Why it matters

Disruption in the consumer-packaged goods industry is coming from direct brands and healthier options that reflect evolving consumer tastes. For established players, the choice is to find new ways to innovate or face increasing irrelevance.

Takeaways

  • Gathering consumer insights remains vital, but marketers need to expand their research toolkit to include a portfolio of digital solutions.
  • A blending of the physical and digital means that products increasingly need to deliver real-world and virtual utility.
  • Innovation models need to change, with partnerships occupying a crucial role for major brands as they seek to identify new products and lines of business.

Waves of sociopolitical upheaval, technological change, and environmental anxiety are forcing the hand of one of the world’s largest advertisers, as Procter & Gamble is fusing its long-term emphasis on consumer insight with a new, disruptive innovation playbook.