Sales & Marketing

In the second annual edition of the Review & Outlook Report, CGT taps its most valuable resources almost 80 respected industry experts to recommend realistic actions for managing the big changes ahead of us.

CGT Editor Alliston Ackerman gives you a sneak peek into the trends and topics discussed in this month's issue.

The M&A environment for consumer markets companies is primed for a resurgence in the next two to three years, according to KPMG LLP. Nearly 70 percent of respondents in a recent survey expect their companies to make at least one acquisition in 2012, compared with 57 percent in 2011. Here's a recap of recent M&A activity in consumer goods.

A new contest giving new products an opportunity to win virtual shelf space on Walmart.com has exceeded the retailer's wildest expectations. Consumer enthusiasm proves that @WalmartLabs, Walmart's hub for innovation at the intersection of social, mobile and retail, is on track to lead the next generation of e-commerce.

The company's global "Banner Sun" potato chip portfolio has grown to more than $10 billion in annual retail sales, anchored by Lay's, the world's largest food brand and the No. 1 potato chip brand globally.

President and CEO Samus McBride retires as Edward D. Shirley is appointed to new president and CEO effective immediately.

Consumers are no longer consuming information in a vacuum, but from multiple channels, and oftentimes, simultaneously, making it more difficult to reach and engage them in a meaningful way. Read on to learn how to use what you know about your consumers to develop the right cross-channel marketing strategy.