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Industry Spotlight - Valory Gilpin

Interested in knowing more about CPG industry professionals? Well, now you can! This month, we’re shining our Industry Spotlight on Valory Gilpin, Shopper Marketing Manager at Arc-Unilever!

May 17, 2022

Get to Know Valory Gilpin

To learn more about Valory, from the coolest trend she's seeing in the industry to whom she'd want cast to portray her in a Hollywood film, check out her interview below!

I love shopper marketing because...

Shopper marketing is results focused and I love developing integrated omnichannel solutions that engage the shopper resulting in strong ROI/ROAS for my assigned businesses. I am a competitive person – I used to be a competitive soccer coach – so I love it when we win with a really successful campaign.

The best advice I've received in my shopper marketing career is...

Always align with your sales and brand team when you’re in the planning stages for your shopper program(s) – this is a key to a successful program.

The coolest or most important trend I see today in CPG is...

The complex shopper journeys we are experiencing in today’s climate and the countless ways we need to meet the shopper in their personalized journey. CPGs are also putting a stronger focus on first-party data. The need for a strong direct-to-consumer strategy allows them to collect the data and act on using that data – separate from retail media networks. We’re finally in a place where CPGs are focused on their own first-party data, and how to marry that data with a particular retailer.

In the past week, I learned...

More about Facebook and Instagram privacy settings that have changed recently. In the last year or two, social sites have taken more precautions in their protection over the consumer because of privacy laws. It is a good practice to periodically go in and check your social privacy settings to ensure you are protecting yourself – I sure was glad I checked mine.

If I weren't a shopper marketer, I would be...

Many things come to mind, but I would probably say a full-time life coach. I love helping people change their lives for the better.

If I had an unlimited supply of one thing, it would be...

Time! You can never have enough time.

If Hollywood made a movie about my life, the person I would like to see cast to portray me is...

Reese Witherspoon. She could probably portray my life pretty well – I relate to her bubbly and fun personality. She could also portray the ups and downs that life has thrown my way.

I'm happiest when...

Something great happens for my kids! I have the most joy from watching them experience the wonderful things and people that impact their lives. I am also very happy when a professional I am coaching/mentoring gets promoted or rewarded. Helping others succeed brings me great happiness.

What I love about Breaktime Media is...

Breaktime is different from any other platform out there - making it helpful in reaching shoppers wherever they might be in their journey.

EVERYTHING! Breaktime was one of the very first shopper platforms I partnered with to drive sales growth for the brand I was working on at the time. I love the education platform. Not only can you tell your full brand story, but the shoppers are also very engaged with the platform and content which I feel really helps build brand awareness and loyalty. Breaktime is different from any other platform out there - making it helpful in reaching shoppers wherever they might be in their journey. I’ve been impressed over the years with how Breaktime has flexed its chops to stay relevant, including updating its platform and creating digital add-ons like add-to-cart for different retailers. Everyone I’ve worked with at Breaktime Media has been outstanding.