OgilvyAction to handle Coca-Cola's shopper marketing business

Shopper marketing has gained momentum over the years and been one of the key components in brand's marketing promotions.

So what does one exactly mean by shopper marketing?

Well shopper marketing is the understanding of how one's target consumers behave as shoppers in different channels and format.

And the shopper marketing is not limited to in-store marketing activities. Shopper marketing must be part of an overall integrated marketing approach that considers the opportunities to drive consumption and identifies the shopper that would need to purchase a brand to enable that consumption.

It would be safe to say that Coca-Cola and OglivyAction are doing the same thing as well.

OgilvyAction will work across all key channels where Coca-Cola India operates in the country. After a competitive pitch involving 10 other agencies, OgilvyAction was awarded the assignment to oversee Coca-Cola India's entire Shopper Marketing Business.

Coca-Cola India has chosen to invest heavily in shopper marketing as a strategy to increase incidence levels. OgilvyAction, through its specialist shopper marketing practice, will assist Coca-Cola India to create innovative programs to engage and convert shoppers into buyers at critical points of sale and drive consumption.

OgilvyAction specializes in managing and helping marketers win in "The Last Mile" by utilizing a discipline-neutral mix of communications services in the areas of shopper, trade, experiential and promotional marketing, across rural and urban markets.

Sumanta Dutta, vice president, Customer & Commercial Leadership, Coca-Cola India says that he is confident that OgilvyAction will deliver something special for the company.

"We are excited to appoint OgilvyAction as our agency partner to drive Coca-Cola India's entire Shopper Marketing Business program. I am confident that the entire team would deliver something special for Coca-Cola India," he says.

Ask Rahul Saigal, vice president, Retail, Ogilvy Action had he would tell you that it's all about working on the behaviour of the consumers. "Shopper marketing involves key brands to get into your active consideration sets. The basic idea is to work on the behaviour of the consumer," he says.

"It involves on what part of behaviour inhibits the consumer from buying the product. It's more of countering belief. The basic idea is to change consumers buying decisions," he adds.

And for this they plan to work Coca Cola's key channels. "We will work with coke on all key channels like eateries (Nirulas), entertainment, travel, nightlife etc. We will be involved in the point of sale and the point of consumption as well," he said.