In our latest approach with Pocky, we homed in on three critical pillars to drive success in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) space: forging deeper audience connections, evoking strong emotional engagement, and ultimately boosting sales. By aligning our strategy with these key drivers, we set out to not only capture consumer attention but also convert it into measurable growth.

A strong investment in Retail Media was needed‍

Knowing that the shopping experience has been evolving, Pocky needed to adapt to consumers' needs to ensure relevancy and availability to shoppers within the digital shelf space. The team achieved this by evaluating media opportunities around key retailers and establishing a "Search First" approach to the campaign to drive sales and evaluate performance on a Return On Ad Spend (ROAS) model. Here, it became clear that a one-size-fits-all approach does not apply across all retailers. Instead, each partner was optimized by keyword segments, bidding model, and category interests to yield the strongest performance.

Leverage audience insights to connect on their passion points

Ensuring Pocky remained front of mind with the audience while they caught up on their favorite shows or short-form video content was crucial. While maximizing Retail Media Search efforts, the brand also stayed top of mind in habitual, relaxed environments by surrounding other content and interests based on historical learning of Pocky shoppers' preferences.

Build creative that feels organic and genuine

Resonant creative generates impactful and genuine connections with consumers. Showcasing the emotion behind Pocky’s “Share Happiness” through creative assets helped invoke strong emotions and elicit authentic reactions. This approach allowed Pocky to tap into social trends in a more natural, platform-relevant way.

Building Conections, Driving Growth, & Shaping the Future

As we look ahead, success in the CPG space goes beyond visibility—it demands strategic precision, emotional connection, and deep consumer insight. By prioritizing Retail Media, brands can drive impact and tailor strategies to individual retailers. Building connections through passion points and authentic, emotion-driven creative boosts engagement. The key to sustained success is staying agile, consumer-centric, and ready to evolve.

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