CPGmatters: Study of Hispanic Shopping Behavior to Enhance J&J's Go-to-Market Strategy
Through a special arrangement, what follows is an excerpt of a current article from CPGmatters, a monthly e-zine, presented here for discussion.
A landmark study of Hispanic shopping behavior will enhance Johnson & Johnson's go-to-market strategy for health and beauty care (HBC) products.
The largest in-store study ever done on the subject took place in 13 main Hispanic markets and involved 12 HBC categories. Over 7,000 personal interviews took place in stores operated by seven retailers in four trade channels: grocery (three retailers), chain drug (two), mass (one), and bodega (one). Meyers Research conducted the interviews in English and Spanish.
In an interview with CPGmatters, Jon Troy, manager of shopper insights for the recently created Johnson & Johnson Center of Excellence, said J&J found that Hispanic shoppers are less inclined to ask questions about HBC products in the store because - unlike food and beverages - the questions and products can be personal. Another factor that underscores the need for good communication, he added, is the implications for safety since many Hispanic consumers may not be fluent in English. Several brands in J&J's product portfolio are therapeutic and call for a complete understanding of dosage limits.
Because of proprietary reasons, he was reluctant to share any specifics of how J&J's go-to-market strategy would change. However, Mr. Troy revealed three key takeaways from the study:
• The Hispanic shopping trip is a family event. "How do we make sure that it is an atmosphere for the family and not just for an individual?" asked Mr. Troy. "From a marketing and advertising standpoint, we need to make sure our in-store vehicles are talking to a family."
• The shopping experience for less acculturated Hispanic consumers is not easy. "There are safety and quality issues at play that are an obligation for us," he said.
• The Hispanic shopper wants an ideal shopping experience in a store that has large shelves and is easy to navigate.
"Many Hispanic are living in two worlds, the homeland and the new land. To bring these two together in a store environment is the key. Our learning has become an influence for our go-to-market strategy and plans," said Mr. Troy.
The knowledge gained through the study builds on the learning that J&J acquired two years ago with "VIDA NUESTRA," a Hispanic health and wellness retail marketing program that traveled to stores and Hispanic festivals. "VIDA NUESTRA" included the mobile marketing tour as well as a proprietary health and wellness publication, health assessments, and fully integrated public relations campaign.
"Together they will help us build a strategy to go to market," Mr. Troy said of the past and current initiatives. "We have great benchmarks. We can talk to a retailer and understand how their Hispanic consumers behaved and learn specific shopping behaviors and associated attitudes. We can compare that to a broader base. What is it about a Hispanic consumer in a particular retailer versus other consumers in general?"
Discussion Questions: Did anything surprise you about the core findings of J&J'S Hispanic study or their approach to the Hispanic market? Where do you think retailers and brands are still falling short in their attempts to incorporate Hispanic consumers into the shopping experience?