• by Danielle Oster , Staff Writer, January 5, 2024

With 2023 now firmly behind us, it’s a good time to review some of the CPG Insider insights that most connected with readers this year. Since I joined Marketing Daily this summer, my top 10 is  limited to the latter half of the year, but there was no shortage of variety in the types of CPG Insider stories that generated the most interest. These stories largely fell into four broad, not always clear-cut, categories.

New launches and campaigns

The most-read story involved Arm & Hammer discussing its first green entry in the laundry space with its new Power Sheets Laundry Detergent. The company teamed up with actress and musician Victoria Justice on a campaign promising an eco-friendly alternative to the bulky plastic packaging typical of traditional detergents.

The No. 2 story took a look at winemaker Bright Cellars’ July campaign paying homage to Barbie with a themed wine bundle. Since Mattel excluded categories like alcoholic beverages from the plethora of partnerships pursued for the release of “Barbie,” liquor brands had to get a little creative. Bright Cellars’ Vice President of Marketing Torrie Belknap discussed the development of the “Drink Pink Bundle” and navigating a fine line with its unofficial nod to the blockbuster.

Story No. 10 discussed non-alcoholic spirits brand Seedlip’s “Choose Different” campaign, its first in over three years. Nicholas Rowland, senior marketing manager for Seedlip, explained how the campaign speaks to Seedlip’s unique position in the evolving non-alcoholic market, and the benefits and drawbacks of being an early entrant in the category.

Brands seeking new audiences

No. 3 examined grain brand Bob’s Red Mill’s marketing shift from a focus on performance marketing to brand building in pursuit of growth with a wider audience, with a goal of doubling its consumer base by 2030.

Similarly, Vermont-based Cabot Creamery recently launched a rebranding campaign focused around a new visual identity in No. 8. Senior Vice President of Marketing Sarah Healy discussed how the 100+-year-old Cabot’s role as a legacy brand would be part of its future success with a new generation of consumers.

Regaining mojo, market share

The fifth and sixth most-read stories both involved discussions with top marketers about how they’re attempting to help their brands regain ground. In No. 5, Beyond Meat’s  Senior Vice President of Global Marketing Akerho "AK" Oghoghomeh discussed the brand’s “There’s Goodness Here” campaign, aimed at dispelling “plant-based misperceptions” by telling a story about the sourcing of its ingredients and the farmers it works with. The effort came as Beyond Meat was struggling to regain sales and recover from a 30.5% decline in net revenue year-over-year reported for Q2.

At No. 6, Lagunitas’ then recently appointed Interim CMO Hannah Dray discussed the challenges facing the craft beer category, the important role non-alcoholic offering Hoppy Refresher has played for the Heineken-owned California brewery, and how Lagunitas plans to regain its “mojo” by refining its identity, fixing some basics, and innovating.

Broader takeaways for CPG marketers

The last category for most-read stories were those focused on broader issues applying across CPG portfolios. These largely focused on understanding different subsets of contemporary consumers.

No. 4, “Most American Consumers Favor LGBTQ+ Inclusivity In Marketing,” featured Carlos Santiago, co-founder of the ANA’s Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing (AIMM), breaking down the titular finding in AIMM’s recent research survey. Santiago touched on what the report said about audiences’ widespread support for LGBTQ+ inclusivity in marketing, and how it dispelled misperceptions some brands seemed to have about perceived “risks” in pursuing such marketing efforts.

In No. 9, Land O’Lakes Senior Vice President and CMO Heather Malenshek’s discussion of rural America at the ANA’s Masters of Marketing conference saw her breaking down myths about the “urban/rural divide.”

Taking the No. 7 position was a wide-ranging discussion with Dan Buckstaff, CMO of wellness-focused data technology company SPINS. Buckstaff addressed some of CPG marketers’ biggest challenges, like market and pricing uncertainties, and rapidly shifting consumer preferences.