Inside Barilla’s Al Bronzo Relaunch Boost from Real-Time Display Insights
Getting a CPG in front of consumers' eyes can be challenging, especially when brands can't readily visit stores to monitor display executions, pricing and supply.
In the case of Barilla, when it relaunched its red box of premium pasta, Al Bronzo, the brand wanted to ensure it happened seamlessly.
Barilla's challenge was "the last 3 feet"— the crucial distance between the warehouse and the consumer's shopping cart. Key to the Al Bronzo launch were eye-catching displays designed to draw shoppers — provided they were set up right.
The company partnered with Storesight to leverage its AI-enabled platform that analyzes more than 1,400 shopper-submitted photos and providing insights from more than 500 features. Upon use, Barilla quickly discover a potential problem: Many stores weren't correctly utilizing the colorful artwork and branding.
Janelle Heinrich, associate director of category management for Barilla, said the company used the technology to fill in the story for post-promotional analysis, especially with new item launches.
"You don't know if it's a little rack or a whole lobby display until you look," she noted.
That knowledge prompted Barilla to reevaluate its display strategy so future campaigns could be visually appealing but easy for store personnel to set up correctly. The results: Quicker setup, less waste and an improved marketing ROI.
The real-time data also helped Barilla act swiftly in response to a TikTok trend that sent demand soaring for star-shaped Pastina (particularly for a chicken soup also referred to as "Italian penicillin"). The platform helped Barilla proactively adjust its production and distribution, resulting in increased sales.
It also helped the brand when rumors of a key competitor's out-of-stocks began to circulate. (It turned out to be just that — rumors — helping Barilla avoid a costly overreaction.)
Poorly — or wrongly — executed displays can be a costly problem: In 2024, U.S. retailers lost $125 billion in sales due to poor visual merchandising. Barilla continues to regularly monitor out-of-stocks, track competition and analyze the effectiveness of promotional activity.
This was originally published on P2PI, a CGT sister publication.