ECR Ireland Annual Shopper Conference & Awards 2024, held on October 10th at O’Reilly Hall, UCD, sponsored by Elevate Media brought together leaders and innovators from the retail industry. This year’s event focused on delivering valuable insights, sharing expertise and setting new standards for success.
The conference featured engaging discussions and presentations that highlighted the changing shopper landscape. Attendees gained knowledge from top industry experts and explored future shopper engagement through innovative strategies and digital transformation.
Congratulations to our four Award winners, recognised for their leadership, creativity and commitment to excellence in the retail space.
Category Growth Award Winner
Unilever – Carla Mooney, Shopper Marketing Manager
Presentation: Rapid Category Growth through Persil Wonder Wash
Sponsor: Shopper Intelligence
Carla Mooney won the Category Growth Award for driving significant growth with Persil Wonder Wash for Short Washes. Unilever strategy increased sales and changed how consumers interact with the product, leading to sustained category growth. Unilever illustrated the importance of strategic insights and consumer understanding in achieving measurable growth through the creation of a new subcategory.
Digital Path to Purchase Award Winners
Elaine Kellaghan, Channel Manager, The HEINEKEN Company & Emma Goulding, Brand Activation Manager, Elevate Musgrave
Driving Heineken 0.0 Shopper Penetration through Formula 1
Sponsor: V360°
Elaine Kellaghan and Emma Goulding presented how they used Formula 1 to increase shopper penetration for Heineken 0.0. Their digital strategy combined targeted marketing with consumer engagement, connecting with racing fans on both emotional and practical levels. Heineken & Elevate highlighted the impact of digital platforms in shaping the shopper journey and boosting demand for zero-alcohol beverages.
Sustainability Award Winners
Ciarán Doyle, Buying Manager, Tesco Ireland & Mark Groome, National Account Manager, Hilton Foods
Leading on Sustainability in Fresh Food Packaging in Irish Retail
Sponsor: Kantar
Ciarán Doyle and Mark Groome received the Sustainability Award for their leadership in fresh food packaging. Their efforts to reduce plastic use while preserving product quality highlight their commitment to both environmental responsibility and consumer needs. Tesco & Hilton Foods won this awards for the innovative creation of recyclable packaging for fresh meat.
Shopper Marketing Award Winner
Unilever – Niamh Moran, Shopper Marketing Manager
Presentation: LYNX Fine Fragrance Collection – Overcoming Shopper Perceptions: Smelling Truly is Believing
Sponsor: Goosebump Ltd
Niamh Moran’s presentation on the LYNX Fine Fragrance Collection stood out for its innovative approach to shopper marketing. Her campaign successfully addressed and shifted shopper perceptions around fragrance, resonating strongly with the gen z and millennials audience. In winning this awards Unilever highlighted the critical role of creativity in building emotional connections with consumers and driving brand loyalty for the LINX brands.
Insights and Industry Trends
The day featured expert-led sessions, including presentations by Sinead O’Sullivan, Research Director at Amarach Research and Adam Baker, Industry Capability Manager at Bord Bia.
Category Growth Award
Category Growth Award recognises brands and retailers that have successfully expanded their product categories by evolving consumer needs and trends. This category celebrates initiatives that use innovation, insights and strategic thinking to drive market share and grow brand relevance. The finalists in this category have demonstrated exceptional capability in turning challenges into opportunities, pushing their categories to new heights.
Joe Fitzmaurice shared how Tesco Ireland adapted its beer selection in response to evolving customer preferences. By refining the range and enhancing the shopping experience, Tesco has been able to align with shifting consumer trends, driving category growth in a competitive market.
shopper engagement.
Danone’s team showcased how they leveraged the health benefits of Actimel to meet rising consumer interest in immunity. By creating immunity-focused bays in stores, they reinforced the product’s relevance to current health concerns, increasing shopper engagement.
Carla’s presentation demonstrated how Unilever achieved category growth with Persil Wonder Wash for short washes. The focus was on leveraging consumer insights to drive innovation and product positioning, ensuring substantial growth in a highly competitive category.
Digital Path to Purchase Award
In today’s digital-first world, the Digital Path to Purchase Award honours campaigns that have mastered the art of reaching consumers through online and digital channels. These initiatives exemplify how to engage shoppers at every stage of their journey—before, during and after purchase—by leveraging technology, data and creativity. The finalists in this category have skilfully used digital tools to enhance the shopper experience and drive measurable results.
Elaine and Emma’s presentation outlined how they used Formula 1 as a platform to engage shoppers and grow penetration for Heineken 0.0. Their digital campaign seamlessly linked the excitement of Formula 1 with the non-alcoholic beverage, drawing in a broader consumer base.
Helen and Katherine illustrated how Diageo partnered with OMD and Tesco Media to optimise their brand presence on Tesco.ie. They shared insights on how digital advertising and strategic partnerships can increase brand visibility and consumer engagement on online platforms.
Claire O’Flynn presented Elevate’s successful cross-platform campaign for Yoplait, which transformed a typically slow winter sales period into a period of growth. The campaign creatively leveraged digital tools to engage shoppers and drive sales across multiple channels, showcasing the power of integrated marketing.
Shopper Marketing Award
Shopper Marketing Award acknowledges campaigns that connect with consumers on an emotional and practical level, driving them to make purchasing decisions through in-store and online experiences. The finalists in this category have demonstrated innovation and creativity in addressing shopper needs, using various tools to capture attention, overcome barriers, and build lasting brand loyalty.
Danone’s presentation on their campaign for Alpro encouraged shoppers to switch up their daily routines by incorporating Alpro’s plant-based products. The campaign creatively used in-store displays and online engagement to promote the versatility and health benefits of Alpro, driving increased consumer interest.
Niamh presentation on the LYNX Fine Fragrance Collection showcased how Unilever tackled misconceptions about the product’s fragrance quality. By using sensory marketing techniques, she successfully repositioned LYNX as a high-quality fragrance brand.
Britvic’s presented the relaunch of Pepsi Ireland, which reinvigorated the brand with new packaging and a new marketing strategy. Their approach emphasised aligning the product with evolving consumer tastes and leveraging marketing techniques to drive a successful relaunch.
Angela Crawley highlighted how Listerine was repositioned as an essential part of daily oral care, making mouthwash relevant to a broader audience. Through targeted shopper marketing, the campaign focused on elevating Listerine’s visibility and increasing consumer engagement, particularly in-store.
The team behind Kind Snacks detailed how their marketing campaign emphasized transparency and quality, focusing on natural ingredients and straightforward messaging. Their strategy resonated with health-conscious shoppers, helping to build strong brand loyalty and drive sales growth.
Sustainability Award
Sustainability Award celebrates leadership in environmental responsibility, focusing on efforts that reduce the impact of business operations on the planet. From eco-friendly packaging to sustainable supply chains, this category highlights companies that are leading the charge in creating more sustainable business models. The finalist have made significant efforts in reducing waste, conserving resources and promoting sustainability, paving the way for a greener future.
Ciarán Doyle and Mark Groome explained how Tesco Ireland and Hilton Foods are leading sustainability efforts by reducing the environmental impact of fresh food packaging. Their collaborative approach to developing sustainable packaging solutions is setting new standards in the retail industry.
A Word from Our Sponsor
A special moment in the day was the keynote address by Sinead Browne, Head of Elevate, Musgrave. In her speech, Sinead expressed gratitude for the partnerships that make innovation in retail possible and emphasised Elevate’s commitment to fostering creativity and excellence in shopper marketing. Her words showed the importance of collaboration, particularly in a rapidly changing retail landscape, where adaptability and innovation are key to success.
A Day of Celebration and Collaboration
ECR Ireland Annual Shopper Conference & Awards 2024 was a celebration of innovation, sustainability and excellence in shopper engagement. We extend our gratitude to all participants, finalists, exhibitors and sponsors for making the event a truly memorable occasion. We look forward to continuing this journey of collaboration and innovation in the year ahead!
