Developing an innovative approach to marketing, the promotional activation consulting agency Smart Shopper organized a master class last June with, for guest, Julie Hermann, expert you shopper marketing. Associate Director of Smart Shopper, Grégory Benard looks back on this master class which was rich in lessons.
What distinguishes Smart Shopper’s positioning and marketing approach on the Reunion market ?
Smart Shopper is a promotional activation consulting agency founded by Jérôme Calvet in 2009. Our positioning is unique in Reunion Island : we specialize in “shopper marketing” (customer-oriented marketing), and we position ourselves at the service of the commercial performance of our clients. Unlike traditional approaches which simply communicate product benefits, we study the customer experience as a whole to create creative devices positioned as close as possible to the real purchasing journey of consumers. Our mission is to take the shopper from their living room to the bottom of the aisle, by intervening on all key points of the purchasing journey. What distinguishes us, it is our ability to transform a plan or a commercial opportunity into a coordinated system, consistent and turnkey for in-store operations. All of our expertise is mobilized to serve the overall commercial performance of our clients. In this logic, it’s the entire chain from “sell-in” to “sell-out” that comes out a winner. Our multidisciplinary team allows us to approach each project with complete expertise, from strategy to execution.
What motivated you to organize this master class with Julie Hermann ?
This collaboration with Julie Hermann is part of our vision of innovation and transformation of the agency towards shopper marketing. Julie Hermann is an absolute reference in the field of shopper studies with more than twenty-five years of experience., she is also an associate professor at Paris Dauphine-PSL University and an LSA trainer., in merchandising and category management in particular. His expertise corresponds perfectly to this new reading of our profession that we wish to share with our clients.. We operate in a context where 88% of shoppers seek to limit their shopping budget, and where the purchasing decision is increasingly made on the shelf rather than upstream. This reality fundamentally transforms the marketing challenges of our clients, distributors and manufacturers. Since then, it seemed relevant to us to provide them with a more detailed understanding of the mechanisms that govern shopper behavior at points of sale. The objective was to go beyond preconceived ideas and reveal the complexity of purchasing behavior.
What were the main lessons shared during this session? ?
Through concrete cases at the point of sale, the master class made it possible to share particularly enlightening insights on real in-store behaviors. The first major lesson concerns the diversity of shopper attitudes : contrary to the dominant discourses which constantly point out the impatience of consumers, the same shopper can have very varied expectations depending on their purchasing objective. Julie Hermann demonstrated that the modern shopper wants to quickly find their usual products, easily see what's new, enjoy different atmospheres depending on the world, be surprised and discover complementarities. The price is not, Contrary to popular belief, priority entry key : these are accessibility, visibility, the emphasis and theatricalization that take precedence. Another crucial point concerns promotional operations : shoppers adopt a more exploratory attitude in the aisle than at the back of the aisle, and they do not systematically associate promotion with discount. This opens up important perspectives for our in-store activations. Finally, we addressed the reality of bulk in GMS : despite ethical and economic values that are a priori attractive (just the right amount, limitation of waste, maîtrise du budget), practical obstacles remain numerous : dosing difficulties, abandonment at the time of price discovery, lack of product information. The spontaneous enthusiasm of consumers actually translates poorly into purchasing actions once in store.
Will this knowledge feed your strategic approach at Smart Shopper? ?
This analytical prism concretely transforms our approach. In each of our recommendations, we now include a detailed evaluation of purchasing missions : routine shopping, storage, complement, troubleshooting, immediate or seasonal consumption. Each mission requires a specific activation strategy. Our expertise in theatricalization then takes on a new dimension : materials should not only communicate store and brand values, but also address directly to shoppers by integrating their consumption habits. The example of the Maison Perrier operation, built hand in hand with the Bamyrex marketing and sales teams, made it possible to showcase the brand’s DNA and storytelling in the central aisle and shopping mall, or as close as possible to the final buyer. We are also developing our ability to maximize the impact of our clients’ category strategies : of the discovery of the universe (to 5 m) until product highlighting (at 30cm), going through the categories (to 2 m) and segments (to 1 m). This funnel approach highlights the relevance of the assortment, optimizes the attractiveness of the location and enhances the offer via specific marking.
Smart Shopper has recently been awarded nationally and internationally.
For which operations ?
We have had the immense pride of winning several major distinctions which validate our approach to shopper marketing and, Above all, which highlight the excellence of our collaborations with our clients. The first prize that is particularly close to our hearts is the Bronze Award at the Shop Awards 2024 in the “Shopper Activation” category for our Danonino operation.. This recognition is all the more significant as it positions us as the first Reunion company to be rewarded alongside the most renowned service providers in mainland France and major international brands.. But this success, we owe it entirely to the Sorélait teams, and particularly to Bruno Ferrere and his entire team, who trusted us and allowed us to deploy our creativity on this innovative activation around the concept “leap with energy”. The second prize, even more exceptional, is third place worldwide in the Nestlé Waters International Challenge for our activation of the Maison Perrier brand in Reunion Island. Smart Shopper was the only French representative in the world top 3, alongside two Asian countries. This international performance, we would never have obtained it without the remarkable collaboration with the Bamyrex teams, and particularly Florence Robert, Isabelle and Vanessa, who were able to support us with bold ideas and impeccable execution. These recognitions are not only ours : they are the result of exceptional teamwork with our customers. Without their trust, their field expertise and knowledge of the Reunion market, nothing would have been possible. These awards primarily reward solid partnerships where everyone brings their added value..
How do you see the evolution of shopper marketing in Reunion in the coming years? ?
The current socio-economic context creates conditions conducive to its development in Reunion Island. As Julie Hermann pointed out, with arbitrage thresholds starting from €3 or €3,€50 in mainland France, the issues are even more crucial in our territory, where prices are structurally higher. In this context, brands must strengthen their point-of-sale actions to capture consumers’ attention and reinforce the effectiveness of their offers. The future of shopper marketing in Reunion will be built around three pillars : rethink the way we write promotional plans, develop and support technological innovation to create immersive experiences, structure the “data-driven” approach to optimize each point of contact. Our vision for the future ? Continue to support our clients in their commercial development by relying on the specificities of Reunion consumer behavior.
