The evolution of brands in the FMCG market

Brands have always tried to keep up with their consumers and adapt to their needs and expectations.  Gen Z is the youngest category of consumers, representing 7.2% of the Romanian population and its importance for the economy is increasing, according to a Mastercard study.

Thus, in 2022, Gen Z is an increasingly approached audience by brands in their marketing campaigns. As an example, a large brand of snacks has migrated to TikTok, a platform where 60% of users are part of Gen Z. Another beverages brand was the official sponsor of the UEFA Champions League and built an influencers campaign dedicated to Gen Z, also on TikTok, inviting them to enjoy the game in their own way.

The same brand also keeps on organizing creative camps for influencers – the specialists in Gen Z. And, at the same time, there are also technology or beauty brands and film and theater festivals that, through dedicated campaigns, through TikTok or through relevant ambassadors, are approaching this young audience.

In order to remain relevant to the audience, brands take into account trends, but what else do they do to stand out? Brands turn to ingenious POSMs that use new technologies and are captivating for consumers. Some examples of such POSMs made by Mediascope are the futuristic capsule-type refrigerators, with messages from the future or smart shelves placed in the big stores, which let you know what the temperature of the drink is or what is new in the store just by touching the shelf interface.

Also, with the help of technology, one can observe the level of passion by measuring the brain’s response when the consumer is presented with images of art, food or touristic destinations. Thus, we can see how the passion for something manifests. The pulsations are measured and are transposed into waves, represented on smaller or larger graphs and the passion for what interests the consumer the most is detected.

Through such ingenious POSMs, brands offer an experience to the consumers and create a connection with them.  In addition, more than a half of Romanians want a digital shopping experience in the future (54%), according to the Consumer Trends.Live study.

Retail is one of the most profitable methods of selling. About 60% of retailers in Romania reported increasing sales from the beginning of the pandemic until March 2022, according to a study conducted by VTEX. Large retailers mark an efficiency goal as they offer a wide range of products and brands, and consumers can do their shopping quickly in a single place.

Retailers reach the final consumer, sell in small quantities and have greater control over the prices of the products sold, therefore having a higher profit margin per product.

In recent years, we have witnessed two different approaches taken by brands towards promoting and interacting with their audience in accordance with their vision and mission. On the one hand, there are the brands that in the large retail stores are present not only with products for sale, but also with promotion campaigns through the activations they carry out in order to maintain a constant interaction with their customers.

On the other hand, there are the brands that have a sustainable approach and are working to minimize the waste produced by their products and focus on reusing and decreasing plastic consumption. The approach taken by brands that embrace the concept of Zero Waste proves an evolution in the relationship between the producer and the consumer, which share the same vision towards a sustainable lifestyle and a healthier environment.