Shopper marketing
Marketing aimed at people in their role as shoppers, at the moment and place of purchase, in store or online: packaging, shelf communication, displays, retailer media and promotions. Procter & Gamble's First Moment of Truth (2005) made it a discipline. It works best on brands people already know, because the shelf mostly converts mental availability built earlier; it rarely builds a brand on its own.
Where it's used
Used by FMCG and retail brands together with retailers to win the choice at the shelf or on the product listing page. Good when the brand is known but loses at the point of purchase to price, visibility or a confusing range.
See it in a campaign
Penny - Price Packs (2024)
German discounter Penny printed the prices of selected own-brand products directly on their packaging. In a cost-of-living crisis and a market led by Aldi and Lidl, the pack itself proved that the prices were low. The message reached shoppers exactly where they compare prices, in the aisle. That is shopper marketing: the claim is made at the moment of choice.