Innovation and adaptability are at the heart of every brand. Leveraging the right tools at the right time will help your business succeed. Ted Ning, brand marketing expert, food entrepreneur, and founder of Forum for Naturals will discuss the opportunities in the ever-changing world of marketing, as well as explore the harsh lessons that have been learned from e-commerce, social media, and retail. You can see his full education session at the upcoming Summer Fancy Food Show 2022, where he will discuss all this, and more in a session entitled, “Marketing in an Ever-Changing World: How to Keep Your Brand Relevant,” on Monday, June 13th.
SFA News Daily recently spoke with Ning about his views on how brand marketing can best serve the specialty food industry.
Are there any traditional marketing strategies that you feel have become ineffective during COVID-19?
COVID has taught us that we need to be flexible, and this is true with marketing too. Brands need to practice being nimble and adjust quickly to changes occurring in markets. What worked yesterday may not work today and there are many factors that brands need to consider in the process. Marketers and leadership to embrace consistent change and be willing to change strategies quickly.
What trends should every specialty food company implement into their marketing initiative?
Research has shown that consumers are more interested than ever in specialty foods. Cooking meals at home during COVID had a lot of people wanting to explore new options and interest continues. Attaining new consumers is key and it is important to consider how to reach people that don't know your brand. This is a great time to be innovative with new products or partner collaborations for customer growth. If brands haven't built an e-commerce platform yet, now is the time. I and it's never been easier to do so.
Do you feel that focused branding efforts in any area or channel have become more successful in recent years?
Obviously, digital channels across the board have been more effective as consumers adopt online shopping during COVID. The challenge is that these channels change constantly from both internal and external factors and are not a 'set and forget' area. It's better to select a few vs to go after all of them.
Amazon is the “big gorilla”: as manya lot of people are used to shopping there, plus the Prime member benefits makes it easy for customers. But you get tied to their pricing if you are selling the same items. and Tthey want to be the best price. If they aren’t, they can kick you off Amazon without warning.
I think Instacart has really evolved and has been able to offer a much greater return on ad spend than other platforms and has developed an ad platform like Amazon.
What one skill would you like attendees to make use of after attending your session?
Awareness of various marketing strategies, tools, and tactics they can implement immediately.
Are there any brands you look toward as marketing leaders? What are they doing right?
Clio Snacks, Joyful Bakery, Country Archer, and Wild Planet Foods are great brands to use as a muse. They also are all members of Forum for Naturals.
Do you have any thoughts you would like to share about the future of brand marketing?
Being nimble during these times is key since it seems a curveball is waiting for us every morning we get up. Taking in info and adjusting has always proven successful for me and I recommend marketers to do the same.
What insight do you feel your professional experience has given you to help brands achieve success?
Never think you have to do it alone. That is why Forum for Naturals was created to bring together brand marketers to share challenges, tactics, and fast-track solutions. Surrounding yourself with smart peers reduces stress and time and while increasingses knowledge. It builds you a personal bench of experts for when you need them.