Does this scenario look familiar? You have realized that your current spreadsheet-based process is no longer serving you. You pitch the idea of investing in a modern marketing planning software to your bosses. The conversation goes nowhere for...
Escaping the Annual Planning Trap: Key Lessons From Podcast with Keen
The way CPG brands plan, execute, and measure their marketing has changed faster in the past five years than in the previous twenty. What used to be a predictable annual exercise has become a continuous cycle of replanning, reacting, and realigning...
9 Things I Wish Brand Managers Knew About Shopper Marketing (2025 edition)
In my 15-plus years in CPG marketing, I’ve lived on both sides of the fence: HQ-based brand marketing and field-based shopper marketing. These teams work side-by-side, but let’s be honest, they still speak different dialects. The way they think,...
The Hidden Flaws in CPG Marketing Finance Reporting
Introduction: Same Money, Different Languages
Finance and Marketing share the same budget from opposite ends of the battlefield. Finance sees ledgers, accruals, quarter-end precision and Accounting Standards compliance. Marketing sees campaigns,...
2025 Edition: 8 Features of a Great Omnichannel Marketing Plan
I wrote a similar post a few years ago. Boy, has the world changed since then or what? The discipline of CPG marketing has become even more technical, complex, and dynamic. Expectations for omnichannel shopper marketing plans have cranked up, too.
What MACH architecture means for CPG marketing ops
You may have heard IT or digital transformation teams mention something called MACH architecture. It sounds technical, maybe even intimidating, but it’s a concept that CPG marketers should get excited about.
How One Agency Rebuilt Client Trust with a Single Source of Truth: A Conversation with Jared Kirby of CEMM
In the high-stakes world of shopper marketing, agencies often juggle a maze of spreadsheets, multiple stakeholders, and way too many “final” versions of the truth. But what happens when all that noise is replaced with one streamlined, centralized...
The First 90 Days: How New Marketing Leaders Can Make Their Mark Fast
Congratulations—you’ve been promoted! You’ve made the leap from individual contributor to people manager, and now you’re staring at a whole new playing field. It’s exciting… and let’s be honest, a little intimidating.



