Helping retailers manage rising inflation through expert, data-led thought leadership
In Stats
180%
Increase in LinkedIn engagement for the IRI ambassadors’ programme
500+
Leads generated from whitepaper series
£45,000+
Direct ROI from data solution sales from HFSS content
Key Results
B2B Marketing Awards 2022 nomination for the ‘Behind the Headlines’ inflation information campaign
180% increase in LinkedIn engagement for the IRI ambassadors’ programme
More than 500 leads generated from whitepaper series
Direct ROI of more than £45,000 data solution sales from HFSS content
Tags
Date 2019–2022
With inflation rates and costs rising, supermarket retailers and FMCG manufacturers are struggling to keep on top of product pricing and innovation. Without expert insight to help navigate the changing market, it can be a real challenge to deliver growth and support customers with products and prices that work for them.
IRI supports FMCG retailers, brands and manufacturers to deliver much needed action and growth through access to big data, analytics and insights. Its Liquid Data solution provides real time customer and market data to help businesses shape their pricing and promotion streams as well as launch new products to the market.
THE PROBLEM
IRI has a wealth of insightful data from retailers and consumers to support the market achieve stability and growth, but it was getting lost in the noise of a busy industry. Traditionally, IRI had been positioned as a data collector within the media due to its ability to mine its wealth of data for figures such as the changing price of goods, the rising trend for organic vegetables, and the percentage growth in vegan meat alternatives being purchased.
But it wanted to change its perception in the market. To be seen as a thought leader, a consultant and a service provider. Not just a data collector. To elevate its position, it needed a cohesive story and thought leadership approach to increase reach and cement its status as an authority in the analytics space.
THE SOLUTION
The team at Berkeley supported IRI by developing a story that sat at the heart of all content: using big data to do the right thing for the customer. This put IRI’s customer, whether a buyer, analyst or media team as the central hero, using IRI technology to support end customers and help them maximise their money. Berkeley developed a strong content marketing campaign to bring the theme to life, pairing lead generating whitepapers with newsworthy, trend leading blogs and an earned media stream placing key opinion pieces from IRI’s SVP, UK Kieran South in titles including the Grocer – the leading retail trade publication.
The campaign focused on a series of trending topics around customer challenges including: inflationary spending; third party cookie legislation; High Fat, Sugar and Salt regulation; the use of AI in reporting; and pricing and promotion.
Alongside robust content generation, Berkeley also developed an IRI Ambassador programme. Working with four key executives from IRI’s leading business units, we built targeted and personalised social media content, that increased engagement with the brand by 180% on LinkedIn.
Supporting that approach, we also helped IRI develop the ‘FMCG In-Crowd’: a LinkedIn group community of leaders in the FMCG insights sector, supported by a monthly newsletter of insights, along with a regular video-cast series. The videocast discussions brought IRI’s experts to the table with key buyers, data experts and trend watchers from customers including retailers like Co-op and manufacturers such as Dr Oetker.
THE RESULTS
The lead-gen work led to direct ROI. In one case a series of blogs about the incoming UK Government’s High Fat, Sugar and Salt retail regulations led to direct software sales of more than £45,000. The blog series broke down the challenge for retailers and manufacturers linking to IRI’s new modelling tool for the changes required in retail spaces to remove HFSS goods from promotional areas.
Overall, the campaign resulted in an increase in meetings for IRI with senior decision makers, and SVP Kieran South was invited to a meeting with the Government steering group for inflationary concerns off the back of his LinkedIn and media-facing content.
The full campaign included:
- Monthly content marketing retainer
- Quarterly whitepapers
- Monthly blogs
- Infographic content
- Monthly insights community newsletter
- Development of podcast series – the FMCG InCrowd
- Brand and product videos
- Social media: profile content for four IRI executives
