Seeing the Light

The energy of the CGT community was high coming off of our very successful 2013 Sales & Marketing Summit in early June. Gone are the days when sales and marketing executives stumble around in the dark searching for a way out of the confusion surrounding digital marketing.

As evident by the event’s presentations and networking conversations, a spark has been lit to guide the industry out of darkness. While the digital marketing tips shared there may not be sure things, more and more companies seem to be having a blast jumping in and trying new things. Consumers are responding, and what’s more important, companies have learned how to listen and act accordingly... with a little help.

In this issue, we keep the positive energy going by sharing New Ways of Marketing success stories from consumer goods companies large and small.

In the cover story, Applegate’s Vice President of Digital Media, Rob O’Donnell, explains how the company’s fun and open cultural tendencies made for an easy entry into sharing socially with consumers.

Executives from Kimberly-Clark, Anheuser-Busch, Rockwell Tools and Windsor Foods also share details of the new marketing tactics that they are testing to better connect with consumers online and drive sales.

We have two special sections in this issue. Familiarize yourself with the Social Media Technology Solutions on the market today, and find out which leading companies are using them. Then, check out the very first edition of CGT’s new Straight Talk series, where industry experts will debunk myths surrounding critical industry initiatives throughout the year. First up, the very hot, but still puzzling, topic of Trade Promotion Management. Happy reading!