MARKET WATCH
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Brand and Store-Level Digital Couponing Platform
Tested by Dole and ShopRite Stores
The CPG industry’s first brand and store-level mobile couponing
solution from Catalina Marketing has been tested by Dole and
ShopRite supermarkets. This follows the company’s hiring of former
Google Affiliate Network executive, Chris Henger, to lead its expansion into
the growing digital space.
Catalina’s mobile strategy follows the same shopper-insight and
engagement methodology powering its in-store print communications
currently distributed globally in more than 50,000 food, drug and mass outlets.
Henger said the company’s audience of 90 million households and 300 million weekly transactional insights “provides an excellent platform for making our digital solutions scalable, measurable and profitable for our clients in the very near future.”
Catalina and its test partners, including ShopRite and more than 60 CPG brands, have leveraged the world’s largest transaction-level shopper marketing data warehouse to create compelling mobile programs. For example, the mobile couponing program with ShopRite supermarkets resulted in:
- Double-digit lifts in incremental store visits and spending at participating retailers.
- Significant, double-to-triple-digit lifts in incremental sales volume for participating brands (incremental sales lift varied depending upon the brand and the program design).
“We use this data to give our customers offers that are relevant to them; and, that personalization provides an incentive for our consumers to spend more with us than the competition,” said Cheryl Williams, Vice President of Marketing for Wakefern Food Corp., the retailer-owned cooperative whose members own and operate more than 200 ShopRite stores.
Respecting an individual’s time and personal space by offering relevant savings was at the core of Catalina Marketing’s mobile coupon test.
“When engaging shoppers via their cell phones, relevancy is paramount,” said CarrieAnn Arias, Dole’s Senior Marketing Manager, customer specific marketing. "As our experience with Catalina Marketing demonstrates, shopper-driven mobile content produces incremental sales and profit.”
With a clear understanding of the high-value and return delivered for CPG manufacturers, retailers and shoppers, Catalina Marketing is advancing its mobile couponing solution to scale its US in-store media platform of 24,000 food, drug and mass distribution channels.
White Cloud Tests New Digital Coupon
The White Cloud brand of bath tissue from Kruger Products is among the leading national brands
testing a digital coupon platform from Rockfish. The turnkey couponing software platform called CouponFactory aims to give businesses the ability to create, customize and place their coupon widget wherever they choose.
The solution provides: easy-to-use, turnkey web solution; customer data collection; no set-up fees; detailed digital coupon analytics; coupon fraud control; mobile, web and social embed options The company provides consumer experience in the form of no 3rd party redirects; no downloading printing software; and simple, 2-click print
The solution has been tested by national brands such as White Cloud to distribute offers through various forms of digital media. White Cloud is available only at Walmart stores.
“This breakthrough technology allows our Brand Advocate bloggers to embed a 'widget' into their blogs with very little effort, allowing their followers to print White Cloud coupons directly from their site without having to be redirected to a third-party site,” said John McPherson, White Cloud's Director of Marketing.
Wade Allen, Vice President of Rockfish Retail, said, “Digital couponing has exploded over the past several years as consumers have gone back to more frugal shopping habits. Many CPGs, retailers, and small businesses have been unable to fully participate due to costs, fraud, and poor customer experience. CouponFactory was built specifically to resolve these issues for businesses and consumers alike."
For more information: http://www.couponfactory.com/news
Obsolete Smartphones?
Almost two of three U.S. smartphone owners perceive their phone to be obsolete now or will be obsolete before their contract runs out, says a study from Retrevo Technology.
When the survey asked smartphone owners whether they would consider changing smartphones before their contract was up, nearly half (48%) said they would if the terms were favorable while only 20%
said a two-year contract on their device was fine with them. Others were not sure or might buy an unlocked phone.
Microsoft to Acquire Skype
Microsoft Corp. has agreed to acquire Skype Global, the leading Internet communications company. Analysts say the acquisition will increase the accessibility of real-time video and voice communications, bringing benefits to both consumers and enterprise users and generating significant new business and revenue opportunities.
With 170 million connected users and over 207 billion minutes of voice and video conversations in 2010, Skype has been a pioneer in creating rich, meaningful connections among friends, families and business colleagues globally. Microsoft has a long-standing focus and investment in real-time communications across its various platforms, including Lync, Outlook, Messenger, Hotmail and Xbox LIVE.
Skype will support Microsoft devices like Xbox and Kinect, Windows Phone and a wide array of Windows devices, and Microsoft will connect Skype users with Lync, Outlook, Xbox Live and other communities. Microsoft will continue to invest in and support Skype clients on non-Microsoft platforms.
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