Josh Bruns - Shopper Marketing Hero

Josh Bruns Shopper Marketing Hero

I love recognizing shopper marketing greatness because, often times, our peers quietly do their work in remote locations far from the spotlight of corporate PR and formal recognition programs. That's why I get very excited when our Heroes' stories are picked up by their employers, like it happened last month.

This month, our Shopper Marketing hero is Josh Bruns, Associate Director of Shopper Marketing at Kraft Heinz. Josh's colleague, TJ Palladino nominated him and said:

"Josh is the forward thinking innovator in the shopper marketing space. With his leadership he has pushed vendors to create new tools and capabilities, including direct recipe add to cart features in a single click for Walmart OG. No one does more "firsts" in shopper marketing than Josh. Just ask any company we work with. With his leadership we are always testing the limits of our partners and hold our reporting and analytics to a standard that is unmatched. On top of that he is incredibly collaborative mentor."

That is a very impressive summary, so I was excited to contact Josh to congratulate him with this recognition and ask for a bit of wisdom:

OY: When and how did you come to work in shopper marketing?

JB: In 2005, I took a job with Saatchi & Saatchi X in the growing world of shopper marketing. I was fortunate to cut my teeth with the P&G account supporting Walmart and learn from some incredible minds.

OY: What skills and experiences, in your opinion, are important to be successful in shopper marketing?

JB: Curiosity, adaptability, and ownership are three core values in any industry, but especially in shopper marketing. It is easy to teach someone terms and processes, but curiosity, adaptability, and ownership require self-motivation.

OY: What is your shopper marketing "super power"?

JB: Putting puzzle pieces together.

OY: What fascinates you about shopper marketing?

JB: With hard work and diligence, we have the ability to make life better and easier for someone else... the shopper. Then shoppers tell us how well we did with their measurable dollars.

OY: What advice do you have for young shopper marketers or those who are interested a in shopper marketing career?

JB: You can learn something from anyone, so be humble, seek out connections, and don't be afraid to ask questions. Continue to ask yourself and others 'why'. It makes work much more interesting and fun.

OY: In your opinion, what are the most important current trends That will change the way shopper marketers do their jobs?

JB: Efficiency and accountability are key words in our industry. It is no longer a nice-to-have, but a necessity to effectively predict and subsequently measure the impact Shopper Marketing dollars had on sales lift. As well, with a shopper being able to purchase anywhere, at any time, and in any way they desire, the line between Brand Marketing, Ecommerce, and Shopper marketing is extremely blurry at best. .

Do you know an unsung hero who always goes above and beyond the call of shopper marketing duty? Or is always bringing you new ideas and delivers stellar results? Or is constantly challenging the status quo and solves problems in unusual ways? Recognize them and let the world know you value their contributions.