Food, more than most other categories, has a unique advantage in its ability to connect with consumers emotionally—consider the nostalgia that certain brands evoke or how we’re drawn to the foods that bring us comfort or remind us of special times. Thoughtful CPG brands can leverage those emotions to create personal experiences and deeper connections with consumers. Here, we offer insight into ways that brands can build stronger relationship with consumers.

It’s All About the Benefits

Forty-four percent of shoppers say they actively search for savings and routinely engage in thrifty behaviors including: comparing prices, seeking out sales and promotions, using coupons or loyalty cards, shopping at several stores to find better deals, and buying in bulk. Millennial consumers are particularly drawn to tangible rewards like free products or two-for-one deals. When crafting their message, marketers should take this into consideration and appeal to the Millennial consumer’s thrifty mindset.

Keep Your Customer Close

Relevant content that addresses the consumer’s challenges and needs one way to strengthen a brand’s relationships with consumers. Recipes, cooking tips, or educational video can engage consumers at every stage of their journey. For example, brands can address the Millennial mom’s need for healthy, quick-to-prepare recipes that her whole family will enjoy, develop slow-cooker recipes for busy working families, or offer tips for making individual portions for the growing number of single person households. From discovery to decision, brands can be present in consumer’s lives through social media amplification and engagement. Creating desire through content and sharing it with both consumers and retailers fulfills a need and keeps the customer close throughout the purchase cycle.

Listen to Feedback

Website data and social engagement offer tremendous insights for marketers. How are shoppers searching for products? What information are they looking at before they buy? What ingredients do consumers want or what are they seeking to avoid? These are all questions that can be answered through careful data analysis and strategic social listening. With these insights, marketers can optimize their products, distribution, and build better awareness and relationships with consumers.

Transparency & Authenticity Matter

Research shows that 55% of consumers 18-24 and 42% of those aged 25-34 agree that clean eating affects their overall quality of life. Increasingly, consumers want food that aligns with their values and lifestyle. Sustainably produced and packaged foods are important to consumers and brands that offer transparency in their practices are more likely to create a stronger bond and fan base.

90% of Millennial consumers say they would switch to a brand associated with a cause they believed in, given comparable price and quality. Creating an authentic cause marketing partnership aligns the consumer and brand values, creating a relationship based on shared beliefs.

Consumers have an almost endless array of choices at the supermarket. Why should they choose your brand? Marketers that work to build relationships with consumers by listening and responding to their needs, offering valuable content throughout the purchase journey, and appealing to their values will tip the scale in your favor. Women’s Marketing offers a deep understanding of the consumer’s path to purchase and how to engage consumers at every step. Contact us today for an evaluation of your media plan.