Capgemini

Consumer packaged goods companies have invested heavily in technology platforms to improve their trade promotion performance but many lack the talent or business processes to capitalize on these investments, a new study from Accenture finds.

A whopping 52 percent of U.S. consumers are buying directly online from brands they trust, proving that CPG companies now have far greater opportunities to walk alongside shoppers. Experts from Hershey, GMA and PwC weigh in on how digital channels, mobile adoption and D2C are rewriting the rules of retailing and CPG manufacturing.

Sales and marketing trailblazers from Mondelez, Unilever, J&J and Kellogg joined more than 225 consumer goods executives in NYC this week for the 2013 Consumer Goods Sales & Marketing Summit. This year, New York Times bestselling author and entrepreneur since birth Gary Vaynerchuk kicked things off with a provocative presentation on the need for consumer goods companies to adapt in the Internet era. Get a recap of the event here.

In today's difficult economic climate, packaging innovation from design to shelf is more important than ever to drive business growth considering that more than 75 percent of purchase decisions occur in store. Experts in the field reveal real-world insights, borrowed from Coca-Cola, LOreal and Amcor, for ensuring that your products packaging helps to close the deal with the consumer.

New analytics are expected to help improve CPG advertisers return on ad spend by identifying programs that have audiences with a higher composition of purchasers.

Sparkling ICE dedicated extensive time and resources to consumer research and product development for the expanded lemonade varieties.

The word of mouth generation has transformed into the word of finger era. Spreading the word has never been so fast, so focused and truly viral with a matter of a finger click.