in refilling household essentials – an issue that rose to the top during the pandemic. For many brands, subscription services present a major opportunity to retain consumers over the long haul. For others, like center aisle dry goods, this may represent a channel shift that needs thoughtful strategic adjustments. During an economic downturn, brands that differentiate and maintain a strong, emotional connection with consumers have the best chance of growing profitability. Are you adjusting omnichannel messaging and promotional strategies to focus on value, loyalty and performance-based deals? Today’s hybrid grocery shopping aisle certainly makes for a complex selling environment, but an omnichannel enterprise mindset and approach, joint retail business planning, smart trade investment and seamless consumer experiences can mean greater opportunity and profitable growth. Now is the time to ask yourself: Am I doing all that I can to meet my consumer in the grocery aisle – wherever that takes us?

Who doesn’t like a good sports story, especially with Super Bowl in our rearview mirror but our hearts still on the gridiron? There’s one that’s especially on point these days, given where we’re at with digital commerce. It’s summer, 1961. The Green Bay Packers, just off a crushing defeat costing them the NFL Championship, are back at training camp with Coach Lombardi. He doesn’t jump into the latest, supercharged power formation or tactical system. Nope. He begins, “This is a football.” He opens the playbook. Starts at page one. Refocuses on what’s needed at the most fundamental levels to win. And it pushes them over the top. They come back to beat the Giants 37-0 in the next Championship. It’s time to take a page from Lombardi’s playbook. In today’s omnichannel environment, too many companies are following a path of haphazard evolution, scrambling to retrofit outdated operating models to keep up. Again and again, digitally native brands are capturing the consumers of more established brands, who are still bolting on digital tactics. Adding insult to injury, these next-generation competitors are doing omni business profoundly more profitably than the less nimble classic brands. To win, we need to stop jumping headfirst into the next great thing -- until we know we’ve got the fundamentals right. The game has changed. There’s no longer one path to success, with physical and digital consumer touchpoints highly entwined, social commerce encompassing the full path-to-purchase funnel, and over 90% of shopping journeys starting online. A rapidly-changing consumer journey has opened new avenues for competitors to out-innovate and out-communicate -- and make meaningful connections with our consumers. If you could start over (you can!), what would your organization and approach look like? Here’s where I’d begin: Walk away from fragmented approaches. Start with an overarching, organizational omnichannel strategy across all teams, channels and platforms; then build channel-specific strategies that ladder up for consistent branding and messaging. Drive an enterprise-wide, omnichannel commerce mindset. From Finance to HR, Product Supply to Business Intelligence, Sales to Marketing: Are all thinking, what’s best for both Brick and Mortar and eCommerce? Do all share a goal of facilitating the consumer’s evolving needs and omnichannel purchase journey? Is this driving their priorities, strategies, budgets and decision-making? If not, revolution, not evolution, is needed. Restructure (more on that later). Upskill your people so they understand their role in achieving your omnichannel commerce goals. Embed ownership and accountability across functions and at the highest levels. An omnichannel mindset can be a real game changer. Example: A major eye-care manufacturer was looking to launch new innovation into a declining category. Through a full-funnel, go-to-market omnichannel strategy that uniquely targeted the beauty consumer, we were able to use digital to put the brand in the beauty shopper’s consideration set, and in-store activation to move her to the category aisle for purchase. The result: 85% incremental category lift, with the brand becoming the #1 redness reliever brand within the first year. Be bold in restructuring – every function, process and interaction – to deliver the best consumer experience. Solve for how to best integrate customer, inventory and order management systems and processes to prevent the biggest challenge to consumer and customer satisfaction -- frequent out-of-stocks. Modernize your Supply Chain to increase flexibility and speed to market. Consider the Amazon selling strategy that is the right fit for your organization. Leave no stone unturned. Take a holistic approach to pricing, promotions, assortment, and trade investment. Think about how you can direct your P&L differently, given eCommerce is now hitting upwards of 25% of sales and is still expected to rise. Many companies are now inverting their trade architecture, getting rid of siloed buckets and creating an integrated, single P&L representing all channels. Invest in analytical capabilities. Make sure you’re well-positioned to take advantage of the granular data Retail Media Networks have to offer. This is the best way to build deep connections with your consumers, delivering meaningful messages wherever they shop. Successful competitors have upped their game in all of the fundamental areas needed to make the path to purchase as seamless as possible. And they will continue to do so as new consumer touchpoints arise. Take a page from Lombardi. Start at page one. Will you choose haphazard evolution or strategic revolution? What fundamentals will you refocus on to win in omnichannel commerce?

PRINCETON JUNCTION, N.J., February 20, 2023 – It is with great sadness that Market Performance Group announces the passing of Rhonda Johnson after a brief battle with metastatic melanoma. Rhonda was a respected and dynamic consumer packaged goods (CPG) and healthcare leader who held senior executive positions with companies that include Market Performance Group (MPG), Merck Consumer Care, McNeil Nutritionals and Johnson & Johnson. However, she often said her biggest success in life was her children, Cassidy and Alec, whom she adored. Rhonda is survived by her husband, Tim and her children, daughter Cassidy and son Alec. In addition, she leaves behind her father Roger Michael, and sisters Cheryl (Anthony) Ferraro and Toni (John) Kuczynski. She is predeceased by her mother, Lois Michael. Rhonda was thrilled for her children’s upcoming weddings that will add Noah Ellis (Cassidy) and Nicole Piccillo (Alec) to her beloved family. Rhonda loved and enjoyed life to the fullest. She loved being at the beach with family and friends, toes in the sand searching for her treasured sea glass. She was a generous, good-hearted, free-spirited person who will be missed by all those she has touched. Over her career, Rhonda was recognized for her many achievements, including the “Top Women in Industry” Award in 2008. She was highly active in industry organizations and most recently served as Chair Emeritus of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association. She was a member of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and served on its Executive Retail Advisory Board. She was also a member of the Network of Executive Women. “We are so deeply saddened to lose Rhonda; she was a beloved member of our MPG family and leaves behind a significant legacy. An outstanding business leader, she was an inspiring mentor, and close friend to so many in the industry. She will be remembered for her incredible passion, loyalty, and the commitment that she always brought to her clients and to her team,” said Marc Greenberger, MPG Founder and Managing Partner. Rhonda joined MPG in 2015 as Executive Vice President and Client Lead, and ultimately went on to lead Business Development. During her tenure, she built strong relationships and drove exceptional business results for companies in health & wellness, beauty & personal care, and food & beverage, as well as for private equity firms and their operating companies. Before joining MPG, Rhonda served as Chief Customer Officer, U.S. Region, of Merck Consumer Care, a division of Merck & Co., and led all facets of the U.S. commercial go-to-market organization as well as Global Enterprise Capability strategies. Earlier, she served as Vice President of Sales at McNeil Nutritionals, where she led U.S. sales and customer solutions. She also held several leadership positions for J&J and served on the company’s U.S. operating and global management boards. ​ In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate contributions in memory of Rhonda to the American Cancer Society/Melanoma Research Alliance, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or Popcorn Park Animal Refuge, Lacy Township, NJ.

A wise man (Einstein, actually) once said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” So true when it comes to the talent issues we’re facing today. Over the past few years, we’ve been challenged to respond and adapt like never before. We’ve got our hands full with never-ending technological leaps and a rapidly evolving, omnichannel marketplace that has increased both retail opportunities and cross-functional business complexity. We’re drowning in a proliferation of granular customer data that could do so much if only we could only wrap our arms around it. And we’re losing sleep over heightened profit pressures in an uncertain economic climate. This volatile marketplace has exposed significant gaps in the ability of every company to pivot and deliver at the snap of a finger. And plugging holes with top talent no longer works – not with demand far greater than supply for the foreseeable future. We’re all concerned about how labor and skills shortages will influence our business strategy moving forward. Organizational digital capabilities, in particular, are a moving target as we navigate a retail environment where even the very definition of omnichannel continues to evolve. It’s time to take a new approach to business talent needs – and make upskilling our employees an urgent priority. If you’re thinking, “Oh, just the latest HR buzzword of the day,” think again. If done right and tied to business objectives, upskilling is THE answer when the shelf life for skills is now less than two years! Companies that have already rolled out upskilling programs are seeing higher productivity, as well as improved talent acquisition and retention. Modern upskilling is so much more than your standard, virtual training course – which is why its potential to deliver is so much greater. Quick example: A leading food manufacturer recently engaged us to drive change through an upskilling strategy. The goal? To ensure that across relevant functions and all levels, teams would be able to effectively execute and sustain implementation of new commercial terms and trade funding. Over time, their people were immersed in a program that combined e-learning, gamified learning, live virtual training, in-person, and small-team training. The result: They’re now zeroing in on some high-potential rewards thanks to the right team members having the right skills to execute flawlessly. As a starting point: • Focus on upskilling strategies that will drive sales, profits and share. We advise our clients to ensure they have best-in-class expertise in Financial Acumen & RGM, Omnichannel Strategy & Execution, Data & Analytics, Negotiation & Influence. • Do a deep dive assessment to identify the biggest gaps that can meaningfully impact performance if filled. Match against your short- and long-term business road map to determine the type of skill-building needed for each function, at each level, over time. • Remember, one-size training does not fit all! The employee executing e-Commerce plans, for example, may need different training than the product supply manager who needs to factor into his omnichannel inventory planning, and the senior manager who needs to understand how to evaluate e-Commerce program success against metrics. • Emphasize that upskilling at the highest levels is valued. Many of us developed our expertise in a brick-and-mortar world that has now expanded, both in how we shop and how we are influenced. No one wants to admit that they need to get up to speed, so it’s critical to make it safe for your leaders to embrace upskilling. Only then can they grow their skillset and continue to deliver high performance. I believe that there is no better time to act than right now. It is imperative that this industry create more agile organizations that can turn on a dime and keep delivering in this dynamic, omnichannel retail environment. Upskilling can make this a reality while better engaging the entire workforce. Companies that lag behind, underestimating the importance of leveling up in critical areas over the next two to three years, risk never being able to catch up. They are choosing to put their sales, profits and employees at risk. Make it your New Year’s resolution and stick to it!

If you’re a music buff (or just of a certain age), you likely remember “Video Killed the Radio Star.” The first music video, it transformed the industry, replacing radio as the best way to spike record sales. A cautionary tale and lament for radio’s golden age, it spoke to the changes brought by technology and the choice we have to adapt or stay behind while others move on. We have that choice now with retail media. Used to be, retail media was limited to in-store ads, sampling, loyalty cards, coupons and the like. With technological advances, its potential has exploded, given its unique combination of rich first-party customer data, measurable closed-loop systems and advertising space on e-commerce websites, apps and social platforms. Still in a transformative stage, it’s disrupting advertising as we know it. Ad dollars are moving from digital social to retail media, and as much as $100 billion in Retail Media Network (RMN) ad spending is projected by 2026. Still, some are hesitant, given the investment, current lack of standardization and inevitable growing pains as retailers ramp up publishing and reporting capabilities. What to do? Embrace the uncertainty and move forward. Now. In today’s omnichannel marketplace, physical and digital touchpoints are more entwined than ever before, and consumers expect seamless shopping experiences and highly personalized messaging at relevant touchpoints along the path to purchase. But the upcoming demise of third-party cookies will soon leave a big void impacting our ability to do this. Retail media fills that void and then some. A virtual gold mine of higher-quality first-party targeting data, it provides access to an ever-expanding number of touchpoints around point of purchase and lets you adjust your approach in real time based on a shopper’s behavior. Plus, its closed-loop reporting directly ties media placements to purchases. And it’s working. Nearly 70% of advertisers surveyed by Mc­Kinsey say their performance in retail media is significantly or somewhat better than in other channels. The big players have already jumped in, and smaller retailers are starting to follow. Amazon has led with stunning growth, but Walmart, Instacart, Walgreens, Target, Albertsons, Kroger and Best Buy, among others, are also creating robust RMNs to drive brand awareness and conversion. Take Walmart Connect, a relatively new platform. Our early-adopter clients have seen some good results here as they connect with customers at critical points across the Walmart ecosystem. Are the new RMNs perfect yet? No, but don’t let that stop you. As you move forward, consider: Retail media requires a major shift in thinking. Retailers are now publishers; suppliers are advertisers. And this is no longer a “nuts and bolts” tactic but instead a powerful business driver — which is why many marketers are funding it from new budget sources like brand media. So if you’re worried that increasing RMN spend could cannibalize budgets earmarked for marketing directly to in-store or co-op shoppers, don’t be! Yes, retailers need the right tools and platforms, but they have to be able to clearly communicate the value of their specific RMN. What’s your unique value proposition? How can you help specific brands best connect with their targets across the full funnel? Smart marketers are integrating retail media into full-funnel, integrated campaigns that tie to retailer best-bets. But which RMN should you partner with? Carefully evaluate: What is their targeting capability? Which provides the most significant benefits? Which offer reach? Which are of high relevance to my customer? For the first time, markets can factor retail media into media mix models to compare profitability against other options. Look to retailers who can provide detailed, quantifiable metrics on self-serve collaboration platforms for planning and execution — like those available on the digital side. Retail Media Networks are transforming the industry. Retailers who invest early and best meet advertiser needs will benefit from this new revenue stream and gain an edge over competitors. Marketers who engage now will have a chance to shape the future while reaping the benefits of first-party data and closed-loop attribution and may even gain preferred customer benefits later. With the value of retail media so clear and the post-third-party cookies world so near, what are you waiting for?

Market Performance Group Further Expands Omnichannel Commerce Capabilities through New Partnership with Bryan Gildenberg and Confluencer Commerce PRINCETON JUNCTION, N.J., November 18, 2022 – Market Performance Group (MPG), a leading end-to-end, strategy & services omnichannel commerce agency, is excited to announce a new partnership with Bryan Gildenberg and Confluencer Commerce, combining MPG’s unmatched omnichannel strategic, executional, and operational expertise with Gildenberg’s cutting edge thought leadership. The partnership will further drive thought leadership in omnichannel commerce, helping brands, retailers and their trading partners most effectively bring together the converging worlds of retail, media and content for accelerated growth in today’s rapidly changing landscape. This confluence, driven by fast-moving changes in consumer behavior and an evolving digital selling ecosystem, is forcing companies to rethink how they plan, organize and deliver results. “Partnering with Bryan and Confluencer Commerce exemplifies our unrelenting commitment to leverage experience and strong consumer, category and marketplace insights to ensure our clients are successful in the constantly changing omnichannel landscape,” says Managing Partner George Cleary. “Bryan’s visionary thinking will help further fuel MPG omnichannel strategies that deliver sustainable, profitable growth for CPG brands of all sizes. Together, we will help clients chart a strong path forward in today’s dynamic marketplace.” Gildenberg, who recently founded Confluencer Commerce, is a highly respected retail marketing expert recognized for his keen strategic, retail and shopper insights as Kantar’s long-time Retail Consulting Practice Chief Knowledge Officer, and later as Sr. VP, Commerce, for Omnicom Commerce Group. “Over the years, I’ve come to know many of the leaders at MPG, all of whom have years of experience on both sides of the desk with top brands and retailers. They’re always upping their game, building and activating omnichannel strategies that capture consumers wherever they shop,” says Gildenberg. “Working together, we can provide clients with the very best expertise needed to capitalize on what are fundamental changes in how brands are marketed and sold today.” The partnership brings together deep skills and experience in a number of areas, from proprietary, insights workshops, to strategic plan development, to in-market omnichannel execution. And, given that today’s confluence of retail, media and content require major shifts in thinking, planning and budgeting, clients can look to the new partnership to leverage best-in-class insights and approaches for compelling business cases that drive senior management and organizational buy-in, and change management support for successful transformations. Today’s announcement further bolsters Market Performance Group’s commitment to provide exceptional capabilities that give clients the strategic advantage needed to succeed in today’s dynamic marketplace. Since its founding in 2002, Market Performance Group has continued to evolve, both organically and through strategic acquisitions and partnerships. Today Market Performance Group offers best-in-class capabilities and integrated solutions for a wide range of strategy and commercialization needs, including Strategy & Business Consulting, Omnichannel Strategy & Services, Business Analytics & Insights, Consumer Marketing & Retail Activation and Order to Cash/3 PL.

Don’t tell anyone, but if you cut me, I still bleed a little Walmart blue. After working there for 18 years, can you blame me? Walmart does much of its teaching through storytelling, and in 2008, when times were tough for the consumer, an executive stood up and told the parable, “The Man Who Sold Hot Dogs.” Indulge me, please: There was a man who lived by the side of the road and sold hot dogs. He was hard of hearing, so he had no radio. He had trouble with his eyes, so he read no newspapers. But he sold good hot dogs. He put up signs on the highway telling how good they were. He stood on the side of the road and cried, “Buy a hot dog, mister?” And people bought. He increased his meat and bun orders. He bought a bigger stove to take care of his trade. He finally got his son home from college to help him out. But then something happened. His son said, “Father, haven’t you been listening to the radio? Haven’t you been reading the newspapers? There’s a big depression. The European situation is terrible. The domestic situation is worse.” Whereupon the father thought, “Well, my son’s been to college, he reads the papers and he listens to the radio, and he ought to know.” So the father cut down on his meat and bun orders, took down his advertising signs, and no longer bothered to stand out on the highway to sell his hot dogs. And his hot dog sales fell almost overnight. “You’re right, son,” the father said to the boy. “We certainly are in the middle of a great recession.” We certainly are in the middle of… higher fed rates. An annual core CPI that keeps rising. Consumer confidence plummeting. It’s time to prepare for a sales slowdown — something we haven’t had to deal with in some time. What to do? Well, there are two lines of thought: 1. Cut costs, streamline and hunker down. 2. Get creative, invest strategically, adapt and be willing to course-correct. No. 1 is easy but painful. Get your P&L and calculator out and start cutting. Slash e-commerce, promotions and ad spend; make the hard personnel decisions, and don’t forget to table those innovation initiatives for the foreseeable future. No. 2 is much harder but much more rewarding. It forces you and your team to utilize creativity, dig deep into consumer mindset and apply real-world experience to find a better path to thrive within the realities of the day. It might go against your first instinct, but I know from experience that going on the offensive during a recession is the only way to go to maintain market share. A robust omnichannel strategy will stretch your marketing dollar, giving you economies of scale to retain the loyalty of current customers and gain new ones, not to mention distance yourself from your competitors. Where to start? Gain a strong understanding of your target consumer’s behavior shifts; this is absolutely critical. Find the opportunities. While total consumer spending is trending down, some segments have maintained and even increased their spending. Next, ask, “Am I doing enough to lean into value, loyalty and performance-based deals?” (That’s what retailers are focused on, and you need to be, too.) Our MPG Possibilities group recently partnered with a health and wellness products manufacturer struggling in today’s volatile marketplace. We had to dig deep into the data and use some creativity, but we came up with an Omnichannel Strategy and Activation plan that’s now driving loyalty and high engagement. One last thing: Don’t walk away from your innovation pipeline. You’ll need those new brands, formats and packaging if you’re going to continue to provide value versus your competition. Yes, we certainly are in the middle of a downturn, so what strategic decisions will you make? Maybe schedule time to sit down with your team, have a hot dog for inspiration (don’t forget the brown mustard). As others pull back, continue to drive forward. And take a cue from Sam Walton on the best way to approach a recession: “I was asked what I thought about the recession. I thought about it and decided not to take part.”