JM Smucker’s CMO on what she’s learned about refreshing ‘dusty’ brands

Back in 2018, JM Smucker Company rethought its entire marketing model, reorganized its internal teams around key business units, and consolidated the work of more than a dozen agencies under one umbrella. The “Power of One” model aims to streamline creative, data and media capabilities. That $580 million account into a custom-built Publicis Groupe unit called PSOne.

In the years since then, Smucker, like other major advertisers, has had to deal with the pandemic, numerous operational challenges, evolving consumer behavior, and other consumer packaged goods (CPG) ) Like marketers, legacy brands needed to be revamped for new ones. A generation of shoppers.

When Smucker launched its new marketing efforts, less than a quarter of brands had grown or maintained market share; that share is now nearly 86% by volume, and Smucker’s CMO According to Gail Hollander, it beats the benchmark by two-thirds.The company saw Net sales increased 6% Q3 FY24 will be driven by volume and mix growth from brands such as Meow Mix and Cafe Bustero.

The executive has seen an upturn from both the brand and agency side. Prior to joining the company as chief marketer in 2023, he ran Publicis’ Smucker business as his client lead, giving him a unique perspective on how to strengthen consumer goods brands.

“We came six years ago, and at the time there were 11 different iconic brands, and they were dusty,” Hollander said. “Giving your brand a modern energy will help it stay relevant over time, and that’s what the JMS marketing model is really about… By bringing platform ideas to light, we provide contemporary energy to these iconic brands, and those ideas are incorporated into culture in unique and lasting ways.”

Building a brand platform

Among those “dusty” brands were Jif, Folgers, Meow Mix, and JM Smucker itself. The marketer was part of the first wave of pandemic rebranding, setting aside the familiar strawberries, leaves and rustic typeface. Sleek, modern look It spoke better of the company’s portfolio, expertise and appeal.

For Smucker’s own brand, there are three core parts to rebranding or rethinking a brand’s place in modern society. It’s about understanding the truth of the brand and its DNA, the truth of the consumer and what they want from the category, and what role the brand plays in the culture. .

“When you put all of these things in a bucket and mix them together, it helps you arrive at a brand perspective,” Hollander explained. “That’s the basis of everything we do. It allows the brand to not only be relevant today, but also stand the test of time.”

Jif was one of the first Smucker brands to be reimagined under the new framework. Launched in 2019, the ‘That Jif’ing Good’ platform saw the brand move from being a picky mom’s choice to a multi-disciplinary campaign. hip hop and internet culture. Similarly, Folgers needed to solve the following problem: bad reputation problem As millennials enter the market.

In the case of Milk Bone, the dog treat brand is focused on fostering genuine, authentic relationships between pets and pet parents in an age when culture is inundated with social media-induced superficiality. I’ve been doing it. With Meow Mix, Smacker highlighted its iconic jingle and connection to music. Nostalgia trip centered on boy bands. In addition to serving as a “broad shoulder” for news and innovation, the brand platform is built to last, Hollander said.

“Six years ago, no one was talking about these brands, and now they are healthy, growing, and attracting younger audiences,” the executive said. “It’s all because we are dedicated to the art and science of marketing communications.”

Lessons for CMOs and executives

The role of the chief marketing officer continues to evolve alongside the CMO facing short tenure And I’m struggling withturbidity“It’s less about who is responsible for what at the top level. Especially for a publicly traded company like Smucker, investors expect brands to meet short-term business goals, which sometimes For Hollander, an integral part of the CMO role is the need to ensure that the entire organization understands the importance of long-term brand building.

“It’s easy to neglect marketing because of a cost-centric mindset, but when you’re on a tight budget, investing in media like this can be a huge hit to your bottom line,” Hollander said. “But creativity has a huge impact on business.”

Hollander said he works closely with executives such as President Mark Smucker, Chief Operating Officer John Brace and Sales Director Robert Crane, who believe in the power of marketing and communications. To demonstrate marketing effectiveness across your organization, you need to remind people that marketing is the art of “and” – combining both breakthrough creative and data-driven insights.

“There are fundamental principles that drive your business and you can’t forget them. But it takes a little bit of magic – creativity,” she said.

Data is the “backbone” of everything Smucker does, from insight-driven strategies to creating consumer targets that can be expanded through lookalike products powered by Publicis Groupe’s Epsilon division. This process is constantly being adjusted to improve media spend and results.

“You’re going to get the most out of every penny you put in. You’ve got to work as hard as you can,” Hollander said.

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“When budgets are tight, investing in media can have a big impact on your bottom line, but creativity can have a huge impact on your business.”

Gail Hollander

CMO, JM Smucker

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Nearly six years after the Power of One marketing reorganization began, Hollander said the relationship between Smucker and Publicis in the form of PSOne is “still alive and well.” Before the transition, Smucker’s marketing operations were linear and siled, increasing complexity and reducing efficiency.

“What’s really unique about the Publicis and Smucker relationship is that we’ve built this together,” the executive explained. “We built the concept of an integrated team with no silos and all the connective tissue. Whether it’s from media, data or social, it doesn’t matter at all. I don’t know where one group starts and the other ends.

An integrated approach allows data, creative, and media to work together. In addition to providing creative uses of advertising and media, agencies also need to have a business-focused mindset that helps Smackers achieve their short- and long-term goals.

“Achieving the health of today’s businesses and tomorrow’s brands requires integrated thinking and that partnership,” she said.