Google, Inc.

Held across three days and packed with keynotes, panels and fireside chats with today’s industry-leading CG brands, retailers and solution providers, Analytics Unite provided attendees with some much-needed perspective, context and inspiration as we move into the second half of the year. See highlights of the coverage here.

With today’s channel and media fragmentation, consumer goods brands can’t rely on gut instincts to get their marketing mixes right. And as these channels grow (and budgets shrink), properly leveraging the power of analytics is what’s separating the winners from the losers.

Traditional macroeconomic data points may be interesting when it comes to exploring the impact of the pandemic, but they’re just not timely enough to drive real business decisions. If you’re not looking at things like weather patterns and population shifts — not to mention vacation home real estate bursts — you’re losing out to the CGs that are.

How have CGs and retailers pivoted their businesses to meet changing market conditions and how analytics helped them successfully implement these new models?

France Roy, AB InBev chief technology officer, DTC, shared a peek behind the curtain at Zé Delivery, the AB InBev subsidiary that delivers cold beer to consumers within an hour by leveraging its retail store network.

It's critical today that both the “smart” and “product” departments are working closely together to ensure a timely and successful offering.

The cooler and outdoor accessory company has launched an immersive 3D and AR experience on its website, in which consumers can virtually view more than 50 virtual products in their own physical environments.

Google executive and CPG advertising leader Kirk Perry is next president and CEO, while Andrew Appel will transition to role as board director and advisor.