April Koda
Director of Trade Promotions
Simply Good Foods Co.
Main job responsibilities: I work on the development of national, channel and key customer strategy around pricing and promotions. This also includes budgeting, forecasting and developing promotional planning tools for our sales team. I serve as the liaison between finance and sales, with responsibility for our total trade budget, selling, general and administrative expenses, and revenue growth management. I lead an incredible team that manages our trade systems and ensures controls are in process for audit compliance.
How you win with shoppers during uncertain economic times: You have to be able to continuously adapt to the changing environment. What worked last year or even six months ago might not work today. Staying on top of trends, willing to take calculated risks and thinking outside the box have proven to be successful tactics for driving growth during these challenging times. Leaning in with digital initiatives has also proven to be a quick and efficient lever to utilize.
New marketing tactic that you use: Using the “always on” digital strategy in regard to digital coupons and discounts, such as buy and save. This has helped to increase basket size and capitalize on the growth of pickup and delivery while providing extra value to the shopper.Best career advice you’ve received: Control what you can control. It took me a long time to realize the value in this statement as I am a passionate person. It helps put things in perspective and allows you to focus on what actually matters.
Recent travels: I traveled to Japan this spring to celebrate my birthday with a group of friends. I am half-Japanese, so it was amazing to see where my family came from and learn more about my culture.
Scotty Mullins
Senior Expert Services Manager
Skai
Main job responsibilities: I work in the expert services team at Skai, which provides transitional support for clients who might be, for example, bringing their media programs in-house or in the middle of changing agencies. My team also provides strategic consulting and hands-on support. I specifically focus on retail media advertising. Day to day, my responsibilities include strategic planning, client enablement, account management and optimization of campaigns for some of the biggest consumer goods brands in the world.
How you help clients continue winning with shoppers: Skai’s AI-powered technology was designed to help advertisers drive efficiencies and effectiveness from their advertising campaigns. This proves incredibly valuable in times of economic uncertainty. We’re an open platform, so I’ve been working with a lot of advertisers to import their first-party data in order to optimize toward custom profitability metrics, for example. Or pulling in Amazon Marketing Stream data to ensure ads are appearing at the most lucrative time of day in order to overcome budget limitations.
New marketing tactic that you use: Off-site and offline tactics are increasingly becoming part of the retail media landscape. In our 2023 State of Retail Media study, we discovered that 76% of advertisers use search and social media to drive traffic to retail sites. Therefore, the last 12 months for us have been about taking retail media omnichannel. I’ve been driving clients to implement comprehensive omnichannel marketing strategies in order to find new creative efficiencies of scale and unify ad programs. By integrating retail, search and social channels, I’ve been able to push brands forward and create a seamless and consistent brand experience across various shopper touchpoints. Even more tactically than that, leveraging channels like search and social to drive traffic to retailers is a great way of tapping into new customers when you’ve maxed out the reach on a particular Amazon Ads keyword. It can help overcome rising cost per clicks, and the algorithmic rewards and brand referral bonuses can have a seriously positive impact on your bottom line.
Another key tactic is leveraging cross channel data-driven insights to understand customer behavior and preferences across different channels. This has allowed clients to develop targeted marketing campaigns that resonate with shoppers, regardless of their preferred platform. By tailoring our messaging and creative assets to suit each channel, my clients have effectively engaged with customers at every stage of their purchasing journey.
Moving forward, prioritizing and refining clients' omnichannel marketing approach is at the forefront. Adapting strategies to leverage new technologies and platforms that offer the most promising opportunities for our clients. I'm a firm believer that a robust omnichannel presence, seamlessly integrating retail, search and social channels, will be the key driver of success in the future of marketing.
Best career advice you’ve received: Never stop learning and embrace change. In the rapidly evolving field of e-commerce and retail media, staying up to date with the latest trends, technologies and consumer behaviors is crucial. By continuously expanding my knowledge and skill set, I can better serve my clients and provide innovative solutions that drive their success.
Time and again I’ve learned it's essential to maintain a curious and open mindset, continuously seeking knowledge and embracing change as a catalyst for personal and professional development.
Memorable aha moment in your career: Realizing the significance of synchronized omnichannel marketing. I recognized that by aligning messaging and experiences across retailers and platforms, we could create a seamless customer journey. This approach led to increased brand recognition, customer loyalty and higher conversion rates.
Summer plans: I want to explore the Pacific Northwest and Canada. I also want to play as much golf as possible.
