Digital Food & Beverage Connect Virtual Event

Sweeping technological change has revolutionized marketing, altering consumer needs, accelerated the entry of new types of competitors, and generated new opportunities for creating value. It has transformed how marketing must work, requiring more agility, collaboration and a focus on growth. How is Conagra approaching this moment to enable a new vision of modern marketing? Join DeLu Jackson, who leads the company’s marketing transformation and demand acceleration, and Dane Mathews, who leads design, development and execution of digital solutions, for this in-depth and enlightening discussion.

At first glance, the term ‘Pandemic Positive’ might receive mixed reviews, but when linked to business performance during 2020, it’s a legendary story to share. Smashburger, one of the nation’s fast-growing ‘better burger’ chains did just that – and used local digital marketing to stay at the forefront of the ‘uncertain times’ we were all facing. When others cut budgets, they leaned in. When others put a pause on marketing and innovation, they pushed forward. Now continuing on with in-store ‘digital accessibility’ innovation in 40 stores this year, we can reasonably say that this brand turned the pandemic positive, and used it as a launch pad for success. Now with 2020 in hindsight, what’s next?

Hear the details to this success story from 2020 – the local-digital strategy, the tactics and the mentality – along with what this means for the next two years, and how you can position your own brand to take advantage of success to come. In this session, Scott Johnson, VP of Smashburger, and Rachael Zahn, from their strategic partner, Investis Digital, will cover:

·       Plan for the next wave of innovation & consumer demand

·       How to put ‘digital accessibility’ first

·       How local digital plays a critical part in the customer journey

·       How we found competitive gaps and addressed them

·       How to reach local customers in a fragmented market

When COVID hit, eCommerce boomed, but where is it going now? As more and more are vaccinated, customer behavior is changing and dining out becomes more popular. So what are you doing to retain their new loyalty? In this session, we’ll cover:

·        Tackling the process of retaining customers when dining out increases

·        Which most recent new users should you go after?

·        Discuss best practices in loyalty management

·        How to leverage re-targeting / re-purchase tools and tricks

·        Finding technology partners that can support you in these efforts

• Tackling the process of retaining customers when dining out increases
• Which most recent new users should you go after?
• Discuss best practices in loyalty management
• How to leverage re-targeting / re-purchase tools and tricks
• Finding technology partners that can support you in these efforts

As we look back on the impact of COVID-19, we see it catapulted digital innovation to the forefront of the Grocery vertical as businesses struggled to adapt to an instantaneous surge in digital orders. Some believe that 5 years of innovation was accomplished within the past 12 months to satisfy consumer demand. With many grocers relying on legacy systems, digital transformation is mandatory to continue driving consumer engagement based on expectations of convenience, price and selection. Explore the future of Grocery with Rasmus Mencke from Salesforce and special guest, Scott Compton from Forrester as they dive into topics like championing the last-mile, extending the reach of media networks, and uncovering hidden loyalty factors in the digital UX. 

Among the many changes that 2020 brought, the importance of digital marketing came to the fore. When COVID-19 forced physical stores to shut down, shoppers found their favorite retailers, and new stores, online, and as a result, brands have been speeding up their digital transformations and shifting shopper and trade budgets to online activities like never before. Enter retail media, a way to own the digital shelf, reach high-intent consumers at the digital point of sale, preempt competition, and increase online product sales - and advertising in a brand-safe environment that doesn’t rely on third-party cookies is a bonus. In this session, learn how you can make the most out of retail media by:

• Aligning your ecosystem and budgets, getting all stakeholders on the same page.
• Deploying advanced media buying strategies that leverage product and advertising analytics though data connectivity
• Advertising effectively as the "walled garden" grows
• Avoiding an over-reliance on 1 or 2 closed eco-systems like Google or Facebook and looking to other advertising options as well

2020 has clearly been a watershed year for Grocery e-commerce. Over 12.5% of US e-commerce sales is Grocery and Online grocery sales increased by over 54% in 2020. Thus Digital Commerce is certainly becoming significant for CPG companies. As shoppers experience brands through multiple touchpoints, Digital and In-Store, brands need to adapt their strategies to reach shoppers At the same time retailers are becoming media houses in their own right. It isn't just a shopper marketing play anymore. It’s about delivering full-funnel solutions. All this has led to an exponential increase in the volume, variety and velocity of data. Decisions on trade and marketing investments which were taken on a periodic basis now need to be taken on a real time and continuous basis. This adds the complexity of decision making. Enabling the business to effectively navigate this complexity is key to gaining competitive advantage.

Join Tarun Kataria of Mars Inc, to hear about their journey and learnings in this emerging area. The chat will cover questions around:

• What are the key levers to focus to become truly Omni Channel?
• How do you partner effectively with Omnichannel retailers to trial, refine and scale?
• What are the key issues and challenges to be overcome in measuring and optimizing spends across channels?
• How is AI and Analytics helping Mars in Data to Insights and Insights to Action journey?
• How do you scale your organization to continuously innovate while scaling capabilities and delivering value?

CPG brands know that a key to maintaining trust with consumers is ensuring they have access to essential product information. Couple this with the acceleration of digital trends in retail and the future of data sharing, and you have an environment ready for advancements in digital disclosure. Created by the CPG industry and operated by the Consumer Brands Association, SmartLabel is a trusted source for product information, enabling brands to digitally share more information than could ever fit on a label — from allergens and sourcing to how to recycle packaging. Touching on current use cases and best practices, this discussion also will explore the art of the possible. 

Utz has a passion for delighting consumers with delicious snack foods made from top-quality ingredients. To celebrate their 100th anniversary this year, the brand introduced the Utz Centennial Club, an SMS-exclusive club for their snack loyalists. This session will explore how Utz launched their Centennial Club via their text channel, plus the strategies they use to continuously engage their mobile audience and grow their subscriber base through SMS.  

From first party data to creating one to one relationships with customers, the benefits of Direct to Consumer have attracted much attention across multiple industries. At the same time, fear of alienating valued traditional partners can make a company wary of widening their DTC strategy. Is investing in Direct to Consumer worth the risk? In this session, learn how Direct to Consumer can achieve success not just for its own sake, but across the organization. We’ll cover:

• Championing a collaborative environment
• Aligning DTC strategies to support the big picture
• Utilizing DTC for product development and experimentation
• Applying DTC insights to build successful retail product launches
• Creating brand ambassadors from your DTC audience

Since the morning was jam-packed with detailed presentations and thought-provoking panel discussions, here’s your opportunity to be part of the discussion! Join a group of your peers to share ideas and new best practices in an intimate virtual environment.

Table 1: How Brands Should Leverage Shopper Marketing Data to Optimize Spends & Tactics

Set aside 40 minutes for yourself and join us for this workshop on de-stressing & being mindful in our new overwhelming work from home environment. Expect tips & ideas for how to keep a level head and take time for self-care. More details to follow shortly!

What a way to start your day! Kick off your Digital F&B Connect morning by joining your fellow peers in an informal speed networking activity. Like speed dating, you’ll have 5 minutes to meet with 1 or 2 peers before rotating to the next session. You’ll meet lots of fellow food and beverage execs before the virtual summit session continue. Starter questions will be provided to help break the ice, so what are you waiting for? Don’t miss this opportunity meet your Digital F&B peers!

2020 saw an unprecedented level of change and disruption to our industry, resulting in the need to innovate very quickly. Christopher "CTM" shares how the innovation juggernaut, Domino's, adapted their processes, thinking and operations to address the changing needs of their customers. From a new delivery process to new digital experiences, hear how Domino's was able to innovate and address the future needs of customers.

The Innova Consumer Survey 2020 showed that 64% of global consumers have found more ways to tailor their life and products to their individual style, beliefs and needs. In the current landscape, brands and retailers must address the idea that consumers look for food and beverage that fit their unique lifestyles. Many consumers don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all mentality, as they expect a tailored approach to eating. Food-Tech, new products with sensory experience, and other advances provide the opportunity in 2021 to grow this trend into one of hyper-personalization. Through the massive amounts of personal data, people’s style and behaviors can be micro-analyzed - but harnessing the power of hyper-personalization isn’t always easy. In this in-depth panel discussion, find out how to overcome roadblocks and turbo-charge your personalization strategy.

• Establishing a roadmap for the personalization journey and shifting to a culture of personalization
• Generating a data pipeline: establishing clear data collection, analysis, storage and privacy protocols
• Implementing new technologies to provide recommendations across sales, marketing and servicing
• Not only reorienting your organization toward customers, but gaining momentum by determining just how to reach each one
• Considering data co-ops between retailers and brands to help create the seamless experience consumers crave

Join Burger King’s Head of Marketing Communications, Rich Guest, to hear about the impact that COVID-19 had on content creation and distribution and how your brand can adapt to in this constantly evolving realm.

• How the pandemic has reinforced the importance of content 
• From entertainment to CSR: Creating content that adds value and responds to the needs of the public 
• Leveraging indirect approaches that echo the brand’s mission to boost reputation, build trust and drive loyalty
• Amplifying content through UGC 
• The latest trends in Influencer Marketing 
• Testing the waters with the next gen of Social Media

The digital age has brought a range of revolutions to the marketing world. Through greater connectivity, brands and retailers have been able to capture, process, and analyze an unprecedented amount of user data, allowing marketers to tailor their approaches based on audience preferences. So when it comes to performance marketing, are you doing it well? During this in-depth panel discussion, you'll learn how to develop, sharpen and optimize your performance marketing strategy.

• Focus on improving your mobile experience to help your brand stand out in your industry and drive mobile conversion
• Leveraging technologies like AI to automate and improve decision making 
• Using personalized, messaging based on where readers are in their customer journey.
• Working with influencers to develop multi-post campaigns that are personalized according to the influencer and their audience
• Investing in your retail media channels just like you would your website to drive sales

The grocery store of the future will be a reflection of the modern consumer’s growing dependence on technology and their desire for personalized experiences. But what exactly will that look like and how can you prepare yourself to succeed in this new retail climate? During this crystal ball session, we'll look into the future of retail and provide insights for:

• Changes in both layout and operations because and a result of the pandemic
• Leveraging technologies to provide added convenience to customers and support your in-store initiatives
• Learning what’s working, what’s not, and how to continue to innovate 
• Deciding which technology investments, organizational structure changes, and brand developments will best prepare you for the store of the future