Dollar General, Coca-Cola, and other brands targeting the U.S. consumer right now. Check out our prior Sales Leads columns.
Dollar General
One of the US’s largest discount retailers, Dollar General, is testing cashier-less checkout technology at a store in North Carolina, Insider reported. To do so, the company partnered with AI retail tech company AiFi to offer cashier-less technology in Banner Elk, N.C., reports Business Insider. AiFi is a startup that positions itself against Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology, which the e-commerce giant debuted several years ago in its Amazon Go convenience stores, and currently has systems in over 100 stores globally. The startup uses a camera-only solution that doesn’t require weighted shelves, a move that reportedly significantly reduces the deployment cost and time. AiFi leverages advanced tracking algorithms that can scale up to 10,000 square feet to support various shopper journeys such as an app, credit card, gated or hybrid entry.AiFi works with partners such as ALDI, Carrefour, Choice Market, Sodexo, Compass Group, Live Nation, and Żabka, Poland’s largest convenience store chain. Goodlettsville, Tenn.-based Dollar General operated 19,294 Dollar General, DG Market, DGX and pOpshelf stores across the United States, and Mi Súper Dollar General stores in Mexico. The company is No. 16 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
Coca-Cola
In one of the most significant partnerships in the Federation’s history, U.S. Soccer and Coca-Cola North America have reached a long-term agreement that will substantially impact the game in this country. The partnership will support the growth of the game at every level of the U.S. soccer ecosystem while leveraging Coca-Cola’s iconic global reach to connect with fans around the world. Throughout the partnership, Coca-Cola and U.S. Soccer will build legacy events that shine a light on domestic talent and increase opportunities for all U.S. Youth National Teams and Extended National Teams to grow the sport and increase participation in soccer in all its forms.Coca-Cola will also help raise the visibility of U.S. Women’s and Men’s National Teams through digital content activations, helping to bring fans of soccer together while enabling them to share their love for the game. The partnership provides a significant opportunity to raise the visibility of the sport in the U.S. as several majors soccer events will be played in the country in the coming years, starting with this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup, followed by the 2024 Copa America, the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, and then the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, which will be one of the largest sporting events in the world, and the 2028 Olympic Games which will be hosted in Los Angeles. U.S. Soccer also joined the Mexican Football Federation to launch a combined bid to host the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.The U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams will also be competing in several premier soccer events globally in the coming years, kicking off with the USWNT competing later this summer for their third straight title at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. One year later, the USWNT and Under-23 Men’s National Team will compete in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Bacardi
BACARDÍ’s Stadium Goods SNEAK3ASY campaign will continue in markets nationwide through 2023 – in Chicago ahead of Lollapalooza, in San Francisco ahead of Outside Lands, and in Miami and Houston in August. There also will be several global activations. Throughout the summer, BACARDÍ will host smaller-scale partnerships in Austria, Spain, and New Zealand with BACARDÍ parties in local Sneaker stores. At the end of October, Bacardi will celebrate the end of the Summer festival season with a similar SNEAK3ASY event in Amsterdam with a local retail partner in the days leading up to Amsterdam Dance Event. Check out our interview with Roberto Ramirez Laverde, Global Senior Vice President of BACARDÍ Rum, where he provides insights about this great experiential marketing example, including its amplification, measurement, and results.
Solutions for Change
Global marketing agency InnoVision Marketing Group has been appointed agency of record for the nonprofit organization Solutions for Change, which is dedicated to solving the root causes of homelessness and transforming the lives of individuals and families in need. InnoVision Marketing Group currently represents three other nonprofit clients, Fresh Start Surgical Gifts, National Native American Human Resources Association (NNAHRA) and the Fentanyl United Crisis Coalition (FUCC). Under this new partnership, InnoVision Marketing Group will collaborate closely with Solutions for Change to develop a comprehensive marketing and communications strategy. The agency’s team will work hand in hand with Solutions for Change’s dedicated team to raise awareness, engage the community and drive increased support for the organization’s critical programs.
National Auto Parts, NAP San Diego & National Auto Parts-Oakland
Palladium Equity Partners (along with its joint venture affiliate, “Palladium Heritage“), has partnered with management to create a platform named Collision Auto Parts LLC, through the simultaneous acquisition and subsequent combination of three automotive aftermarket collision repair part companies –– National Auto Parts, USA. Inc., NAP San Diego, LLC, and National Auto Parts-Oakland, LLC (collectively “Collision Auto Parts” or the “Company”). The goal of Collision Auto Parts is to grow these three companies and, over time, expand the company’s base through further acquisitions and opening additional locations. Financial terms were not disclosed. As a result of this combination, Collision Auto Parts has become a leading distributor of aftermarket automotive collision repair parts serving markets in the Western U.S. with six distribution facilities. The newly formed Company will build on a loyal and tenured base of over 3,000 customers comprised of regional body shops, multiple-shop operators and walk-ins. Since its founding in 1997, Palladium has invested in more than 200 companies. The partners of the firm have meaningful experience in consumer, services, industrials, and healthcare businesses, with a special focus on companies they believe will benefit from the growth in the U.S. Hispanic population.
At this exclusive event on Sept. 21, 2023, Brand Decision Makers and Marketing Service Suppliers will share and accelerate knowledge on crucial topics, including multicultural marketing, e-commerce marketing, and leveraging marketing technologies. To find out about networking solutions at Portada Live involving many brand decision-makers, please contact Sales Coordinator Michelle Lopez at [email protected].
PepsiCo
PepsiCo, Inc. announced the 10 finalists chosen to participate in the Greenhouse Accelerator Program: Juntos Crecemos (Together We Grow) Edition, the program focused on supporting emerging Hispanic businesses. The 10 Hispanic-owned businesses chosen to participate in this year’s cohort include CHUZA Inc, Date Better Snacks, Dathic, FoodWare, Hyfé, I Eat My Greens, Katrina Brewing Co, Pisqueya, Tia Lupita® Foods, and TRUE SPIRIT BEVERAGE COMPANY. This edition of the Greenhouse Accelerator has partnered with PepsiCo Juntos Crecemos – a multifaceted platform part of PepsiCo’s Racial Equality Journey designed to provide short and long-term support to Hispanic small businesses over five years. Announced at a launch event in Plano, Texas, the finalist will receive a US$20,000 grant and mentorship and the opportunity to secure even more funding later this year. In August, each will have a chance to showcase the progress made due to the support received from the Greenhouse Accelerator. In November, an expert selection committee will award the business with the highest potential an additional US$100,000 to continue its expansion and opportunities to work with PepsiCo and Juntos Crecemos. The Greenhouse Accelerator program launched in Europe in 2016 and expanded to North America in 2018. This is the eighth Greenhouse Accelerator program, and the objective remains the same.
