oOh!media and NZ Marketing magazine continue with ‘The Great Reopening’ series – a focus on New Zealand’s Recovery and the return to life Out of Home – as we chat with Rachel Ellerm, National Marketing Director
at Lion New Zealand.
In this series we seek to gain insight into how esteemed marketing leaders in New Zealand are planning their roads to recovery, and get their views on what lies ahead.
Here’s what Rachel has to say…
What are the emerging trends impacting your industry as we approach the great reopening?
We are very excited about bars, restaurants and venues being open and New Zealanders being able to once again connect with each other. Kiwis are even more interested in wellbeing, so this summer we expect to see them drinking a lot of low carb, low calorie, low alcohol drinks like seltzers and 0% beers.
How will your approach to consumer engagement change with summer on the way and an increase in in-store shopping and socialising predicted?
For us it’s about relevance and creating experiences as well as the foundation of mental and physical availability. Summer is always big for us, so it’s important that we are visible both in-store and in media, and that we are connecting with Kiwi’s in a meaningful way.
How do you think the marketing industry will adjust to the new normal?
I don’t see it as needing to change. It’s still (and always will be) about getting the basics right, being culturally relevant and creating emotional connections, and reaching consumers at key connection points.
In a crowded market, how important do you think it is to integrate channels and campaigns?
It’s important both in a crowded and not so crowded market– we have to be smarter about how we do this– consumers memories are fragile so our role is to make sure we do our best to create memory structures.
How have your marketing/business priorities changed?
They have not changed that much, we’re still all about consumer-first and making sure we have a right to win.
How are you celebrating our summer of freedom?
I’ll be enjoying summer up at our caravan in Whangateau with my two girls– quietly sipping an ice cold Steinlager Zero and a cheeky Sundance.
Rachel Ellerm is a Marketer of the Year Finalist in the 2021 TVNZ-NZ Marketing Awards. You can watch our Virtual Awards Show right here on December 2 at 12pm.
