Consumer Attitudes & Behavior

Walmart maintains its No. 1 spot on a new list of the best retail brands, and even with a 6 percent decline in brand value it preserves an enormous margin over the next closest brand. Four brands increased their brand value by more than 25 percent this year, while others fell off the list completely.

Competitive pressures and desire for more meaningful customer relationships are driving manufacturers to reconsider what the customer experience means. IDCs latest report revealed that the customer (however you define it) is varied and complex. Find out what else IDC uncovered, including reaching 5i customers, the role of social, mobile, big data and more.

The support will include early management of food safety issues and collaboration with local universities, research institutes and government agencies on food safety issues.

Best-selling author, Gary Vaynerchuk is a self-described influencer, entrepreneur, investor, best-selling author, speaker and Jets fan. Recently, he weighed in on The White Houses March Madness-themed marketing campaign to uninsured 20-somethings. So, whats the verdict? Vaynerchuk is shocked by the number of brands that are still trying to reach Millennials through print, radio, and TV.

Many brands are utilizing social media as a means to enhance consumer engagement and the overall brand experience, which adds tremendous value in terms of building trusted relationships. However, a new social media application has the potential to be much more powerful: consumer understanding. Julia Chen Davidson, global consumer products lead, IBM Institute for Business Value, explains how CG companies can take hold of this opportunity within their four walls.

MillerCoors hopes to eventually expand its adoption of the voluntary nutritional labeling, but will start with Miller64 to learn more about consumer reaction before making additional decisions.

A poll of more than 95,000 Canadians reveal that the most-trusted CPG brands for across 60 categories consist of household names like Kellogg, Dove, Colgate and more. Consumers reasons for citing a brand as their most trusted vary by category, for example, taste drives which food brands are most trusted, while kids brands need to guarantee gentleness. Find out which other brands made this list and why.

Through this partnership, Unilever U.S. will be the sponsor of the 2014 CFMM capstone research project and presentation.