Steve Zurek
VP, Thought Leadership at NielsenIQ

Steve is a CPG industry veteran with more than 30 years of experience in sales and category development, having worked for PepsiCo, Procter and Gamble, Gillette, Quaker Oats and GSK Consumer Health prior to joining NIQ. He is the Thought Leadership Lead for North America Analytic Sales and is responsible for thought leadership content, focusing on the future of CPG, and integrating a client-side perspective into the NIQ Specialty Sales processes. Steve has an MBA from and is an advisory board member for The Heller College of Business at Roosevelt University in Chicago, Illinois.

About NielsenIQ

NielsenIQ (NIQ) is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behaviour and revealing new pathways to growth. NIQ combined with GfK in 2023, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. Today NIQ has operations in more than 95 countries covering 97% of GDP. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights—delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms—NIQ delivers the Full ViewTM. For more information, visit niq.com. 

About MiQ

We’re MiQ, a tech-enabled programmatic media partner for marketers and agencies. We connect data from multiple sources to do interesting, exciting, business-problem-solving things for our clients. We’re experts in data science, analytics, and programmatic trading, and our team is always ready to react and solve challenges quickly, ensuring you’re always spending your media investments on the right things in the right places. Headquartered in London, MiQ operates globally from 18 offices located across North America, Europe, and APAC. Our company has been recognized numerous times for our stellar contributions both internally and externally, including Insider’s 2023 Hottest AdTech Company list,  Best Workplaces™ in Canada 2024, and AdExchanger’s Programmatic Power Players list since its inception in 2020. For more information, visit wearemiq.com. 

New NIQ Retail Spend Barometer provides a comprehensive overview of the FMCG and T&D market in Austria

Vienna, September 11, 2024 – In Austria, private spending on everyday consumer goods (FMCG) and technical durables (tech & durables) increased by 2% in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the same period last year. This is reflected in a total turnover of 8.8 billion euros. While consumers spent more on everyday goods, they saved on technical devices. This is according to the new NIQ Retail Spend Barometer. It combines data from the NIQ and GfK retail panels to provide a holistic insight into market potential and developments in Austria and many other countries. 

The hot April 2024 and the European Football Championship (EURO 2024) led to noticeable increases in sales in various categories. Frozen ice cream benefited from the summer weather and recorded an 11% increase in sales. The European Championships also influenced sales figures for alcoholic beverages, savory snacks, some confectionery and frozen pizza snacks. Fresh fruit also increased by 8%, driven by the increased use of discount offers.  

One special feature is the exceptionally high density of supermarkets in Austria, which is twice as high as in Germany. This has led to increased competition among supermarkets, many of which are responding with promotions – every third euro is now spent on special offers. Sales of energy drinks increased by 8 percent thanks to targeted promotions. Since inflation, the importance of discounts has continued to grow, with not only full-range retailers but also discounters increasingly relying on promotions such as 1+1. 

Austrian consumers buy very selectively: they deliberately wait for the ideal time to benefit from the best offers,” says Oliver Schmitz, responsible for retail at NIQ/GfK in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. “It is therefore essential for retailers to develop a market- and competition-oriented pricing strategy in combination with attractive promotions and to implement it successfully with the help of dynamic pricing tactics.  This is particularly important during high-turnover promotional periods such as Christmas and Halloween in order to increase sales in this highly competitive market environment and secure important margins with the right pricing.”  

Decline in inflation and European Football Championships drive consumption  

Frankfurt am Main / Nuremberg, September 11, 2024 – In Germany, private spending on everyday consumer goods (FMCG) and consumer durables (tech & durables) rose slightly by 0.8% in the second quarter of 2024. While the FMCG market grew, the overall market for technical consumer goods declined slightly compared to the same period last year. Based on the third NIQ Retail Spend Barometer, the retail experts from NIQ/GfK analyze which factors played a role and how the European Football Championship affected the development.  

Total sales of food and drugstore products in Germany rose by 2.4 percent in the second quarter. The reasons for this are the falling inflation rate and an overall higher propensity to buy. Drugstores in particular developed positively. The personal care category, for example, recorded sales growth of 6.1%.  Tobacco products also contributed to growth with an increase of 4.4% compared to the same period last year. The cigarette product group increased by 122 million euros in the second quarter. The increase is purely price-driven, with sales in packs declining. The situation is different for e-cigarettes: These are growing in terms of turnover and sales, driven primarily by sticks, the core component of the e-cigarette.    

About the Study

The NIQ Retail Spend Barometer by GfK intelligence provides a complete overview of UAE spend for the FMCG sector (beverages, fresh food, healthcare, personal care, baby care) and the T&D sector (technical consumer goods, household appliances and DIY). This cross-category and cross-channel overview is based on real sales data and is published every quarter to illustrate household spending priorities. 

About NielsenIQ

NielsenIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behaviour and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NielsenIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights—delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms—NielsenIQ delivers the Full View™.  

NielsenIQ is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90% of the world’s population. For more information, visit NIQ.com.  

About GfK – a NielsenIQ Company

For 90 years, clients around the world have trusted us to provide data-driven answers to key questions for their decision-making processes. We support their growth through our comprehensive understanding of buying behavior and the dynamics that influence markets, brands, and media trends. In 2023, industry leaders GfK and NielsenIQ have merged to offer their clients unparalleled global reach. With a holistic view of retail and the most comprehensive consumer insights, provided by forward-looking analytics on state-of-the-art platforms, GfK is driving “Growth from Knowledge.” More information is available at www.gfk.com. 

• Sales in fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), home technologies, and durable goods in Spain surpassed 36 billion euros during the second quarter of 2024. 
• The study shows that consumers in Spain have increased their spending by 5.1% on food, technological equipment, and durable goods compared to the previous year. The rise in food expenditures can be attributed to a decrease in prices for these products, while the surge in sales of consumer electronics is due to the SD broadcast switch-off and the European Football Championship.

FMCG: food prices continue to decline 

The second quarter of the year in the consumer goods sector continued to reflect the trends observed in the preceding months, with prices showing a moderate increase of 3.0% and volumes experiencing a 1.9% rise. Notably, fresh produce saw an increase in volume, albeit not uniformly across all categories. Eggs and meat experienced growth, while fresh fish continued to decline sharply. Vegetables and bread showed moderate growth, and fruit remained stable. 

It is worth noting that the volume of fresh fish not consumed as frozen fish is minimal, indicating a shift towards frozen ready meals. This is evidenced by a 7% increase in volume for frozen ready meals, suggesting a transfer from fresh fish consumption. 

Within the ambient foods category, nuts, to which positive health properties are attributed, and snacks, most often consumed during moments of indulgence, continue to show high increases in volume, of 9.3% and 4.3%, respectively, and in value for nuts, with 9.4% (3.8% for snacks). It should be noted that the price increase in olive oil continues to penalize the evolution of the volume of this category, which fell by 22%. The data currently being analysed regarding production expectations for this season gives cause for optimism regarding the potential moderation of prices and the anticipated recovery of consumption. 

The decrease in beverage consumption in on-trade establishments did not directly translate to the home, except for wines, which experienced a slight increase. The consumption of soft drinks, beer, and high-alcohol beverages also declined in households. However, there seems to be a trend towards shifting from on-trade establishments to home consumption in categories such as coffees, infusions, and breakfast products like cookies and pastries. 

In the personal care sector, the importance of image is becoming increasingly significant for many consumers. Facial care and makeup products have experienced substantial growth, with a volume increase of 11% and an 8% increase in value. Additionally, oral care has shown dynamic growth, with an 8% increase in demand. Hair care and fragrances are also contributing to the growth of this sector. 

Conversely, the food sector has seen a decline of 5% in volume, which aligns with the decreasing birth rate in Spain. It is worth noting, however, that pet food continues to experience growth, with a 3% increase in weight sold. 

T&D records its best data in years 

During the second quarter of 2024, the technology and durable goods market in Spain experienced 5.1% growth in spending compared to the same period last year, marking the largest increase in recent years. Spending on these items by families continues to be positive, a fact of enormous relevance given the importance of the home for Spaniards and its role as an engine of the Spanish economy. The study highlights that all the categories analysed showed positive growth. 

Upon further analysis of the results above, it is evident that the consumer technology goods market is experiencing a positive trend for the third consecutive quarter, with a notable 4.4% increase in sales. Particularly noteworthy is the outstanding performance in the television category, driven by the start of broadcasts exclusively in high definition (HD) in February and the excitement surrounding sporting events such as the European Football Championship. Spain’s victory in the championship further fueled consumer interest and led to a significant 27% growth in demand for television units. This sustained momentum in sales underscores the continued relevance and appeal of consumer technology goods in the market. It is noteworthy to mention the significant improvement in the performance of the Telecommunications sector, driven by the increasing popularity of smartphones, particularly in the high-end market segments. Additionally, there has been a notable increase in the sales of tablets, with a 22% rise in volume and a 21% increase in value. Furthermore, wearable devices have experienced a surge in demand, with a growth rate in the double digits, specifically a 30% increase. While the DIY and home improvement sector has experienced positive results, albeit to a lesser extent, with an additional 2.5% increase in sales, the driving force behind this trend can be attributed to climatic factors, particularly the role of air conditioning. Last year, during the second quarter, a period of unusually high temperatures resulted in a surge in sales and volume within this category. However, this year, the market has faced challenges due to mild weather conditions, leading to a significant decline in sales.

Furthermore, it is worth noting the notable increases in home automation and security products, such as alarms. These advancements in technology have contributed to the overall growth and diversification of the market. 

In contrast, household appliances experienced a notable increase of 1.2%, marking a significant improvement compared to the same period last year. This growth was primarily driven by the resurgence of small household appliances (PAE) across various categories. Notably, vacuum cleaners saw a substantial 17% increase in sales, mirroring the growth seen in coffee makers. Additionally, personal care products, such as hair stylers, experienced a surge in demand with a 16% increase during the second quarter. 

Furthermore, within the durable goods sector, leisure products emerged as the top performers, boasting double-digit sales growth in terms of value. Books saw a remarkable 16% increase in sales, while music products followed closely behind with a 13% growth. Optical products also demonstrated strong performance, with a 14% increase in glass sales. The market witnessed robust demand for models featuring advanced features across all these categories. 

Overall, the second quarter showcased a positive trend in the durable goods sector, with household appliances and leisure products leading the way in terms of sales growth and consumer demand. 

Antonio de Santos, the Retailer Vertical Director of NIQ in Spain, says that “the FMCG market in the second quarter of 2024 is following a similar trend to the beginning of the year. Food inflation is gradually moderating, approaching levels that can be considered normal. However, it is important to note that the cost of the shopping basket is still 30% higher than before the pandemic, impacting the purchasing decisions of many households”. 

De Santos also highlighted that the volume of mass consumption remains strong, supported by record-breaking tourism numbers. “This positive trend is particularly evident in Autonomous Communities that are heavily reliant on tourism. This influx of tourists is contributing to the overall positive evolution of the market”. 

“In conclusion, despite the challenges posed by food inflation and the lingering effects of the pandemic, the FMCG market in Spain is showing resilience and adaptability. It is crucial for retailers to stay informed and agile in order to navigate these changing market dynamics successfully” he adds. 

Fernando Gómez Retail Head of GfK in Spain stated that “The T&D market in Spain remains a compelling sector for buyers, as homes continue to serve as hubs for leisure, work, and education. Despite the impact of inflation on purchasing power, consumers are not hesitating to invest in replacement and renovation. The growth of 5.1% in the second quarter is the highest in recent years, and this positive trend is evident across various categories including technological consumer goods, DIY and home improvement, leisure, and health”. 

“A significant portion of consumer spending is driven by ongoing promotions from retailers, particularly through online channels which are increasingly integrated with physical stores through omnichannel strategies. As we approach the latter part of the year, with Back to School and Christmas campaigns on the horizon, promotions will play a crucial role in stimulating consumer activity amidst a potential slowdown in overall consumption. While certain markets like televisions may become saturated, others will remain resilient, resulting in a slightly positive trend for the market by year-end” he adds. 

About the study

NIQ’s Retail Spending Barometer examines sales in FMCG, as well as technology equipment and durable goods (T&D) in Spain. It tracks actual sales figures and measures changes in past purchasing trends. Categories analyzed in consumer goods include fresh and packaged foods, home care and personal care products, and T&D categories include consumer technology goods, household appliances and DIY. The data comes from NielsenIQ and GfK’s retail market measurements, which together measure sales for more than 350,000 retail partners worldwide. 

Press Contacts

NIQ
Susana Gómez, susana@finzelpr.com, 649 845 649 

Piers Finzel, piers@finzelpr.com, 666 178 028 

GfK

Antonieta Martín Martin, antonieta.martin@nielseniq.com 915 919 940 

Alicia Medina, alicia@medinacomunicacion.com, 630 52 75 53 

About NIQ 

NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, providing the most comprehensive understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new avenues for growth. In 2023, NIQ merged with GfK, uniting the two industry leaders with unprecedented global reach. NIQ is a portfolio company of Advent International, operating in more than 100 markets and covering more than 90% of the world’s population. 

For more information, visit www.NIQ.com 

GfK – An NIQ Company      

GfK has earned the trust of its clients around the world by solving critical aspects of their decision-making process. In 2023, GfK merged with NIQ, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. Together they drive clients’ growth by providing them with a comprehensive understanding of their consumers’ buying behavior, as well as the dynamics and trends impacting their markets, brands and media. With a holistic reading of distribution and the most comprehensive consumer insights, delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms, NIQ and GfK offer The Full View™, a complete view of consumer buying behavior.  

For more information, visit GfK.com  and NIQ.com.

• FMCG expenditure crossed the 31 billion euros mark, with a slight value decline of -0.1% from April to June 2023 
• Sharply curbed decline in sales of T&D products compared to previous months, standing at -0.7% in value with nearly 15 billion euros in revenue 

Slowdown in consumer goods growth 

Between April and June 2024, the FMCG sector saw a slight decline in sales (-0.1% vs Q2 2023), which still exceeded 31 billion euros.  

According to the NIQ Retail Spend Barometer, Personal Care products, worth 1.8 billion euros, achieved solid growth, up +6.8% compared to the same period last year, as did Home Care, 1.5 billion euros, which again saw +3.9% growth compared to April-June 2023. Petcare (around 600 millions) also performed well, with growth of +3.3% compared to the second quarter of 2023. 

The sectors of Shelf-stable food and Dairy decreased -2.5% and -2.6% in value (again Q2 2024 vs Q2 2023), with a turnover of 5 billion and 3 billion euros respectively. 

Romolo De Camillis, Retailer Director at NIQ Italy, commented “In the second quarter of the year, the gradual return of inflation to normal levels had an impact on sales. In particular, FMCG slowed down, mainly due to prices, and closed the quarter with a slightly negative trend compared to 2023 (-0.1%). Contrary to the FMCG average, home & personal care recorded positive trends”. 

Tech & Durables (T&D) market data for Q2 2024 

In Italy, the Tech & Durables (T&D) market slowed down its decline in the second quarter of 2024 and reached a turnover of almost 14.8 billion euros, with a decrease of -0.7% compared to the second quarter of 2023. 

In particular, the Technical Consumer Goods (TCG) sector – which includes consumer electronics, telecom, IT & office equipment, photography and other technology goods – has a turnover of 2.7 billions, in the second quarter, down -4.5% compared to Q2 2023. 

Ivano Garavaglia, CS Retail Lead & RV Sales Deputy at NIQ Italy commented: “T&D sales also remained slightly below last year’s levels in the quarter (-0.7%), interrupting the period of significant decline seen in previous quarters. Good signs of growth in DIY / Home Improvement (+0.9% vs. Q2 2023 for a value of 6.7 billion this quarter) and Home Appliances (+0.7% vs. Q2 2023 for a value of 1.6 billion). Also worth mentioning is the Tech Consumer Goods sector which, although still negative, has shown an improvement over the last four quarters. From a qualitative point of view, even in the data of the last few months, we observe a continuous reassessment of spending by Italians, who are quickly changing their purchasing choices according to their needs and price trends”. 

“The market is evolving. Consumer behavior is evolving. Consumers are not just buying FMCG or T&D, they are buying across categories, departments, aisles and channels. The total synergy between NIQ and GfK provides decision makers with an analysis of FMCG and T&D purchases from a global level down to the capillary level, providing a total view of buyer behavior. It really is a ‘Total Package’” comments Enzo Frasio, Managing Director of NIQ & GfK in Italy. 

For more information, please visit https://nielseniq.com/global/it/landing-page/retail-spend-barometer-italy/  https://nielseniq.com/global/it/landing-page/retail-spend-barometer-italy/  

Notes

The NIQ Retail Spend Barometer examines consumer spending on FMCG and T&D products in Germany. It tracks real sales figures and measures changes in past purchase trends. The FMCG categories covered include food, groceries, perishables and near-food, and the T&D categories include technical consumer goods, household appliances and DIY. The data comes from NielsenIQ and GfK retail market measurement, which together measure the sales of over 350,000 retail partners worldwide. 

Media Relations – Doppia Elica

Milena Ronzoni m.ronzoni@doppiaelica.com +39 02 40 999 3817 

Alessandra Colao a.colao@doppiaelica.com +39 02 40 999 3223 

Giulia Leoni g.leoni@doppiaelica.com +39 02 40 999 2256 

About NIQ 

NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights—delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms—NIQ delivers the Full View™.  NIQ, is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90 percent of the world’s population. For more information, visit NIQ.com. 

About GfK – An NIQ Company      

GfK has earned the trust of our clients around the world by solving critical questions in their decision-making process. In 2023, GfK combined with NIQ, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. Together, we fuel client’s growth by providing a complete understanding of their consumers’ buying behavior, and the dynamics impacting their markets, brands and media trends. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights – delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms – NIQ and GfK deliver the Full View™.   For more information, visit GfK.com  

About the study

The NIQ Retail Spend Barometer examines consumer spending on FMCG and T&D products in Netherlands. It tracks real sales figures and measures changes in past purchase trends. The FMCG categories covered include food, groceries, perishables and near-food, and the T&D categories include technical consumer goods, household appliances, DIY and clothing. The data comes from NielsenIQ and GfK retail market measurement, which together measure the sales of over 350,000 retail partners worldwide. 

About GfK

For over 89 years, we have earned the trust of our clients around the world by solving critical questions in their decision-making process. We fuel their growth by providing a complete understanding of their consumers’ buying behavior, and the dynamics impacting their markets, brands and media trends. In 2023, GfK combined with NIQ, bringing together two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights – delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms – GfK drives “Growth from Knowledge”. For more information, visit www.gfk.com. 

About NIQ

NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights – delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms – NIQ delivers the Full View™.  

NIQ, is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90 percent of the world’s population. For more information, visit www.NIQ.com. 

About the method

Through its retail panels, GfK regularly collects POS (point of sales) data in more than 70 countries worldwide for the consumer electronics, photography, telecommunications, information technology, office equipment, and small and large household appliances sectors. All figures are according to GfK panel market, with global data excluding North America and presented in US dollars NSP (non-subsides price), except stated otherwise. 
 

* Germany On Premise Consumer Pulse Report, CGA by NIQ, March 2024  
 

Media contact: ​Eva Böhm​, ​public.relations@smb.nielseniq.com​ 

GfK – a NielsenIQ company 

For 90 years, we have earned the trust of our clients around the world by solving critical questions in their decision-making process. We fuel their growth by providing a complete understanding of their consumers’ buying behavior, and the dynamics impacting their markets, brands and media trends. In 2023, GfK combined with NielsenIQ, bringing together two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights – delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms – GfK drives “Growth from Knowledge”. 

For more information, visit GfK.com. 

About the method

Through its retail panels, GfK regularly collects POS (point of sales) data in more than 70 countries worldwide for the consumer electronics, photography, telecommunications, information technology, office equipment, and small and large household appliances sectors. All figures are according to GfK panel market, with global data excluding North America and presented in US dollars NSP (non-subsides price), except stated otherwise. 
GfK – a NielsenIQ company 

For 90 years, we have earned the trust of our clients around the world by solving critical questions in their decision-making process. We fuel their growth by providing a complete understanding of their consumers’ buying behavior, and the dynamics impacting their markets, brands and media trends. In 2023, GfK combined with NielsenIQ, bringing together two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights – delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms – GfK drives “Growth from Knowledge”. 

For more information, visit GfK.com. 

Media contact: ​Eva Böhm​, ​public.relations@smb.nielseniq.com​ 

^{About NielsenIQ}

NIQ (NielsenIQ) is the global leader in consumer intelligence, providing the most comprehensive understanding of consumer purchasing behavior and revealing new growth opportunities. In 2023, NIQ joined forces with GfK, bringing together two industry leaders with unrivaled global reach. With a holistic view of distribution and the most comprehensive consumer insights – delivered by advanced analytics on cutting-edge platforms – NIQ offers the most complete vision – the Full View.  

NIQ is a portfolio company of Advent International, operating in over 100 markets, covering over 90% of the world’s population. For more information, visit nielseniq.com 

^{About GfK | a NielsenIQ company} 

GfK has earned the trust of customers around the world by solving critical challenges in their decision-making process. In 2023, GfK merged with NielsenIQ, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled international reach. Together, we fuel our clients’ growth by providing a comprehensive understanding of their consumers’ purchasing behavior and the dynamics impacting their markets, brands and media trends. Thanks to a holistic vision of distribution channels and the most complete consumer insights – enriched with advanced analyzes and recommendations via our digital platforms – NielsenIQ and GfK offer the Full View™.   

Chicago, IL – August 15, 2024 – NielsenIQ (NIQ), a global leader in retail measurement, is thrilled to announce it has entered into a new cooperation agreement with The Fresh Market, a specialty food retailer celebrated for its fresh-focused offerings. This cooperation is poised to support The Fresh Market as they continue to grow and reinvent the grocery experience.

“We are delighted to work with The Fresh Market, a leader in delivering exceptional shopping experiences. This agreement marks a significant step forward in our commitment to provide the Full View^TM of the consumer wherever they shop. NIQ’s solutions recognize that traditional channel boundaries are blurring and ensure that every retailer is considered as part of this dynamic space. The Fresh Market is an exciting and important addition to our measurement universe.”

Raha Alavi, Senior Vice President Retail at NIQ.

Operating globally, NIQ provides unparalleled data and insights across both in-store and online channels. With industry-leading POS truth sets, large sample sizes, and comprehensive product data, NIQ ensures unmatched data quality. This new cooperation will significantly enhance The Fresh Market’s understanding of consumer behavior and support its commitment to quality and innovation across all channels.

“We are excited to expand our capabilities with NIQ’s solutions to better serve our customers,” said Giorgio Bianchetti, Chief Merchandising Officer at The Fresh Market. “This new partnership allows us to leverage industry-leading data and insights, enhancing our understanding of consumer behavior and preferences. By integrating NIQ’s comprehensive measurement tools, we are committed to continuously innovating and elevating the grocery experience for our shoppers.”

Chicago, IL – August 7, 2024 – NielsenIQ (NIQ), a global leader in consumer intelligence, proudly announces the expansion of its Pet Channel with the introduction of Total US Pet Channel Plus. This groundbreaking channel, unlike any other, seamlessly integrates pet retail segments, including conventional retailers (xAOC), specialty pet retailers, farm and feed stores, neighborhood pet shops, online platforms, and pure-play e-commerce retailers. This expansion provides an unparalleled one-channel view with the broadest pet coverage available in the industry, offering unique insights and opportunities for growth.

NIQ’s Total US Pet Channel Plus offers a full view of the total pet market, encompassing expansive coverage of in-store and online sales across pet consumables and supplies. With the only holistic view of the pet industry, NIQ delivers the most comprehensive insights into the pet care industry. Key benefits of Total US Pet Channel Plus:

• Complete Coverage: NIQ’s Pet Channel Plus includes exclusive specialty pet retailers, providing powerful and actionable insights. Whether you analyze sales trends or identify growth opportunities, this comprehensive coverage ensures you have the full picture.

• Unmatched Pet Item Coverage & Attribution: NIQ delivers custom pet characteristics and robust product attribution with the industry’s most extensive pet item database. This granularity allows for a deeper understanding of market dynamics and consumer preferences.
• Measuring the Omni Landscape: NIQ has embarked on a multi-year journey to merge in-store and online purchase data into one cohesive universe. Pet Channel Plus provides a complete market view, bridging the physical and digital retail gap.

• Pet Industry Leadership: NIQ stands at the forefront of the pet care industry. As the preferred partner for pet retailers and manufacturers, the company plays a critical role in market measurement. NIQ’s pet insights support organizations like the American Pet Products Association (APPA), and the World Pet Association (WPA), and IndiePet providing you with the confidence and reassurance that you are working with a trusted leader in the industry.

“The launch of NIQ’s Total US Pet Channel Plus is a game-changer for the CPG industry. This comprehensive channel offers a full view of the pet market, covering in-store and online sales across pet consumables and supplies. It will empower manufacturers and retailers with critical insights, enabling innovation and understanding pet owners’ evolving needs.”

Raha Alavi, SVP Retail with NIQ

Understanding the $83.3 billion omnichannel pet market is crucial, especially with 40% of pet care sales now occurring online. However, many shoppers continue to utilize a blended approach to pet care shopping, combining online and in-store experiences. Gen Z consumers, in particular, start shopping online and are heavily influenced by social media, yet they spend more in mass merchandise stores than any previous generation. As consumer behavior continues to evolve, understanding online and offline pet shopping behavior is critical for strategic planning.

NIQ’s comprehensive coverage and actionable insights enable decision-makers to adapt to changing consumer behaviors and strategically plan for the future. Whether it’s optimizing product assortments, enhancing marketing strategies, or refining supply chain operations, the insights from Total US Pet Channel Plus empower stakeholders to effectively meet the needs of today’s pet owners and capitalize on emerging opportunities in the market.

Kenny Juskowiak
Managing Director, Emerging Brands at NielsenIQ

Kenny Juskowiak is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in data and analytics solutions. Currently serving as Managing Director of Emerging Brands at NielsenIQ, Kenny plays a pivotal role in driving insights and strategies for clients in the consumer goods industry. With a background in Brand Strategy, Marketing Research, Big Data Analytics, Creative Problem Solving, Kenny brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his role. He is dedicated to empowering businesses with data-driven insights to enhance decision-making and drive growth. Kenny’s passion for innovation and his commitment to delivering exceptional results make him a valuable asset to the NielsenIQ team.

Future plans as a Champion of Good

While NIQ Singapore will proudly hold the Champion of Good title for the next three years, the company plans to leverage this recognition as a catalyst for further positive impact. The NIQ Singapore team intends to share best practices and learnings from its Inclusion and Impact Team with other markets to expand the social impact driven by NIQ. Further, the team expressed a commitment to building upon this success by strengthening partnerships and driving greater impact within NIQ and the broader community.

NIQ Singapore’s path to Champion of Good

NVPC’s Company of Good initiative aims to recognize the contributions of organizations in Singapore for their commitment at the national level to corporate purpose and impact in the People, Society, Governance, Environment and Economic dimensions.

Large enterprises, small and medium-sized enterprises (including social enterprises), and public service agencies can receive recognition as “Companies of Good.” These recognitions include the highest accolade, “Champion of Good,” as well as designations such as “Company of Good – 3 Hearts,” “Company of Good – 2 Hearts,” and “Company of Good – 1 Heart.”

NIQ’s recognition as a Champion of Good was the result of a comprehensive evaluation process involving a 55-question form to understand policies, practices, quantitative indicators, target setting and external stakeholder engagement. This is then followed up by an interview and a final stage of presenting to a panel of esteemed NVPC senior management and business leaders.

• Growth in spending on FMCG in Q2 2024 largely remained flat with just a 1.3% uplift compared with the same period last year  
• The Tech & Durables (T&D) market also experienced a decline in sales, falling to -4.5% compared with Q2 2023, primarily impacted by the decline in DIY & Home Improvement, which fell from -0.2% in Q1 to -4.1% in Q2 2024  

London, UK, 30 July 2024: UK shoppers spent a total of £51.4bn on FMCG in Q2 2024, this is just a 1.3% uplift compared with the same period last year. New data also reveals that the Tech & Durables (T&D) market continued to struggle in Q2, with an overall decline of 4.5% compared with the same period last year. This is according to new insight from the NIQ Retail Spend Barometer, which has been powered by GfK intelligence. The tool measures the turnover in sales of FMCG and non-food consumer products sold in retail stores across the UK.

The NIQ Retail Spend Barometer provides a complete overview of UK spend for the FMCG sector (ambient and fresh food and drink, healthcare, toiletries, homecare and general merchandise) and for the T&D sector (technical consumer goods, household appliances and DIY). This cross-category and cross-channel overview is based on real sales data and is published on a quarterly basis to illustrate household spending priorities.

FMCG spending remains flat in Q2

NIQ data shows that value growth for the FMCG sector dropped from +6.1% in Q1 to +1.3% in Q2, this is despite a boost in consumer confidence and falling inflation, which fell from +3.7% in March to +2.5% in June.

This slowdown in growth is largely attributed to the timing of events such as Easter, the weather and promotional activity which had a bigger impact on sales in the short term. This is reflected in the decline of certain categories such as beverages, which dropped from a +5.4% uplift in Q1 to a -1.5% decline in Q2. The same can be said for snacking, which dropped from a +13.2% growth in Q1 to just a 1.2% growth in Q2.

However, the fall in inflation will gradually boost consumer spending as available disposable income slowly improves for many UK households. According to recent NIQ Homescan data, although sales for own label items remain slightly ahead of branded items, the gap in growth levels is starting to narrow as brands use promotions more to drive volume recovery.

Poor weather drives down sales for DIY & Home Improvement

NIQ data shows that the Tech & Durables market continued to struggle in Q2 2024 with an overall decline of 4.5% Year on Year. This is also a drop from -3.4% reported in Q1 2024. While there are some areas of optimism in the T&D market, there were not enough to counteract the overall decline.

The plummet in DIY & Home Improvement – which fell from -0.2% in Q1 to -4.1% in Q2 2024 – is largely attributed to the poor weather in Q2. In particular, gardening suffered significantly as consumers failed to be inspired to buy outdoor furniture, gardening tools and equipment and outdoor items. Decorating also struggled after a period of growth, with areas such as paint declining despite a positive Q1.

However, within DIY & Home Improvement, there have been pockets of growth. Sales for items such as bedding, storage and cushions performed well in the last three months, suggesting consumers invested in lower priced items rather than spending on big ticket products.

Meanwhile, there are signs of growth for traditional tech categories, with the 2024 Euro football tournament helping to boost sales of TVs in May, especially those with larger screen sizes.

Ben Morrison, Retail Services Director UK & IRE at NIQ, said: “While growth in FMCG was flat in Q2, there are positive signs for the quarters ahead with inflation figures starting to fall. Retailers are now under pressure to compete for shopper spend and we’re already seeing levels of promotion being maintained at 25% of sales compared to 22% for Q2 last year. Moving into Q3, we do expect to see growth levels improve with FMCG value growths in the range of +2% to +3%, helped by warmer weather. In addition, the uplift from Euro 2024 and potentially the Paris Olympics should help to provide the feel good factor missing in Q2 and give a boost to industry sales.

Morrison continues:

“In terms of Tech & Durables, it remains a challenging market. Gone are the days of longer term, more considered purchases. Consumers today are choosing to make purchases based on what they need in the moment – such as new luggage for holidays or new TVs for the Euro 2024 matches. Moreover, they are buying less but buying better. This is not just in terms of more premium products for those that can afford it, but investing in products where benefits meet needs, and consumers perceive the value is justified. An example of this is that the demand continues to rise for products such as Full Auto Coffee Machines, indicating consumers are still prepared to pay a premium for the right experience.”

Chicago, IL – July 24, 2024 – NielsenIQ (NIQ), the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, has released its second Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Progress Report detailing the Company’s ESG priorities, how it embeds inclusive, sustainable principles into its business model and its commitment to delivering intelligence and innovation to customers that positively impact economies, communities, and the environment.  

“Our ESG strategy is designed to drive long-term value — for our employees, our stakeholders, our customers, our industry, our vendors, and our communities,” said Jim Peck, Chief Executive Officer, NIQ. “We are focused on integrating our ESG priorities company-wide and increasing our impact. Additionally, by providing a thorough understanding of consumer purchasing behavior, we aim to offer market intelligence to our clients and their ecosystems to support their sustainability efforts. ” 

Notable highlights in the 2023 ESG Report: 

Data Integrity, Privacy & Security 

Data is at the core of NIQ’s business. The company is focused on delivering secure and protected data with a high-level of precision and integrity.  

• Ensuring Data Integrity: NIQ takes measures to ensure that data is accurate and relevant. In the past year, NIQ has established a dedicated Generative AI taskforce that explores next-generation AI applications, with an emphasis on data quality, completeness, and ethical considerations. It also has established quality checks for field data collection, including having strict controls in place for field auditors to ensure high integrity and an incident response plan so that deviations from standard practices can immediately be addressed.   
• Fortifying and Securing NIQ’s Data: NIQ has robust practices to identify and address data security risks. To identify vulnerabilities, NIQ conducts regular vulnerability scanning and assessments of all information systems. To address them, NIQ has a cybersecurity team that implements multiple layers of organizational, technical, and administrative measures to protect data.  
• Prioritizing Data Privacy: NIQ follows a comprehensive set of privacy principles, which include user-friendly privacy controls, clear notice, and choice options. In addition to complying with laws and industry standards in the countries in which it operates, NIQ incorporates privacy safeguards directly into the design and implementation of NIQ products and services.  
• Safeguarding NIQ’s Digital Future. NIQ is prioritizing seamless security integration throughout the organization, focusing on its people, data privacy, and confidentiality. The ongoing Cybersecurity and Privacy Program unifies global departments, leveraging NIST CSF and ISO 27002 standards. 

Environmental Responsibility 

• NIQ has adopted a data driven approach to measuring carbon footprint, and measured carbon footprint for a second year in 2022.  
• Pioneering Sustainable Impact. With a commitment to help shape marketplaces, NIQ collaborates with clients to encourage transition to more sustainable products by reflecting the evolving conscious consumer trends. In 2023, NIQ partnered with McKinsey & Company to develop a report titled “Consumers care about sustainability – and back it up with their wallets”.  
• NIQ works closely with vendors and partners to select energy-efficient lease properties and investigate opportunities to implement clean energy and energy-reduction initiatives. 
• NIQ has optimized its data centers to reduce energy use, with approximately 90% of NIQ’s servers being virtualized in 2022, resulting in significant energy savings. 
• For a decade, NIQ has provided Feeding America® with data, insights, and expertise, including local food pricing data to estimate meal costs in every U.S. County for Map the Meal Gap report. This report raises awareness of food insecurity across the U.S. and used by food banks and policymakers.   

People & Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 

• Continuing to improve the diversity of its workforce. NIQ is committed to building a diverse workforce, equitable processes, and an inclusive culture aligned with its core values.  
  • Minority group members now serve in 29% of roles across the organization and women serve in half of the workforce, with over 43% female representation in global leadership positions.  
  • In 2023, NIQ renewed its LEAD Network Europe CEO Pledge to further accelerate gender parity and to prioritize gender equity. 
• Embracing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. As part of its integration efforts with GfK, NIQ has made a conscious effort to understand its unique company culture and to foster a combined environment that promotes inclusion in all areas of the company. NIQ has strongly encouraged cross-entity internal hiring, so associates can develop their careers and realize their aspirations, and as of August 2023, NIQ has posted more than 500 open roles for internal applicants in NIQ and GfK.  
• Extending People & Planet Day. During its second annual People & Planet Day, 13,000 global employees contributed to local volunteer efforts, participating in various activities. Overall, NIQ contributed over 75,000 hours, covering more than 500 activities, with nearly $67,000 in employee fundraising. This was a combined activity for legacy NIQ and legacy GfK associates. 

NIQ aligns ESG reporting with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Standards for Professional Commercial Services. To learn more about NIQ’s approach to ESG, the company’s continued commitment to creating value for society and its progress on key goals, please visit the NIQ’s 2023 ESG Progress Report. 

Chicago, IL – July 22, 2024 – NielsenIQ (NIQ), a global leader in consumer intelligence, is excited to announce the launch of its new Liquor Channel Open State view, an expanded and enhanced measurement of the Liquor Off Premise Retail Channel. This advancement broadens the scope of store coverage, refines universe statistical projections, and expands the measurement to encompass an aggregate of 31 states and Washington, D.C. (non-control markets). 

This channel expansion comes on the heels of the acquisition and integration of CGA, the premier On Premise measurement solution provider in 2022, offering NIQ clients that broadest, most holistic coverage of both the on and off premise.  The new Liquor Open State view represents a significant evolution from the current Liquor Plus channel view. This enhanced measurement offers more comprehensive visibility into the critical and sizeable Beverage Alcohol market, replacing the existing channel. Key benefits of the new Liquor Open State view include: 

• Broader Store Coverage: Expands the base of stores measured, including a wide array of Liquor chains and independent stores. 

• Improved Category Insights: Provides a better understanding of the broad assortment of products in the Beverage Alcohol category. 
• Increased Channel Coverage: 
  • Beer: 2.8x increase in the covered sales of the new Liquor Channel vs. the existing channel 
  • Wine: 1.8x increase in the covered sales of the new Liquor Channel vs. the existing channel 
  • Spirits: 2.2x increase in the covered sales of the new Liquor Channel vs. the existing channel 

• State Channel View: In addition to the nationwide view, NIQ is also offering detailed Liquor channel reads for eight key states: California, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York State, and Texas.   

“The launch of our new Liquor Open State view marks a significant milestone in providing our clients with unparalleled insights into the Beverage Alcohol market,” said James Restivo, SVP of Beverage Alcohol Vertical with NIQ. “By expanding our measurement and enhancing our projections, we offer a more comprehensive and accurate view of this critical channel. This innovation underscores our commitment to delivering the highest quality data and helping our clients make informed decisions that drive growth.” 

The launch of NIQ’s new Liquor Open State view is part of a broader commitment to offering a Full View of consumer insights. By expanding data coverage across channels, sources, consumers, and regions, clients gain a competitive advantage and can capitalize on emerging trends, mitigate risks, and adapt strategies to meet evolving consumer shopping behaviors. Leveraging NIQ’s advanced platform with integrated analytics, businesses can make confident decisions that drive sustained growth and success in the dynamic Beverage Alcohol market. 

“The Beverage Alcohol industry presents unique complexities and challenges. Our customers consistently emphasize the importance of comprehensive coverage and rapid insights,” said Liz Buchanan, President of North America at NIQ. “We are committed to investing in this industry to uncover new insights, create strategic growth opportunities, and enhance retail strategies. The launch of Liquor Open State exemplifies our dedication to addressing marketplace needs and our commitment to the future of measurement.” 

Sharon and Abhishek, both Senior Vice President of Human Resources at NIQ, offer an insider’s perspective on the significance of this recognition. Through their eyes, we explore the journey NIQ undertook to achieve this prestigious award.

What does it mean for NIQ to be recognized as one of India’s best workplaces?

Abhishek: Being recognized as one of India’s best Professional workplaces is a testament to our unwavering commitment to fostering a positive and supportive work environment – both in our hubs and for our offsite associates. At NIQ, we take pride in this achievement which builds upon our recent GPTW certification.

Sharon: This recognition is huge for us as our India Hubs are vital to the success of our business. They house a skilled and diverse workforce that ensures we deliver the Full View to our clients. As we expand our presence in India, these hubs drive innovation, agility, and strategic growth. We have several open roles in our India Hubs and are excited to welcome new talent to our vibrant culture.

Can you explain the process behind receiving this recognition?

Sharon: We invited our associates to participate in an extensive employee survey. The positive response rate was an impressive 82%, reflecting their engagement and commitment. Their candid feedback provided valuable insights into our organizational culture, leadership, and overall satisfaction.

Abhishek: After this initial step, we underwent a thorough culture audit that assessed various facets of our workplace. From opportunities for learning and development, to a culture of innovation, to diversity and inclusion, every aspect was scrutinized. Most of our people practices received an impressive rating of 4 out of 5 stars, reinforcing our commitment to excellence.

What specific aspects of NIQ’s workplace culture contributed to this achievement?

Abhishek: Our recognition is closely interlinked with our actions and core values. The key aspects that contributed to our achievement are:

Supportive Management: Our leaders actively listen, provide guidance, and create an environment where everyone feels heard and valued.

Collaborative Work Culture: We know that collaboration fuels innovation. So, cross-functional teamwork, idea-sharing, and a sense of camaraderie is always encouraged.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I): We embrace different perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences, fostering an inclusive environment where everyone thrives.

Continuous Improvement: We never stop responding to our employees, or the market. Our commitment to continuous improvement drives us to evolve, adapt, and stay ahead of the curve.

How have NIQ’s organizational practices influenced this recognition?

Sharon: Our organizational practices are the backbone of our success. Transparent communication, regular feedback mechanisms, and employee development programs significantly influenced this recognition. These practices ensure that our associates always feel valued, engaged, and empowered to deliver their best work.

What’s Next for NIQ India?

Abhishek: Being recognized as one of India’s best workplaces is a milestone on our journey. At NIQ, we remain committed to nurturing our exceptional workplace culture, empowering our associates, and setting new benchmarks.

I have recently joined the team as HR leader in India, and I am excited to keep this momentum going. Looking ahead, we’re focused on expanding our impact, fostering innovation, and continuing to create an environment where every team member thrives. Our India office is poised for exciting growth, and we’re eager to embrace the future

^{About OPM}

NIQ’s OPM service measures brand and category sales performance in On Premise across multiple territories. OPM enables brand owners to uncover growth driving market trends, evaluate brand performance and track share, as well as identify headroom opportunities and assess competition.  

OPM is powered by On Premise experts CGA, which was acquired by NIQ in 2022. OPM has been refined by CGA over many years in the UK and US, delivering in-depth analysis of sales, distribution and pricing by region and channel that help brands to win in multiple markets. It has now been expanded to key countries including Australia, Canada, Germany and France, with South Korea to follow soon. 

For more information about NIQ powered by CGA’s OPM service and other solutions in international markets, click here. 

^{About NIQ}

NielsenIQ (NIQ) is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. NIQ combined with GfK in 2023, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. Today NIQ has operations in more than 95 countries covering 97% of GDP. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights—delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms—NIQ delivers the Full View™.  

For more information, please visit www.niq.com  

Media Contact

Sweta Patra

sweta.patra@nielseniq.com

^{About NIQ}

NielsenIQ (NIQ) is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. NIQ combined with GfK in 2023, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. Today NIQ has operations in more than 95 countries covering 97% of GDP. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights—delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms—NIQ delivers the Full View™.  

For more information, please visit www.niq.com  

Media Contact

Sweta Patra

sweta.patra@nielseniq.com

^{About NIQ}

NielsenIQ (NIQ) is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. NIQ combined with GfK in 2023, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. Today NIQ has operations in more than 95 countries covering 97% of GDP. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights—delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms—NIQ delivers the Full View™.  

Media Contact

Sweta Patra

sweta.patra@nielseniq.com

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Transcript

​

James: Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of my blank story a podcast from de and I here at NIQ. My name is James Anderson and I’m your host today. My pronouns are he and him and I currently work as a senior analyst on the manufacturing side in the Toronto office here in Canada. I’m joined today by our guest Francis Parisien, who is located in our Montreal office. Frances, welcome to the podcast! Tell us a little bit about yourself.  

Francis: Well, thanks for the invite James so Francis I go by he/him like James said I’m based in the Montreal office always been based in Montreal office I’ve been with the company for 25 years. Started by studying at the university of Ottawa then wanted to move to Montreal because I needed something different. I started as a data specialist for our [NIQ] retail services team and now I lead SMB sales – so, the sales team is responsible for working with small and medium businesses here in Canada. I’ve been doing that for the past two years and I’ve got members of my team in Vancouver, Toronto, Quebec City and Montreal. Happy to be here. 

James: That’s great. And I know that in total I think your tenure is about 25 years or so within NIQ. 

Francis: Yes, that’s I’m going to be 25 years in September. Yeah. 

James: Wow, that’s amazing. Thank you very much for being here today and being willing to share your story with us. I’m very excited because I think it’s a very interesting story and very timely because for our listeners we will be releasing this episode in the month of June which has traditionally been the month of Pride, ah, certainly in the North American context and ah I know today we’re going to talk a little bit about that but, we’re also going to talk about, more specifically, your story about becoming a father and you and your partner becoming parents. So ah, before we kind of get into all that I know that in your 25 years here at and NIQ you have made a concerted effort to be involved with our LGBTQ+ efforts within the company. So, I want to ask you a little bit about that. Why did you want to get involved with you know the Pride Employee Resource Groups. Or “ERG’s” as we call them here at NIQ, in the first place? 

Francis: It’s funny you mention that James because you’ll see a tie with our follow-up discussion on becoming a gay Dad.  

James: Mhm. 

Francis: So, when my boss, maybe ten years ago asked me to become Canada’s pride ERG Lead, well not [exclusively] Canada’s Pride ERG lead; I wasn’t really sure I wanted to be that. My boyfriend and I – and we’re not against it – but we’ve never been big like pride partiers or goers. We live our own little life – and I’m not, again, judging anyone who does – but, listen I was doing my own little thing and I didn’t really see the interest of being part of Pride and then that made me realize: I’m so lucky so lucky to just like be doing my own little thing in a very safe environment that is Canada and…. 

James: Mhm. 

Francis: Maybe that was a reason for me to be [sic] implicated [involved] and join and lead our Pride ERG. So, I became co-lead of our North American pride team and then realized, again: oh my god, I’m so lucky. There’s a lot of people out there who cannot lead their lives the way I’m leading my life here right now in Montreal. So, that’s why it became obvious, after a few weeks, that I still had a role to play in this environment and in NIQ [and] within the industry, so that’s why I started co-leading pride for North America then I became a Global Sponsor for Pride at a NIQ. 

James: Yeah, that’s a very good point. You raise a really good point that, you know, you and I are both based here in in Canada; a country which is fairly progressive in its views.  

Francis: Yeah. 

James: There are…there are laws and protections certainly for the LGBT+ community and many others as well. So, to be able to do that, you know, within the country – to be able to be open within the country is one thing – but then also to be able to be open and live your life as a coworker as a colleague within the company – not having to hide or, you know, secrete your life in some kind of some kind of way, you know. That’s really kind of amazing. 

Francis: But even that being said James, just to jump on that, like trans issues a few years ago became more public and I thought I was not – not that I wasn’t comfortable – but I wasn’t aware of all the challenges and struggles that that community was living through.  

James: True.  

Francis: So, for us, even as gays [sic], we could play a role to include everyone within that broad spectrum of people and then make sure that everyone could live their life and work without being impacted by their identity at NielsenIQ  and within the industry. So, there’s yes, there’s us [ie: gays in the LGBT+ community]. But there’s…ah…the spectrum is so big now that there’s…there’s always more work to do.  

James: Yeah, more room to grow in all in all the areas, right?  

Francis: Yeah. 

James: Increase the spectrum, kind of thing. So, let’s shift a little bit now, then, into talking about your decision to become – you and your partner’s decision – to become parents. So, stepping away from LGBT for a moment, let’s just talk about why you wanted to become a parent at the age that you did and when you did and why you did. 

Francis: 

Well, it’s probably the same reason straight people decide to have kids. I’d grown up gay – I’ve known since I was 10 – but I always wanted kids. As I grew older it became – I would say – legal [for gay people]  to have kids in Canada. So, it’s always been for me because I was gay [that], was not a reason for me not to have kids. [ie: Being gay in Canada was never a reason to not to have kids, because it has been legal since the 90’s]. So, I’ve been with my boyfriend for 22 years now and I think that on the third or fourth date I asked him, like: “Listen, you want to have kids?” And I [thankfully] ended up going out with someone who also wanted kids. So, for me, the fact that I was gay was not going to stop me from founding a family. So, I was lucky enough to have someone in my life that also wanted to do this. We didn’t want to do it [right away]. We were younger then. I was 25 years [old]. He was 24. And we weren’t ready to have kids back then. We wanted to do traveling. We wanted to do different projects.  So, 10 years after we started going out, we brought the project forward and became foster family to kids that we ended up adopting… Maybe I’m going too fast here. 

James: No, that’s interesting! 

Francis: But from the beginning we had that discussion [that] we both wanted kids. We just made it happen when it was time for us to have kids. 

James: That’s amazing. So, touching a little bit on what you said there, we – you and I – are lucky to live in in this country, where we live, and to work for the company that we work for.   

Francis: Yes. 

James: Where all of that is possible: to sort of, be out and to also to adopt [kids]…without all of the discrimination. That you know, “you’re not allowed to adopt because you are gay” or [as] a member of the LGBT community. [There are places where] there are laws and rules against that [sort of thing] and it’s a very…it’s a privileged position, really, to be in, for us here in Canada. So, did that …  I mean, I guess it [that kind of discrimination] didn’t really come into the decisions that you had to make. That wasn’t part of your decision-making process? 

Francis: 

It wasn’t part. It was part. You know what? It did influence me staying in Canada though for NIQ. Because I had opportunities to work outside this country, but I knew I wanted kids. So for me I should have moved before and then came back to Canada. 

James: Interesting. 

Francis: 

[Canada] probably have one of the easiest adoption processes for gays around the world. So for LGBT people around the world. So I stayed in Canada intentionally because I wanted kids. Not saying that NIQ around the world wouldn’t have helped me with the adoption, but it’s just that laws made it simpler for me to have them in Canada. So yes, it did influence me staying at NIQ and staying in Canada for that reason. 

James: 

Interesting now you have mentioned that NIQ has been very supportive of you during this entire process.  Can you tell us a little bit more about the kind of support you received or the resources that you had from NIQ?  

Francis: 

To adopt through social services in Canada you need to go to an evaluation process which takes about 1 year. I didn’t tell the company that I was doing that process because I wasn’t sure of the results.  

Of course we got accepted, but when I got the answer I did tell my boss and his boss that I was going through an adoption process and that I would need to leave the company without much warning. And that’s actually what happened. And they were super supportive from the beginning. So the evaluation process took a year. But when we got the answer that we were now in the system – let’s call it that way – it [took] six months to have our daughter, thirteen years ago. 

Francis: 

After six months, I gave my boss a 2-day warning that I was going on Pat (paternity) leave for nine months – uh for nine weeks sorry about that. So social services asked us to take nine weeks for our daughter to get adapted. So I gave him basically – I’m not joking – two days and [I was] like, “listen I’m leaving in two days to take care of this eighteen months old baby”. And basically said “good luck”. And he kept in touch and I got gifts from my colleagues. It was as if I was a straight dad. It was a super process and we did that a second time with our son. For us, they were like listen – and I’ve said this before James and I keep repeating myself – but I’m so lucky to be at NIQ for that. I was never questioned, I was never discriminated. I had to leave at the very last minute, the company was always supportive of us doing this. I’m treated like any parent at the company. So yeah, the company was super good with us.  

James: 

That’s a really important distinction to make, I think. Because we know that there are other places in the world – there are other organizations in the world where you know if. First of all, they may not have allowed you to have Pat leave. Which, for our listeners is just a paternal leave. 

They may have let you take paternal leave but there may not have been a position waiting for you when it was over. There are all kinds of variables and ways that a story like that can play out, right? And so very very fortunate to, you know be with a company that was at least willing to just essentially treat you like any other father who’s becoming, or man who’s becoming a parent. And you know, allow you to have that sort of situation. Now jumping a little bit further ahead here in the story. How old are your kids now? 

Francis: 

Our daughter is 14, our son just turned 11, yeah.  

James: 

Ah, it’s amazing. So there has been some time now obviously and um, given all of the privileges that we do have in Canada, you know raising kids and being members of the LGBT+ community. There are still things that have to be considered, right? It isn’t, you know la la land. It isn’t, you know the rainbows and unicorns everywhere. There are still pockets… there are still segments… there are still places where a gay parent would have to take extra considerations that perhaps a straight parent would not have to take. Have you run into any of those and would you share a little bit about that?  

Francis: 

Listen, traveling is always – we have to take into consideration visit destinations – where we will go. James, you know there are countries in the world that we cannot travel to because it’s dangerous even just as LGBT. So imagine doing that with two kids? I’m not going to put my kids into danger by going to like, some countries that are on the like, bad list. Going to it – listen going through customs, my kids now know what to answer. Because if we even travel to the US, when the customs agent asks us like, who are these two guys to you? My kids know what to answer. It’s not um, non-LGBT parents would not have to like, take that consideration. And we just have to be a little bit more careful – and we do. We’ve been doing that for like, 13 years now. So it’s for us, it’s regular. But it wouldn’t be the same thing for everyone. If I go to the doctors like, if I go to like specialist appointments, I always have to like tell them: listen my kids have two dads. So it’s for me, it’s part of the deal of having kids in a society where they’re open about LGBT parents but they’re still getting used to it.  

James: 

Right? I hadn’t thought about that one… you know, the legal route. Like people who have the responsibility and duty of care. You know, seeing kids traveling with two men. That can have a very negative connotation for various reasons. So you have to kind of have that all worked out ahead of time, so that everybody knows what to say and what to do. Wow, that’s very interesting. Um, is there anything else you’d like to share with us about being a parent? This is going to be released during June, which is not only Pride Month, it is also Father’s Day Month – for us certainly here in North America. So do you have any advice for other folks out there who are raising teenagers and adolescents that you would like to share with us? 

Francis: 

Um, James we were talking about that, right? My challenges are very similar to anybody else’s challenges with kids. My daughter is 14, she doesn’t talk to me anymore. She talks to my partner though. So I’m good with that, at least she’s talking to one of us. Ah, listen, the challenges are the same. My guess is eventually, we’ll have to like take into consideration that my kids will ask questions about their process. That being said, at 14, my daughter could be asking these questions and she’s not. Obviously James, both of my kids know they’re adopted, right? There’s no lies here, right? We’re two white guys with two Black kids. So it’s like, they know they will ask questions and we will give them honest answers because you have to be honest, right? That you have to get that – keep the communication going. But we’ve never shied away from any of the tough discussions. We’ve never shied away from being out there in the community.  

We live in a small – I work in the Montreal office – but we live in a small community of like 2000 people. We’ve got kids coming to see me and they’re like “is it true Dylan has two dads?” And I’m like, “yes”. And they just ran away and they don’t care. Kids don’t care. But we’ve never shied away. I think you have to be… recognize that, here I’m talking to LGBTQ would-be parents. You have to recognize that you’re different. But difference doesn’t make you weirdos in the community. 

James: 

Yeah, and it doesn’t make it impossible. 

Francis: 

It doesn’t make it Impossible. We’ve got a good community of friends. I see my son talking to like, everyone on the street. Our situation doesn’t make it different for him. It only makes it better, right? Because he’s got a loving family. He’s got like… yeah. He knows that – my kids know they’re loved. I think my kids know they’re lucky too. If it wasn’t for the situation, they would have been in a different environment, let’s say. But there’s resources out there. We’ve talked about that James. Like, I can become a resource for someone who wants to like, do the same process, right? I did tell you that we were a group of 6 families that did exactly the same thing.  

James: 

Oh wow! 

Francis: 

Oh yeah, there’s people out there that are ready to help. I think we’re at the beginning of something, but this is getting more and more normal out there. This is going to be shared in June, but we just passed Mother’s Day. And it’s funny how during the first Mother’s Day, the teachers called us and they’re like “What do we do with your kids?” And we’re like “Just do a card for grandma”. My kids know. I think it’s tougher for you to deal with Mother’s Day, than it is for them. Just do a card for Grandma. And for Father’s Day, just make sure they do 2 drawings for one of us each. So it’s.. Listen, people are getting used to our situation. And we’re getting used to – not being the face of this – but we’re part of the first families to do it. And it’s going to get more and more normal.  

James: 

That’s wonderful because I’m just thinking, part of the reason that we do – you know a DEI podcast is that we want people to feel comfortable to reach out and ask those questions before an embarrassing situation occurs. So I think it’s quite remarkable that you know we’re, again we’re lucky enough to be in a time and in a place where the teachers, for example thought ahead. That it was even in their consciousness to think about ‘oh we should reach out to Francis and his partner to find out’. You know ‘How do we address this thing that’s happening with all of our students in the class? How do we shift this and address this?’ And again, like you said, you sort of end up being the poster boys for how it’s going to be dealt with in the community. But it takes leadership like that, you know the first people who dip their toes in and kind of do it, wherever it may be. It’s always going to be a little bit like that.  

Francis: 

Yeah, and it’s funny James because we did talk about this podcast before the recording right? And I wasn’t sure my story was interesting enough for us to talk today. And then as we chatted, I realized I’m really lucky. I’m really lucky to be in this country. I’m lucky to be working for a company that doesn’t discriminate me at all for being who I am, who helps me when I need support. And there’s the community that then supports us. So I think that’s the interesting part of my story, is that, listen I’m a dad. I’m probably a boring dad to my kids. I do soccer. I do competitive hip hop dance. I do like everything else that the non-LGBTQ dads do. But it’s, I think that’s a testament of how lucky we are to be in this kind of environment.  

James: 

Well and I think it’s also, as you just said, I think it’s important to share those kinds of stories because otherwise we don’t hear them. That’s why we do this podcast, so that people can find out that you being a dad is no different than anybody else being a dad. Or you guys being parents is no different than anybody else being parents. You know, you’re dealing with teenagers, they’re dealing with teenagers. You’re dealing with adolescence, they’re dealing with adolescence. It’s not, once you remove the LGBT sort of inflammatory tag to all of this and you set it aside, it’s just parents being parents. But then there are unique things that do fall into the column or the category of LGBTQ+ parents, right? Like you said, the travel thing. Or having to be aware of the environment where you are, you know? Your kids are going to get asked awkward questions because people they meet are not going to understand, you know. Because it is that – I don’t want to say it’s a new frontier – but to your point, you brought that up, it is starting to happen and on the way to normalization. There will have to be these awkward periods and it’s kind of okay.  

Francis: 

Yep, it is okay, it is okay. But you’d be surprised James, like going to Mexico – and it’s kind of funny because I told the story of this young kid coming to see us and asking us if we were the two dads. But I’ve seen adults doing that in Mexico. And they’re like, ‘ah, you’re like the two dads of these kids, yes?’ And then they just thanked us of doing this for the kids. They realized that we’re actually helping these kids have a better life and then they move on. It takes like 15 seconds of realizing, ‘Okay, this is a different family. They’re doing something great, let’s move on’. So I think you’re right, I think there need to be examples of like, first steps of us doing this and then it normalizes everything. No no sorry, it doesn’t normalize everything, but it makes, I would say makes it more acceptable. Again, just saying that sounds weird because it is acceptable.  

James: 

I Know that’s what we talked about in the discussions getting ready for this, that we wanted, we almost wanted to talk about quote unquote, how boring it is for you to have to tell this story. Because of the environment we live in, the company that we work for or the podcast that you get to share this story on – which is a company sponsored podcast. That you can share this without fear of repercussions, without fear of negativity. You know, all that kind of stuff, so it’s pretty important I think. 

Francis: 

Listen, we’ve had that discussion before – that if we could influence other companies to be the same way to their employees, the same way we get treated here, then so be it, right? That could be one of the advantages of doing this discussion today.  

James: 

Exactly. Leadership is just simply that, stepping out of a comfort zone and trying something new. Well Francis, I want to thank you for stepping out of your comfort zone and helping us here today to make all of this better and sharing your story.  

Francis: 

My pleasure, honestly James. 

James: 

And thank you all for listening today to this episode of My Blank Story, a podcast sponsored by DEI here at NIQ. Please make sure to visit our website and take a look at all of the other episodes that we have produced and, have a listen. Thank you. 

Utilize NIQ’s Data to Drive Success in the Rapidly Growing TikTok Shop Marketplace

Chicago, IL – June 27, 2024 —NIQ, a global leader in measurement and data analytics, has announced the release of a new comprehensive report in collaboration with TikTok, focusing on their in-app commerce feature, TikTok Shop. The report highlights the changing dynamics of consumer shopping behavior and provides insights into how brands can effectively engage with their audiences on this influential platform. This report builds on NIQ’s advanced measurement capabilities introduced in October 2023, offering brands and retailers valuable insights into their product performance within TikTok Shop.

Social and video platforms increasingly influence consumer shopping behaviors on and off-platform. These platforms enable consumers to shop “everywhere,” eliminating traditional barriers such as store locations and travel time. Consequently, brands need strategies that cater to in-store and online shopping experiences. According to the 2024 NIQ Consumer Outlook survey, 55% of respondents now make direct purchases from social media or live stream platforms for grocery and household items, a figure approaching the usage of Click and Collect or grocery delivery services¹.

“Combining the creativity and engagement of TikTok with data-driven insights from NIQ is a game-changer for brands. Understanding and measuring performance on TikTok Shop isn’t just about tracking numbers; it’s about unlocking the power of consumer behavior in real-time,” said Jacqueline Flam, SVP, U.S. Beauty, with NIQ. “This empowers brands to connect with their audiences strategically, driving meaningful outcomes and staying ahead in today’s dynamic marketplace.”

TikTok resonates with shoppers of all ages, offering brands a unique opportunity to capture the attention of a diverse audience. While there is an especially strong opportunity to connect with younger, digitally savvy shoppers—43% of Millennials and Gen Z online purchases are made via smartphone apps²—TikTok can also engage older generations. Brands can leverage TikTok to build strong connections with various demographics, ensuring long-term loyalty. Both well-established and smaller brands can thrive on TikTok, as the platform facilitates product discovery and consumer engagement.

“At TikTok, we’ve seen a shift in consumer behavior where entertainment, personalized discovery, and authentic voices seamlessly converge to inspire a community ready to shop. Our research indicates this organic behavior is driving unprecedented engagement and commerce everywhere,” said Rachael Ryan from TikTok. “I am grateful for our friends at NIQ who are helping brands navigate this landscape with precision, delivering experiences that resonate and drive growth in the ever-evolving commerce landscape.”

Unlocking TikTok’s Influence on Omnichannel Shopping:

• #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt: The video views of #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt reached 8M³ showcasing the platform’s ability to drive purchasing decisions.
• Higher Purchase Intent: TikTok users are 48% more likely to discover and immediately purchase new products than users on other social/video platforms⁴, emphasizing TikTok’s role as a catalyst for consumer engagement.
• Post-engagement actions: After encountering a shopping ad on TikTok, 71% of users said they are likely to take an off-platform action to explore the product/brand further⁵, highlighting the platform’s ability to drive interest and brand discovery.
• Offline Impact: Remarkably, 2 in 5 users who discover a product on TikTok opt to visit physical stores to make purchases⁶, highlighting the platform’s influence on offline consumer behavior.
• E-commerce Influence: With 62% of respondents familiar with TikTok Shop and 68% open to making purchases through it, the platform has become a pivotal player in the e-commerce landscape, offering a seamless shopping experience to a receptive audience⁷.

This data paints a compelling picture of TikTok’s influence on omnichannel shopping behaviors, showcasing its ability to drive discovery, engagement, and purchase intent across digital and physical retail spaces.

To learn more about TikTok’s Commerce solutions and strategies to maximize success on TikTok, please visit TikTok For Business – Commerce Solutions for Online Merchants. For more information from NIQ on the power of TikTok, and to download a copy of the report please visit NIQ’s Tapping into the power of TikTok Shop.

Learn more about NIQ Spaceman Services

About NIQ

NielsenIQ (NIQ) is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. NIQ combined with GfK in 2023, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. Today NIQ has operations in more than 95 countries covering 97% of GDP. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights—delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms—NIQ delivers the Full View™.  

Media Contact

Sweta Patra

sweta.patra@nielseniq.com

Kim Cox
Managing Director, eCommerce at NielsenIQ

Kim has spent over 12 years at Nielsen/NielsenIQ serving in numerous client-facing roles. In April 2024, she was named Managing Director for North America eCommerce. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business from the University of Dayton and a MBA from The Ohio State University. She and her family live in the Columbus area.

Liz Buchanan
President, North America at NielsenIQ

Liz Buchanan leads the North American business for NielsenIQ, a global information services firm serving the consumer goods and retail industries. In this role, she is accountable for the U.S. and Canadian markets, across all NIQ business lines and customer segments.

During her 17 years at NIQ, Liz has held various leadership roles in customer success, sales, product development and technology deployment. Most recently, she oversaw NIQ’s customer facing analytics and servicing teams around the world and led the successful rollout of the NIQ self-serve an

About NIQ

NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights – delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms – NIQ delivers the Full View™.

NIQ, is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90 percent of the world’s population. For more information, visit www.NIQ.com. 

Key Gen Z Takeaways: 

 

• They demand authenticity: They are more interested in authentic relationships with influencers and brands. “Being true to yourself” is the number one ranked description of success for Gen Z globally. Belonging and self-esteem are two other top values, along with a strong sense of identity that is linked to social causes and activism.   
• Unprecedented foot traffic: Their in-store purchases make up almost 50% of their share of dollars and is higher than every other generation before them, even though Gen Z begins their shopping journey online, ranks online reviews from other shoppers as the most important factor when shopping and is heavily influenced by social media.  
• Global purchasing power: Gen Z will become the highest consumer spending class in many regions, and 30% of the global workforce in 2030. North America, Europe and APAC will continue to dominate the majority of spending with APAC becoming increasingly important. They currently have a more significant share of consumption in regions including Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East & North Africa, and LATAM & Caribbean, where they make up a more substantial portion of the population.
• Health and wellness matters…to some extent: Overall they are health conscious and sustainability minded. The most dynamic demand growth among the Gen Z consumer class is in the health categories, as well as in alcohol / beverages.   
  • 81% of TikTok dollar sales are expected to come from health and beauty, showing an outsized impact.   
  • Over 50% of Gen Z has used a fitness or exercise app, and 17% have used a fitness band to track health and fitness information.  
• Technology accelerating behavior:  
  • Online reviews from other shoppers are paramount when shopping with 53% of Gen Z population likely to make purchases on social media or live stream platforms.   
  • 26% of Gen Z use their phones while shopping physically in store to make decisions compared to 23% of Gen Y, 18% for Gen X and 12% for Boomers.

With Gen Z prioritizing health and the environment, we also expect NIQ ​​Better For™ – a classification leveraging our proprietary algorithm to identify brands through product characteristics, positioning, sales and distribution – products to continue to grow faster than conventional products. This category includes products that are “better for” the consumer, the environment, and society. Currently, small brands and younger generations drive 62 percent of the growth in this category.  

“Gen Z is the most connected, largest and influential generation yet. Gen Z will have fewer children – later, will have unprecedented spending power, and will continue prioritizing certain categories – like health and wellness – to an extent generations before them have not. Our analysis leaves no doubt: investment in Gen Z today will pay off tomorrow.”  

Marta Cyhan-Bowles, NIQ Chief Communication Officer

“Gen Z is the largest, the richest, and the most global generation ever. Business needs to know that Gen Z is 2 billion people strong, and meeting their needs is a must.” 

Wolfgang Fengler, CEO, WDL.

About Spend Z  

Spend Z considers Gen Z over the short, mid, and long terms, with generational comparative brand loyalty analyses and a deep dive into what it means for companies in the CPG, tech/durables, and retail industries. The report is mission critical for thought leaders and decision makers looking to steer their companies toward the next frontier of successful growth – while protecting their successful existing businesses. Download a free copy of the report.  

About NIQ  

NielsenIQ (NIQ) is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. NIQ combined with GfK in 2023, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. Today NIQ has operations in more than 95 countries covering 97% of GDP. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights—delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms—NIQ delivers the Full View^TM.     

About World Data Lab  

World Data Lab creates forward looking proprietary data to quantify and forecast consumer trends, consumer spending, demographic shifts and progress towards the SDGs up to 2034. Our advanced data science approach, which has been peer-reviewed and published in Nature, delivers unrivalled accuracy, freshness and consistency across all demographic groups in 180 countries and more than 6,000 cities.   

Research methodology

The “SpendZ” report predicted consumer spending by merging household spending data obtained from national statistical agencies with population data from the United Nations and IIASA, incorporating 2,065 surveys covering 160 countries in the NIQ data base. Where countries are missing survey data, spending is imputed by identifying characteristics of other countries with similar structures, optimally chosen using statistical techniques. Survey data is adjusted to be consistent with household expenditure provided in each country’s national accounts. Nowcasts and forecasts are based on IMF projections for the medium term and the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways developed for the UNFCCC for the long term. This comprehensive process enables NIQ and WDL to produce detailed and reliable forecasts of consumer behavior across 183 countries from 2016 to 2034, broken down by age, gender, and income class. We further disaggregate total spending into over 100 different product categories using COICOP classifications. Our core methods have been peer reviewed in nature.

Norwich UK – June 11, 2024  – NIQ Brandbank, the leading provider of digital product content solutions is excited to announce the signing of agreements with four new retailers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).  

These retail partnerships mark a significant milestone in NIQ Brandbank’s expansion into the Middle East and further enhance its global distribution network.  

The agreements with elGrocer, Spinneys, Deliveroo and Sharjah CO-OP in UAE underlines NIQ Brandbank’s commitment to delivering high quality product content across omnichannel for retailers and their suppliers. By partnering with NIQ Brandbank, these retailers will gain access to advanced technology and industry expertise, and their suppliers will have the ability to deliver more compelling shopper experiences, driving sales, loyalty and maximizing ROI. 

Marsha McGraw, Global Managing Director at NIQ commented, “We are delighted to welcome our new retail partners in the UAE. These agreements reflect our dedication to providing best in class digital product content to meet the needs of the shopper. We look forward to working closely with our new retail partners and their suppliers to drive innovation, growth and shopper loyalty.” 

With 25 years’ experience in the industry, NIQ Brandbank has been recognised as the driving force in FMCG digital product content, delivering innovative solutions to improve the shopper experience for all. 

For suppliers who wish to take control of their brand on these retailer ecommerce sites and benefit from NIQ Brandbank’s content management solutions, and retailers who wish to improve their omnichannel experience, please contact brandbank.uae@smb.nielseniq.com. 

Today, NIQ Brandbank is delighted to announce the advancements in their solution that enables brands to unify, digitalise and control both Business to Business (B2B) and Business to Consumer (B2C) content with GDSN integration, through one true end to end solution has expanded into the Poland region. 

Utilising NIQ Brandbank’s Shopper Experience Platform, brands can now manage their entire product content lifecycle and leverage one solution for content creation through distribution supporting B2B and B2C content to both GDSN and non-GDSN content recipients. Brands can manage all their use cases and rest assured all content needs of both recipient and end-consumers are met today and tomorrow, based on one unique master record of their product. 

For the past 25 years, NIQ Brandbank has been a notable force in the product capture and content management industry, specifically serving global, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) market. Working with leading global retailers and brands, it recognises the value and strength of NIQ Brandbank’s solutions, supporting clients to digitalise the shopper experience.  

Marsha McGraw, Global Managing Director at NIQ commented, “I am thrilled to announce the release of our B2B2C content management solution with GDSN integration utilising the Shopper Experience Platform. Brands can now easily navigate the multichannel minefield and distribute their product content to all types of recipients, through one central ecosystem based on one unique product master record. We are proud to be offering this capability to both existing and new clients empowering them to deliver unparalleled experiences to consumers in today’s digital landscape.” 

For more information on NIQ Brandbank’s end to end solution, please visit: https://nielseniq.com/global/pl/solutions/shopper-experience-platform-certified-b2b2c-data-management-niq-brandbank/ 

About the study

The NIQ Retail Spend Barometer examines consumer spending on FMCG and T&D products in Germany. It tracks real sales figures and measures changes in past purchase trends. The FMCG categories covered include food, groceries, perishables and near-food, and the T&D categories include technical consumer goods, household appliances and DIY.

The data comes from NielsenIQ and GfK market measurement, which together measure the sales of over 350.000 retail partners worldwide.

About GfK

For over 89 years, we have earned the trust of our clients around the world by solving critical questions in their decision-making process. We fuel their growth by providing a complete understanding of their consumers’ buying behavior, and the dynamics impacting their markets, brands and media trends. In 2023, GfK combined with NIQ, bringing together two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights – delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms – GfK drives “Growth from Knowledge”. For more information, visit www.gfk.com. 

About NIQ

NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights – delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms – NIQ delivers the Full View™.

NIQ, is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90 percent of the world’s population. For more information, visit www.NIQ.com. 

• Les PGC (produits de grande consommation) ont le vent en poupe en e-commerce à travers le globe, avec des progressions très fortes aux Etats-Unis (+13%), en Roumanie (+36%), aux Emirats Arabes Unis (+29%), en Arabie Saoudite (+19%)… et +12% en France. 
• La France est toujours atypique avec un poids très fort du drive, quand la livraison et les market-places se voient moins développées que chez ses voisins… mais avec des progressions significatives à court terme ; 
• Le contexte inflationniste impacte le online également et contribue au succès de la seconde main sur diverses catégories de produits, notamment la beauté ; 
• La Génération Z, TikTok et Temu cassent les codes et pourraient bouleverser les achats du quotidien.  

PGC et e-commerce à travers le globe, un rebond en 2023-2024

En France, des signaux d’accélération pour les PGC online

La seconde main s’ancre dans le paysage français

Le social commerce relancé par TikTok ? 

Paris – 28 mai 2024. Les derniers chiffres NielsenIQ dévoilés en partenariat avec la Fédération du e-commerce et de la vente à distance (FEVAD), révèlent les dernières performances de la vente online de produits de grande consommation, et des opportunités significatives. tives. NIQ offre la vision la plus complète sur le marché – the Full View.   

Après 2 années de croissance exceptionnelle, les ventes online ont marqué le pas en 2022, avant de connaître un net rebond en 2023. Le e-commerce affiche une croissance à deux chiffres et bien souvent des progressions plus fortes que les autres circuits à travers le globe, prenant des parts de marché aux magasins physiques, que ce soit en Amérique du Nord ou en Europe.  

Dans le détail, si certains pays matures affichent parfois une érosion de la part de marché du e-commerce, dans de nombreux pays la progression est flagrante, avec un recrutement de nouveaux acheteurs qui se poursuit, dans la lignée des années COVID. 

En Europe de l’Ouest, le e-commerce consolide ses positions sur la grande consommation, avec un net recrutement depuis 2020 et un chiffre d’affaires en hausse de 17% en 2023. La part de marché valeur atteint désormais 11,7%, en hausse dans tous les pays mais à des degrés de maturité hétérogènes. Si 2 foyers cyberacheteurs sur 3 achètent des PGC online en France, ils sont moins de 30% en Espagne et en Italie.  

Les achats ont jusqu’ici commencé à basculer significativement vers le e-commerce sur les produits pour animaux, la santé, l’hygiène beauté, l’entretien et les produits infantiles. Alimentation et boissons restent en deçà et représentent assurément de fortes opportunités pour marques et distributeurs. 

Les market-places contribuent également à étoffer l’offre et continuent de gagner du terrain, un domaine dans lequel la France affiche un retard sur ses voisins européens : les places de marché captent 14% des ventes online en France, contre le double au Royaume-Uni, et même 38% en Italie et 42% en Allemagne. 

Le début d’année confirme l’avenir prometteur du e-commerce auprès des générations les plus jeunes. La dépense en ligne moyenne de la Génération Z (576 euros lors du 1er trimestre en moyenne) est déjà supérieure à celle des Baby-boomers (542%), avec une progression de 10% par rapport à 2023.  

Les acheteurs en ligne français diversifient de plus en plus leurs achats : ces derniers sont de plus en plus nombreux à acheter dans chacun des rayons, hygiène-beauté, maison… avec au sein de ces biens et services achetés en ligne, une part grandissante pour la grande consommation. Sur ces produits du quotidien, après des mois d’inflation, les Français dépensent davantage cette année… mais pour moins de produits dans leur panier. 

Le e-commerce continue de surperformer en France sur cet univers de la grande consommation, avec une progression de +8,5% en valeur lors du 1er trimestre. La France reste atypique en raison de la prédominance des achats en drive, mais la livraison à domicile (LAD) continue de grignoter des parts de marché. 

La LAD s’affirme récemment comme le canal de recrutement pour l’alimentaire online et a déjà converti la moitié des e-shoppers. En effet 62% des nouveaux adeptes des achats alimentaires online sont venus via les acteurs de la livraison à domicile. 

• L’univers de la livraison est dynamique malgré la chute du quick commerce et la fin d’activités de la plupart des intervenants ; 
• Si les acteurs de la livraison de repas (Uber Eats, Deliveroo…) captent désormais 9% des ventes d’alimentaire online, leur part de marché atteint 13% dans les grandes villes, gagnant notamment au détriment des quick commerçants comme Flink. 
• Picnic confirme également ses rapides prises de position, avec 2,8% de part de marché de la livraison à domicile en France… mais déjà plus de 25% de part de marché dans les Hauts-de-France, et une fidélité de 47% chez sa clientèle. 

La France reste de loin le premier marché e-commerce pour les PGC au sein de l’Union Européenne : 11,9% des ventes passent désormais par internet. C’est nettement plus qu’en Allemagne (8,8%) ou qu’en Italie (6,1%) ou Espagne (5,9%). Cela montre également la capacité des professionnels, présents sur le marché français, à proposer une offre qui permette de répondre à la demande d’un nombre toujours plus important de Français, qui apprécient de pouvoir aussi faire leurs courses en ligne.

Marc Lolivier, Délégué général de la Fevad,

Le contexte inflationniste n’a pas épargné les sites de e-commerce, ce qui explique cette hausse du budget moyen online… mais il est également vecteur de transformation des achats en ligne, avec un recours accru à la seconde main qui représente désormais 9% des achats du e-commerce français lors des 12 derniers mois. 

Sans surprise, la seconde main s’est fait une place significative dans les univers mode (18% du chiffre d’affaires réalisé via des produits de seconde main), les produits culturels et jeux, ou encore les produits high tech (16% via des produits reconditionnés). Mais elle grignote du terrain également dans les PGC désormais, à commencer par la beauté, avec 4% des ventes online. 

La vente via les réseaux sociaux, ou “social commerce”, pourrait rebondir rapidement, avec le possible déploiement de TikTok Shop cet été en Europe, après US et UK en tête de pont pour conquérir le monde hors Chine. Pour comparaison, NielsenIQ rappelle que l’initiative chinoise a d’abord été activée, dans le monde occidental, au Royaume-Uni et aux Etats-Unis.  

La situation observée outre-manche est emblématique de la rapidité avec laquelle les “nouveaux acteurs” du e-commerce bouleversent les rapports de force. TikTok Shop y a rapidement dépassé Shein tant en termes de part de marché que de taille de clientèle… avant d’être à son tour dépassé par Temu 2 mois après le lancement de ce dernier !

Daniel Ducrocq, VP Distribution Europe, NielsenIQ

S’appuyant sur sa market place et un fort degré d’agilité, TikTok Shop propose un spectre de produits plus large que Shein, lui permettant de capter très rapidement 7,8% des ventes online de friandises et 8,5% des ventes de papier toilette ! 

Places de marché, seconde main, réseaux sociaux, appétence de la génération Z… avec ces leviers la grande consommation online dispose d’un potentiel considérable, notamment en France. Si le nombre d’acheteurs beauté ou alimentation venait à atteindre celui de la mode, NielsenIQ estime que cela pourrait représenter des ventes online additionnelles considérables : près de 800 millions d’euros pour la Beauté, et plus de 4 milliards d’euros pour l’Alimentaire. 

A propos de la FEVAD

A propos de NielsenIQ

La Fédération du e-commerce et de la vente à distance fédère aujourd’hui plus de 800 entreprises. Elle est l’organisation représentative du secteur du commerce électronique et de la vente à distance. La Fevad a notamment pour mission de recueillir et diffuser l’information permettant l’amélioration de la connaissance du secteur et d’agir en faveur du développement durable et éthique de la vente à distance et du commerce électronique en France. Pour en savoir plus  : www.fevad.com / Suivez-nous sur X : @FevadActu et sur LinkedIn.

NielsenIQ (NIQ), leader mondial de l’intelligence consommateurs, révèle de nouvelles opportunités de croissance aux distributeurs et industriels de la grande consommation. Présent dans plus de 100 pays, NIQ offre la compréhension la plus complète et la plus claire du comportement d’achat des consommateurs grâce à une plateforme avancée de business intelligence intégrant des analyses prédictives. NIQ offre la vision la plus complète sur le marché – the Full View.   

NIQ a été fondée en 1923 et est une société du portefeuille d’Advent International. Pour plus d’informations, visitez www.nielseniq.com. 

About the study

The NIQ Retail Spend Barometer examines consumer spending on FMCG and T&D products in Netherlands. It tracks real sales figures and measures changes in past purchase trends. The FMCG categories covered include food, groceries, perishables and near-food, and the T&D categories include technical consumer goods, household appliances, DIY and clothing. The data comes from NielsenIQ and GfK retail market measurement, which together measure the sales of over 350,000 retail partners worldwide. 

About GfK

For over 89 years, we have earned the trust of our clients around the world by solving critical questions in their decision-making process. We fuel their growth by providing a complete understanding of their consumers’ buying behavior, and the dynamics impacting their markets, brands and media trends. In 2023, GfK combined with NIQ, bringing together two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights – delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms – GfK drives “Growth from Knowledge”. For more information, visit www.gfk.com. 

About NIQ

NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights – delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms – NIQ delivers the Full View™. 

NIQ, is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90 percent of the world’s population. For more information, visit www.NIQ.com. 

Milan, Italy – May 16, 2024. In Italy, consumer spending on fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and technological and durable goods (T&D), in the first three months of 2024 recorded a slight increase in sales of 0.7 percent compared to the same period in 2023, registering total sales of 45.8 billion euros. The trend was driven by changes in the consumption choices of Italians, and the deceleration – compared to 2023 – appears most evident on non-food, so-called non-food goods, while for the T&D sector, the slowdown in demand affects all major sectors.   

The NIQ Retail Spend Barometer combines data from NIQ and GfK to measure the turnover of FMCG, technology and durable goods purchased in stores in Italy.  
 
The NIQ Retail Spend Barometer provides a complete overview of spending in the FMCG sector (ambient and fresh food and drink, healthcare, toiletries, homecare and general merchandise) and in the T&D sector (technical consumer goods, household appliances and DIY) in Italy. This cross-category and cross-channel overview is based on real sales data and is set to be published on a quarterly basis to provide a new lens into household spending priorities.  

Inflation slows in 2024 and sales grow while slowing pace compared to 2023  

In January, February, and March 2024, sales in FMCG were 31 billion euros. The +3% increase in sales value – compared to the same quarter in 2023 -indicates that the sector is continuing its growth path, albeit at a slower pace than in the previous year (+9.5%), with the slowdown driven mainly by falling inflation rates. 
 
Comparison of the quarterly trends of the three main FMCG sectors, consumer staples, fresh and home & personal care, show homogeneous progress. According to NIQ’s Retail Spend Barometer, in the first quarter of 2024, the best performing category in terms of sales is fresh, with a +3.3 percent increase and a turnover of 6.7 billion euros. The trend confirms the dynamism and centrality of the category in both the purchasing choices of Italians and the growth strategies of all major retail operators. On the other hand, the value of the food sector, at +3 percent – in line with the FMCG figure – reaches 20.5 billion euros in spending with a growth of about 600 million euros compared to the same period last year. Home and personal care products also recorded +2.3% growth and revenues of 3.8 billion euros in January February and March 2024 compared to 2023. The slowdown in the growth of home & personal care (6.5 percent in Q1 2023) is, for this category as well, attributable to the decline in inflation. 
 
In conclusion, Romolo De Camillis, Director Retail NIQ Italy, commented, “During the first quarter of 2024, the decline in the rate of inflation led to a slowdown in growth in all the main FMCG sectors, although positive values were recorded. Despite the cooling of prices, volume trends remain negative and consumer demand appears weak, although sales continue to grow. In general, the months of January, February and March confirm profound changes in Italians’ consumption choices and the slowdowns appear more evident on non-food goods and less so on basic necessities.”  

Continued contraction in spending on Tech & Durables (T&D) goods 

After declining during 2023 (-1.1 percent), the Italian consumer technology and durable goods market began the year with a further decline. The first quarter of 2024 closed with total sales of 14.7 billion euros, marking a -3.8% decline compared to the same period last year.   
 

Analyzing data from NIQ’s Retail Spend Barometer, a negative trend emerges that extends to most T&D sectors, with some exceptions. After stability in 2023, the DIY and Home Improvement sector-which includes home renovation and furniture products-recorded a -3.5 percent decline in value and turnover of 6.7 billion for January, February, and March 2024. The Technical Consumer Goods (TCG) sector-which includes consumer electronics, telephony, IT, office products, photography, and other technology goods-continues to navigate turbulent waters and ended the first quarter of 2024 with a -8.9 percent contraction and sales of 3.5 billion euros. The exceptional expansion of this market during the pandemic years triggered a turnaround, with negative effects manifested today. In particular, consumer electronics–which has been steadily declining for several months now–drags down the trend of the entire sector.   
 
The first three months of 2024 also marked a -1.7 percent decline for the Household Appliances sector-after growth in 2023-recording 1.5 billion in sales. Despite the general decline in the T&D sector, the Other Sectors category (worth more than €3 billion) recorded +0.9 percent growth in the first three months of the year. This figure highlights a diversification in consumer spending choices, which particularly favored the babycare, healthcare and wristwatch markets.  

Ivano Garavaglia, Head of Retail at GfK, commented, “The data for the first months of 2024 confirm the slowdown in demand for technological and durable goods. This phenomenon could stem from a shift in the priorities of Italian consumers, who, after investing large sums in improving their homes and updating their technological equipment, are now directing their consumption toward other categories. In addition, primary and obligatory spending items such as the cost of fuel, energy and mortgage payments continue to weigh on Italians.”  

For more information, visit https://nielseniq.com/global/it/landing-page/retail-spend-barometer-italy/ 

• Brits spent £50.2bn on FMCG in Q1 2024, a 6.2% uplift compared with the same period last year. Growth is driven by the fresh and perishable food category (+6.8%) 
• The Tech & Durables (T&D) market has seen spend fall to £18.3bn in Q1 2024, a decline of -2.6% compared with Q1 2023 
• While shoppers remain cautious to make big T&D purchases, UK consumers are still willing to spend on DIY & Home Improvement (+0.2%) 

London, UK, 16th May 2024: UK shoppers spent a total of £50.2bn on FMCG in Q1 2024, this is an uplift of 6.2% compared with the same period last year. However, spending on Tech & Durables (T&D) fell by -2.6% to £18.3bn as shoppers cut back on large and expensive tech purchases, such as TVs, Computing and White Goods. This is according to new insight from the NIQ Retail Spend Barometer, which is powered by GfK intelligence, which measures the turnover in sales of FMCG and non-food consumer products sold in retail stores across the UK. 

The NIQ Retail Spend Barometer provides a complete overview of spending in the FMCG sector (ambient and fresh food and drink, healthcare, toiletries, homecare and general merchandise) and in the T&D sector (technical consumer goods, household appliances and DIY) in the UK. This cross-category and cross-channel overview is based on real sales data and is set to be published on a quarterly basis to provide a new lens into household spending priorities. 

Uplift in FMCG driven by fresh food 

According to NIQ, although consumer confidence remains cautious, slowing food inflation (down to 3.7% in March) is enabling shoppers to add more items to their shopping basket. This has helped to drive minor positive volume growth throughout Q1 2024 for the first time since Q1 2021. This unit growth is driven by fresh and perishable food (+6.8%), due to its faster drop in inflation. As a result of slowing price increases, despite an improved volume trend, there is a slowdown in value growth from +7.1 in Q4 2023 to +6.2% in Q1 2024. 

The environment of shopper cautiousness remains a key influence on shopper decision making, and this is reflected in NIQ data. Private label FMCG growth continues to outpace branded growth and 23.4% of all spend in Q1 2024 was sold on promotion. This is an uplift from 20.1% which was recorded in Q1 2023. This signals a continuation of an extremely competitive environment for retailers who continue to use all available levers to persuade shoppers of their price credentials.  

NIQ consumer panel data also reveals that there is a slowdown in growth for the discounters in Q1 2024 as they annualise last year’s high growth figures. Discounters’ value growth for Q1 (+4.5%) has lagged behind traditional grocery retailers (+7.1%) for the first quarter since 2021. 

Cautious shoppers choose to invest in DIY & Home Improvement  

NIQ data (powered by GfK Intelligence) reveals that the Tech & Durables market experienced a -2.6% value decline in Q1 2024, this was driven by a drop in sales for Technical Consumer Goods (-4.9%) including audio and vision electronics and mobile phones as well as Home Appliances (-5.2%). This is likely a result of the economic and political environment, and exacerbated by a lack of new products entering the market. 

With this in mind, the T&D market has shifted to a replacement cycle market. Data from NIQ reveals that 31% of consumers in 2021 bought to upgrade, but this has declined to 27% in 2024. And those who have replaced items due to faults have moved from 41% to 46%. Within T&D, key categories such as TVs, Computing and White Goods all continue to experience sales declines. 

However, the T&D market has experienced small pockets of growth, this is primarily driven by the DIY & Home Improvement category. While consumers continue to be cautious with their big ticket spending, they are still placing investment in DIY as they see a tangible benefit to their home, particularly with increased flexible working. 

Unsettled weather in Q1 extended demand for winter goods but did not deter bank holiday gardeners. Growth in DIY was limited, but Painting & Decorating enjoyed an uplift in Q1 vs. Q4 equal to 2023 driven by sales of paint rising (5%) in Q1 2024. The Easter holidays triggered demand for luggage, which had a 2% year on year increase and children’s activities confirming that treats and experiences are still important. 

Ben Morrison, Retail Services Director UK & IRE at NIQ, said: “It’s clear that there’s been a steady uplift in sales for FMCG, particularly as inflation continues to slow. The prospect for the rest of the year is cautiously optimistic. We see the reduction in inflation continuing to help fuel shopper sentiment. Consumers are still cautious around their spending – particularly on larger, more expensive goods – and this continues to impact T&D. 

Morrison continues: “Political and economic uncertainty continues to impact bigger ticket spending but we still see products that deliver value and clear benefits are being prioritised – whether it be for niche or specialised use e.g. Action Cams for content creation, enhanced gaming experiences, convenience around the home, or meeting the underlying desire for aspirational and innovative products. As the weather, hopefully, improves and we move into an eventful summer that is driven by sporting events such as the Euros and Olympics, we’re optimistic that this will further drive levels of discretionary FMCG and Tech & Durables sales.” 

Chicago, IL – May 13, 2024 – NielsenIQ (NIQ), the world leader in measurement and data analytics, is excited to announce that ‘NIQ Ask Arthur’- a groundbreaking Gen AI-driven tool—has been integrated into NIQ Discover. This transformative solution offers AI-guided global search and personalized recommendations, streamlining data analysis and facilitating informed decision-making. Launching “NIQ Ask Arthur” marks an important milestone for NIQ Labs. Positioned as an innovation powerhouse, NIQ Labs is ready to accelerate the future of innovation by solving client problems and uncovering new pathways to growth. Coupled with investments, NIQ Labs taps into an extensive array of data assets, employing intuitive business intelligence tools and predictive analytics driven by generative AI (GenAI) and authoritative data science pioneering the next era of inventive products. 

With conversational AI features, ‘NIQ Ask Arthur’ empowers users to delve deeper into datasets, revolutionizing data-driven choices and showcasing NielsenIQ’s commitment to cutting-edge analytics.  

NIQ Discover, a state-of-the-art data visualization solution, accelerates access to insights for CPG manufacturers and retailers. It creates fresh, user-friendly pathways to insights, leveraging the power of on-demand data across multiple data sets. NIQ Discover is designed to help CPG manufacturers and retailers get meaningful insights faster, and measure and track what’s most important to their business within a single, centralized platform. 

NIQ Ask Arthur in NIQ Discover enables enhanced insights discovery, so users can efficiently uncover valuable information, enriching the brand story and democratizing data access. Current and new users can uncover meaningful information, trends, and patterns that may otherwise go unnoticed, leading them to the most relevant areas of analysis. At NIQ we provide the Full View™, and we maintain the highest standard of data accuracy and quality. GenAI will help NIQ Discover users decipher diverse formats and tackle complex business questions.  

“The vision of leveraging AI to assist in data analysis and storytelling is incredibly powerful. Democratizing access to data and analytics is crucial in helping users make informed decisions and drive innovation. ‘NIQ Ask Arthur’ unlocks the power of analytics on the Discover platform” says Troy Treangen, Chief Product Officer, NIQ 

NIQ Ask Arthur in Discover enables users to save time by proactively suggesting insights and simplifying data navigation through a seamless, conversational AI-powered experience.  

With NIQ’s investment in the cutting edge NIQ Discover platform, combined with our diverse data types and deep industry expertise, NIQ Ask Arthur delivers unparalleled value to clients.  

NIQ is best positioned to understand data and the business questions that help brands unravel their story. The company’s agility and rapid deployment strategies have facilitated remarkable technological advancement. In the past year, the NIQ Discover platform witnessed extraordinary growth, surging from 2,500 users in January 2023 to an impressive 40,000 across 71 countries today, showcasing the vast scale of NIQ’s technological expansion. This ability to rapidly deploy technology, enhance user engagement, and establish a global presence underscores NIQ’s unparalleled agility and innovation in the tech industry. These advancements facilitate accelerated insights across diverse industries, channels, and products, driving speed-to-insight at an unprecedented scale to deliver the Full View™.  

What’s the NIQ University program? 

The NIQ University Program is a 12-week introductory training in data analytics, insights, and business intelligence for undergraduate students. The program aims to remove barriers to entry amongst underrepresented groups of people by providing experiential learning, professional development, networking, and access to career opportunities within the CPG industry. What we are really proud of is that this program comes with no cost to students to make it incredibly accessible. 

What are the key factors that make the NIQ University Program a preferred choice for students interested in data insights? 

One reason that the NIQ University program is valuable for students is that active participation can immediately translate into great career opportunities. Program participants who meet eligibility requirements and indicate interest during the program will receive the opportunity to interview for an internship or full-time role with NIQ or a client partner.  

In addition to the chance to kick-start their careers, participants who complete the program receive a certificate of training to add to their achievements on their resumes and in interviews.

What sets the NIQ University Program apart from other career development programs? 

What makes NIQ University so special is that it’s not a stand-alone program for our company. Rather, it’s the beginning of our talent pipeline, which flows into our Customer Success internship program and into our full-time rotational program for recent graduates.  

NIQ is an incubator for talent, and the NIQ University Program is just phase one of that development experience. 

What are the long-term benefits of participating in the NIQ University Program for career growth and advancement? 

A key benefit we see is the opportunity for students to expand their network through interactions with industry professionals as well as with students from other universities.  

Equally, the experience of building relationships virtually while completing a case study amongst a diverse team of students, who represent varying personal, academic, and geographical backgrounds, helps participants build real-world skills and better anticipate the realities of the transition from college to their career. The connections formed and skills gained through our program offer a solid foundation for success in the professional world. 

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Transcript

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Jake Conlin: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast belong to the individuals who shared them and do not necessarily represent NielsenIQ. Note that this podcast discusses sensitive topics that may be triggering for some. For more information specific to this episode, see the episode description. Hi everyone and welcome to My Blank Story, a core component of NielsenIQ’s DEI Learning series, Me & You. My name is Jake Conlin, and if this is your first time tuning in, then let me tell you what this podcast is all about. In a nutshell, it’s about stories…your stories. We think stories are important because when we tell them we open the door and allow others to see the experiences that shaped us, that challenged us, and helped us grow. By doing this, we can create a culture where open dialogue is encouraged and we can have a space to discuss important topics in a transparent and courageous manner. So minimize that e-mail tab, mute your chat, and take a little break to listen to a NielsenIQ story. 

James Anderson: Hello everyone, and welcome to another episode of My Blank Story, an NIQ GfK podcast, sponsored by Diversity and Inclusion. My name is James Anderson and I’m one of your co-hosts today. I work out of the Toronto office, and my pronouns are he and him. I’m joined today by my special guest host, Elana. Elana, welcome to the show. 

Elana Powell: Thanks, James. Hi everyone. My name is Elana Powell. My pronouns are she/her and I’m the Senior Manager of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and I am super excited to be here hosting my first episode. I am even more excited to have our special guests with us here today. We have three guests who will be introducing themselves shortly here, but all three of these women are truly remarkable and were all named as finalists for the Women in Tech Excellence Awards last year. For those of you who haven’t heard of those, I suggest you do some Googling; but for a brief summary, essentially, these awards recognize, they celebrate, and they showcase trailblazing women from across the technology space and provide inspiration for younger women who are curious about building a career in the tech industry. So, let’s meet them. First off, I will pass it over to Cheryl. 

Cheryl Rosenthal-Warlow: Hi, Elana. Thanks. I’m Cheryl. My pronouns are she and her. I work from the London office, but now I live in Buxton and I’m originally from Australia (in case you can’t tell from the accent). And I work in the Technology PMO team leading Strategy, Planning and Governance. I joined GfK in August 2018, so I’ve been in the company for over five years. Outside of work, I love to travel, meet people, enjoy lots of different food. I also love just hanging out at home with my husband and my crazy Cocker Spaniel. 

Elana Powell: Awesome – thanks so much, Cheryl. And how about Maddie? 

Maddie Peacock: Thanks, Elana. Hi, everyone. I’m Maddie Peacock. I am based in the UK, like Cheryl. I live just outside of London in a very small village. Not a lot going on here. I am the Portfolio and Integration Director for CMI, so that means I’m working with our teams to make sure that we can work well together, that we are building products that work for not just us, but for our clients and our end users. And I’ve been at GfK NIQ now for just over five years. And my hobbies and interests… I am a big reader. I’m always seen with like my head in a book and love just being outside and my pronouns are she/her. 

Elana Powell: Amazing. Thank you, Maddie. And lastly, we have Sasha. 

Sasha Druzhinin: Yeah. Hi everyone. I’m Sasha. My pronouns are she/her. I work in the London office and I live in London. I’m an IT Security Analyst and I work on our cybersecurity team at NIQ GfK. And I’ve been here for around a year and a half now. I joined as a graduate doing a rotation through our different cybersecurity teams, which I’m actually due to finish soon. But yeah, outside of work, I’m super into health and fitness. I weight lift, I do calisthenics, and I also really enjoy aerial hoop. 

Elana Powell: Amazing. Thank you all so, so much for being here. We’re very excited to start this conversation. James, you want to kick us off with the first question? 

James Anderson: Sure. I’ll start with Cheryl, actually. Now I know that you were named a finalist in the category at the Women in Tech Awards for Woman of the Year, and that’s an incredible achievement. Can you tell us a little bit about why you were nominated for this award and maybe how you got involved in tech in the first case? Because I believe it’s a bit of an interesting story. 

Cheryl Rosenthal-Warlow: Sure. Well, I guess. You’d have to ask the judges to be sure, but I would say it was about my focus on using my role as a leader to drive positive change. I’ve always had a natural inclination to nurture talent. In more recent years, I’ve had the opportunity to bring in grads with no tech experience and support them through what I would call the unofficial Cheryl grad scheme – in fact, one of them is on this panel. As well as developing talent, I’m really passionate about diversity and inclusion. My son’s disabled, so I think that’s one factor driving my passion. But I just really strongly believe we’re all better for embracing differences. I’m very grateful that I’m now in a position where I can influence change and raise awareness, so I’ve been sponsoring a number of different DE&I groups within the company, as well as speaking at conferences and on panels and to various other groups on topics like women in tech, disability, neurodiversity, menopause, and social mobility. So I think that my focus on using my position for positive influence was really a key to my being selected as a finalist. 

James Anderson: That’s an amazing journey. And I know that you mentioned that you actually mentored or welcomed into the company one of our other guests today, who is Maddie. So, Maddie, I just wanted to turn it over to you. And I know that you were deeply involved in creating a network platform called She Talks Tech, so I wonder if you could sort of tell us a little bit about that story of how you connected with Cheryl, and then also how you created this platform. 

Maddie Peacock: Yeah. Thank you. Yeah. My journey, I think like many women that we tend to hear from in tech, is we do not have very linear paths into technology. And mine was one of those. So I come from a historical background…so, I have a history degree. And I really magically quite stumbled across across a job in Cheryl’s team and at that time it was really kind of undefined. We didn’t really know what we needed from it, and I didn’t really have any technical skills to be able to kind of come into a non entry-level position. And so Cheryl definitely took a punt on me as we would say. She took a chance, and it’s really grown and blossomed. And one of the things I found when I joined tech was that there are very few women, and I was incredibly fortunate to have a female manager. And I do put so much down to my career being so successful and me being so confident in myself as a woman in tech because I’ve had female managers. And so yeah, with that in mind and kind of being very aware of the lack of women, not just in the office, but especially, you know, during COVID where we all went remote and we’re all on video calls, you really start to miss the presence of women around you – or I did, especially. And so my colleague Emma and I, we set up She Talks Tech, which was really aimed to give women a platform to kind of express their opinions, raise their voice, and just make being a woman and being a woman in tech feel a little bit less lonely. So Emma and I, we kind of teamed together and set up all of these panel discussions, in-person meetings for women to connect, just to really bridge the gap between what it feels like to be a woman in tech and what it feels like to also be part of an incredible community. And I think we did quite a good job. 

Elana Powell: Absolutely. Just listening to all of you women speak, it’s making me think maybe I could be in tech, you know, because like, I don’t have a traditional tech background and I’ve never thought about it for a career. But all of you are just kind of sharing all these different backgrounds that can come up and it’s amazing to see this kind of development and how we’re growing in this area. I wanted to turn it over to Sasha for a minute here…I want to hear from Sasha. I know that you were named a finalist for Rising Star of the Year, and it was very early in your career here in tech and that must have been such a proud moment for you. So we just wanted to learn a bit… how did you set yourself apart from others so early on in your career? 

Sasha Druzhinin: Yeah, it definitely was a very proud moment. But to cover my background and journey a bit here. So, at Uni I studied criminology and psychology and by the 3rd year I was determined [to focus on] on a career path in tech, specifically cybersecurity. During the same time, I was networking quite a bit to find a job and I was sending multiple applications for jobs and graduate programs and, I didn’t get into a lot of them, but throughout the networking and everything, one of the connections I actually made sent me an invite to a cybersecurity meet up that GfK was hosting at the time. This is actually [the place] where I met my now [current] managers and colleagues, and I was getting along really well with everyone, so obviously I saw [it as] an opportunity.  And it’s quite funny, actually, because I ended up chasing one of the recruiters down the hallway as she was leaving and as I was walking beside her I gave her the quickest pitch ever and got her LinkedIn to send my CV and luckily they were looking to hire more graduates at the time so I joined into a junior role on a rotation. And I was the only female at the time in the Department of 40 people. And yeah, this was the start of my journey. So, to answer the question about setting yourself apart, you know, there’s one thing “landing the job”, but when I had the job, I made a lot of effort in getting to know people at the company. I was introduced to Maddie and Maddie helped me a lot. Maddie mentored me. So, that was definitely really useful, but I did contribute a lot more than I expected to the team and the work that we were doing considering I had no prior experience and, this was quite…I guess this was seen by my colleagues and my managers. So, within my first six months, without getting too technical, I rolled out a process that enabled my team to effectively report vulnerabilities to each business group on a regular basis. I co-presented [this] with a colleague at our annual tech and Data Conference in Athens. To demonstrate the impact of a web vulnerability, and I was actually, one of the few women to do a technical presentation at the event. And I took part in “She Talks Tech”, as well. And I wrote an article about networking in tech which kind of came off the back of the “She Talks Tech” event that we did – talking about my experience – and I also established an early careers network at the company. So, we had. Quite a few juniors, but we were all dispersed in different departments and there was no way for us to actually…kind of…no opportunities for us to meet each other, really. So, I used this as an opportunity to bring everyone together and, kind of, have a more shared experience and we hosted some events for everyone to meet. And in the long term, we wanted to use it as a way to also improve onboarding experiences and support graduate programs.  

James Anderson: Thanks so much, Sasha. Those are some terrific, terrific ideas and learnings that a lot of our listeners can take away. Now, I wanted to take just a step back because you’ve all introduced yourselves, and we know a little bit more about you. Now, we know that you all had interesting journeys into the tech world and when I was doing my research for this and we all had a, sort of, a previous meeting, kind of getting ready for this, I was making notes and [as] I was writing things down and I was using a lot of acronyms and I know in the professional world we love to use our acronyms for short forms for everything. And I began to notice that there was a similarity between [the acronyms for] “Women in Tech” [WIT] and “woman in the room” [WITR]: [they] are almost the exact same letters. And I think it was touched on a little bit earlier, but…it appears that tech can be a very male-dominated environment, as someone mentioned, [and] that, you know, it can feel like that. And I’m just wondering if each of you would talk a little bit about moments of this [dynamic/situation, as this] is a diversity podcast. So, we want to talk a little bit about what were those experiences like and what was different for you being in the room? What changed? Maybe perhaps because you were in the room? 

Cheryl Rosenthal-Warlow: I think for me, actually, if we go way back, my parents actually owned a manufacturing company. So, being in the room where I was the only one who was [a woman] actually [felt]fairly familiar to me, if I could go way back. So being in tech, I think I was just used to being with a lot of men and almost didn’t notice it, in some ways. What I did notice was when, at a previous company, I was one of the founding members of a women’s network and, being in a room that only had women in [it], it seemed, actually, really peculiar, more peculiar than even being in a room full of men. If I do talk about, say, my first times of being in the room when it was like the senior leadership team – so, when I first sort of took on that new role – and that was definitely all men in the room, for sure, then I found everybody had a lot to say and I held back because I wasn’t sure if what I had to say would be relevant. Would I get things wrong? [A] bit of imposter syndrome, etcetera, etc. But actually do you know what? Over the years I’ve learned, that is my way: I think it’s really important to listen. You don’t have to speak for the sake of speaking. I’ll say something if I think it will add value. So, I would say to people, you know, you don’t have to be speaking all the time just because everybody else is speaking. It’s OK to listen, as well, and you are in the room because you deserve to be there. So, that would be my little…some pearls of wisdom. 

James Anderson: Maddie or Sasha? 

Maddie Peacock: Yeah, I’ll go ahead. I was going to say I got goosebumps, as you said, you know, women in tech sometimes mean women in the room. Like, I’ve never heard it put that way. But it’s absolutely resonated with me and. And I think given the fact that I started my career quite young at GfK, I think when I joined, I, potentially, was the youngest person in tech in the UK at that time. And I happened to be a woman. And I felt like I was kind of walking around and everybody was really aware of it and that’s all they saw when they looked at me, with this person ‘who had no idea what she was doing’. And you know, ‘why is she here?’ ‘She doesn’t even know what Scrum master is.’ And these were conversations I’d have. And, at that time, I think I was absolutely almost overwhelmed by imposter syndrome. Like, I just couldn’t quite find my place or understand why I was there. And I think the thing that really changed [this] for me was [that] I had some incredible sponsors. So, not ‘mentors’, but ‘sponsors’ in the sense that these were people that were using their voice to help you get in the room and Cheryl, definitely, was that for me as my manager, at the time. But I also had some incredible women that I just, I think, I was blown away by the fact that they had fought to get their seat in a room, and they were offering the chair next to them to me. And I think once I kind of understood that these people were seeing value in me and that just because I’m young and I’m a woman doesn’t mean I can’t sit at the table. Once I found that strength, I was like, “Yep, I belong here and I’m gonna give my opinion,” and people either, you know, don’t have to listen to it, but that’s totally fine. Once I’d realized that, then I really embraced the power of also bringing other people into the room. So, looking around and being like: what is diversity like? What are the opinions in this room? Do we have somebody that’s going to be able to counter the way we’re thinking? Or are we all on the same page and we don’t want that right? We want diverse teams. We want differences in thoughts and opinions and backgrounds. And so yeah, whilst I do think I originally felt like I was the only woman in the room, I definitely now – and I think a lot of women in tech make it their mission – for that not to be the way and to, you know, offer as many seats at the table as possible to other women or men, or anybody who’s deserving of it that hasn’t got the courage themselves to walk into the room. 

Sasha Druzhinin: Yeah, I think my experience is quite similar to Maddie’s and Cheryl’s. [In] the one [company] I joined, I was the only woman in the Department of 40 and also the youngest, so it was an experience I couldn’t share along [with] others. But I have grown accustomed to it – as tech is a fairly male-dominated industry – and when I was younger, I was also a gamer and most of the people that I was friends with and gamed with, at the time were men. So, I think I just naturally got used to it and, at school, I joined a robotics club, and I was the only girl I. And the same with Uni[versity] clubs that were related to tech; I tend to to be the only woman. And again, at networking and events [I was the only woman]. So, it’s just something that I’ve gotten used to. But when I joined my first corporate job, the biggest challenge was the imposter syndrome: being the youngest and trying to fit in and not necessarily having people to relate to. You know, I came in with no experience. So, sometimes in conversations I felt like I was expected to know things that I didn’t. And there’s no way I would have at the time – to be honest – but really, this shouldn’t have been seen in a negative way. It was a huge learning curve. And I also learned, overtime, that you’ll never know everything in the industry, but I’m grateful for my team and colleagues. They were quite, you know, they were more aware of the fact that I was the only woman and that I was young so, … I was never made … I never felt uncomfortable in a room with them, never felt that people didn’t listen to me or anything. So, my team was very supportive and welcoming, and it was also important to me that I had people that made me feel comfortable and that let me pick their brains and didn’t make me feel inadequate for asking questions; so, I was truly in an environment that I could thrive in. But also acknowledging the differences, when I first joined, was one of the things that actually inspired me to start the “Early Careers Network”. 

Elana Powell: Fantastic. Now, I’m getting some terrific takeaways from all of you right now. And one thing that kind of popped out was: the importance of that inclusive environment that you were just talking about, Sasha. You know, making sure that we’re welcoming everyone, not making them feel “less-than” even if they are different. But I know that a lot of women can struggle with, you know, balancing staying true to who you are. And kind of “conforming” to that new environment, right? The environment that has traditionally been male-dominated. [By] Entering into those spaces, you might feel some pressure to change or be different. Do any of you have any experiences with that? How it felt, how you ensure[d] that you were staying true to yourself. You know, Cheryl, making sure that as you said, you were continuously waiting to, you know, listen and keeping that top of mind rather than just jumping in because that kind of seemed like the thing to do. So, do any of you have any advice on that space? 

Cheryl Rosenthal-Warlow: All I can carry on, I think, from my example of being in a room with a lot of senior leaders and being more of a listening [participant] than a speaking-all-of the-time [participant]. I definitely reflect now on how I built relationships in the tech world because I’m in a position where people will ask me, ‘how did you get there?’ ‘How did you navigate everything?’ I think, number one, I’ve just been dedicated to doing a good job and people have genuinely respected that. There is an element though, of the social aspects of working and which is actually a real shame now that we just don’t get to connect as much in person as we did before. But we go back a few years, in London particularly, there’s quite the culture of going to the pub after work. And I joined in with that most of the time. I found it a great way to get to know people a bit better. I genuinely think for me it helped with relationships in the office and getting things done, just because you would get to know people behind the scenes a little. I do reflect though, when people are asking me for advice about, you know, how you build relationships: did I do that because I thought I needed to? Or did I do that because I genuinely wanted to? I do think I genuinely wanted to do that because I actually, am a very sociable person who likes to go out and chat with people, and I’d like to have a couple of drinks. So, I don’t think it was me doing something that I felt like I had to [do for advantage]. I think it was something I just did because I enjoyed it. But don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that as your “top tip” to building relationships with everybody in tech. You have to do what’s right for you, and there’s many different ways of of being able to build relationships. And respect and, I mean, doing your job well and owning your career, I think that would be one of the things [that’s most important]. Sorry, this is a slight segue, but I think that one of the big differences I see now and have so much respect for [people] like Maddie and Sasha [is] that [they] really are great examples of taking ownership of their careers. I don’t think I did that. If I reflect, I […] worked hard at trying to do a good job but [I] didn’t really work on my career. So, actually, I do think it took a lot longer for me to get to a more senior position than maybe it should have. So I would say use Maddie and Sasha, as your role models for taking ownership of your career. And not so much for me, to learn from my lessons. 

James Anderson: Maddie or Sasha? 

Maddie Peacock: To the first point on the, you know whether or not you find yourself being able to stay true. Funnily enough, I actually – this is one of my answers for my role model application I did a few years back, and one of the things I actually noticed as my career went on, I became so much more comfortable and as I said, you know that fear of imposter syndrome kind of slowly was dwindling away. I was finally understanding myself a bit better. There was actually a change in what I would wear to the office. So when I started out I, you know, I think there was only about 10 women in our tech office at the time. I was very much a trainers, T-shirt, jeans kind of person. And now I’m like full floaty maxi dress. Like as feminine as I feel comfortable. Like it’s been a huge transformation and I think that that really does reflect just how comfortable I am in myself and I’m way more about turning up the work as who I am, not for what is making other people feel comfortable or what they think about me. So definitely. I definitely saw that, but also to Cheryl’s point, you know, I did probably also experience a drinking culture thing. I am no longer a drinker, but definitely in my early days of my career that was probably something I didn’t want to do, and it felt like it was the way to network and connect with people. So I definitely feel like it comes with maturity and I’m kind of glad I’m in a management position now, having gone through that so that I know how to support the people in my team because had I not gone through it, I think it’s very easy to kind of brush it under the rug and not really check in on people to make sure that they are happy as an individual. Whereas now I’m so much more conscious of that and so much more about getting to know a person for who they are so that I can bring their best self and help them be confident in who they are at work. 

Sasha Druzhinin: Yeah, I think the appearance one is actually quite big. I remember when I first joined and was really just trying to fit into the corporate kind of vibe and you know, I dyed my hair red last week, so it’s really changed. It’s changed quite a bit and I come in like, whatever I want to wear, and I think I’m testing the limits more and more every time, but it just shows how comfortable I think I’ve gotten with being the odd one out. You know, because when I first came there was that pressure of, “OK, I have to fit in, I have to go to the pub.” I need to…also feeling a slight pressure as the only woman in the room to represent women in cybersecurity. But I got over that by learning as much as I could. Absorbing as much knowledge as I could, building my confidence and you know. Building the relationships with my colleagues and I don’t feel any imposter syndrome anymore. Maybe I might occasionally, but it’s definitely gone down. And I would always be the odd one out. So, I just learned to embrace that and that’s where I am now, I think. 

Maddie Peacock: I will add one thing and maybe Cheryl, you felt this, but in terms of conforming and like being who I am, one of the things I was really afraid of was talking about diversity and my experience as a woman quite early on because it’s quite fearful of just becoming known as the woman always talking about gender and diversity. And I mean it’s something that I’ve been really passionate about. And as soon as I kind of joined the company and met these incredible women, I was like, yeah, this is a cause that I really believe in, and I want to talk about, but I definitely felt like it was going to be harmful to my career. And I mean, I got over that, you know, after about six months and thought, “no, that’s it.” And, you know, set up councils and networks and stuff. I mean, it didn’t last long. But there definitely was this feeling that I couldn’t bring that passion about caring about women. Immediately, just in case, I was going to become the annoying woman in the room that everybody kind of, you know, rolled their eyes at and thought, “oh, here she goes again”. But yeah, as I said. As you become more comfortable in yourself and you realize what drives you at work and what you’re passionate about and what your values are, you can throw all that kind of fear out the window and just be that woman that, you know, represents who you want to be. 

Cheryl Rosenthal-Warlow: I…look, I think that’s something that I totally respect in like Maddie, Sasha, other women because – yeah. And I think if I look back, you do have…it’s not so much a fear, but just a hesitation perhaps in you know, am I not going to fit in now if I start raising these things, is it a bit of a tricky topic? I mean, I am really grateful now that there are so many people talking about these topics and hopefully I’m now able to help facilitate and get some airtime for that across the board, I think. It’s so much better. It’s better for me that I’ve been inspired by people like Sasha and Maddie and one of the other tricky things though, I think, related to this is that as women, and particularly when you’re in a senior role, it’s almost like it’s expected that you will take care of all these topics. You can be sometimes sitting in a room, and they’ll be on the agenda. Something that is to take care of, let’s just say softer topics. And none of the boys will put their hand up, and it’s almost like, “oh well, here it is. It’ll be clearly on me again”. But hopefully we’re changing that and getting a lot more allies. I mean, across all different aspects of diversity because it shouldn’t just be down to the person who was part of that group. It should be all of us, educating one another and learning more so, do think we certainly have a long way to go. We’ve come a long way, but we have a long way to go. 

James Anderson: Now we’ve talked so much about what you can do to own your career, the personal steps that you’ve each taken and some of these stories have just been wonderful. You know, acknowledging, you know, what it is like to sort of be in the room and all of that. But I wanted to ask each of you because you have each developed so much in your careers. How can leaders and managers get involved to get more women in tech and to continue those conversations? 

Cheryl Rosenthal-Warlow: Well, I think it’s we’ve been talking about it, a little bit – here is that I think a really important part of my role is to do just that – to make sure that the other women in tech have a platform and not just in the company, but outside of the company. And that’s something that particularly in the last few years, I’ve realized that’s one of my responsibilities as a leader and in tech and as a woman. Well, actually just as a leader in tech, frankly, I think it’s really important to be able to give people a platform to speak about things. I also…one of my, I guess, tips to people. Reach out to other people and connect with other people you know even don’t be worried about talking to a senior person because quite frankly, they’re just human beings and it can be quite a delightful change to be having a chat with somebody who’s a really enthusiastic person at the beginning of their journey, rather than sitting in a meeting with a bunch of other people talking about budgets day after day, so I think I would just say go out, try lots of different things, get a mentor. And connect with people which, as I’ve said a few times, you know, Maddie and Sasha have done really, really well – having somebody who can sponsor you is great. That’s possibly not something you can orchestrate yourself. It probably happens more organically, but you can sure get yourself a mentor. 

James Anderson: And Sasha, just wondering if you had a comment about that, I know in our in our pre-discussions you talked a lot – you mentioned the idea of asking the question when you want to just to know even for your own peace of mind to know that you had asked the question. 

Sasha Druzhinin: Yes, that is definitely a big piece of advice that I would give is if you don’t ask, the answer is always going to be a no. So, you might as well talk to people, try and take the opportunity, send that application, ask the question and you never know where it will take you. You know the worst thing that could happen is rejection. But don’t let it demotivate you. It’s important to stay determined and be focused on what you want to achieve. 

James Anderson: And Maddie? 

Maddie Peacock: I think for me, I think you know, leaders and companies can do so much by just making people visible and just really celebrating individuals where they should be celebrated and deserve to be. And so, I mean, when I took my recent position and moved into leadership – I was absolutely blown away by the number of women messaging me. Saying like, “this is so great to see such a young woman in this kind of position” and I, you know, I was actually blown away and I couldn’t believe it. And then I thought, “hang on”. Yeah. When I joined it in my early 20s, I probably would have done the same thing and messaged my equivalent and said, “wow”, like, “this is really great”. Can I have a chat with you? Get to know what you’ve done, and I think companies need to do that more. They really need to celebrate and promote people. To you know, not on anything but what they stand for. But because there’s talent and we have so much talent and women don’t often come forward and talk about themselves in very confident manner. And so, I think leaders should be like looking in their teams, really trying to bring out the best in the people that they’ve got and making sure that when they’re hiring, they’re hiring in a way that brings out the best in that individual as well. So, you know, things like we do blind CVs or making sure that people get questions in advance. Small tweaks that can really put somebody at ease and really make them kind of thrive in that environment. And I think then, in general, we will see a lot more women moving into tech because it will feel like so many barriers have fallen down and that we see so many more women being successful in it. 

Elana Powell: Those are all amazing responses, and essentially what I’m hearing is that we need to mentor a woman, we need to sponsor women, we need to amplify women, and we need to promote women. 

James Anderson: Well, I want to thank each of you for joining us here on the podcast today. I feel we have we have covered a lot of amazing ground, and I hope that our listeners are able to take away even just a few of the learnings that you that you have each brought to us here today. Cheryl, Maddie, Sasha, thank you for joining us today on My Blank Story. 

Jake Conlin: Hey, y’all, it’s Jake again. We hope you’ve enjoyed this episode of My Blank Story. Tune in next time to hear more stories from the NIQ community. 

Cheryl Rosenthal-Warlow: Hopefully we’re getting a lot more allies. I mean, across all different aspects of diversity, because it shouldn’t just be down to the person who was part of that. It should be all of us. 

Sasha Druzhinin: If you don’t ask, the answer is always going to be a no, so you might as well try and take the opportunity, send that application, ask the question and you never know where it will take you.  

Maddie Peacock: As you become more comfortable in yourself and you realize what drives you at work and what you’re passionate about and what your values are, you can throw all that kind of fear out the window and just be that woman that you know represents, who you want to be. 

Today, NIQ Brandbank, the global leading provider of digital product content, is pleased to announce the launch of its new product data optimisation solution, Content Health+, designed to empower brands to set the standard and become category leader with insight into category comparison and content benchmarking. This innovative new solution underscores NIQ Brandbank’s continued commitment to digitalise the shopper experience and deliver best in class product content across omnichannel. 

Research conducted by NIQ Brandbank highlights that up to 84% of brands fail to claim at least one of the top three most searched attributes that their product qualifies for. With lifestyle, dietary, sustainable and ethical needs at the forefront of shopper minds, brands are being forced to re-evaluate the quality of product information shared with shoppers online and how it compares with their competitors. Shoppers now expect brands to go beyond the back of pack product information to connect with shoppers across the omnichannel from discovery to purchase. 

NIQ Brandbank’s Content Health+ solution enables brands to first identify their content strengths and weaknesses based on their content health score and competitor rank, and secondly, continually improve the effectiveness and integrity of product content and optimise with additional attributes to achieve product content completeness.  

Marsha McGraw, Global Managing Director at NIQ Brandbank commented, “We are excited to unveil our new product data optimisation solution, a testament to our continued innovation and commitment to our clients to digitalise the shopper experience. You can’t improve what you can’t measure, and we are proud to give our clients the opportunity to optimise their product content based on actionable insights to win on the digital shelf.” 

With NIQ Brandbank’s new Content Health+ solution, brands can: 

1. Measure against competition by gauging the content health of product content against competitor products and identify areas of improvement to win on the digital shelf. 

2. Quickly identify priority areas for optimisation using a simple traffic light colour scheme to help identify areas of strengths and weaknesses. 

3. Drive product matching with a combination of imagery and text, ensuring matches are based on similar styles of products as well as their composition and ingredients. 

4. Set the market standards and position as a category leader by utilising actionable insights to drive best in class product content.  

For more information please click here.  

Expanded offering of xAOC to bring Comprehensive, Actionable, and Customizable Coverage Insights without Blind Spots

Chicago, IL – April 2, 2024 – NIQ is excited to unveil the Full View^TM – Measurement, an evolution of core capabilities poised to transform the consumer intelligence industry. This expanded offering ensures that retailers, manufacturers, and the financial services community can access data. The Full View^TM – Measurement will provide unmatched coverage, granularity, and accuracy by offering an omnichannel view that marries data across critical online retailers, direct-to-consumer brands, social commerce, quick commerce, and emerging e-commerce platforms. To further complement NIQ’s portfolio, the Full View^TM – Measurement will offer an expanded version of xAOC, including account level-details from the U.S.’s largest online marketplace.

With the Full View^TM – Measurement, NIQ clients will benefit from a suite of features designed to provide a deep and broad understanding of the market. This advanced solution transcends basic analytics by revealing the intricacies of online and offline markets with unprecedented clarity, all available in client custom or syndicated data hierarchies. This data will empower NIQ clients to make informed decisions with greater confidence by consolidating comprehensive insights into NIQ’s Discover platform, providing unparalleled convenience and eliminating the need for multiple analytical tools.

“With the Full View^TM – Measurement, we are redefining how the CPG industry views and utilizes data,” said Kim Cox, Managing Director of North America E-Commerce with NIQ. “Our unparalleled approach to integrating online and offline insights ensures our clients are always one step ahead in a rapidly evolving marketplace. Our expanded market coverage also uncovers blind spots for our CPG clients. They rely on us to provide comprehensive visibility into retail account performance and granular data, empowering them to make informed decisions for their growth strategies.”

Key benefits of NIQ’s Full View^TM – Measurement solution include:

Expanded Coverage for a Comprehensive Market View: NIQ is expanding the horizons of market understanding by integrating new data sources to provide clients with the most actionable omnichannel insights. Today’s expanded xAOC offering ensures that retailers and manufacturers can access a full spectrum analysis of the CPG landscape, capturing nuanced consumer behavior and market trends and setting the stage for future enhancements.

Unmatched Granularity for Competitive Edge: NIQ has built the Full View^TM – Measurement with a focus on granularity, not just increased coverage. Clients can delve deeper into retail accounts, categories, brands, and thousands of key product attributes, including size, form, flavor, and sustainability or ingredient profiles. This game-changer hasn’t previously been available alongside sales volume for items on top e-commerce marketplaces. This competitive point of differentiation enables clients to analyze the market with a previously unavailable precision, offering insights down to the most minute details.

Minimize Private Label Blind Spots: Our standout feature surpasses competitors by thoroughly tracking private-label products. Using next-generation data techniques this capability addresses a crucial market blind spot, empowering brands with a comprehensive understanding of private label dynamics down to the item level.

Customization at Your Fingertips: The Full View^TM – Measurement goes beyond standard analytics, offering customized hierarchy views that cater to clients’ specific analysis needs and allow them to view the market through the lens that best suits their business strategies.

Accuracy, Power, and Convenience: The Full View^TM – Measurement stands out for its unwavering commitment to accuracy. It empowers clients to make confident decisions based on billions of meticulously collected data points offered through a comprehensive suite of solutions. In addition to its accuracy, The Full View^TM – Measurement’s strength lies in its ability to merge what previously necessitated multiple tools into one seamlessly integrated solution. This amalgamation enhances users’ convenience by providing a unified view and delivers powerful insights through intuitive reports, guided workflows, and interconnected data, revolutionizing how businesses access and leverage e-commerce data within Discover.

“We’ve designed Full View^TM – Measurement with our client’s actionability in mind,” said Liz Buchanan, President of NIQ North America. “Merging comprehensive insights into a single, intuitive platform means that actionable data is just a few clicks away, eliminating the complexity and clutter of using multiple tools and helping our clients reclaim countless hours they would otherwise spend piecing together data independently. We believe new coverage shouldn’t create new blind spots for our clients.”

This Full View^TM of the market with item-level granularity, enriched with NIQ attributes, account-level breakouts, and visibility into private labels, is the first phase of NIQ’s Full View^TM – Measurement expansion in 2024. For more information about The Full View^TM – Measurement and how it can transform your market analysis capabilities, visit www.NIQ.com.

Chicago, IL – March 25, 2024 – NIQ, a global leader in consumer intelligence, proudly announces the integration of its new, industry-leading NIQ BASES Cultural Resonance module into BASES renowned ad testing portfolio, built in thought-partnership with McDonald’s USA. This module offers a validated set of cultural resonance metrics, to guide creative optimization discussions to help marketers produce more impactful and inclusive advertising.  

This add-on assesses the role of cultural factors in ads, and how those factors impact comprehension and relatability to the ad content. The tool provides indicators for content that isn’t landing as intended and offers insight into the type of cultural signals that help ads create meaningful, lasting connections with consumers.  

“In a rapidly evolving landscape where diversity and inclusion are paramount, the BASES Cultural Resonance module, developed in collaboration with McDonald’s, equips advertisers with the tools they need to create content that authentically connects,” said Megan Belden, VP, Global Advertising Lead at NIQ BASES. “By focusing the conversation on cultural factors, the insights from this module are set to change the conversation around representation and relatability in advertising.”  

In an age where companies increasingly strive to engage with a wide array of audiences, the importance of inclusive advertising strategies cannot be overstated. NIQ’s BASES Cultural Resonance module serves as a dynamic solution to address this need, helping advertisers connect with their customers authentically and meaningfully. Key benefits of the BASES Cultural Resonance module include:   

Identifying Red Flags: Allows advertisers to spot moments within their content (i.e., they may be interpreted as offensive or inadvertently limit perceived relevance) that contain implicit bias. Advertisers can avoid perpetuating damaging stereotypes by actively identifying and addressing these red flags.   

Assessing Content Through a Cultural Lens: Enables advertisers to assess their advertising content through a cultural lens, ensuring it encompasses an inclusive landscape and represents their entire audience. It goes beyond merely assessing diverse casting and assessing executional factors around how an ad is telling a story (authenticity, setting, portrayal of diversity) to ensure consumers can relate to and resonate with the content.   

Actionable Insights: With a deep understanding of their content’s inclusivity, advertisers can optimize their advertising for all audiences. The module is integrated with neuroscience methodology, linking survey-based metrics to EEG Emotion, Memory, and Attention measures for nuanced interpretation and guidance.  

“At McDonald’s, we’re intentional about the role culture plays in the stories we tell, and we’re excited to be collaborating with NIQ and other valued partners to improve the capabilities in building authentic cultural connections with our fans through our advertising,” said Jen Larkin, Director, US Consumer Insights with McDonald’s. “With processes like second-by-second feedback, this tool allows us to make real-time optimizations – making us smarter creative reviewers.”

The BASES Cultural Resonance module is a quantitative module built from extensive explicit and implicit human insight, validated with neuroscience metrics. It delivers a proprietary composite measure benchmarked to a database, enabling businesses to gauge their performance against industry standards.  

For more information on NIQ’s Ad360 tool and the BASES Cultural Resonance module, please visit NIQ’s website.  

CHICAGO, IL – March 20, 2024 – NIQ, the world’s leading global consumer intelligence company, today announced that R. Dane (Dane) Mauldin has joined the company as Chief Transformation Officer effective March 18, 2024.  

Mauldin’s diverse skillsets include expertise in operations, strategy, sales enablement, product development, analytics, customer service and compliance. He joins NIQ from TransUnion, where he was EVP and Chief Operations Officer, and previously EVP and Chief Product Officer. He reports to Tracey Massey, Chief Operating Officer, and is a member of the company’s Executive Committee.  

Curtis Miller, who held the role most recently, has been appointed Chief Strategy Officer, accountable for Strategy and Corporate Development.  

“Dane will lead our go-to-market strategy and sales enablement teams, to continue our journey of putting our retailer and manufacturer customers at the center of everything we do. As we pursue our promise to deliver the Full View^TM, we will continue to invest in both people and innovation to deliver on our purpose to ‘show the world what people want’ and enable our customers to grow,” said Tracey Massey. 

“With his strong customer focus and deep proficiency in applying data and analytics to solve business problems, Dane brings a distinct set of qualifications that will complement our leadership team’s capabilities and help us reach our ambitious growth targets. We’re delighted to have him on board,” added Massey. 

“I am thrilled to join NIQ at this exciting time. I’ve had the chance to get to know many of NIQ’s senior leaders, and I’m truly impressed with the quality of leadership, their focus on putting customers at the heart of all they do, and their inclusive and collaborative culture,” said Mauldin. 

“With his proven record of transforming businesses, I’m pleased to welcome Dane to NIQ. We’ve made strong progress in our transformation thus far, including significant work to integrate GfK and NIQ and Dane is uniquely positioned to help us accelerate our plans,” said Jim Peck, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. 

Chicago, IL – February 29, 2024 – NIQ, the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, is pleased to announce the launch of its new Media Division, a strategic initiative designed to enhance the value advertisers derive from their marketing efforts and enable partners in support of our advertiser clients. This move underscores NIQ’s continued commitment to providing clients with the Full View™ and strengthening their marketing capabilities. 

Heading the Global Media Division is Lana Busignani, a seasoned professional with an impressive track record in driving strategy across various media products. Formerly with Quotient Technology Inc., Lana brings her extensive experience to lead this strategic initiative, drawing from seven years at Nielsen Media, initially leading global Marketing Effectiveness and then serving as general manager of international media services. With a wealth of market research experience, including 15 years at IPSOS leading global advertising intelligence, Lana is well-positioned to drive the success of NIQ’s Media Division. 

“We’re excited to unveil our Media Division, a testament to our commitment to providing clients with the Full View™. This strategic initiative, uniting the capabilities of NIQ, GfK, and MRI-Simmons, enhances client value and marks a pivotal step toward an exciting and dynamic industry,” said Lana Busignani General Manager, Global Media with NIQ. “By leveraging our collective strengths, we’re shaping a future where businesses can make informed decisions in their marketing investments and execution, strengthening our position as industry leaders.” 

The Media Division will address three core industry issues: defining the right audience for brands, delivering that audience and ensuring that it performs, by integrating the power of NIQ, GfK, and MRI-Simmons. 

“With the launch of the Media Division under the leadership of Lana, we are thrilled to round out NIQ’s suite of services,” said Susan Dunn, Chief Revenue Officer with NIQ. “This strategic initiative harmonizes our capabilities, offering clients a comprehensive solution to make informed and unified decisions in their marketing endeavors. Lana’s wealth of experience and strategic vision align seamlessly with our commitment to providing clients with the Full View, reinforcing NIQ’s position as a trusted partner in driving business success.”  

Service reveals manufacturer, category, and brand sales at national, province and city levels

Toronto, ON – February 28, 2024 – CGA by NIQ, a leading provider of market intelligence solutions, proudly announces the launch of its On Premise Measurement (OPM) service in Canada. This groundbreaking service provides comprehensive insights into manufacturer, category, and brand sales at the national, provincial, and city levels within the traditional On Premise channel, including bars, pubs, restaurants, and nightclubs.

The OPM service represents a significant advancement in understanding sales performance beyond headline shipment data, allowing manufacturers to quantify their market share and conduct competitive benchmarking with unprecedented clarity. By offering visibility into category and brand performance at select market segments, OPM enables businesses to identify nuances and factors contributing to overall market changes.

“We’re proud to be illuminating areas of On Premise sales reporting in Canada that have been dark until now,” said Mitch Stefani, Client Solutions Director – Americas at CGA by NIQ. “In revealing the full landscape of Spirits sales out of bars and restaurants, OPM helps the industry move forward in pinpointing both national and regional trends with full range visibility across products and manufacturers.”

The launch of OPM in Canada builds on CGA by NIQ’s decade-long track record of providing industry-leading solutions globally. This expansion enables global suppliers to access consolidated channel performance data across North America in a centralized format.

“NIQ is excited to provide a complete understanding of consumers’ alcohol beverage consumption habits and learning behaviors, gathered from ON-PREMISE locations,” said Mike Ljubicic, Managing Director, NIQ Canada. “These insights help us uncover the influences behind their decisions when making purchases in-store. Our focus is on unraveling the complexities of consumer behavior, empowering businesses to adapt and cater to changing preferences more effectively.”

CGA by NIQ’s OPM first impact report for Canada, is now available to download, with subsequent insights provided monthly for subscribers. For more information about OPM and CGA’s On Premise solutions, please visit [link] or email Mitch Stefani at mitch.x.stefani@nielseniq.com.

Key Insights from the NIQ Consumer Outlook & GfK Global CMO Report

On the occasion, Mr. Mathur shared insights from the GfK Global CMO Outlook report, revealing that 33% of senior marketers globally struggle to connect data from diverse sources, and 29% encounter resistance to changing approaches within their organizations. These are significant challenges, but they are not impossible to solve.

Quoting The NIQ Consumer Outlook 2024 report, Mr. Mathur added that manufacturers that innovate are 1.8 times more likely to boost overall sales. Notably, 63% of global consumers expressed a willingness to buy products that have been innovatively crafted to be as cost-effective as possible.

About NIQ

NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights—delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms—NIQ delivers the Full View^TM. 

NIQ, is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90% of the world’s population. For more information, visit NIQ.com. 

About GfK

GfK. Growth from Knowledge. 

For over 89 years, we have earned the trust of our clients around the world by solving critical questions in their decision-making process. We fuel their growth by providing a complete understanding of their consumers’ buying behaviour, and the dynamics impacting their markets, brands and media trends. In 2023, GfK combined with NIQ, bringing together two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights – delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms – GfK drives “Growth from Knowledge”. 

For more information, visit GfK.com  

Tech Disruption: Leading the Way in Innovation

In the global marketplace, technology disruption acts as a catalyst for innovation. Recent studies show a surge in technology adoption in India, with Generative AI poised to contribute $1.2-1.5 trillion to India’s GDP by 2029-30.¹ NIQ-GfK emphasizes the importance of leading the way, not just keeping pace. Innovation is not only for premium positioning; it’s about pursuing ‘value-driven’ strategies for breakthroughs. 

Nikhil Mathur, Managing Director – India, GfK – An NIQ Company said, “It’s about leading the way. Companies that continuously innovate benefit the most during market slowdowns. According to NIQ Consumer Outlook, FMCG manufacturers who innovate are 1.8 times more likely to grow overall sales, and those who innovate during crises outperform those who do not. Notably, 63 percent of global consumers say they would purchase a product that has been innovated to be as affordable as possible.” 

Embrace Trends and Technologies for 2024 and Beyond

NIQ-GfK calls on industry leaders to embrace trends and technologies for 2024 and beyond, seizing every opportunity for growth and innovation. In summary, embracing change means reimagining and rebuilding for future generations. Elevating brand relevance in this data-driven, customer-centric era is an opportunity to showcase a commitment to excellence.

For media inquiries, please contact: Shruti Niraj | Shruti.Niraj@dentsu.com 

 

About NIQ

NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights—delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms—NIQ delivers the Full View^TM. 

NIQ, is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90% of the world’s population. For more information, visit NIQ.com. 

About GfK

GfK. Growth from Knowledge. 

For over 89 years, we have earned the trust of our clients around the world by solving critical questions in their decision-making process. We fuel their growth by providing a complete understanding of their consumers’ buying behaviour, and the dynamics impacting their markets, brands and media trends. In 2023, GfK combined with NIQ, bringing together two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights – delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms – GfK drives “Growth from Knowledge”. 

For more information, visit GfK.com  

Chicago, IL – February 7, 2024 — NIQ, a leading authority in consumer intelligence, proudly announces the release of its highly anticipated 2024 Global Consumer Outlook Report. This comprehensive document explores critical trends and insights that shape the consumer landscape, delivering invaluable data and analysis for businesses and stakeholders worldwide.

Navigating the intricate global economic terrain, the report delves into the repercussions of significant economic events and trends, shedding light on their impact on consumer confidence and spending behavior. Moving beyond a broad overview, the analysis explores regional variances, providing in-depth insights into the unique dynamics of Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. This bi-annual thought leadership study uncovers nuances in consumer preferences and changes in consumer attitudes and purchasing patterns, empowering retailers and manufacturers with a strategic understanding of their target markets to facilitate the formulation of tailored strategies for sustainable growth.

“In today’s disruptive global economy, our Consumer Outlook Report for 2024 serves as a compass, navigating through the ripples of economic events and unveiling insights into consumer behavior,” said Tracey Massey, COO of NIQ. “As businesses confront the challenges of a changing landscape, this report equips them with strategic foresight, offering a tailored understanding of regional variances and empowering them to steer their course toward sustainable growth.”

Key findings from the NIQ Global Consumer Outlook Report:

• Value and Volume Slowdown: In November 2023, prices rose by 6.1%, a significant drop from the 13.6% increase observed in January 2023. As inflation decelerates, it reveals that the slowed growth in sales value no longer masks low or declining consumption rates. Retailers and brands must strategically respond to avert excessive promotions and safeguard the bottom line.
• Consumers Under Pressure: Today, 34% of global consumers feel worse off financially than a year ago, as the unemployment rate remains steady and wages lag inflation.  As the global crisis remains top-of-mind, expect increased competition for a smaller share of consumer spending.
• Proactive and Precise with Wellness: 40% of global consumers proactively prioritize their health, contributing to a growth niche in the market. Recognizing the significance of proactive health management, consumers are keen on specific lifestyle changes and product features to attain their health goals.
• Hybrid Views on Value: In a custom analysis across different price tiers, value-priced products were the only group to see sales share growth (0.6 pts) in 2023. Financial polarization between affluent and vulnerable consumers drives an expanded search for value options, and retailers and manufacturers should anticipate demand for new affordable product assortments in 2024.
• Value-focused Innovation Growth: Manufacturers that innovate are 1.8 times more likely to boost overall sales. Continuous innovation has proven most advantageous for companies amid market slowdowns. Innovation isn’t limited to premium positioning; companies must pursue value-driven initiatives to thrive.
• Fluid Channel Dynamics: 11% of global consumers report shopping through social media channels. As the retail landscape evolves, adapting to changing patterns in how consumers explore, experiment with, and purchase products is crucial.

“The Global Consumer Outlook Report illuminates not just trends but critical shifts in consumer preferences and buying patterns, transcending borders and encompassing regions from North America to Asia Pacific,” said Lauren Fernandes, Global Director of Thought Leadership, NIQ. “From the ebb and flow of value and volume to the hybrid views on value, this report provides businesses with a comprehensive toolkit to adapt, innovate, and thrive in an environment marked by change. It’s not just a report; it’s a guide for businesses seeking resilience and relevance in an ever-shifting market.”

NIQ’s commitment to delivering actionable insights is evident in the research and analysis presented in the Consumer Outlook Report. This valuable resource empowers businesses to make informed decisions in an ever-evolving consumer landscape. Download the report today.

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Transcript

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Jake Conlin: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast belong to the individuals who share them and do not necessarily represent NielsenIQ. Note that this podcast discusses sensitive topics that may be triggering for some. For more information specific to this episode, see the episode description. Hi everyone and welcome to My Blank Story, a core component of NielsenIQ’s DEI Learning series, Me & You. My name is Jake Conlin. And if this is your first time tuning in, then let me tell you what this podcast is all about. In a nutshell, it’s about stories, your stories. We think stories are important because when we tell them we open the door and allow others to see the experiences that shaped us that challenged us and helped us grow. By doing this, we can create a culture where open dialogue is encouraged and we can have a space to discuss important topics in a transparent and courageous manner, so minimize that e-mail tab, view your chat and take a little break to listen to a NielsenIQ story. 

James Anderson: Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of My Blank Story and NIQ DEI podcast. My name is James Anderson and I am one of the hosts of the program and I’m a senior analyst on the analytics side for manufacturing here in the Toronto, Canada office and I’m joined on today’s episode by my co-host Funda. 

Funda Kalemci: Hi, James. Hi, everybody. Thank you so much for tuning in. I am Funda Kalemci. My pronouns are she and her. I am the global leader for DEI and well-being at NIQ. 

James Anderson: And today, I guess Funda we have a couple of really exciting guests that are going to talk us through one of the subjects that’s been very much on our minds over the last few months. Over the last year, do you want to talk a little bit about that and then introduce the guests for us? 

Funda Kalemci: Sure. Just months, James, it’s been my life for the past 10 years. So today we are going to talk about our ERG, our Employee Resource Groups. I have been a part of our employee resource groups for the past 10 years. I’ve been an ERG member, leader and now I oversee the program overall, so it is super close to my heart. And I am so happy to have two wonderful individuals on the podcast today with us to talk about our ERGs, our transition in the past six months or so, and we’re going to hear from them so, these two fantastic individuals are Leanne and Steve. I have the privilege to be working with them very closely, but I want them to introduce themselves. Leanne, do you want to go first?  

Leanne Plumbe: Thanks very much, Funda, and thank you for having me here today. So hi everyone, I’m Leanne Plumbe, pronouns she/her. I’ve been with NIQ for nearly eight years now. I’m a product leader in the CPS side of the business so very exciting time for us at the moment. I’ve actually spent the last kind of six, maybe seven years of my time at NIQ working with the ERGs, both across WING, recently with ADEPT and I’m really excited to be getting involved with PRIDE. So thank you very much for having me here today.  

Funda Kalemci: Thank you so much, Leanne. Next up is Steve. Steve, go ahead and introduce yourself. I have a zillion questions for you after that. 

Steve Dowse: OK, cool. Thanks. Hi. So I’m Steve Dowse, pronouns are he/him. I’ve been at GfK now for five years, 30 years in tech. Basically, I’m a passionate advocate for neurodiversity, and I’ve worked as a chair on Fast Forward at the UK Group. Drawing from my own experience, including three neurodiverse children and my own late life’s diagnosis I guess I’ve formed into a dedicated evangelist for fostering not only awareness, but also acceptance for neurodiversity. 

James Anderson: We’re so happy to have both of you join us today and we’re really looking forward to hearing your stories and experiences thus far as we as we work to fully integrate our ERG program. 

Funda Kalemci: We certainly are, James, and I want to remind our listeners who are tuning in to this podcast for the first time. We have actually merged with GfK in the past six months and that’s what James was talking about we’re fully integrating our ERG programs between now one company, so. I want to start with Steve. Can you? Because I know your background in the DEI world at GfK and you were one of the leaders in our UK Fast Forward team. Can you just give us a summary of how that experience was for you?  

Steve Dowse: I got involved very late 2022 and into 2023. I was fortunate enough to be the head, or the chair, of the Fast forward Group. Historically that that was created about five years ago to tackle the disparity in gender, in pay gap, but it evolved over the period of time to cover ethnic diversity, LGBTQ, gender, menopause, disability and diversity, mentoring and cultural calendar. So it really did evolve, and it was a privilege last year to see and to help facilitate those groups of people who volunteered, kind of bringing awareness to the wider audience, i.e. the employees of the company, to mark events to bring in guest speakers, webinars, specialized documentation. So that’s what the Fast forward group evolved into and it’s a really good junction now, that everything that they’ve learned, those individuals can grow into the ERG groups and bring a wealth of knowledge that they’ve, you know, they’ve amassed themselves, but also to learn and to collaborate with their colleagues at NIQ as we move forward as a joint company. 

James Anderson: And Leanne, I was also wondering if you want to tell us a little bit about your experience as an ERG leader. Is it similar? Is it different than what Steve just described? 

Leanne Plumbe: Sure. So definitely there’s some similarities in there, right? So initiatives that we’ve worked on both locally from my perspective in the UK, but then also regionally and globally. There’s definitely some similarities in there. I guess my personal experience and journey over the last kind of six-ish years with the ERG’s is it’s been really interesting. I’ve seen our ERG’s grow and change over that time. From being very locally led and now we’ve got a real structure to the programs. And now having worked across WIN and ADEPT and worked with the local initiatives. It’s been really rewarding to see that growth, to help see that understanding and awareness grow as well. So definitely as I talk more to Steve, I hear more similarities. There’s definitely going to be things that we can learn and grow from each other. And I think that’s one of the things that I’m most excited about as we come together in the ERGs. 

Funda Kalemci: Thank you so much, Leanne. Thanks, Steve. Both of you, thanks for sharing those experiences. But now, as NIQ, we are now turning a new leaf where we are fully bringing our DEI programs together under one umbrella – that is our Employee Resource Groups. I’m curious, what are you both looking forward to as you step into your new leadership roles? Steve you are going to be taking up Europe leadership for ADEPT and Leanne, you will be taking up Europe leadership for PRIDE. I want to hear your expectations, your aspirations. But Leanne, if you can also touch upon leading different ERG’s. You have been one of our role models in allyship, because you started off in WIN, which is our women Employee Resource gGoup. And then you stepped in to ADEPT, which is our people with disabilities, Employee Resource Group. Now you’re walking into PRIDE, which is our LGBT Employee Resource Group. But if you can focus on that as well, I would love to hear your thoughts. 

Leanne Plumbe: Yeah, yeah, definitely. Thanks, Funda. So I’m really passionate about allyship. And for me, the biggest part of that is learning and educating myself. And then also being that conduit and being able to help other people learn and grow their awareness and ultimately get to a point of acceptance. So it’s been a journey for me. There’s been times when I can draw upon my own experiences. So from being within WIN, being female myself, there was things that I could definitely resonate with and I could draw on those experiences. But then sometimes there’s aspects – so I think about the menopause awareness that we’ve been working on really recently. I haven’t personally been through the menopause, yet. I’m not going through it yet. So it’s a learning and a growth experience for me that helps me to educate myself. And I think as I have grown and I continue to grow and continue to learn, it also helps me to understand – how can we help others to gain that understanding and education as well? And that’s one of the greatest things about ERGs. I don’t necessarily think that you have to … I guess identify with that ERG to be a part of it. To be able to learn and to educate yourself and become a really great ally. And there’s so much that’s so rewarding through that in terms of personal growth as well. And for me that’s just been the best thing about being involved and continuing to be involved with the ERG’s. 

James Anderson: And Steve, your thoughts? 

Steve Dowse: I guess I’m excited to find out obviously the culture and what’s happened previously in NIQ with your journey with ERG’s. I’m really excited about bringing the collaboration between the two groups together.  I fundamentally believe you move forward when you learn from one another. It’s great to see the passion that people have got in the group. It’s nice to see that’s a shared feeling between the different companies, which is only good for the good of everybody. I think I’m really interested in the differences and the similarities that we have as companies and harnessing the best that both groups bring together, as we become one effectively. I’d be really interested to understand the range and the groups that different companies, sorry different countries and regions have. Because obviously there’s different policies and there’s different standards which each country has. And it’s about unifying that and collectively uplifting the experience for our employees and also trying to expand the reach. One of the things that I’m passionate about is getting the voices that aren’t heard – getting them to actually have a medium to say the things that bother them, which would make their existence at work better. And you know, looking and exploring into those types of areas. So early days for me, but it’s great to meet the new people and to integrate as one team moving forward. 

James Anderson: So let me pick up a little bit on that, Steve. I know [that] we are bringing in some new ideas and changes, but with the ERG program structure is going to stay pretty much similar to what the NIQ group is used to. Now Leanne, I wanted to ask you, how do you feel the ERG leaders can really embrace those from the GfK side and ensure that their voices and new ways of doing things can be fully embraced. 

Leanne Plumbe: Really, echoing what Steve said actually. So, we’ve got a really great opportunity to learn from each other and from [our] new leaders. So, whilst the structures might stay very similar or the same as we’ve got it today within NIQ, I really do think listening, learning from our new leaders and our new member base is going to help us become so much better than we are today, you know, having that collective voice and having so many more new thoughts and new ideas. It’s just it’s only going to make us better and just making sure from a leadership perspective. For me, inclusivity starts there, so making sure that the whole leadership team has a voice and just making sure that everybody feels comfortable, welcomed and that we can all voice our thoughts and our opinions in terms of how we want to go forward is going to help us build the best objectives for that ERG at a global and then a regional and then help a local level as well. So for me that’s the exciting part – being able to learn and grow from our new leaders that are coming on board. And I’m really excited to hear what GfK have done in the past as well. There’s so much opportunity there for us to learn and grow, because I’m sure they’ve done loads of great things that we perhaps haven’t thought about and there’s some great opportunities in there for us to be able to move forward and integrate. 

Funda Kalemci: That is refreshing to hear, Leanne. Steve, I would then turn to you and ask the same question in a different way. You and I have been on a journey when it comes to making sure that our GfK colleagues have been integrated into the ERG Program and made sure that you know, we have this resounding message of, you know, unison, inclusion and all of that. What do you think we can do better to ensure everyone’s feeling included even further? And acclimate it to the to the Resource groups.  

Steve Dowse: I think it’s a good point and I think with a merger of this magnitude, you know, human nature is where do I fit into this and not just professionally but with people’s support of, you know, activities such as Fast Forward, etc. and I think the active vibrancy that we see from people like yourself and the constant reassurance that actually it’s not anything that’s being lost, it’s actually the contrary to that, it’s the opportunity to grow it’s, you know, people’s reinforcement that the work that’s been done before hasn’t been lost, in actual fact it’s kind of a point of reference to help grow and evolve as a coming together. I think it’s continued reassurance, encouragement for people making sure that they have the right channels, the right links, the right people to approach if they want to be involved and to really, as I say, reinforce that message through. I think it’s becoming a lot stronger, the momentum’s growing and I think also where you’ll see integration of NIQ people and GfK people coming together, you know, people will feel that there’s more solidarity between the groups and I think that’s a great message to send down, so the technology that we have across both groups can be harnessed to, you know, point people in the right direction and I think that needs to be sustained for a period of time until we’ve fully joined technically and everybody has one place to go. Well we’re still, you know, getting our technology sets into one place, just make sure that people are steered in the right direction and you know, and I think myself and everybody involved in the ERGs will have a responsibility to keep on reinforcing that message because we don’t want to lose people on the journey, we just want them to join. 

James Anderson: And now, stepping back just a little bit, I wanted to ask both. Well, Steve, you’ve begun to touch on it, but I was wondering, Leanne, what, what do you think…how important a role do you think that the ERG’s are going to play as we continue to integrate our two cultures together? 

Leanne Plumbe: Oh, a huge role. So, I think ERG’s are really unique and special in that we have something common to unite over. It helps us to see and understand difference and accept difference, but also to see where we’re also similar, right? It helps to bring about the personal aspect of working in what is a global corporate company, at the end of the day. I do think it’s really important, from an ERG perspective, that we continue the communication[s]. I think we have a really great opportunity, within our ERG’s, to play that pivotal role of bringing everybody together. 

Funda Kalemci: Steve, any thoughts from you? 

Steve Dowse: Yeah, I think it’s an opportunity to, kind of, reflect [the] society outside of work. You know, [the] opinions, values, trends that will impact our everyday life. I see the ERG groups as actually being a quite, you know, powerful voice to help individuals enjoy [their work]. It’s not just about sitting in front of a desk. You have to have the right accommodation. You need to feel valued, listened to, and I think the ERG’s add that. [They add] that momentum, and the capacity for people to give their voice and for the company to grow into a nurturing environment, not just professionally, but personally. And I think that’s valuable.  You need to feel as if the company’s listening to you and [that] they’re going to make the appropriate adjustments for an individual or group of individuals because [it’s] only when you have that harmony, when you have that unison together, [that] the company will grow in the sense of its values, [and] its culture. 

Funda Kalemci: Fantastic. Music to my ears. Thank you so much, both of you. There is one thing that you didn’t mention, Steve, or maybe I missed it, and that’s your personal motto on how you approach overall DEI, which is acceptance and awareness or rather awareness and acceptance. Can you talk a little bit about that and how you plan to infuse that into what you are going to do as an ERG leader. 

Steve Dowse: Yeah, sure. So, I think awareness, right? [Or] knowledge of perception or a situation. Are you aware of a condition or [that] that condition exists – just talking about neuro-diversity for a moment. But [awareness], that’s completely different to acceptance which is the willingness to tolerate a particular situation or a difficult situation, to accept a condition which may be yours, or somebody else’s. It takes effort to defeat your misconception, right, and your opinions of it so that you become wholeheartedly accepting of it. And I think it’s really easy to “put documentation out there”, you know, or “this is a document.” [whereas] … actually feeling it, living it, and then having a community accept it, that’s a different challenge. And I think that’s one of the things I’d like to focus on in the group. Do we have the right level of awareness? Is it targeted? Is it meaningful? But then how does that evolve into acceptance? And that can be simply people’s [notion that], you know, you’ve done the job with awareness and people are becoming accepting. Or that can be something like a policy, if required, that, you know, the company’s held to account, to make accommodation for an individual. So, I think, for me, that’s something that is most passionate for me, and you’ll see that in my tenure across in ADEPT, but that that’s what I’m always mindful of. 

James Anderson: And Leanne, over to you. I’m just wondering, same kind of thing. What sort of what kind of sneak peeks you might have for the ERG’s in the in the coming in the coming year? 

Leanne Plumbe: Yeah. Thanks, James. So, I guess first of all, I’m really excited to see what Steve and the team are going to do with ADEPT. Having worked with ADEPT over the last few years, I am really genuinely excited to see how it continues to grow. ADEPT’S been on a fantastic, phenomenal journey over the last few years – starting from absolutely nothing to the huge member base that we’ve got now. And hearing Steve talking about kind of where his perspectives and thoughts are going, I think it’s going to be a really exciting couple of years for ADEPT. From a PRIDE perspective, I’m going to say…a really similar situation as Steve. I can’t really give any insight in terms of specific PRIDE initiatives at the moment. We’ve got our leadership kickoff call coming in the next week or so, so I’m really excited to take stock and hear from our membership; I’m going into ADEPT – sorry, PRIDE- as an ally. So, from that perspective, I’m looking forward to seeing how I can help with initiatives that will be needed and how we can form the goals for the year. But I would be amiss if I didn’t mention something that’s slightly outside – something that’s close to both mine and Funda’s hearts – which is our Menopause in the Workplace global initiative. So, we worked really, really hard over kind of 2022 and 2023 in the UK and Ireland business to gain workplace accreditation as a menopause-friendly workplace. We worked with Henpicked on that, and we’ve been working with a really great team over the last kind of…say, four or five months to start to bring to life a global initiative for bringing about education, awareness, acceptance, and support globally for menopause in the workplace. So, it’s going to be an exciting year for that. So, we’re very much looking forward to seeing what comes with that and all of the work that we’ve got planned ahead of us in 2024. 

Funda Kalemci: You and me both, Leanne. I think that requires its own podcast episode.  

Leanne Plumbe: Nice. Certainly.  

Funda Kalemci: Thank you so much for all that work on that front. James, over to you. 

James Anderson: Well, I just want to thank both of our guests today for sharing their time and their experiences with us here on the podcast today and look forward to all of the initiatives that are coming our way from both of you. Thank you. 

Jake Conlin: Hey, y’all, it’s Jake again. We hope you’ve enjoyed this episode of My Blank Story . Tune in next time to hear more stories from the NIQ community. 

Steve Dowse: (snippet during final music) Do we have the right level of awareness? Is it targeted? Is it meaningful? But then, how does that evolve into acceptance? 

Leanne Plumbe: (snippet during final music) We’ve got a really great opportunity to learn from each other and from the leaders. 

Steve Dowse: (snippet during final music) I’m excited to find out…obviously, the culture, and what’s happened previously in NIQ with your journey with ERGs. 

CHICAGO, IL – February 6, 2024 – NIQ BASES, a trailblazer in guiding companies toward brand excellence through innovation, is thrilled to unveil the outstanding winners of the 2023 North America Menu Innovation Awards. Following a meticulous evaluation of a diverse array of new menu items, these awards recognize the exceptional creativity of the latest offerings in the food industry. The 2023 winners showcase a commitment to engaging consumers with innovative and enticing menu options, responding to the evolving demands of a discerning audience.

“Culinary innovation is an ever-evolving journey, and these award-winning creations not only tantalize the taste buds but also mirror the spirit of resilience and adaptability in the face of change.” said Ryan Pearson, Director NIQ BASES Customer Success. “In each dish, we find the artistry of chefs and the pulse of consumer preferences, reminding us that excellence in food is a continuous exploration.”

The 2023 North America Menu Innovation Award Winners:

Applebee’s Bourbon Street Mushroom Swiss Burger

• Arby’s Wagyu Steakhouse Burger
• Cheesecake Factory’s Basque Cheesecake
• Dairy Queen’s Cinnamon Roll Centers Blizzard
• Denny’s Brisket-It-All Melt
• Einstein Bros. Bagel All-Nighter Breakfast Box
• Freddy’s French Onion Steakburger
• IHOP’s Thick N’ Fluffy French Toast
• Krispy Kreme’s ChurrDough Collection
• Little Caesar’s Batman Calzone
• McDonald’s Smoky BLT Quarter Pounder
• Pizza Hut’s Oven-Baked Pasta
• Papa John’s Epic Pepperoni-Stuffed Crust Pizza
• Popeyes Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwich
• Firehouse Subs Prime Rib Steak Sub
• Red Lobster’s Cheddar Bay Shrimp
• Red Robin’s Pineapple Upside-down Cake Milkshake
• TGI Friday’s FRIjitas
• Jimmy John’s Thai Chicken Wrap
• Wendy’s Strawberry Frosty

These extraordinary menu items reflect the dedication of the food industry to continually push boundaries and delight consumers with innovative culinary experiences.

“The 2023 Menu Innovation Award winners exemplify the resilience and adaptability of the food industry,” continued Pearson. “In our ongoing effort to celebrate and learn from outstanding brands, we are delighted to showcase the impactful achievements of these leaders.”

For more information on replicating these successes on your menu, visit innovation.NIQ.com/BASES-Restaurant. To gain insights from the winners in North America or other regions, sign up for the webinar at NIQ.com/global/en/landing-page/bases-menu-innovation-awards/.

About NIQ

NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights—delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms—NIQ delivers the Full View(TM).

NIQ, is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90% of the world’s population. For more information, visit NIQ.com.

About GfK

For over 89 years, we have earned the trust of our clients around the world by solving critical questions in their decision-making process. We fuel their growth by providing a complete understanding of their consumers’ buying behavior, and the dynamics impacting their markets, brands and media trends. In 2023, GfK combined with NIQ, bringing together two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights – delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms – GfK drives “Growth from Knowledge”. For more information, visit GfK.com.

Chicago, IL – January 17, 2024 — NielsenIQ, a global measurement and data analytics leader, announces an agreement with TransUnion’s (NYSE: TRU) marketing solutions business, TruAudience®, to connect NielsenIQ’s consumer data with partners’ identity spaces for audience modeling. This cooperative effort leverages NielsenIQ’s first-party data on fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) purchases and TransUnion’s Identity Resolution for data connectivity to help Media and AdTech companies create impactful campaigns with audience segments informed by consumer purchases.  

The alliance overcomes historical barriers to leveraging offline consumer purchase behavior data for FMCGs. Clients can use NielsenIQ data as a “Seed Audience” to create precise look-alike segments based on demographics and FMCG purchase behavior. Key highlights of this collaboration include: 

• Precise Targeting comparable to Retail Media Networks: Leveraging purchase data allows Media and AdTech companies to create solutions for the open web 
• Durable through Data Deprecation: Transaction data remains unaffected by data deprecation, and when paired with the robust offline identity delivered by TransUnion’s identity graph offers an avenue for targeting as cookies and mobile ad IDs disappear
• Global Scale and Accessibility: NielsenIQ is the sole global player providing data at this scale. Through its Full View™, Media and AdTech companies gain seamless access to invaluable first-party data, transforming their audience targeting capabilities. 

“NielsenIQ can empower media and adtech companies to better serve FMCG brands with the most comprehensive and actionable data insights available,” said Brett Jones, SVP, Global Head of Partnerships and New Verticals, NielsenIQ. “By teaming up with TransUnion to connect our data with media platforms, we are at the forefront of redefining the future of audience targeting, delivering privacy-focused solutions, and paving the way for more impactful and successful campaigns.” 

Using TransUnion’s identity, media companies can resolve NielsenIQ data to their own view of identity and begin creating audiences. In a market shifting towards Retail Media Networks, this collaboration empowers Media and AdTech companies to deliver higher performance targeting on the open web..

“Our strategic partnership with NielsenIQ makes it possible for FMCG marketers and media companies to deliver personalized experiences as if they had the first-party data of Retail Media Networks,” said Julie Clark, SVP, Media & Entertainment Vertical, TransUnion. “Together, we are shaping a forward-thinking advertising landscape that prioritizes relevancy, effectiveness, and consumer privacy.” 

To find out more about NielsenIQ’s unwavering commitment to data privacy and access to its treasure trove of first-party data, please visit https://nielseniq.com/global/en/landing-page/media-adtech-hub/. For a deeper understanding of TransUnion’s TruAudience marketing solutions, explore https://www.transunion.com/solution/truaudience.  

Revolutionary Supply Chain Solution Leads the Charge Toward Innovation and Efficiency

Chicago, IL – January 16, 2024 – Powerhouse companies NIQ and Databricks, have joined forces to unveil a groundbreaking Supply Chain Solution to transform the retail landscape. NIQ is a pioneer with its unmatched data capabilities and innovative Discover technology platform, setting the benchmark in the industry. The Supply Chain Solution is built on the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform and allows real-time collaboration, unlike on-premise solutions that rely on outdated information. Together, NIQ and Databricks are propelling unprecedented advancements in retail technology.

The initiative targets critical pain points historically plaguing the retail industry across supply chain processes. Beginning with modernizing the demand forecasting process, this solution focuses on elevating accuracy and efficiency. The approach involves adopting generative AI techniques, promising a groundbreaking enhancement of forecasting accuracy by an average of 10% to help retailers lower carrying costs, maintain fewer out of stocks, and have less markdowns. This progressive leap surpasses conventional off-the-shelf solutions that rely on basic univariate modeling, providing a more customized edge tailored to retailers’ needs.

“Our relationship with Databricks represents a pivotal moment in advancing retail technology to enable collaboration between retailers and supply partners,” said Jamie Clarke, Head of North America Retail, NIQ. “By combining NIQ’s unrivaled data capabilities and leading retail platform, Connect/Discover, with the Supply Chain Solution, alongside the expertise of Databricks, we’re committed to revolutionizing how retailers harness data to drive innovation, achieve sustainable growth, and drive true collaboration.”

NIQ’s Connect/Discover platform’s Supply Chain Solution harnesses advanced datasets to supercharge machine learning tasks by utilizing detailed panel data. This approach significantly enhances personalized services and optimizes multi-channel strategies for retailers and manufacturers.

The roadmap outlines a progressive trajectory for further retail innovation throughout 2024. This includes prioritizing refined strategies for personalization, aiming to create tailored consumer experiences as NIQ continues to invest in modern practices. Moreover, the alliance anticipates evolving collaborative efforts to spearhead the next wave of retail transformation, aiming to revolutionize industry practices further.

“Our alliance with NIQ signifies a collaborative endeavor to empower retailers with real-time data and machine learning capabilities,” said Rob Saker, Global Industry Leader for Retail at Databricks. “The fusion of Databricks’ industry-leading data platform with the innovation prowess of our alliance underscores our commitment to driving actionable insights and fostering innovation in the retail sector.”

Experience the dynamic synergy as NIQ and Databricks converge to introduce pioneering solutions during NRF’24 Retail Big Show, scheduled from January 14-16 in New York City at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

Completion of divestment as part of anti-trust approvals of combining NIQ and GfK

Combination of NIQ and GfK creates world’s leading consumer intelligence company

Consumer Panel business remains a top priority for NIQ-GfK

Nuremberg, Germany – January 9, 2024 – GfK GmbH (“GfK”), a leading global information services company, today completed the sale of its European Consumer Panel Services business (“CPS GfK”) to YouGov plc (“YouGov”). The divestment of CPS GfK addresses competition concerns by the European Commission and was a condition for the combination of NIQ and GfK.

“The sale of CPS GfK has enabled the strategic combination of NIQ and GfK to form the world’s leading consumer intelligence company,” said Jim Peck, CEO of NIQ. “The complementary and unmatched global reach and the investments in coverage and technology make the combination of NIQ and GfK highly attractive to clients, partners, and employees – and will enable further strategic growth. I am proud of the progress we have made over the last six months of integration and look forward to seeing the potential of our combined company unfold on a global scale.”

In July 2023, NIQ and GfK completed the combination of their businesses. The strategic move brought together two companies that have independently made significant investments in unparalleled omnichannel coverage, business intelligence tools, consumer panels, and predictive analytics. With this combined industry expertise, NIQ-GfK is ideally positioned to accelerate its growth by offering The Full View™ of consumer behavior around the globe.

“Consumer panel services are fundamental in our diverse portfolio,” said Kris Ewing, President of Global Consumer Panel Solutions at NIQ. “Our significant investments in our global consumer panel capabilities reinforce our leadership in consumer-driven data. Operating in 23 countries, NIQ’s reliable panels stand out, seamlessly complementing retail data. Our Discover platform merges on-demand panel access, reshaping industry insights. Integrating sales and panel data empowers users with comprehensive narratives. With a global panel aggregation engine, NIQ delivers swift, adaptable insights, elevating data analysis.”

Chicago, IL – January 8, 2024 – NIQ, a leading provider of innovative data and analytics solutions, proudly announces the return of its annual NIQ Founders Pitch Slam competition, set to gather some of the most inventive emerging Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brands. This competition aims to challenge select founders to pitch their companies to industry insiders and business leaders, accompanied by support from NIQ data experts.

This exclusive competition offers participating brands access to NIQ data experts, enabling them to present their stories through the lens of top-tier data, analytics, and the NIQ Byzzer platform. Five finalists will be able to present to a live audience at NIQ’s C360 conference in Phoenix, Arizona, vying for a grand prize of over $500,000 in cash and in-kind services. In-kind prizes comprise access to NIQ’s Byzzer Activate platform (including NIQ Omnisales data and selected analytics), NIQ Brand Score, NIQ Price Explorer technology, BASES Innovation Measurement services, and NIQ Consultant hours.

“We are thrilled to gather once again some of the brightest minds in the CPG industry and provide a platform for these innovative brands to spotlight their ideas and connect with potential investors and partners,” expressed Andrew Criezis, President E-Commerce & SMB. “We anticipate discovering pioneering products from entrepreneurs aiming to impact the CPG industry and address significant market challenges.”

Eligibility for the competition requires brands to have total annual U.S. retail dollar sales below $20,000,000 in 2023 across one or more qualifying CPG departments, validated by NIQ Omnisales databases for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023. Qualifying departments include alcohol, baby care, bakery, bulk bin, dairy, deli, floral, frozen, general merchandise, grocery, beauty, household, meat, pet, produce, seafood, or nutritional supplements. Products must currently be available for sale in the U.S. This opportunity is open to all CPG brands meeting these qualifications and does not necessitate a prior relationship with NIQ.

For further details on eligibility, information, and applying to participate in the NIQ Founders Pitch Slam competition, visit the NIQ website at niq.com/pitchslam.

Chicago, IL – December 19, 2024 – NIQ, a pioneering force in consumer and market intelligence, is proud to announce the appointment of Kris Ewing as the Global President of Consumer Panel Services (CPS) to accelerate growth, foster innovation, and deliver client-centric solutions. This leadership appointment underscores NIQ’s unwavering commitment to expanding consumer-sourced measurement across diverse channels and categories, reinforcing its pivotal role in fortifying the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry. As NIQ marks its centennial milestone, this appointment signifies a dedication to propelling the Consumer Panel business into a new era where robust, data-driven insights are imperative for the success of the CPG industry.

Ewing’s elevation to the position of Global President of Consumer Panel Services is a testament to NIQ’s commitment to elevating data-driven insights to unprecedented heights. Reporting directly to Tracey Massey, Chief Operating Officer at NIQ, Ewing is tasked with steering the company’s global expansion of Consumer Panel activities. With a keen focus on differentiated product offerings, cutting-edge technology, and a team of skilled shopper and consumer experts, Ewing’s leadership aims to establish new industry standards.

With 76% of senior leaders from the FMCG industry stating that changing behaviours of consumers and new generations is a presenting a challenge and opportunity for future growth, the focus for NIQ is on delivering a commitment to clients that provide the future led consumer insights that enable brands to create long-term growth.

“I am incredibly excited about the opportunity to lead in this dynamic landscape,” said Kris Ewing, Global President of Consumer Panel Services at NIQ. “Our commitment to evolving and enhancing our capabilities is paramount to serve our clients better and achieve our ambitious goals. I look forward to spearheading this journey of innovation and growth, ensuring that our strategies resonate with the ever-evolving needs of our clients and the industry.”
NIQ is strategically prioritizing the advancement of Consumer Panel Services across the organization, initiating a series of key actions:

• Fostering greater clarity for clients through the connection of Retail Measurement Services and Consumer Panel Services through dynamic, integrated views on NIQ Discover (launching in 2024).
• Strengthening coverage, representation, and CPS data quality across global markets with focused investments in leading samples in the UK, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Australia, United States and Canada.
• Providing enhanced support through training, workshops, and thought leadership by industry-leading subject-matter experts to unveil new pathways to growth by leveraging best-in-class Retail Measurement and Consumer Panel insights.
• Delivering more precise and reliable trend reads, particularly in key growth channels as well as expanded omnichannel coverage, categories, and characteristics.

NIQ is driving a rapid pace of measurement advancement, underpinned by significant and strategic investments in coverage and technology. Embracing a forward-thinking approach, the company has pinpointed key critical initiatives to foster substantial growth, with CPS serving as a central pillar in this strategic pursuit. NIQ steadfastly upholds its mission of pioneering insights and innovation within the consumer and market intelligence sphere, driving us forward into a future of unparalleled advancements and transformative industry impact.

Chief Product Officer, Troy Treangen will lead NIQ Labs, Pioneering Innovation across the CPG Industry  

NIQ fast-tracking innovation with launch of GenAI-based ‘NIQ Ask Arthur’ in 2024 

Chicago, IL – December 13, 2023 – NIQ, a global leader in data and analytics solutions, is excited to announce the establishment of NIQ Labs, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at harnessing the collective power of top-tier talent and capabilities acquired through strategic M&As. Positioned as an innovation powerhouse within NIQ’s commitment to bolster sustainable growth through performance-enhancing investments, NIQ Labs stands poised to pioneer the future of inventive products, solutions, and, aimed at tackling industry challenges. Over the past two years, NIQ has invested over $1 billion in operating investments in new data and capabilities to build a Full View^TM of consumer shopping behavior to solve client problems and reveal pathways to growth. Coupled with investments, NIQ Labs taps into an extensive array of data assets, employing intuitive business intelligence tools that offer detailed market insights and predictive analytics driven by generative AI (GenAI) and authoritative data science.

With the introduction of NIQ Labs, the company is proud to announce the first new tool, ‘NIQ Ask Arthur’, a transformative GenAI-based tool that will be integrated into the Discover platform. This revolutionary solution empowers users with AI-assisted global search and personalized recommendations based on KPIs and always-on analytics. Offering AI-generated insights within reports, ‘NIQ Ask Arthur’ simplifies complex data interpretation and facilitates informed decision-making. Its conversational AI capabilities enable deeper investigations, guiding users through vast datasets and providing actionable insights. ‘NIQ Ask Arthur’ is a game-changer, reshaping data-driven decision-making and exemplifying NIQ’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge analytics solutions, propelling businesses toward success in today’s dynamic landscape. Through the creation of NIQ Labs, ‘NIQ Ask Arthur’ ensures data safety and leverages the best models and tools available in this rapidly evolving emerging tech landscape.

“Introducing ‘NIQ Ask Arthur’ marks an exhilarating milestone for NIQ Labs and the Discover platform. This cutting-edge GenAI-powered tool revolutionizes data innovation and exploration, offering users AI-driven global search and personalized recommendations that redefine the way insights are harnessed,” said Troy Treangen, Chief Product Officer, NIQ. “’NIQ Ask Arthur’ represents a leap forward in our commitment to delivering top-tier analytics solutions, simplifying complex data and empowering decision-makers with actionable insights. It’s more than a tool; it’s a game-changer shaping the future of data-driven decision-making and exemplifying NIQ’s dedication to innovation in today’s dynamic business environment.”

The genesis of NIQ Labs lies in recognizing that within each acquisition, there resides a wealth of specialized and technical resources. To harness the capabilities of NIQ associates, and maximize client value, NIQ Labs will bring together an impressive pool of ~400 engineers, data scientists, and technicians who possess exceptional specialized skill sets. This talented cadre will serve as NIQ’s dedicated innovation engine, focused on resolving internal, industry, and client challenges through cutting-edge technological solutions. They will work alongside ~3,000 engineers and ~700 data scientists who operate in NIQ’s broader business operations.

“NIQ Labs, driven by an agile and entrepreneurial spirit, aims to leverage AI and emerging technologies,” said Jim Peck, CEO of NIQ. “Our core objective is to foster scalable innovation within the NIQ ecosystem. Integral to this mission is a commitment to data governance. By prioritizing data integrity and security, we ensure a reliable foundation for AI utilization, promising unprecedented industry innovation. Our tailored approach empowers organizations to make informed decisions, ensure data consistency, and safeguard stakeholder interests. With NIQ’s solutions, businesses experience reduced inconsistencies, minimized errors, and enhanced data value. Our commitment to transparent processes and cost-effective coordination enables clients to thrive in a data-driven world, fostering innovation and growth.”

Led by Troy Treangen, the NIQ Labs leadership team is reinforced by the expertise of Xavier Facon, Mark Flynn, John Forese, Co-Founder of Data Impact Ludovic Gallen, Dana James, Dennis Madura, and Foxintelligence Founder and CEO Edouard Nattee. Their diverse and extensive skill set is the powerhouse driving NIQ Labs toward an era of groundbreaking achievements. This dynamic team pledges an innovative consulting approach, anchoring their efforts around five pivotal pillars:

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI): The GenAI pillar strategically centers on deploying AI-generated technologies within the NIQ ecosystem with the support of ~700 data scientists. Building on NIQ’s extensive two-decade dominance in AI and machine learning, the introduction of GenAI will usher in novel technologies aimed at empowering front-end capabilities to drive client success. In response to clients’ pursuit of intelligent, context-driven assistance in navigating complex business landscapes, NIQ’s GenAI pillar is poised to provide essential solutions that guide them towards actionable strategies for success.

Global eCommerce: NIQ Labs is set to pioneer a revolutionary approach in global e-commerce measurement and shopper analytics. The team aims to redefine measurement methodologies, focusing on developing advanced consumer iOS and Android applications. These apps go beyond mere data collection, delving into intricate processing and in-depth analysis to establish unprecedented industry standards.

Product Attribution: Within NIQ Labs, the Product Coding pillar is led by an expert leveraging extensive experience to drive innovation. This leadership plays a pivotal role in harnessing ‘product insights’ as a cornerstone, unifying NIQ’s proprietary view of Omni measurement and activation for tracked products, ensuring continuous growth.

Retail/eRetail Media: NIQ Labs’ visionary initiative blends advanced technology and strategic insights to redefine the retail landscape. This leadership ensures unmatched consumer engagement, offering brands innovative ways to connect with their audience. The Retail Media pillar promises to set new standards in advertising by employing data-driven strategies for impactful brand visibility and customer-centric results.

Predictive Insights: NIQ Labs is enhancing its solutions and analytics through the integration of AI capabilities under strategic guidance. This initiative aims to leverage GenAI to transform consumer surveys, introduce pioneering analytics, and utilize intelligence from vast data repositories, positioning NIQ at the forefront of innovation and efficiency in predictive insights.

NIQ, through its innovative utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), empowers retail and manufacturing clients in over 90 countries, impacting more than 1.4 million stores and handling trillions of records to derive actionable insights. The company’s agility and rapid deployment strategies have facilitated remarkable technological advancement. In the past year, NIQ’s Discover platform witnessed extraordinary growth, surging from 2,500 users in January 2023 to an impressive 40,000 across 71 countries today, showcasing the vast scale of NIQ’s technological expansion. This ability to rapidly deploy technology, enhance user engagement, and establish a global presence underscores NIQ’s unparalleled agility and innovation in the tech industry. These advancements facilitate accelerated insights across diverse industries, channels, and products, driving speed-to-insight at an unprecedented scale to deliver the Full View™.

For more information about NIQ Labs and its groundbreaking work, please visit NIQ’s AI Hub.

NIQ Activate allows retailers to leverage their own data to accelerate revenue streams

Madrid, December 4, 2023 – NIQ, the leading global measurement and analytics provider, announced that EROSKI, the first cooperative retail group in Spain and leader in the north of the Spanish market, has signed an agreement to implement NIQ Activate. The agreement marks EROSKI as the pioneering retail chain in Spain to adopt NIQ Activate.

NIQ Activate, a SaaS AI-based platform, enables meaningful engagements between retailers, brands, and customers. This collaboration aims to drive sales growth, foster customer loyalty, and strengthen brand collaboration, thereby enhancing overall profitability. Customers will benefit from tailored offers, an enriched shopping experience, and engaging advertisements, aligning with EROSKI’s loyalty programs like EROSKI Club and Club Caprabo.

“Leveraging our well-established loyalty programs, the NIQ Activate personalization solution will serve as an extension of our customer acquisition efforts, helping us to scale up our initiatives and provide them with the individualized offers they need, at the right time and through the right channels” explains EROSKI’s Director of Customer and Club Development, Iker Pérez de Arenaza.

NIQ Activate, a technology-driven SaaS platform, integrates a unified interface and user experience. It empowers retailers by leveraging supply chain, customer, and category insights, offering an all-in-one solution for personalized experiences. The AI-powered system employs predictive analytics to decode each customer’s retail behaviour for targeted and personalized engagements. Its self-learning algorithms adapt to behavioural changes, ensuring scalability for large customer bases. The platform’s cloud-based infrastructure guarantees instant access to extensive retail intelligence and analytics, ensuring seamless processing without delays.

“EROSKI is a distribution chain with the vocation to advance in an increasingly personalized proposal for its customers and we are delighted to help the company

expand its customer-centric omnichannel personalization program,” says Ángela López Antón, Retail Analytics Director at NIQ.

Xavier Facon, SVP Retail Media at NIQ, adds: “Leading retailers are shifting from Product-centric to Customer-first strategies empowered by personalization, and EROSKI is leading the way in Spain. Retailers that are looking to get a competitive edge should accelerate investments in personalization to improve the shopping experience across all channels leveraging consumer data analytics and activation. We are excited to be chosen by EROSKI to help increase customer loyalty and to strengthen their position in the market.” For more information about NIQ Activate, or to see a demonstration, please visit NIQ’s Activate page.

Jeanne Danubio will retire after 37 years of service

Chicago, IL – December 4, 2023 – NIQ, a global leader in consumer analytics and market intelligence, proudly announces the appointment of Elizabeth Buchanan as the new President of its North American business. Buchanan brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record in strategic leadership, business development, and fostering growth within the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry.

Buchanan steps into this pivotal role to lead NIQ’s North American operations, steering the company towards continued regional success and expansion. With an extensive background in driving business transformation and delivering exceptional results, Buchanan is poised to enhance NIQ’s market presence, strengthen partnerships, and drive innovation to new heights.

Buchanan most recently served as the Global Head of Customer Success and Platform Transformation at NielsenIQ, where she led the roll out of NIQ’s new global platform, Discover, as well as client-facing servicing teams around the world. Her career at NielsenIQ spanned several key leadership roles, including, leading the North American Consumer Panel, Omni and eCommerce teams, U.S. Retailer Collaboration Program Portfolio and Global Sales Engineering organization where she spearheaded strategic plans and execution, resulting in remarkable business outcomes.

“I am thrilled to continue my journey with NIQ as the President of North America. NIQ’s pioneering leadership in the CPG industry and its relentless pursuit of technological advancements solidify its position as an industry leader,” said Buchanan. “I am eager to continue collaborating with our exceptional teams, leveraging our technological edge and market expertise to further fortify NIQ’s dominance in the CPG and technology sectors.”

Beyond her corporate contributions, Buchanan’s commitment to community development and philanthropy is evident through her involvement in the public and non-profit sector. She sits on several non-profit boards, including World Business Chicago, Chicago Humanities, and Cradles to Crayons Chicago. She is also a member of the Economic Club of Chicago, was a 2022 Leadership Greater Chicago Signature Fellow and was named a 2023 Chicago Crain’s Business Notable Woman in STEM.

In addition to welcoming Elizabeth Buchanan, NIQ bids farewell to Jeanne Danubio, who has been an instrumental figure in the company’s journey. Jeanne’s illustrious tenure and invaluable contributions have played a significant role in shaping NIQ’s success. Her dedication, expertise, and leadership have ensured NIQ’s continued success in the CPG industry. As she embarks on a well-deserved retirement, NIQ expresses profound gratitude for her outstanding service and wishes her the best in her future endeavors.

“Elizabeth Buchanan’s appointment as the President of our North American business signifies a pivotal moment for NIQ,” stated Tracey Massey, COO at NIQ. “Her extraordinary leadership acumen and profound industry insight impeccably align with our dedication to innovation and customer-centric solutions. Elizabeth brings a visionary approach and exceptional execution skills that will steer our company toward an even more vibrant future. We wholeheartedly congratulate Elizabeth on this well-deserved appointment, confident that her unwavering commitment will further elevate NIQ’s success.”

“Furthermore, we extend our deepest appreciation to Jeanne Danubio for her invaluable contributions throughout her tenure at NIQ. Jeanne’s dedication and expertise have been instrumental in shaping our company’s journey, and we are profoundly grateful for her outstanding efforts. Her legacy will continue to inspire us as we embark on this new chapter.”

Buchanan’s appointment is effective January 1, 2024, and she will be based at NIQ’s Chicago office.

 

Toronto, ON – November 30, 2024 — NIQ Canada proudly announces the launch of NIQ Omnishopper, a groundbreaking addition to its esteemed suite of market research solutions. This new consumer panel complements NIQ’s renowned Homescan panel, empowering clients with unprecedented access to comprehensive consumer insights across diverse segments of the Canadian market. The Omnishopper solution will be available within NIQ’s Discover platform, allowing retailers and manufacturers to effectively use the power of data to successfully compete in today’s challenging business environment and, at the same time, make their business more efficient.

Distinguished as the largest longitudinal consumer panel in Canada, NIQ Omnishopper boasts an impressive base of over 25,000 active and engaged panelists. This panel ensures unparalleled accuracy and depth in delivering representative market insights by leveraging NIQ’s proprietary assets and methodologies, including trip projection and receipt coding expertise rooted in decades of product coding knowledge.

“NIQ Omnishopper represents a significant leap in our commitment to empowering our clients with comprehensive consumer behavior insights,” said Geoff Atkinson, VP of Consumer Strategy at NIQ. “We’ve fortified this panel with our unique methodologies and extensive experience in panel management to provide our clients with a comprehensive view of consumer preferences and purchasing behavior.”

The Omnishopper panel integrates NIQ’s survey capabilities as a pivotal component of its offerings. The panel’s foundation emphasizes data quality, maintaining geographical and demographic balance aligned with Stats Canada standards, and assuring clients of robust and reliable information.

“By unveiling the Omnishopper panel, NIQ not only enhances the depth of market understanding but also opens doors to a myriad of consumer behavior nuances previously untapped,” said Jenny Mabley

Vice President, North America Sales at NIQ. “This launch positions NIQ as an invaluable partner for businesses seeking to navigate and thrive in today’s dynamic market landscape.”

The Omnishopper panel offers clients various opportunities to delve deeper into consumer purchasing behavior, attitudes, and shopping preferences. It enables businesses to pinpoint prime channels and retailers for opportunities while optimizing segmentation, targeting, and measuring consumer sales and marketing strategies. NIQ’s Omnishopper panel extends its scope into new and exciting areas of consumer purchase behavior. Notably it sheds light on purchasing trends within online, and specialized sectors such as Beauty and Pet Specialty, Ethnic Grocers, Dollar channels, and Warehouse Clubs.

NIQ Canada’s Omnishopper panel is set to revolutionize the market research landscape by providing unparalleled insights into the diverse facets of consumer behavior. For more information or inquiries, connect with your NIQ representative.

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Transcript

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The views and opinions expressed in this podcast belong to the individuals who shared them and do not necessarily represent NielsenIQ. Note that this podcast discusses sensitive topics that may be triggering for some. For more information specific to this episode, see the episode description.  

Jake Conlin: Hi everyone and welcome to My Blank Story, a core component of NielsenIQ’s DEI learning series, Me & You. My name is Jake Conlin, and if this is your first time tuning in then let me tell you what this podcast is all about. In a nutshell, it’s about stories, your stories. We think stories are important because when we tell them we open the door and allow others to see the experiences that shaped us, that challenged us and helped us grow. By doing this, we can create a culture where open dialogue is encouraged, and we can have a space to discuss important topics in a transparent and courageous manner. So, minimize that email tab, mute your chat, and take a little break to listen to a NielsenIQ story. 

James Anderson: Thank you everyone for tuning in to another episode of My Blank Story a DEI podcast. My name is James Anderson. My title here at NielsenIQ is Senior Analyst on the manufacturing side and my pronouns are he, him. I’m today joined by my co-host Funda. 

Funda Kalemci: Hi everyone. Thank you so much for joining in. Hi James. As James said, my name is Funda. My pronouns are she and her. I am the global leader for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Corporate Citizenship at NielsenIQ. With that, one of the things that I am most proud of and what I love the most doing in this company is our volunteering program, which is the People & Planet Program. And the key signature event for the People & Planet Program is our People & Planet Day and that is the day our entire workforce is invited to come join us to volunteer for a cause that is near to them. So today, we are going to talk to our global and local leaders who made this day happen. But before we get to them, I just wanted to talk a little bit about what the People & Planet Program is. People & Planet Program is our volunteering program, which is to provide all our employees with an equal opportunity to strengthen their purpose at work and have a greater connection and commitment to people, to communities that we live and work in, and the planet – our planet Earth. Within that program, what we aim to do is… we have looked at the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and we’ve created four pillars that align with our business and how we can make an impact to both people and the planet, right. And those four pillars are food equity, economic empowerment, education, and climate justice. This year, we held our second People & Planet Day, but it was another first for us because it was right after we had combined our forces with our GfK colleagues. So, it was the first time we did this as a combined company. So, it had another layer of importance for us. So, without further ado, I want to welcome our guests and I would like them to introduce themselves. So, Dani and Lukas – welcome as our global People & Planet leaders. Dani, do you want to go first and introduce yourself?  

Dani Montes de Oca: Sure. Hi everyone and thank you very much and having me here today. I’m super excited to be sharing this opportunity and experience. As Funda mentioned, my name is Daniela, but I prefer to be called Dani. My pronouns are she, her, hers and I’m based in Santiago de Chile. I’m currently working on… as a Global Manager of Cultural Engagement in the Diversity, Talent and Culture team, and as Funda was mentioning, too, this year I had this amazing opportunity only in this initiative globally alongside with Lukas and the team. 

Lukas Koch: Thanks for inviting us. I’m Lukas and the Global Employer Branding Manager at GfK. I’m based in Nuremberg, in Germany, south of Germany. I am working as the Global Employer Branding Manager focused on Talent Marketing, HR Branding, and as a link between brand creative teams and HR and helping to support the talent acquisition teams. And it was my pleasure to be part of the People & Planet Day, the first time for GfK ever. It was an adventure, I can tell. 

Funda Kalemci: Awesome. Thank you so much both and welcome to the show. 

James Anderson: Yes. Now we’re also joined by two of our local People & Planet Day leaders who led initiatives within their region or city. Dani and Lukas were responsible for helping to organize at the global level and our two local folks were taking care of logistics on the ground on the day, getting all of the information out to our associates so they could have a great People & Planet Day. Those leaders are Dr. Binesh Jose and Ryan Hart. Would you two like to introduce yourself, please? 

Dr. Binesh Jose: Yeah, sure. Thanks for inviting us. I’m Dr. Binesh, a technology leader with almost 20 years of industrial experience. I’m residing at the lovely city of Kochi that is in India called the Queen of Arabian Sea. My main passion lies in the leveraging of advanced technology, especially on data science and big data framework and profound insight and maximizing resources and money through data analytics. I pronounce myself as a he, him, his and I’m more passionate about the academic research as well. So, I’m fostering partnership with the universities and I’m an author and I’m speaker and I have more than a… dozens of reputed publications. I also work with our law enforcement agencies for crime analysis and predictive policing as a voluntary service. 

Ryan Hart: My name is Ryan Hart. I’m a senior director of Consumer Insights and Marketing and I’m based here in Southern California. In my current role, I do work with all of our different client marketing teams throughout the US, Canada and Mexico markets – so throughout North America. And what we’re really focused in on is our consulting, consumer insights, market research, and analytics. In addition to all that, we did have the opportunity to kind of start supporting this company-wide initiative of People & Planet and trying to coordinate some of these efforts. So, really happy to be here. 

Funda Kalemci: Awesome. Thank you so much for being here team. I can’t tell you how excited I am to talk about your experiences. We have been having a volunteer day at the company for over 10 years already. But since the recent changes to our company structure and everything we have revised the program as People & Planet and that’s why we have the first last year. But I have to admit – the success that we have achieved this year, to me is amazing and I’m not saying that as the leader of this program, but as one of the volunteers. I was really awestruck at our team’s engagement. So, I’ll start with a few numbers. I was so happy to see, like, over 13,000 associates joining these events across the globe. Over 88 countries, within 550… and even more than 550 events. Obviously, with those numbers, it’s not just one person’s leadership that makes it happen. It happens as a teamwork and behind that teamwork stood very strong global leaders, two of which are Dani and Lukas. So, let’s start with Dani. Dani, I want to ask you… first of all, before asking, thank you so much for everything you have done in the past few months for this day to become a success. But I want to get your experience through this process. How was it like [for] you?  

Dani Montes de Oca: Thank you for that. For me, it was an amazing experience. I have been in the company for almost seven years now. And from the beginning, I always have been involved in these kinds of activities, first locally, then regionally. So, the idea that I can do this globally, I was like oh my God, I felt so excited. But also, then I started to realize the huge responsibility. So, in all honesty, I felt a bit nervous. I don’t want to lie. But once I met the regional leader team and also the GfK teams, it was like, oh my God, this is something that will be huge and I’m so lucky to be part of it. And also because of Funda and your leadership Funda, that is always a pleasure to be working with. That makes all the things easier. So I had an amazing experience. It was a new one, but also, I got the chance to learn more about my skills too and on what I’m good at and also, what I need to improve. That is a huge piece of growing in the company and also personally. So, like a quick overview, I can say that it was an amazing experience. I’m looking forward for next year. Hopefully I can help, or I can be part of this team too. And with this I will also say that it was a pleasure to work with Lukas. So, I will also give the word to him to share their experience.  

Funda Kalemci: Thank you, Dani. Before…you know, I let you speak… Lukas, can you please start from where I started begging you to become one of the global leaders? 

Lukas Koch: Yes. So, a little bit of a story. Well, I think it was when I came back from vacation, I found the notification from Funda that I was… had the honor to be nominated as a global leader for the People & Planet Day. That was quite a surprise, let’s say, but it was a good surprise, of course. Also like an exciting surprise for the… yeah, this is how I came to my new role for the last months. The thing after our combination, so we never had something similar at GfK before. So, we have, the whole organization doesn’t have any experience organizing such an event on a global scale for all associates around the globe, and a completely new challenge and new project. So, there was also no one else who could be reached out to or could I ask for tips and tricks on how to do it there within our organization. But of course, we had our beloved NIQ colleagues that Funda… you all had this in the past and that was a huge help. Also, I wasn’t alone, so with me there was Alicia and Tiffany, also announced as global leaders that was a huge help. We were a team of three people, and we had the challenge to build a framework, an organizational framework from scratch. So, of course at first, I loved the idea, enabling all associates to use up to one full working day for volunteering and community service. But, like before studying it also, seemed a bit unfeasible to provide volunteer opportunities for all employees around the globe because of the short notice we had… we hadn’t much time to organize it, so we had reach up into it and this… I think that was the best thing for me, not having the time to really think about everything that could be, that could come in the next weeks. So, we jumped right into it, started building the organizational structure, and then it became a really… a real feasible experience and a real good experience. So, once we saw our colleagues getting engaged with their ideas, like being proactive reaching out to charities, planning initiatives, that was pretty amazing. And from there it became a real pleasure to work on all the tasks necessary to make this happen. So, yeah, thanks to Funda for nominating me for this little surprise gift. And thanks also for, as you said Dani, for all the support by our peers and our global leader peers and all the other leaders like you, Dani, so, I really appreciate the chance to participate. 

Funda Kalemci: Thank you so much, Lukas. And I just want to clarify one thing for our audience. Lukas is being so kind by saying nominated, but I really begged him. I want to clarify that fact because our audience should understand, I think, how volunteer work is done, right? Like, it’s not a part of anyone’s day job. People do this with passion behind their actions. So as a leader, I mean, I feel so lucky to find passionate people like Dani and Lukas and Alicia and Tiffany and Marian, who were the other global leaders. But without their actual work behind the scenes, none of it happens. So, thank you so much for rising to the occasion, both Dani and Lukas – for answering my begging cries. 

James Anderson: And on that note, let’s turn to our local leaders. Now, we’ve heard from the global level, I’m curious to know what your experience was like, Ryan and Dr. Binesh. You’ve just heard Dani and Lukas speak about theirs. What was it like for you to be invited into the process? And what kind of challenges did you face or what did you think the experience would be? And did they change as you went along?  

Dr. Binesh Jose: Yeah. So, it’s quite different, right? My experience in organizing the People & Planet Day at India was truly, truly remarkable. And it is significantly different than what Dani and Lukas have described on a global level. Given the immense scale and diverse nature of India market, nearly 10,000 associates spread across the country, we tailored our approach to suit the unique dynamics of India. We strategically divided the Indian market into seven regions considering location, culture, nuance, enabling us to plan and execute effectively. I believe the formation of a core committee we called CC was pivotal in overseeing the event progress at national level and providing guidance and ensuring uniformity in our approach. And in every solo level, we established subcommittees each with a specialized function, including planning and collaboration, execution, fundraising, promotions, etc. So, this approach allowed us to characterize specific need and preference of each region while hosting a collaboration with NGOs and local communities. The focus extends beyond the successful execution of People & Planet Day. We aim to establish a sustainable process and organizational structure for future volunteering. We emphasized not only on the impact of the event, but also the inclusivity and broad participation of various groups, making our approach distinctly Indian. Overall, the experience was testament to the power of strategic planning, collaboration and inclusivity, showing the unique context and requirement of Indian market in creating a successful and impactful volunteering initiative like People & Planet Day. 

Ryan Hart: For our experience, I mean, it definitely sounds like Dr. Binesh had more of that country aspect, you know. I was fortunate enough to do more of the local event in our market, which is like the Southern California area, and we were also accompanied by several other people throughout the US. But what I can kind of give you is kind of my experiences and what we kind of did over in the LA area. The first thing was it was really great just to meet so many new faces and I think that was probably one of the biggest things for everyone. As everyone mentioned, it’s really the coordination of the events and really working with the NIQ teams, GfK, as the merging companies together, and it was really kind of a great experience to try to really talk to people. And I think the biggest challenge was trying to find an event that would be kind of suitable for everyone, right? What would people be willing to kind of help out, go to, and what would we do to kind of just rally the troops a little bit. Here I will say though that we did have a lot of support from our local HR leaders. So, like Tiffany on our end was really instrumental in helping us kind of put things together. So that goes without saying, just kind of give credit where credit’s due. But overall, I think, you know, in terms of some of what our expectations were going into this, it was really to try to create that event, help the community and also do a little bonding between us, NIQ and the rest of the teams. 

James Anderson: Ryan, I just want to pick up on something you said there. Now obviously an event like this is a huge lift for, you know, all involved, especially now that we are a combined company. That obviously added some challenges as well. I’ll sort of throw this out to the group. I’m just wondering for the group, especially perhaps at the global level, what were the challenges of this cross-functional aspect of getting everyone involved? Just wondering what that might have been like. What challenges did you face in doing that? 

Lukas Koch: On a global level, I can say that the good news is it wasn’t the people, it wasn’t the organizational structure, so that all was… it was great. The support for the people was great and we were able to build the structure. I think the biggest challenge for us was the technical systems. I think it was pretty difficult to really share information across our organizational systems and that required a lot of like extra work, time, etc. to get everyone up to date and keep everything in the right place and share the progress of the project with each and everyone. 

Dani Montes de Oca: I’m completely aligned with Lukas, one of the biggest things was the technology, and not only because of the way that people could participate, but also how we can make sure that everyone was getting the right messages, the right communications, and the right information that we wanted to share with them. And also, it happened that as much time that you can have to plan these things, you will ever need more time to do it. And now that we have this new challenge in being two companies, one with the first time, it was also like how we can connect between each other to make something great. But finally, as Lukas was saying, it was not a problem with the people. So that was really, really solved. And I think it was, at the end, the best experience for everyone and also, in that way I feel like next year will be easier – fingers crossed on that – that we will have the same technology programs on everything to make it easier. But otherwise, I know that the people know and understand now more than ever the importance on doing this. So, I think that that is a challenge accomplished, to say it somehow. 

James Anderson: So, with the two companies coming together then, I’m just wondering … working across function like that and across teams, were there any surprises along the way when you were sort of developing in your respective areas – whether it was globally or locally – things that sort of surprised you as you were going through the experience of pulling it all together? 

Ryan Hart: You know, I can have hop in a little bit on that one. I think the biggest surprise to us was the amount of colleagues that we had in the local market, right? So, in general, we just had two really big teams that kind of coordinated all of those efforts. But really also, it was quite interesting to see how receptive everyone at NIQ was, you know, even on the GfK side – once we started sending out those big emails, how quickly everyone responded. Again, I kind of mentioned HR a couple of times, like just getting the right listings, getting the right people together. But once we started sending everything out, it was really smooth and there was a lot of excitement. But, overall, I probably have to say there was just a lot of upbeat energy going on throughout the event for us.  

James Anderson: And so, with that, with that much planning going into that day, I guess it’s only fair to sort of ask what each of you were actually doing on the day that we held People & Planet Day across the company. 

Funda Kalemci: I would love to hear everyone’s stories on that, because that’s what counts, right? Like on the ground, what was happening? Because we, we… let’s face it, we went crazy with all the planning. We met every week. We met at a global level and at a regional level, and at the local level teams were preparing it. But what happened on the ground? Maybe…maybe… let’s start with Ryan, because I love the fact that you realized we had more associates than you realized. First of all, what did you do and how did it go? How was the day? 

Ryan Hart: So, well what we did is, we tried to do it at a few different levels. And the first one was…ours was a, you know, a beach cleanup. We’re in Southern California, so it kind of makes a little bit of sense for us, but we’re trying to give back to that level. So that was our event. It was really interesting. We did this for several hours, kind of went out there, collected some things. Now what I mean by we did this at a few different levels is one… ok, more than just a beach cleanup. One, we’re also like trying to pick up recycling pieces and kind of use that. What we’re able to do, ‘cause we’re in the Long Beach area also, is collect a lot of the recycling and actually donate that to some of the local recycling centers. And then also, we were able to kind of use some of those funds to give back to the you know, some of the needy people, homeless, what have you, in the local areas. So, you know, it’s kind of a few different things. We did the beach cleanup. We also did a little bit of the recycling. And then also tried to do more of that people part of the aspect, you know, helping our community or local communities and then people kind of in need. So, we did all of that together. So, it was a really interesting event, but kind of fulfilling on that, that aspect, right. Saving the planet, giving back to the people. And you know, overall, like I mentioned with the NIQ team and the GfK team, we had people from all levels show up and everyone was just really enthusiastic and really just glad to kind of meet each other and interact for the first time together. I thought that was a really big part of the event as well. 

Funda Kalemci: I love that. I love hearing all these stories. Dr. Binesh, I know India is one of our biggest markets and we have over 9,000 associates, and you mentioned earlier that you strategically divided the country in seven different regions, and you organized events based on that. And like, I am in awe of everything you have done. But I’m curious what you personally did on the ground. Which events were you a part of? 

Dr. Binesh: Yeah, I would say really amazing. The planning of this exceptional day was meticulous, and on the day itself, each team member assumed a specific role to ensure that event’s success. Personally, I took on a multi-faceted role overseeing logistical arrangements, coordinating with the various stakeholders and facilitating smooth communication between teams. Additionally, I was actively involved in managing onsite operations to guarantee that everything unfolded according to the plan. So, I believe my favorite part of the day was witnessing the passion and dedication of everyone involved, from our colleagues to the NGOs and volunteers. Seeing our collective vision come to life and witnessing the positive impact we are making in the different regions across India was incredibly gratifying. The enthusiasm and genuine desire to contribute to the well-being of both people and planet… truly heartwarming. 

Funda Kalemci: I love that. You have done an amazing job, Dr. Binesh, thank you so much. 

James Anderson: Dani or Lukas, would you like to share your experience of what you were doing on that day? 

Dani Montes de Oca: Sure, I can go ahead and tell you a funny story. As I said, at the beginning, I’m based in Chile and when the Chile team sent the invitation for the event, I was in a meeting. I think if I’m not wrong, I was in the regional meeting. So, once I ended that meeting, I tried to find a spot, but there were no spots available for me. So, it was like, oh my God, what I’m going to do? So finally, at the end of the day of the event, on Thursday, the 21^st, I was telling Funda, like, I feel so bad! I have been pushing a lot of efforts on this, but I will not be able to go because I was like, oh my God, it’s my commitment to also be part and take action. So, I played most of the day, the rice challenge, and it was fun, but then finally I had the option to have a spot available for an activity that was done the week after. So, I went to the office and went to see the people and we got an amazing opportunity to invite children with disabilities to participate in our office in a way that was thought out for them and also to take care of their moms, because they are the ones that are all the time with the kids, and finally, it is a way that we can empower them to keep in this process. Give them the smiles, give them a good moment. It was amazing and I felt again, as I all the years I felt in the same way, I feel so fortunate to be part of a company that gives us this opportunity to do it. But at the beginning, I felt a little bit distressed because I was saying oh God, I cannot believe that I don’t have a spot available, but it turned in a good way.  

Lukas Koch: That’s great, great story. And I can really relate, because after all the planning time we spend and, I mean, we love to spend, when the day arrived, it felt like there was so much going on. I went to the office in Nouremberg and there was so much going on and I was like, just a small puzzle piece, making it happen, but then arriving there, there was so much from so many people involved in different initiatives that it felt like it’s somehow not part of this real on the ground work because I was more the background. But yeah, I was lucky I had a spot safe. I participated in the flea market. We all had a flea market in the office and what we did, as I’m part of the brand team, we sold outdated branded items to our colleagues and they just donated money for it. And we took all the money and donated it to a local charity organization. It was. It was only us. It was al-also colleagues from other departments and they, for example, sold delicious food, and yeah, we took all the money, donated it to a local charity. At first we thought that it might be a 2-hour initiative like we just put on the table and put the stuff there and then people can come and we will be ready by lunch. Yeah, we ended up being there, busy all day, two people just trying to sell all the stuff from the branding team until the end of the day and we got a lot of money together and it was- it was fun. So, people were nice food and nice friend and items. And yeah, everyone was happy. That’s definitely a win/win situation for everyone. 

Funda Kalemci: Those are the words and phrases I love to hear. It was fun. People were happy. We raised this much money. I love that. Lukas, thank you so much. 

James Anderson:  So as Funda was mentioning, this was entirely a volunteer position, role, activity. And, so, I’m just wondering from each of our guests today when it comes to volunteer actions, processes, it’s- it’s driven obviously by a desire to do good, to make change to, you know, to help make the world a better place for ourselves and everyone and everything in it. So, I’m just wondering, when you saw the invite or when you were made aware that this event was going to happen, why did you want to be involved? Was- what inspired you to share your time and your energies on the day in the project? 

Ryan Hart: At least for me, I thought it was just a great opportunity. One, this is my first time actually doing a People & Planet event and, again, just kind of talking with HR, seeing what was entailed. I thought it would be really good to kind of do something a little bit more than our, you mentioned, our day-to-day activities, right. So, in general, I think everyone kind of mentioned that the volunteer work is it’s always additional right. It’s things you kind of do when you’re not fulfilling your regular duties here. But you know, in general, it was one of those opportunities to kind of leave something a little bit different. 

Dani Montes de Oca: From my side, I can say that I feel so fortunate for all of the privilege that I can have like, having a good place to live, having a-a family, having an amazing work that I love to do all the time. I feel like volunteering is somehow giving a little bit back to the people in need and also to the planet that is helping us to live this life and, and sometimes we think that if we do little things, we are not doing a great impact. But I think that as long as we want to do it and we keep doing it and we have the opportunity to change. If it is a little, or if it is too much, someone or something, I think that is something that we should do and we should keep doing. And I also feel like, I was saying before, the fortune to be in a company that is giving us this opportunity to do the change that I will be jumping into the position or the different responsibilities that I can help with to keep doing, working to make a difference. 

Lukas Koch: For me it was a pretty easy decision. When I first heard about it, it’s like, you get something offered that has absolutely no strings attached. So there is only win, win, win for everyone involved and that was a no brainer for me. So, having the opportunity to spend up to one day during my most active hours of the day. Not at the end of the day, not on the weekend, where of course you all have to also find some rest –  no. You will have the chance to use the best time of your day to do good. That makes you happy. That makes the people or the environment happy. And you also be more focused and more energized coming back to work, so there is absolutely nothing you could say against it. So it’s maybe I’m easy to convince, yeah, but that was a no brainer for me. 

Funda Kalemci:  OK, I’m getting emotional here. Thank you so much, Lukas. Thank you, Dani. And thank you, Ryan, for, for sharing those, because it means the world to me, personally, but also professionally. I want to close us with a fun question. My biggest fun for this global day of volunteering and, uh, now it’s People & Planet Day. For years, I am strategically located right in the middle of the world when it comes to time zones, right? I live in Istanbul, Turkey, and my People & Planet Day starts for me the night before around like midnight, 1:00 AM when New Zealand starts their day and then like until like I can sleep like 2:00 AM or something, China already started theirs and started posting on social media. Then I go to bed, sleep for a few hours and then get up and go to my own event. And like, watch entire Asia, then Africa, Europe. And then of course, goes into the same night until California finishes their events and starts posting. So, that’s my biggest fun of the event – like following that whole day of, you know, 24 hours from New Zealand to California. What is your favorite moment for the day or what was it? If it was your first time?  

Dani Montes de Oca: I feel like the whole experience it is, and as you were saying, I was sleeping, when the first one started, but I was like, feeling a little bit anxious and excited, too, because of how is everything happening around the world. So, I would say, like, I don’t know if it is funny, but, but more emotionally is when I open my computer, I log on, and I started to see all the things that people were doing and I was like also in the funny piece of it, I was like, oh my God, I don’t know. I don’t have anything to do. I want to be part of it. I want to, to have my my T-shirt and, and go out there and do the things But also, I will say like the other part, if I if I can be a little bit more emotional was when, when I finally had the chance to do the activity, a mom came to me and said to me like, thank you so much for all that are you doing for the for the kids, but also for us as a moms, because we don’t always have the time to care about ourselves. And I was like, Oh my God, this is what it is! And then feeling like, the opportunity to see through the pictures the experience of all the other teams. That was amazing. 

Lukas Koch: For me, I think it’s not a different part that made me really happy. So the first part was of course really playing a key role in enabling us as an organization, making this happen. So at first, it was just that bold goal having that day and we didn’t know what to do, how to do it and we worked, only made it happen. That was just a good feeling that we saw the progress and also the organizational support growing The second was on the day itself. I mean, I had no time like checking in on social media or really connecting with other regions or countries. I was busy doing my initiative. But, after that day, logging into social media like LinkedIn and my stream was flooded with pictures of people doing their work and they were sharing on their private social media pages, so they are just proud of what they’re doing and then seeing what’s happening around the world. Like you said, Funda, just a whole running picture page of what’s happening. That was amazing, and in particular, the realizing that all of our work led to real outcome, was just amazing. For example, there was a team painting at a women’s shelter and in Noremburg. So there was – they took a picture before and after and before it was not a really welcoming place. It was really cool, clear, not really inviting place and after that it was like painted. It looked great. You you felt like, OK, this can be really a safe place to go there and that wouldn’t have happened on that day without all of us making this thing happen. And it’s really like this small experiences that really stick with me. 

Dr. Binesh Jose: Yeah. For me it’s a great opportunity to directly impact the life of many others and in a different meanings as well, right? For example, say, all of the events we conducted in India is…conducted a workshop on creating Bird Nest. So that is something directly impacting the planet, especially the cities like Delphi and using the profit or money we are making out of that or as a result of that workshop, is using for the victims enablement. That is also great initiative. And especially like market like India where we have a wide variety of a culture, maybe some concept just like a sustainable menstruation where we are educating and empowering other students of underprivileged group on the importance of a sustainable menstruation. From that extent to say that cleaning the planet in a very massive scale, again providing, going to the orphanages and it’s not just to feed them, sit with them, talk to them and give them the hope and give them the promise of education will empower them. So, it was a really, really heart touching event. And also I believe that it’s a great opportunity to work with diverse group of people and it’s an great opportunity to expand our social and professional network. Even in the social media platform aspect. So for me again, just like a soccer coach who, or his team is playing on the World Cup Final and the coach cannot play, right, most of the cases and he need to be on that sideline biding the knights, something like that. 

Ryan Hart: And I think what’s really interesting, getting everybody’s feedback in the comments too, because I think there’s like, there’s a lot of similarities, right. Like I think for me it was really two favorite parts of that. And I kind of talked a little bit about that earlier. It’s, it’s coming together as a bigger, broader team and kind of just experiencing that excitement, that enthusiasm from both the organizational, and really just one organization at this point and just being a team together. I think that was initially like one of my favorite parts of it. At the latter part of the event was really the charity aspects. After kind of doing these clean-ups, gathering recycling, doing all that stuff, it was really donating that money back to some of the needy that’s coming around to our offices, around the Long Beach area. So kind of having them say thank you and doing all those types of things and it’s a lot of people that you see kinda of on a regular basis, when we’re walking into the office, so being able to help some of those people, those individuals, that’s a really important part of our journey here. So, again, those were kind of the two things that stood out for me. 

Funda Kalemci: Oh my God, thank you so much. All of you, for sharing your favorite points. As a recap, there’s so much that you have said that I want to talk about, but I think what I want to highlight as our last words for the event is that privilege is invisible to the privileged. We have an enormous privilege to have, if nothing else, a job. Right. And everything else. So this day, I think, gives us an opportunity to, one, make those privileges visible to ourselves, but also use that privilege to make a difference in the world. So thank you all so much for everything you have done to make this day a success, but also joining us today to share your stories with us. So, before I get emotional, James over to you to close this out. 

James Anderson: That’s no problem, Funda. I know some wonderful stories today, very moving, very touching stories today. Thank you all for sharing your stories with us and your time with us and to our listeners who have tuned into this episode of My____Story, a DEI podcast. Be sure to check out our other episodes in the series, and stay tuned for our next release. Thank you all for listening. 

Jake Conlin:  Hey, y’all, it’s Jake again. We hope you’ve enjoyed this episode of My__Story. Tune in next time to hear more stories from the NIQ community.  

Dr. Binesh Jose: Seeing our collective initiative come to your life and witnessing the positive impact we are making was incredibly gratifying. 

Dani Montes de Oca: I feel so fortunate to be part of that company that give us this opportunity to do it. 

Ryan Hart: Being a team together, I think that was one of my favorite parts of it.  

Lukas Koch: So, there is only win, win, win for everyone involved.  

Dr. Binesh Jose: My experience in organizing the People & Planet Day in India was truly, truly remarkable. 

Troy Treangen
Chief Product Officer, NielsenIQ

Troy Treangen is the Chief Product Officer at NIQ where he is accountable for all software and platforms globally, including the product side and the engineering side. In this role he leads the development of key platforms and drives agile transformation for our product and engineering teams.

He is passionate about technology and building products that drive transformation both internally and externally. To do this well, he focuses on building good teams, being able to influence, understanding the details and granularities of the needs, and being dedicated and passionate about his role. Most important though is his ability to deliver on these efforts.

Liz Buchanan
Global Head of Customer Success and Platform Transformation, NielsenIQ

Liz Buchanan is the Global Head of Customer Success and Platform Transformation at NIQ. In these roles, she oversees NIQ’s customer-facing servicing teams as well as the roll-out of the NIQ self-serve analytics platform, Connect, across 85 countries. During her 16 years at Nielsen, Liz has held various leadership roles in customer success, sales, product development and technology deployment.

Liz is driven to help clients better understand consumer behaviors and the future of omnichannel shopping. She is also a passionate and active champion for civic causes, regularly dedicating her time advocating for diverse political representation through fundraising, organizing and policy work on local and national political campaigns.

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The right data supplier partner offers the “full package.” They connect you to the high-quality raw data needed to train models to deliver accurate, actionable insights. They help you merge those data sets so that they communicate optimally with each other. And they bring you into the fold of hard-won analysis and modeling expertise to help ensure you get the most out of AI — with as few of the risks as possible.    

When you work with NIQ, you move through each of the predictive modeling and analysis phases with the highest quality foundations in place:   

• Accurate raw data: High-quality raw data paves the way for high-quality predictive models. When you start with accurate raw data, you end up with cleaner models ready to deliver insightful analysis.   
• Experienced, specialized talent: A team of uniquely qualified experts adds a layer of human intelligence to identifying and coding your AI/ML data projects.   
• Best-in-class quality control: Your findings are protected along the way with quality control supported by human intelligence, which helps create more systematic, repeatable, and well-maintained AI/ML projects.    

When approached as a healthy, growing extension of the organization, the application of AI and ML to complex data projects can truly shape their own destiny. Operational efficiency, improved product performance, and more accurate market forecasting … it’s all within reach today.   

With a proven track record of success, I believe that NIQ is the industry-leading organization to help manufacturers and retailers grow by leveraging our rich data sets and the models derived from them. And by the time you’re done reading this piece, I think you’ll see that, too.    

Thank you for this opportunity to share NIQ’s approach to quality predictive modeling and analysis based on best-in-class data.

Don’t hesitate to reach out. My team and I are available to discuss any questions you may have.

A snippet from the full article on gfk.com:

AI technology has played an integral role in GfK-NIQ’s operational landscape for many years. Our flagship market, consumer, and brand intelligence product gfknewron would not be possible without AI. Early this year, inspired by the ChatGPT phenomenon, we decided to make AI the centerpiece of our 2023 brand-building initiative. As innovators in the AI-powered data insights field, we embraced the opportunity to demonstrate our forward-thinking approach to AI in a fun, lighthearted, and engaging manner. Additionally, we wanted a unique idea to showcase our leadership in the CMO arena while putting our capabilities to the test with a swift, effective, and relevant top-of-funnel brand campaign. 

Thanks to our innovative efforts in bringing the Human vs AI campaign to life, it not only resonated deeply with our audience and gained significant traction on social media, but also garnered recognition from esteemed industry awards. 

Our campaign won Silver in the “Best Use of AI” category at the B2B Marketing Awards 2023. This award places us among a distinguished group of brands that have showcased exceptional creativity and innovation in their respective fields this year.

About NielsenIQ

NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights—delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms—NIQ delivers the Full View™.

NIQ, is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90% of the world’s population. For more information, visit NIQ.com.

About NielsenIQ

NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights—delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms—NIQ delivers the Full View™.

NIQ, is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90% of the world’s population. For more information, visit NIQ.com.

About Salsify

Salsify helps thousands of brand manufacturers, distributors, and retailers in over 140 countries collaborate to win on the digital shelf. The company’s Product Experience Management (PXM) platform enables organizations to centralize all of their product content, connect to the commerce ecosystem, and automate business processes in order to deliver the best possible product experiences across every selling destination. 
 
Learn how the world’s largest brands, including Mars, L’Oreal, Coca-Cola, Bosch, and ASICS, as well as retailers and distributors such as DoorDash, E.Leclerc, Carrefour, Metro, and Intermarché use Salsify everyday to drive efficiency, power growth, and lead the digital shelf. For more information, please visit: www.salsify.com.

About NIQ Brandbank

NIQ Brandbank is the leading provider of digital product content solutions powering omnichannel shopping experiences.    

We enable brands and retailers to deliver the best shopping experience by giving them the ability to capture and share rich digital product content on all channels seamlessly. NIQ Brandbank’s end-to-end solutions connect shoppers to the most up to date and relevant digital product content making consumer goods more discoverable and engaging.   

With 25 years of experience and operating in 39 countries, NIQ Brandbank is the content partner to over 52,000+ brands, 700+ retailers, and wholesalers across the globe, creating a rich online shopping experience, while minimizing the cost and complexity for the industry.    

Visit us for more information.

Sydney, Australia – 1 November, 2023— NIQ has today announced its highly-anticipated BASES Breakthrough Innovation Awards for 2023. The awards recognize successful product launches across all strategies, ranging from launches that disrupted their categories and grew their brand, to targeted plays intended to delight specific audiences.  

NIQ’s 2023 BASES Breakthrough Innovation Awards consist of 15 winners across New Zealand and Australia that have transformed their categories. In addition, it also acknowledges 14 wavemakers, which consists of products that are showing great potential for future success.  

According to NIQ, the 2023 Breakthrough Innovation winners have successfully navigated through a persistently precarious landscape, marked by the enduring impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions, an economic recession, and extraordinary inflationary constraints with 34% of global consumers saying they are in a worse financial position this year than the year prior.  

The recipients of this year’s Australia and New Zealand Breakthrough Innovation Awards have made remarkable strides across diverse product categories. A total of 3,900 new SKUs have been launched in Australia and New Zealand over the past two years. Among these product launches, the brands that proved successful fulfilled unique needs for consumers.  

This year’s 2023 Breakthrough Innovation Awards winners addressed the following unique and important needs of their customers: moment of pleasure, better for me, new experience, wellbeing, better for we, sustainability/local, and dietary preference.  

Australian and New Zealand shoppers tended to gravitate towards local products and data suggests that future spendings are likely to favour several FMCG categories including fresh produce, fresh meat, health and wellness, and dairy. 

“A number of global and local factors have contributed to creating a tense economic situation in Australia and New Zealand over the past couple of years, resulting in increasingly cautious consumer spending. This is creating opportunities for many FMCG categories as consumers plan to shift some of their spending from out-of-home back to in-home,” commented Michael Rubio, NIQ BASES Executive Director, Pacific. 

“However, with ~4,000 innovations having launched in the region in the past two years, the competition for consumers’ share of wallet is bound to be tough. It’s increasingly important for brands to understand their consumers and offer them innovations that resonate with their evolving needs and wants,” explained Rubio.  

NIQ’s 2023 Pacific Breakthrough Innovation Award Winners are: 

• 25° South Ravioli Pasta  
• Arepa   

• Baileys Truffles  
• Beehive Stackers with Deli Meats, Cheese and Crackers  
• Boring Oat Milk  
• CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser  
• Kellogg’s Sultana Bran Gluten Free  

• Kinder Happy Hippo  
• Mac’s Ultra Violet Low Carb Pale Ale  
• Major Major Vodka  
• Noshu Low Carb Indulgence Bars  
• The Juice Lab Wellness  

• UP&GO Dairy Free  
• Vege Rice Crackers  
• Vittoria Instant Coffee 

NIQ’s 2023 Pacific Breakthrough Innovation Award Wavemakers are: 

• Big Black Sacks Shoreline Ocean-Bound Plastic TIE-TOPS  

• Bluebird Originals   
• Campbell’s Real Stock Mushroom 1L  
• Glow Lab Home  
• Kapiti Kahotea Extra Creamy Brie 160g  
• Kapiti Rarama Cheese 160g  

• Little Moons Mochi Ice Cream  
• Nutella Biscuits   
• Oreo Original ‘Proud Words’ Limited Edition Cookies  
• Popcorners  
• Primo Air-Dried Salami Sticks  

• Steinlager Ultra Low Carb  
• V Refresh  
• Vicks Vaposhower 

For over a decade, BASES has identified more than 700 products from around the globe as Breakthrough Innovations. These innovations addressed key consumer needs and delivered stand-out experiences that redefined their categories. This, in turn, has resulted in incredible outcomes.  

For more information about this year’s Breakthrough Innovations winners and to learn from their successes, please visit NIQ’s Breakthrough Innovation website. 

About NielsenIQ

NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights—delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms—NIQ delivers the Full View™.

NIQ, is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90% of the world’s population. For more information, visit NIQ.com.

About the Breakthrough Innovation report

The 2023 Breakthrough Innovation Awards has evaluated thousands of new products with the goal to acknowledge and reward those that have achieved the pinnacle of success. The brands included in this year’s winners represent a wide array of products that have excelled in their respective categories. Winners of the Breakthrough Innovation Awards are the products that delight customers, gain distribution, stay on-shelf, and drive results for their parent companies. Learn more about how BASES supports innovation and measures success on our Breakthrough Innovation website. 

About NielsenIQ

NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights—delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms—NIQ delivers the Full View™.

NIQ, is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90% of the world’s population. For more information, visit NIQ.com.

Media Relations

Melina Mammidou
Associate Director, Marketing Communications
melina.mammidou@nielseniq.com

About NielsenIQ

NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights—delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms—NIQ delivers the Full View™.

NIQ, is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90% of the world’s population. For more information, visit NIQ.com.

Jim Presley
SVP of Total Wellness, NielsenIQ

Jim Presley is the General Manager/SVP of North American Wellness, Sustainability, Survey, and Segmentation at NIQ where he shapes the strategic direction of businesses with alignment to trends, products, and thought leadership. Jim has been the architect of numerous industry-first solutions and capabilities.

He is passionate about identifying creative solutions that drive positive change within the industry and coaching the talented teams that support those efforts. He began his career in large CPG, spent a decade in the advertising technology space, became a startup founder and principle, and has spent the last 4 years in the market research/data as a service industry.

Comprehensive Sales Data Available Across CPG Categories, including Beauty

Chicago, IL – October 17, 2023 — NIQ, the global leader in measurement and data analytics, is excited to unveil its groundbreaking measurement of sales in TikTok Shop. This pioneering initiative empowers brands and retailers with unparalleled insights into their product performance within TikTok Shop, encompassing crucial metrics such as sales volume, value, and market share at the brand level.

TikTok Shop has witnessed a remarkable surge in popularity as consumers actively seek novel and immersive shopping experiences. NIQ’s latest measurement capability marks a significant leap forward, as it equips businesses with the tools to optimize sales performance and gain deeper insights into consumer behavior within this thriving marketplace. For brands and retailers, the ability to grow across various channels, both in-store and online, is intrinsically linked to their capacity to access and leverage data effectively. By tracking customer behavior, identifying sales trends, and planning future strategies based on up-to-date and precise data, businesses can maximize their potential.

The realm of consumer-packaged goods (CPG) has long embraced the potential of social media and influencer marketing, with beauty brands at the forefront of this digital revolution. The visually appealing nature of beauty products lends itself to the medium of social media, enabling the creation of compelling ads and organic content that resonate with audiences. Influencers have also played a pivotal role in attracting consumers and driving sales within this ecosystem. TikTok has emerged as one of the most rapidly growing and talked-about social media platforms in recent years. Its meteoric rise has presented beauty brands with a plethora of opportunities for collaboration and sales expansion, underlining the symbiotic relationship between beauty brands and data-driven insights.

“We are excited to launch our new measurement of sales in TikTok Shop,’ said John Busardo, Senior Vice President and Beauty & OTC Vertical Lead, NIQ. TikTok Shop is a rapidly growing platform, and brands and retailers need to understand how their products are performing on it. Our new measurement will provide them with the insights they need to make informed decisions about their TikTok Shop strategies.”

NIQ’s new measurement of sales in TikTok Shop facilitates an understanding of product performance within the platform and enables the identification of growth opportunities. Additionally, it provides invaluable insights into the shopping behavior of TikTok Shop consumers, which can be harnessed to enhance marketing campaigns and inform product development. This innovation represents a major stride towards enhancing retail performance analysis and consumer insights within the industry.

The new measurement of sales across CPG categories in TikTok Shop will be available to NIQ clients on both the Rakuten and Omnisales platforms in October 2023.

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Transcript

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The views and opinions expressed in this podcast belong to the individuals who shared them and do not necessarily represent NielsenIQ. Note that this podcast discusses sensitive topics that may be triggering for some. For more information specific to this episode, see the episode description. 

Laura Batien: Hi everyone and welcome to My Blank Story. My name is Laura Batien and if this is your first time tuning in then let me tell you what this podcast is all about. In a nutshell, it’s about stories, your stories. We think stories are important because when we tell them we open the door and allow others to see the experiences that shaped us, that challenged us and helped us grow. By doing this, we can create a culture where open dialogue is encouraged, and we can have a space to discuss important topics in a transparent and courageous manner. So, minimize that e-mail tab, mute your chat and take a little break to listen to an NIQ story.   

James Anderson: Hello everyone and welcome back to another episode of My Blank Story. The podcast here at NIQ, sponsored by Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. My name is James Anderson. I’m one of the hosts for today’s episode. My pronouns are he, him and his. I currently work as a senior analyst here in the Toronto Office in Canada. And I’m joined today by my co-host Funda. How are you today? Funda.  

Funda Kalemci: Hi James. I’m doing great. Hope you’re well too. 

James Anderson: Yes, really well. Looking forward to meeting our guest today. 

Funda Kalemci: Same here. So, before that, hello everyone. This is Funda. I’m the global leader for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at NIQ. And I am so happy to be here today because our guest today is someone very special to me, near and dear to my heart as well, Lorena Diaz. Lorena is based in Brussels, Belgium. She has been with the company for 16 years. She has been working as our as one of our translators in the global translation team in BASES Ops. She’s also a part of N-Gen, our generational ERG, NielsenIQ Generation co-lead for Europe. And outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her two boys and her family, cooking and baking, reading, listening to music and dancing. And I’ll add one more thing to that. Lorena is special to me, mostly because she is the peer who onboarded me to the company 12 years ago. I shadowed her for months to learn the ropes. Since then, I have, you know, changed jobs, but we have always kept in touch, and I am so happy to introduce Lorena today to share her story with us. 

Lorena Diaz: Hi everyone. Thanks for having me today, here is my D&I story I’d like to share. So, late 2021, we started discussing in our Inclusion Impact Team meetings the opportunity to integrate someone with disability towards staff locally. We had heard about some positive experiences in other regions, and we knew that something could be done in our office too. We were excited about the idea, but we had no idea where to start. So, we contacted some local NGO’s supporting people with disabilities to integrate in the work. And they directed us to some official program in place in Belgium. It was called Discovery Internship, and it allowed some persons with disability to join a company for 20 days to become familiar with the working environment and gain confidence in their skills. We ran the project through our local HR and higher management, and they were very excited and supportive. The next challenge was to identify the tasks for our intern. Due to the very limited duration of the internship, only 20 days, it was not possible to have extensive training. And still, we wanted the internship to be meaningful for the intern and useful for the team. We finally identified 2 tasks and we could launch the recruitment process. Around May/June last year we could welcome 2 interns in our office. Both experiences have been very different. The 1st intern didn’t feel integrated despite our efforts, and he left the program before the end. This was very disappointing for me personally due to the effort and dedication that was put in the initiative, but I guess it’s also part of the learning process. For the second intern, it was a totally different story. He felt super integrated. He was a really good fit with our company culture. And he was interested in everything that we showed. And even he got a real job offer from NielsenIQ Brand bank and he could continue working with us for a few additional months. This experience really meant a lot of learning on my side. It helped me get familiar with our interns and disabilities and understand that it’s OK to ask and avoid making assumptions. Like for example, one of her interns had a stammer. And at first, I didn’t dare to ask like “Do you prefer me to finish your sentence or is it OK for me to wait till the end?” It might sound like a very small thing, but it really helps to smooth the relationship and it breaks the taboo of disability. On a personal level, it also helped me grow as a coach and mentor. It was really like the first experience as a people manager for me and it helped me get to know the practical aspects, the teaching process and also to deal with more challenging situations. I’m very thankful that we were able to carry this on thanks to our company D&I program and the local support that we got. But the main reason for me to share this story today is to show everyone that any idea is worth to be brought forward. And even if it may sound a bit unrealistic or challenging at first, i might end up in a really positive experience. 

James Anderson: Thank you so much, Lorena, for sharing your story with us. One of the things that you said really resonated with me and that was when you said that ideas are worth bringing forward and in in this context, you know, creating this, this new internship program, I was wondering, taking a step further back what inspired you to consider this as an option for the workplace? What was there, was there a catalyst, something that made you think that you wanted to be a better mentor or a better coach? Or was it just something kind of that you something you noticed and you kind of wanted to create this opportunity for people to join the company who may have a disability? 

Lorena Diaz: Yeah. So, it’s an interesting story because I was invited by mistake to a D&I meeting in another region, and I heard the story of something similar happening in another region, and that’s where, like, the idea popped up in my mind. So, I brought that back to my region, to the team, and we just started discussing and it was like just exchanging with the others that we really noticed that there was this need. So, there was no one with a disability in the team and that something could be done and that’s where we all started. But it actually happened randomly, I guess.  So, we just bumped into the occasion. 

James Anderson: And how long was the actual process then? You know from the moment the that sort of the light bulb went off, how long did it take because then you contacted Discovery Internship in Belgium and how how long did it take as a process to kind of bring these sorts of things together? Because I think this is something that’s very inspiring for other people to kind of know that, you know, to take a light bulb moment through to I guess completion or to fruition. 

Lorena Diaz: Yeah, it took a few months, actually, so. And I think the longest part was really to identify what task we could, so, like learning about the project. I mean the possibility was one thing, that was quite easy, but identifying something that we could actually ask the intern to do, it took several tries. We asked several teams and then we came up with our own ideas and that was the most challenging. So yeah, definitely maybe three to six months like to really from the idea to the realization of it. I think it was really impulsed by like the Inclusion Impact Team like in enthusiasm. So, it at first was just an idea as I said. But then with everyone else like finding it a good idea, like let’s go for it. So, I think it was really the energy of the team that really make us continue in that. 

Funda Kalemci: I love that, and I want to do some shameless plugging here. Can you talk a little bit about your experience with the Inclusion Impact Team? Not just with this initiative that you ran but overall, like how did it start with, you know, I was I was the catalyst there, recruiting you into the team, but how, how was your experience within the team coming to the point of all this initiative? Basically. Like what took you there? 

Lorena Diaz: Yeah, I I think it’s a long story. I mean, long story, it’s a long process, right, because 1st when I joined this team, it was still called Nielsen Cares at the time. And I was just a member. I registered a bit, like out of curiosity interest but without any really big ideas to do big things, right, just participating, sharing ideas. But then with time, it really started to grow and the team growed as well. And so that’s, I think, and actually, it’s not only the team. I think it’s also me who really gained like confidence and like, yeah, feel the way like feeling empowered. Like, OK, I can do this. I can run this idea. So, it’s really also a process here. And I’m really grateful that I was able to be part of that team and grow there. 

Funda Kalemci: For our audience, I want to remind that our Inclusion Impact Teams are local to each country, and they run our entire ERG agenda as well as DEI agenda. So, obviously I’m super biased because I love the teams, but I’m so happy to hear Lorena mentioning that feeling empowered, right like that, that is so cool, Lorena. Thank you so much for sharing that. One follow-up to that. Is how did that affect you, what or like how did that affect your work, your day job, or how did you take this experience to your team basically? 

Lorena Diaz: So, I think it had, the internship, had an impact on the whole team locally, like to everyone because like, the interns, especially one of them was really integrated. And they really liked enjoying the experience so much and liked talking to everyone. And I think it made not only me, but everyone locally, realize that, OK, so disability is not such a barrier. It’s just a super nice person, I mean in this case as well. So it was, I think it was an eye opener locally for the team. So that’s one thing. And then for me personally, it really gave me a lot of energy and engagement like to be part in this initiative. 

James Anderson: One of the things you mentioned in your story was that for the person who was very integrated and actually had a job offer from NIQ, which is amazing. You said that it was. You learned that it was OK to ask questions and sort of deal with those assumptions that you may have had, that we all have really when it comes to these kinds of things. Can you talk a little bit about that process because you mentioned you weren’t sure and then it came about. So, just maybe talk a little bit about that moment about how you overcame, because I feel it’s something that we can all learn from, as you know, going through those kinds of experiences when you do have to or you encourage to sort of approach and deal with an issue like this or deal with something like this. 

Lorena Diaz: Yeah, definitely. So, we were actually helped a bit because the intern was supported by an NGO specialist. So, they came on the onboarding the first day and we actually discussed openly the disability. And that’s where we learn that it’s OK to ask questions. Ask them politely, of course, and that’s actually how she helped us realize that it’s OK. It’s not taboo. You can ask and, but then, yeah, just asking and seeing that actually, yeah for the person, it’s the reality, right? It’s not something strange or. So, just ask and see what happens it really helps. 

James Anderson: Do you feel more confident now as a coach and as a mentor going, forward with people that you’re working with because of this experience. 

Lorena Diaz: Yeah, definitely. It was actually one, I think it was really the first experience for me as a mentor coach, or I mean, yeah, more, more officially let’s say. And I I really learned a lot, yeah definitely still a lot to learn of course. But I think I feel more confident now. Yeah. You know. 

Funda Kalemci: I was speaking from your from experience, it definitely wasn’t your first experience, but like you have been an amazing mentor for me over the years. So, thank you for that too. If you had to describe your story in one word, what would that be? 

Lorena Diaz: Yeah, I think it would be fulfilling or rewarding because it was really like, I think it was the part that remained with me the most for that year. So, when I had to do my end of year review it was really the thing, I felt more proud about for the whole year. 

James Anderson: And I’m just wondering, Lorena, for anyone who might be interested because this is something that, you know, part of a diversity equity, and inclusion process or a step that we sort of want to take forward for anyone who might have ideas about this kind of thing I’m wondering. What were the sort of takeaways that you had from the experience, because we you did mention there was there was another intern who did didn’t end up feeling integrated into the into the process. So, what was there? Was there a debrief was there? Things to sort of take away from that in moving forward and going through this process again. 

Lorena Diaz: Yeah, for me that more like this other experience with the intern who didn’t go up to the end was more like to avoid taking it personally, to take the more distance to this. So really to get less personally involved. So that was my learning there. But yeah, apart, because after the experience we of course we discussed with the organization supporting these interns et cetera. And we actually learned something that we didn’t know before that those things happened quite regularly. So, it’s not uncommon. But of course, as a first experience, we didn’t know that so just like to accept that it doesn’t all the time is a successful experience. 

Funda Kalemci: So, Lorena, I have one more question. You know this experience you had with the intern program that you created is focusing on one demographic only. If we were to take that out, or if we were to zoom out a little bit and focus on other demographics or other affinities? Would you say you can use this experience to create a more inclusive approach to either an intern program or recruiting program, like how do you feel about this experience helping you with the broader demographic in any given society? 

Lorena Diaz: Yeah, that’s a tough one. I guess it could be used right for other affinities as well. But probably not for all. In this case, I guess it’s also like mixed, right? It was so it was targeted to disabled people, but also like rather young, right? It was kind of a first experience in the working place. So that’s also why it worked. But it might. I guess it might not be the same for all other affinities, and it works particularly well in this case for these reasons, but it might not apply to all, to any other. 

Funda Kalemci: What would be the aspects that you would, you know, basically lift and check to replicate for others? Would it be the choice? Would it be the organization that you work with? 

Lorena Diaz: I think it, yeah, it would be more difficult with other, maybe just, uh, maybe young people, like we could do that, like, but I think we already probably do kind of regular internship with people coming out of the university. But yeah, from yeah, it might work as well, but it might sound a bit artificial for some reason with something else than disability and young people combined. 

James Anderson: Just had one final question for you. Now, based on your experience and what you learned from this experience, for our listeners out there, what are one or two top things that you learned you know, particularly since we’re talking about the workplace, when trying to work with or wanting to work with individuals with some kind of disability. Is there something in the approach that you learned or just a couple of the the top two pieces of advice that you would have for anyone who’s in this kind of situation. 

Lorena Diaz: Yeah, I think that what we should always remind, and it it goes for everything and everyone, it’s to remain humble and like don’t assume we know everything. Also don’t assume we are totally unbiased, so just humble and open just ask the questions. Be curious and I think in that way it can only go well. 

James Anderson: And from a place of respect, of course, asking questions from a place of respect. Well, Lorena, I want to thank you very much for being a guest today on this episode of My Blank Story. The podcast sponsored by Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. 

Lorena Diaz: Thank you very much. 

Funda Kalemci: Thank you so much, Lorena. Thanks for sharing your story. 

Laura Batien: Hey all, it’s Laura again. We hope you enjoyed this episode of my Blank Story. Tune in next time to hear more stories from the NIQ community. 

Lorena Diaz: Any idea is worth to be brought forward and even if it may sound a bit unrealistic or challenging at first, it might end up in a really positive experience. Ask the questions, be curious and in that way it can only go well. 

Laura Batien: Thanks so much to our producer Laura Batien, and our editor, Angie Arnold-Ott. 

 

Availability through Snowflake Data Sharing Efficiently Enhances Real-Time Data Access

Chicago, IL – September 19, 2023— NIQ, the global leader in consumer intelligence, is pleased to announce the NIQ Connect platform capabilities have now expanded to use Snowflake Secure Data Sharing. This capability marks a significant milestone for NIQ’s Connect platform, empowering customers in 84 global markets with enhanced data-sharing capabilities and seamless real-time data access. As a result, this can eliminate processing and loading wait times, delivering unparalleled efficiency and agility in a complex consumer landscape.

“By extending their ability to effortlessly access global, omnichannel data, we can empower clients to uncover new pathways to growth even within a very complex consumer landscape,” said Troy Treangen, Chief Product Officer at NIQ. “Innovation is our compass, and our commitment to reengineering the Connect platform has charted a new course. Our strategic investments have allowed us to unlock the power of modern data sharing capabilities, guiding our clients towards a brighter, data-driven future.”

NIQ Connect is a crucial asset for enterprises, enabling them to harness their data across all facets of their organization. With integrated data assets, businesses can readily identify emerging trends, pinpoint performance gaps, and respond swiftly to growth opportunities. This global collaboration is poised to unveil novel insights, leading to a deeper understanding of customers’ behavior and preferences.

Additional highlights of the NIQ’s Connect platform integration with Snowflake’s Retail Data Cloud include:

● Seamless Data Integration: Companies will benefit from the seamless integration of NIQ’s rich consumer and market data into Snowflake’s environment. This integration simplifies access to vast data sources, and drives significant speed improvements for our clients when accessing data.
● Secure Data Sharing: Availability through Snowflake facilitates near real-time data sharing, enabling businesses to access and query NIQ’s data instantaneously. This dynamic exchange of information empowers organizations to stay ahead in today’s fast-paced business landscape.
● Scalability and Flexibility: NIQ’s Connect platform with Snowflake Secure Data Sharing is designed to scale effortlessly with the growing data needs of businesses. Whether a company is a startup or a Fortune 500 enterprise, this provides the flexibility to adapt and grow in a rapidly changing environment.
● Enhanced AI and Machine Learning Capabilities: Businesses can leverage advanced analytics and machine learning within Snowflake’s platform to derive actionable insights from NIQ’s data. This synergy fosters innovation, enabling companies to make data-driven decisions with precision.
● Data Security and Compliance: Both NIQ and Snowflake prioritize data security and compliance. The joint solution ensures that sensitive data is protected providing peace of mind to businesses and their customers while enabling them to meet evolving regulatory requirements.

“NIQ is committed to helping companies become more agile at a time when being able to move quickly based on accurate data is paramount,” Treangen added. “This innovative data-sharing approach will provide Connect customers a competitive advantage today and be better prepared for the future. We are modernizing every level of our Connect platform, and we are excited about the enhancements to help our clients thrive”

“As an incumbent leader in retail and consumer insights, NIQ has been a staple in the retail industry for delivering data that give a competitive edge to retailers and consumer product companies,” said Rosemary DeAragon, Global Head of Retail and Consumer Goods at Snowflake. “We are so excited to bring together the full power of the Snowflake Retail Data Cloud and the NIQ Connect platform, allowing global frictionless access to critical data through Snowflake data sharing.”
NIQ is dedicated to fostering innovation and enabling organizations to thrive in a data-driven world. The collaboration between NIQ and Snowflake represents a transformative step in the world of data sharing and will shape the future of data analytics. As organizations increasingly recognize the value of data in their operations, allowing them to exchange insights seamlessly and efficiently will empower them to unlock new opportunities and navigate the data landscape with ease.

For more information about this NIQ Connect and its benefits, please visit https://nielseniq.com/global/en/solutions/nielseniq-connect/.

Cutting-edge study unveils transformative strategies for businesses in an evolving retail landscape

Chicago, IL – September 18, 2023 – Today, NIQ, a global leader in measurement and data analytics, has released a new commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting, a prominent research and advisory firm, “Omnichannel Intelligence Will Catapult Your Data Driven Business Strategy.” The study highlighted the challenges companies face in gaining a complete understanding of consumer behaviors across online and offline purchases and the pivotal role omnichannel intelligence plays in shaping business strategies.

“As businesses navigate the complex landscape of consumer behavior, it’s evident that having a clear, complete understanding of the omnichannel experience is no longer a luxury but a necessity,” said Justin Belgiano, SVP North America Retail Measurement, NIQ. “Our commitment at NIQ is to provide the tools and insights that empower companies to thrive in this dynamic environment, driving not just measurement but meaningful change in consumer experiences.”

Key findings of the study include:

1. Incomplete Consumer Picture: The study reveals that a majority of companies lack a clear, comprehensive view of the consumer experience. In a rapidly evolving landscape with increasing touchpoints and competition, 95% of respondents stated that their companies use six or more data sources to obtain an omnichannel measurement. Surprisingly, only 24% are tracking behavior across e-commerce and brick-and-mortar channels.
2. Impact of Omnichannel Intelligence: Companies equipped with omnichannel intelligence solutions demonstrate a significantly better understanding of the omnichannel experience and are better positioned to drive change. These organizations are 4 times more likely to have improved messaging and nearly 3 times more likely to have enhanced marketing. Moreover, they are twice as likely to have omnichannel strategies and roadmaps in place, highlighting their ability to influence growth and drive quicker business decisions.
3. Investment in Omnichannel Intelligence: A remarkable 99% of industry leaders are planning to invest in omnichannel intelligence to drive business results. Respondents acknowledge the value that data and technology bring to their business strategies, with those already implementing omnichannel solutions reporting more consistent experiences (61%), improved ability to create long-term data-driven strategies (47%), and enhanced customer loyalty (36%).

The study underscores the necessity of obtaining a comprehensive understanding of ever-fluid market dynamics and evolving consumer behaviors. Piecing together this puzzle remains challenging due to disparate data, conflicting business objectives, and the proliferation of tools that hinder companies from fully grasping and improving consumer experience delivery. This comprehensive study highlights the critical need for organizations to embrace omnichannel intelligence as a key driver of growth and transformation. By understanding and addressing these challenges, businesses can unlock the full potential of their consumer experiences, make more informed decisions, and adapt swiftly to ever-changing market dynamics.

For more information about the study and its findings, the study is now available for download, along with an on-demand webinar on the NIQ website.

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Transcript

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The views and opinions expressed in this podcast belonged to the individuals who shared them and do not necessarily represent Nielsen IQ. Note that this podcast discusses sensitive topics that may be triggering for some.  For more information specific to this episode, see the episode description. 

Laura Batien: Hi everyone, and welcome to My ___  Story. My name is Laura Batien and if this is your first time tuning in then let me tell you what this podcast is all about. In a nutshell, it’s about stories. Your stories. We think stories are important because when we tell them we open the door and allow others to see the experiences that shaped us, that challenged us, and helped us grow. By doing this, we can create a culture where open dialogue is encouraged, and we can have a space to discuss important topics in a transparent and courageous manner. So, minimize that e-mail tab, mute your chat, and take a little break to listen to a NielsenIQ story. 

Funda Kalemci: Hello everyone. Thank you so much for tuning in to our My ___ Story podcast. This is Funda Kalemci. I am the global leader for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Corporate Citizenship at NIQ. And today I am joined by my co-host, James. James…hello! 

James Anderson: Hello there Funda. My name is James Anderson, and I am a senior analyst for the manufacturing side here in the Toronto office in Canada. We’ve got a bit of…we had a nice day here today with some sunshine and clouds. How are things where you are today, Funda? 

Funda Kalemci: Oh, it was rainy. Sorry, I really don’t want to talk about that, so… 

James Anderson: I can’t believe I started with a weather conversation. That was a very Canadian way to start the conversation. “Let’s talk about the weather, eh?” 

Funda Kalemci: Instead of talking about the weather, let’s just dive into our guest today. I’m really looking forward to hearing Daniel’s story. Well, I just gave it away today. We’re hosting Daniel Perez. Daniel joined NielsenIQ in 2010 and before that he gained experience in the CPG retail industry. He is very passionate about diversity and inclusion and I can attest to that because I’ve been working with Daniel for quite some time within our ERGs. Not only that, he also won one of our Prism Awards back in the day. We called it the Diversity and Inclusion award for Nielsen at the time. He is an entrepreneur. He built and took to market NIQ’s first Omni app. It is the Omnichannel Shopping Fundamentals. Last year, he also led the commercial launch of Omni in the USA. On a more personal level, he lives in Cincinnati, USA with his family and well, his guilty pleasure, as in his words, is traveling. He dreams about visiting 100 countries and wants recommendations for the last 27. 

Daniel Perez: Hello everyone. My name is Daniel Perez and today I want to share my story. Back in 2010, I moved from Mexico to the US and I started working for Corporate America. Now in the US, previously, I have worked for American companies out of Latin America or Mexico. When I moved to the US, I was working from one of the least diverse states and cities in the entire US. And here when I arrived, I had no personal brand. People didn’t know what college I went to, what sports that I played, what were my achievements? So basically, the environment was determining my brand and there was a point where everything changed for me, and it was a tipping point. So, I’m going to share a personal experience. One night I was working really late. I was on my way back to my desk and somebody at the office who was working late asked me to clean their desk. As you know, most of the cleaning crews are Latino, so they thought, well, I was part of that crew. So yes, I’m Latino. Fiesta dancing and manual labor are important and I love to party and dance as most Latinos. But I’m a leader with international experience driving innovation, strategy and commercial teams. Due to genetics, I look Latino and I need to let people know what are my qualifications. And as a marketer, I quickly realized the importance of creating and nurturing a personal brand. Because unless you inherit a trust fund, your personal brand is your most important asset. And that is why, over the past five years, I have promoted personal brand building among all the members at NielsenIQ, and our company has been really supportive in providing internal and external speakers. And the other members at NielsenIQ that have taken action in creating, building and nurturing their personal brand have reported positive results in their professional journey. And the reason I’m doing this is because I believe it’s the right thing to do, and as a parent, the legacy I want to give to my girls and to the world is a place that has better equity and is more inclusive. And the way I have decided to contribute is by giving diverse talent visibility to the importance of personal branding. 

Funda Kalemci: Daniel, thank you so much for sharing your story. We really appreciate you opening up about your experience and it is really, you know, the truth…the lived experience of what we call unconscious bias, right. It’s a very, very good example. Not only in life, but also in the workplace…how it plays out in the workplace, that unconscious bias. I’m curious, what were your initial thoughts, or…you know, your reaction, your first reaction in the moment as you were going through that…that experience…that co-worker turning to you to ask, you know, to clean their desk. What was your reaction? How did you feel about it? And like, what did you do? 

Daniel Perez: So I started to think about why that person said that exactly. And when I was thinking about that, we all have unconscious bias. We all have different ways that we process information, and we cannot escape that. I do that in different situations. So, I understood where that person was coming from and to me, that was like an “ah ha” moment. Because then I realized that there is a big opportunity to drive change and make a difference in the workplace. And what I was thinking for the future…in terms of my family, one of my main goals is to try to make this world, this place that we live in, this blue marble, a better place for everybody, so I guess when you get lemons, you need to make lemonade, and this was one of those occasions. 

Funda Kalemci: Thank you so much for that. Like, I haven’t heard the blue marble for a while. It really struck my heart chords here. But just to follow up on your response there, did you really make that connection right away that you know why he was talking to you, asking you to clean their desk? Did you, you know, connect the two? 

Daniel Perez: So, it was not instant, it took time to actually understand that. I guess when I understood what was happening was when I used to talk in Spanish to the cleaning crew. Because it was easier when I talk to them. I was like, oh, OK, that makes sense because we speak the same language and from the outer, we look the same. So, when I was talking in Spanish, it’s like, OK, they look like me, we speak the same, we were late, so obviously. There’s a saying in the US if looks like a duck, it’s a duck, something like that. 

James Anderson: Walks like a duck. Talks like a duck. 

Daniel Perez: Exactly so. So, I think that that person didn’t do that on purpose. It’s just the unconscious bias and just being in an automatic-like reflex of the actual environment. 

Funda Kalemci: See, that unconscious bias is so strong in all of us. When we are not aware of it, we don’t know how to manage it. 

James Anderson: Do you think that, you know, these kinds of moments, you know, the ones that you went through, Daniel…is it the role then of the person to then create a teachable…quote unquote, teachable moment? 

Daniel Perez: Certainly, we can create a teachable moment every time something like this happens. We could be every day, every half an hour, trying to teach something to somebody. So, what I thought was going to be more impactful and that’s one of the reasons I am really passionate to work with the ERGs. How can I empower the members in my HOLA group to…which is a Hispanic group of employees…to build their own brand? And that’s why I got passionate about this topic. Because when you do yourself, either you are new to the company, you are changing your role, you’re trying to get promoted the way you are perceived…that is the reality. And you need to make sure that you convey the best of you. I guess we can teach others, but I prefer to teach myself and everybody trying to learn to act on driving the way they are perceived. 

James Anderson: And using the personal branding to sort of to do that. 

Daniel Perez: And that’s another way to teach others by showing with an example. 

James Anderson: So then what kind of tips can you give? To listeners who are wanting to work on their personal brand to sort of, you know, maybe avoid some of these pitfalls or to build their career within a company then? 

Daniel Perez: So, I guess the first one is just acknowledge that unconscious bias is real and in most of the cases is not something that is intentional. It’s just the way it is, so don’t start fighting with people. The other is you need to do an introspection to understand who you are, and who you want to be. How do you want to be perceived? And very important is to be humble and ask people for their opinions in terms of how you are perceived. And accepting feedback is really hard. Once you do that, you need to commit on understanding what are those. You need to choose to take your brand and how people are perceiving you to where you want to be. And I guess the most important piece is this takes work, I guess all good things in life cannot be something that you just flip a switch and it happens. You need to work on it and you need to be intentional about it. 

Funda Kalemci: Oh my God. Daniel, I love that response and it makes me think about how different it is for someone in a marginalized group to build that personal brand with additional care and with a thought process that is a very, very important point in personal branding. But I want to take it from there to your work at NIQ with that experience and with that personal brand that you have started building on…building up. How has it…how has it impacted your work at NIQ? 

Daniel Perez: So right now, I am part of the commercial team and as you know, I am moving into a more sales driven culture. And that means that I am not just my brand, I also represent NIQ when I talk to a client. So that’s why maybe listeners cannot see me, but I like to wear a jacket or be very presentable when talking to the clients, because that’s important. Because I am not just conveying the brand of Daniel Perez, I’m also conveying the brand of NIQ. So in my day-to-day job, it’s really important. It is important the way I speak, the confidence and trust I can build with my clients and personal branding. It isn’t just…how do I look? It’s also how do I interact? Do I get early to a meeting? How well prepared I am when talking to a client about their business? Am I really paying attention? Am I doing feedback in the process when they share their business goals, their business needs? Do I close the loop? I have an accent, obviously, and you can take that in two ways. It can help you, or you can actually use it as an ice breaker. Sometimes you say something, and people are like, what did you say? Use it to just say sorry about the accent and you just need to embrace who you are. 

Funda Kalemci: I love that embracing who you are embracing you know what you bring to the table. And I am a person who believes in the accent being a superpower. An accent is your superpower. So, you have been a part of our employee resource groups forever…as long as you’ve been in the company…but not only that, you have been a part of our strategy planning. I’m going back to your story, right? Like, how did that experience lead you toward the broader DEI conversation in the company, but also how did it bring you to the employee resource groups? You have been an HOLA leader. HOLA is our Hispanic Leaders in Action. So how did that experience play a part in that process? 

Daniel Perez: So, I’ve had the honor to take every role in the ERG process in the HOLA or the affinity groups. So, I was a Member first, just listening to people. Then I got involved. I started collaborating. I became a city lead for the Cincinnati office, then for the region, and then got expanded responsibilities. On that aspect and to that journey, what I was always seeing is it was really important to make sure that people…members and people that I work with get the right opinion about you and they do not make some assumptions based on how you look, how do you speak. And you need to make sure that that was important. And throughout the years we have had different Chief Diversity Officers and I was privileged to have the chance to talk to them. And I always admired the way they…their presence and how they were perceived. So, I’ve been trying to emulate them because I guess it is a good example and I am now passing the torch to younger generations because it is important. And when we think about other generations, maybe in my generation we are very careful about the way we talk. We say, like, “Sir” or something. And maybe other generations they are more direct. But in the corporate setting there are written rules, and your brand and your persona needs to work to make sure to deliver on those. Because at the moment, we work in this, and that’s one of the things I love about this NIQ – they’ve been supporting this effort. 

James Anderson: I just I wanted to pick up on that last statement you made. Anyone who’s been part… like in some kind of noticeable other group, you know? Gay men, like myself, or something like that. I feel like there is the ability to read the room and sort of…to be more aware of the number of the other voices in the room because you know, for whatever reason, your voice may have been silent. Your voice may have been shut down, or you may have not felt confident in the environment to speak because of the difference or the otherness. So, I’m just wondering how any of this has sort of played into how you approach some of these boardroom discussions or the client discussions. 

Daniel Perez: Yes, that’s very interesting. And my answer with a term – that is, intersectionality, and is helping others. I remember vividly, like, five years ago, I was in a client meeting. This was in person at the time…was pre-COVID, and in the room. We were talking to a client and that client, the profile of that company, was very hierarchical-like. But interestingly, the only persons that were talking were males. They didn’t…they were basically not letting…there were clients who were females, and they were not brought into the conversation. So, I guess as part of being inclusive, what I did is, I started asking and talking to that person so they become part of the conversation. So, this is an effort, not just an internal…we also have the opportunity to expand and help others in this process. 

James Anderson: The more people involved in the conversation usually helps move it forward in a positive way. 

Funda Kalemci: So, Daniel, we have this question just about…for all of our guests, and I think I want to close this up with this question. Who has been your biggest supporter in life at work, and what they have done to make you feel supported in that process, and turned you into the supportive person that you have become? 

Daniel Perez: I’m going to answer first with my …the person I admire the most at NielsenIQ and that’s Myriam. Myriam Vidalon. I guess to me she sets an example on something that in Spanish that we say, “Si, se puede,” which means yes, it is possible. And I’m really proud. The first time she was the CDO, I went online and looked for how many Hispanic Latinas are CDOs? And the number is very, very small. So, she became to be one of the very few in the total of US corporate America to get to that. So to me, it is an aspiration to follow in her tracks…think that can be done. Also, throughout the years, I had the chance to talk to her. And she’s a good friend. But also, she challenges me. 

James Anderson: That’s amazing. Thank you Daniel, so much, for sharing that with us and sharing your story with us today here on the My ___ Story, the podcast. Thank you as well Funda for being my co-host on this episode. Please make sure to follow along with us as we create more and more episodes where more and more of our associates will be sharing their stories, their My ___ Stories, with all of you. 

Laura Batien: Hey all, it’s Laura again. We hope you enjoyed this episode of My ___ Story. Tune in next time to hear more stories from the NielsenIQ community. 

Daniel Perez: As a parent, the legacy I want to give to my girls and to the world is a place that has better equity and is more inclusive. And the way I have decided to contribute is by giving diverse talent visibility to the importance of personal branding. 

Laura Batien: Thank you to our producer Laura Batien, and our editor Rachel Jilek. 

Steve Zurek

Vice President of Thought Leadership, NIQ

Steve is a CPG industry veteran with 32 years of experience in sales and category development. Prior to NIQ, he worked for PepsiCo, Procter and Gamble, and GSK Consumer Health. As the Vice President of Thought Leadership for North America Analytic Sales, he sets his sights on the future of CPG and leverage his client-first perspective to create actionable, data-driven content. Steve has an MBA from the Heller College of Business at Roosevelt University in Chicago and is an advisory board member at his alma mater. He lives in Roselle, Illinois.

Erica Harrison

Vice President of Analytics, NIQ

Erica has been with NIQ for 12 years. She started her NIQ career on-site with one of the major CPG clients supporting category management, sales RGM and insight functions as they integrated NIQ into their core decision making process. In 2019, Erica joined the Analytics commercial team where she is currently responsible for the engagements with some of NIQ’s most sophisticated analytic clients, advising on shelf, revenue and execution opportunities.

New Availability will help accelerate Retailer New Revenue Streams and Scale Personalization Strategies

Chicago, IL – August 30, 2023 – NIQ, the leading global measurement and analytics provider, today announced the Activate Platform will be available on Google Cloud and on the Google Cloud Marketplace this Fall. The new offering will combine NIQ’s industry-leading data and insights with Google Cloud’s powerful Infrastructure, Data and AI Cloud capabilities to help businesses make better decisions.

NIQ’s Activate Platform is a comprehensive SaaS, AI-based collaborative platform solution that provides businesses with a single view of their customers across all channels. The platform includes data from NIQ’s vast measurement and analytics portfolio, with data that can be used to analyze customer behavior, identify trends, inform assortment rationalization, and identify cross-sell opportunities. The platform offers users the Full View into Supply Chain Analytics, Assortment & Promotion Analytics, Category & Customer Analytics, Personalized Offer Management, and Retail Media Intelligence.

“We are excited to partner with Google Cloud to make our Activate Platform available on Google Cloud and Google Cloud Marketplace,” said Jamie Clarke, Head of North America Retail, NIQ. “This relationship will give our customers the ability to access our data and insights on the platform of their choice, while also benefiting from Google Cloud’s world-class data and analytics capabilities. Together, we can help businesses make better decisions faster and create engagements that matter to retailers, suppliers and customers.”

NIQ Activate enables retailers to create incremental value and accelerate growth through retail media, personalized experiences and actionable category and customer insights. The agreement combines Google Cloud’s industry-leading capabilities in data and AI with first-party customer and sales data to improve customer engagements for retailers. With NIQ Activate on Google Cloud, retailers can create more sustainable revenue streams by monetizing their data assets with hyper-targeted audience building, easily creating impactful offers and ads, and accessing end-to-end measurement reports.

“As a part of their digital transformation strategies, many enterprises are seeking solutions that help them modernize and accelerate their most critical operations with Google Cloud,” says Jose Gomes, Managing Director, Retail Customers, Google Cloud. “With its solution coming to Google Cloud this fall, NIQ Activate will enable teams to unlock the full power of their data by combining NIQ’s insights with Google Cloud’s leading infrastructure and BigQuery technology.”

The first two modules (Category & Customer Insights, and Personalization), of the Activate Platform on Google Cloud Marketplace will be available in the fall of 2023. Google Cloud customers can achieve benefits including simplified procurement, consolidated billing, and financial incentives. The platform will be fully integrated with Google Cloud products, such as BigQuery, Dataproc, and Cloud Dataflow. This integration will allow businesses to take advantage of Google Cloud’s BigQuery and AI technology to accelerate enterprises’ data driven transformations.

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Elana Powell: Hello and welcome to a bonus episode of the My Blank Story Podcast. My name is Elana Powell and I’m the senior manager of Diversity, Equity and inclusion here at NIQ, and I’ll just be guiding us through the show today. So today we’re actually mixing it up and you are going to hear from the people who are behind the show. Behind the scenes. The people that we affectionately like to call the Pod Squad. Today, we are joined by me and three other members of the podsquad: Dominique Brown, one of our podcast project managers along with myself; Jake Conlin an extraordinary editor, and Jessica Arledge who wears many, many hats but we call her our producer and marketing lead. This episode we’re going to talk a little bit about expectations and reality. And so, we’re going to explore what our team’s expectations were at the beginning of this year and what our journey has actually really been like. So first off, we’re going to start with Jess. So, Jess, tell me, what were your expectations at the beginning of the year and how do you feel like those expectations have or haven’t been met.

Jessica Arledge: All right. I guess it’s my turn. My name is Jessica Arledge. I’ve been with NIQ for almost 22 years, and I’m a producer on the podcast. This is going to sound very pessimistic, but I didn’t have any expectations. I have a tendency to not have expectations. That way, if something doesn’t go my way, I’m not devastated. And if it does go my way, I’m, like, really super excited. I had a family trip planned to Scotland and Ireland and it was a lifelong dream, and I purposely didn’t set any expectations for the trip. I was just going to be happy that I was, you know, somewhere that I’ve always wanted to be. If something wonderful happened, like go to Loch Ness and see Nessie, then I would have been overjoyed. But what actually happened is we didn’t get to go to Loch Ness, but that’s OK because I didn’t have any set expectations about having to go somewhere and I really can’t complain about anything. I feel like no expectations are kind of the way I cope with change. I’m certain that I do have expectations about some things, and I get my feelings hurt when they don’t happen. But I’m also certain that not having expectations can kind of hold a person back because that means that you’re not planning to move forward; but I like not having expectations because it allows me to just go with the flow and you know, try to be a more positive person.

Elana Powell: Thanks, Jess. So, I can completely relate and understand what you’re saying. Expectations can set us up for really expecting something and then being let down. But I also agree with what you were saying that, like, sometimes having expectations is a good thing, right? It can, like, push you and drive you and [in] setting those goals and those visions. So, I’m really glad you had a fun time on your trip. But I wish that you got to see Nessie but I’m glad you weren’t too let down either, so.

Jake Conlin: And I’ll just echo that. I think there is a lot of positivity that can come from expectations. They give you something to look forward to and to hope for and help you to think about what’s coming next. But you know, I think you’re on to something, Jess. That a lot of times, expectations don’t go through. And I think it’s important not to let that ruin your day or, in your case, your trip. So, yeah, I think there’s a lot of wisdom there and in level setting and not letting expectations dictate your life.

Dominique Brown: Yeah, because I was listening to your story, Jess. I was thinking, like, one of the great things about not having those expectations is also being able to be flexible and open-minded about things. And I think that allowed you to have a great time even though you weren’t able to see Nessie. So, I think it’s great.

Elana Powell: Yeah, I think it’s a unique skill set that you have there just because I feel like most people will put certain expectations on, like, a trip or an experience and when things aren’t going your way it can definitely, like, affect your mood and how you’re reacting to things because they’re not going as you expected. So, when you don’t go in with all those uptight expectations, it can really be a more positive thing, so…

Jessica Arledge: I think I learned a lot of it from my mother. Because we went on the trip together, there was actually, you know, 12 family members and one of them was my mother, and she had the same flexibility and, you know, just kind of going with the flow and being happy that she was there and, you know, not really expecting anything. And I think she does a lot of things in life like that. And I think I learned – well, she’s a cynic – but, I think, I learned my positive attitude otherwise from her.

Elana Powell: Well, that is awesome and maybe she could hang out with my mom because she’s the opposite. Just teach her some things. Awesome. Awesome. Well, thank you so much, Jess. I’m going to turn the question over to Dominique now. So, Dominique, what were your expectations at the beginning of 2023 and what does your journey actually look like.

Dominique Brown: Yeah. So. Hi everyone. My name is Dominique Brown. I am a manager of the DEI here at NIQ. I am a part of the podcast team supporting all the work they’re doing here. I am based in Chicago, IL, our NIQ headquarters where I live with my puppy, Ellie, a cockapoo . So, [At the} beginning of the year, I was just trying to continue learning and getting settled into things here at NIQ and continuing to learn my role and, maybe about halfway into March, I made the decision to kind of jump into a huge decision and buy a house. And so, with my mom’s guidance and help, I went to go look at homes: [to] look at the process of, you know, deciding if I wanted to buy a house for myself and my Puppy or if I wanted to buy a building where I would be able to have tenants. And, it was wild because, you know, there’s so many different things to process and think about and weigh and decisions like that and it’s a big decision to buy a house. And I was initially thinking, you know, ‘I’m going to buy a building’, this is what I want to do. This makes sense to me. I’ve got the time to be able to commit to being a landlord, I think, and it just makes sense to be able to try and build some familial wealth within my family and have something that I could potentially pass on to others in my family and that was what I thought was going to happen. That was the plan. And then, [when] I got into the process of looking at homes and things of that nature I realized, like, ‘Oh my gosh! Owning a building is a huge step.’ It’s not something that [you] take lightly; so, I had to pivot. I had to pivot pretty quickly because the market, right – well, the market at that time was too competitive – and I made a decision to kind of pivot and start purchasing a home just for me and my puppy. And that was something that I had to kind of accept and take in because I had this vision in my head for quite a while and that it didn’t go the way that I intended or wanted to go. But I think now, at this point, it’s the best decision that was for me and for my family, and so I think that that is something that…it worked the way it was supposed to work and I’m just grateful that I was able to make my dream come true of being a homeowner and being able to provide a big yard for my puppy to run around and have tons of fun in: a house where I can invite my family over to be able to join for holidays and parties and just to be able to enjoy their company. So, I would say that through this entire experience of having that initial plan of wanting to buy a building and then eventually purchasing a home, I think that being open and really looking at things and weighing the options really helped me to guide me to the right choice for me and my lifestyle.

Elana Powell: Thanks, Dominique. And you absolutely made the right choice because I’ve seen your home and it’s beautiful. And your puppy, Ellie, is so, so happy. So, I know you made the right choice. So, I love that for you. Jess, Jake, any thoughts on Dominique’s journey?

Jake Conlin: Congrats on the home. That’s awesome. I had not heard that whole story, so I didn’t know those parts of your journey where you were considering buying property that you could rent out. So, definitely interesting to hear how you worked through that and arrived at your decision. So, for me I am looking forward at some point down the road to buying a home or property and I was wondering what advice you could give to somebody in my shoes. Maybe stuff that caught you off guard or, I guess, things that I should expect as I go into this process.

Dominique Brown: Sure. So, I would say two things that I’ve learned in this process. One is: there probably isn’t going to be the perfect home. You know, someone like myself can be a little picky, I think. And I had to learn the process and say, Dominique, you have to, you know, give a little in order to get what you want and so being flexible and understanding that if it has the things that you need you can turn it into the home that you’re going to want and that’s not to say that I ‘settled’ in the home that I purchased. I love it. I think it does fit my needs, but I think that that’s something that’s really important to think about: […] being flexible and being open-minded and not feeling like, you know, you have to get everything that you want. And then also realizing that, you know, this doesn’t have to be your only home, you can purchase this home and potentially decide to maybe rent it out or sell it, eventually, and then get a home that is more in-tune with your needs as you continue in your life. The other thing I would say that I would share with someone who’s thinking about this, also, is to do your research. It was so important for me [in order] to make sure that I made a sound decision; I’m someone that doesn’t like to make flippant decisions […]. And so, making sure that, you know, I talk to the right people. I made sure that I found the realtor who faced my needs. Finding a good mortgage broker to help figure out what those needs were as well. I think really making sure that you’re researching it and learning about what you actually want in this big purchase is really important so that, you know, you feel like you made a really good sound decision.

Jessica Arledge: Dominique, I feel that in my soul because my husband and I are looking to get a house in a new city, and we’re talking about renting, condos, homes and I have no expectations, as I said before. And my husband [meanwhile], he’s planning 15 years ahead and I think that I need to set some expectations. And I think he needs to roll it back. Maybe not, maybe not think 15 years in the future, maybe just look at, you know, five, but I really appreciate the advice. I will take that to heart.

Dominique Brown: Awesome, awesome. Yeah, thank you.

Elana Powell: I love that. Well, thank you so much, Dominique. And Jake, Jess your thoughts too. I’m going to turn it over to Jake, now. Same question, Jake. What were your expectations? And where are you actually now?

Jake Conlin: Alright. Thanks Elana. Hi everyone. My name is Jake Conlin and I’m a senior research analyst on the customer success team within our BASES organization. I’ve been with NIQ for just over 2 years, and I’ve absolutely loved working with this podcast team as an audio engineer. I’m based out of New Orleans where I’m living with my wife and my one-year-old son. Outside of work, I enjoy running, audio production and photography. So, going into this year, I expected constant changes and surprises at home as my son’s transitioning into the toddler stage. But other than that, I expected work and other activities to hold, largely, steady. And sure, the transition into the toddler stage, it’s lived up to the hype. It’s keeping me on my toes. I’ve been surprised by the number of work and extracurricular shifts that have happened so far in 2023. So, some examples include my job description shifting a little bit; starting to travel for work and then, unexpectedly, taking on a role in the community where I get to work with the youth. And at times, yeah, all of this can feel a bit overwhelming, but I just feel so fortunate to have such a wonderful and collaborative support group, including this Pod Squad. And so, compared to my expectations for the year, yeah, this year’s reality, it’s been a lot different, but it’s been different in a good way. It’s been full of unique growth and development opportunities. It’s been challenging, but I do feel like it’s helping me to become more.

Elana Powell: Awesome, Jake, thanks. And we always love it when expectations change in a positive way. Right, so I’m glad.

Jake Conlin: Yeah, definitely.

Elana Powell: I’m glad that that’s what happened for you, and I’m sure you’ve been kept very busy with your new little toddler. But lots of fun, lots of fun. Jess, Dominique, any thoughts on Jake’s story?

Jessica Arledge: My first thought is [about] the support group [and] how essential having a good support group is. I think a good support group helps you meet expectations and is also there when your expectations aren’t met, and your support group will help you pivot. As Dominique was talking about, I have a great support group and I think things would just be awful without them and I include, you know, my mother, my family, Pod Squad, colleagues: they’re all my support system and you just need those people in your life to help you with your expectations.

Elana Powell: Absolutely, Jess. You, actually, just made me think of something that Lu said on her podcast episode – look at me, I’m plugging in other episodes! – but, Lu, in her episode, she talked about how she went through really difficult times and was just so important that she had a really strong support system in her partner and in her family and her friends. And then, another person who works here at NIQ, Myriam Vidalon, but years ago before I was even at NIQ, I remember hearing her speak about having, like, your own personal board of directors. Right? And have, like, people surround you that can support you from all different angles, whether it be work or school or home or whatever it might be, and how that can just make things infinitely better; especially, when you’re navigating change or difficult times. So, I just wanted to echo that from both Jess and Jake’s. Point of view, right? I completely agree.

Dominique Brown: Yeah, one thing that resonated with me, in listening to your story, Jake, was the fact that, even with all these different changes that you had, you seem to continue to look at the big picture and get the good out of it, you know? You mentioned that it’s been a year of growth for you and being able to have some new opportunities to develop. And I think that that’s really important as you think about, kind of, what you thought what was going to happen for the year and then they kind of pivoted [for] you and then how you were able to just look at it and say, ‘Oh, you know, these things have happened and, you know, let me look at how it’s helped me’ as opposed to, you know, having this kind of ‘woe-is-me’, you know, and feeling down. I think that’s really great that you were able to kind of see the good and how it’s impacting your life.

Elana Powell: Yes, could not agree more, Dominique, Jake, your positivity is contagious. So, that’s a great skill set to have.

Jake Conlin: Thanks, Elana.

Elana Powell: Awesome. All right. Well, thank you so much, Jake and team. You’ve all been really transparent so far, and I thank you for that. So, I guess, it’s my turn so, as I said earlier, my name is Elana Powell. I’m a senior manager of DEI here at NIQ and I’ve been with the company for just about a year now, so, I’m still kind of a newbie, but really enjoying my time so far. Outside of work, I live in St Pete’s, Florida with my fiancé and our dog, Peanut, who is a Pomeranian Chihuahua-mix and who is the light of my life. I also enjoy eating out, eating amazing food, which is like my favorite thing in the world, and really just spending, like, quality time with my friends and family. So, that’s a little bit about me. As far as the question goes, ‘so, what did I expect this year to look like?’ As we’ve learned through all of you, expectations are kind of silly at this point, right? Cause usually life defies your expectations. But for me 2022, last year, was really difficult. I was navigating a lot of change – which is hard for me. And so, in 2023, you know, when January 1st came around, I was like, OK, I have all these intentions: I’m going to be filled with clarity; I’m going to be, you know, have all this trust in myself; I’m going to surround myself with good positivity and happiness. And, I was like, OK, 2023 is going to be my turn around, right? Well, that lasted for about, like, 15 days, and then I started to have some really severe health issues that were totally out of the blue and were really mysterious. But I was super determined to get answers when it was happening and so I kind of reset my expectations in that moment and said, ‘OK, I’m going to heal myself by the end of Q1’. I kept telling everyone that. I kept putting it out in the universe. And so, I drove to like 100 doctors and I did every test you could think of, and I really tried to hold myself to those expectations. Right? But I lost steam really quickly because it was really hard to keep positive, you know. While I wanted to believe I was going to get better [but], things just kept not going my way and I just kept getting road-blocks. And so, at some point I kind of stopped expecting or even looking forward to things. And, I guess, I really just want to shout out today that it’s OK, right? What we’re saying is, like, it’s OK if sometimes your life isn’t going as expected or you start to really only expect bad things to happen and you start to lose some of that motivation because, you know, when, suddenly, your life has changed or you just keep experiencing those roadblocks, you start to get really stuck in like that survival mode, that fight or flight mode. And you can stop setting expectations or stop looking forward to things because you’re really just so zoned-in and focusing on what’s happening to you in that very moment. And I just want to really extend my love and my thoughts to anyone who’s listening that might be going through something that’s making it really hard to think about the future or to look forward to things or set those expectations because I know that’s not what you expected, right? But I really believe that in my heart that one day soon, you’re going to wake up and you’re going to think to yourself, ‘I can’t wait for that thing.’ And suddenly you’ll have some good expectations again for the future. And whatever it is, big or small, I know it’s going to happen soon, and I know it’s going to make you excited and happy. And from there it will only grow, and I know that because it did for me. I got to that point of not expecting anything or not looking forward to things. And then, suddenly, I did, again, and I felt happy again. And so, I guess now, kind of going through all of that and having a pretty tough year – but really just continuing to survive and thrive – I’m expecting for the rest of the year is to continue growing and to just do my best: to enjoy both the expected and the unexpected.

Jessica Arledge: I love that sentiment to just ‘keep growing’. That’s the best expectation to have: […] ‘I’m just going to keep growing; I’m going to grow and work; I’m going to grow in my whole life; I’m going to grow mentally and maybe physically, but just to keep growing.’ It is such a great attitude.

Elana Powell: Thanks, Jess.

Dominique Brown: So, Elana, you know, you’re on my team, now. We’re, you know, teammates. And so, I’ve, you know, been with you and talked to you as you go through this journey of kind of figuring out what’s going on with your health issues. And the one thing that I feel like I’ve always kind of heard you say throughout this process is, you know, recognizing that you’re not OK and being able to accept that and being able to take it and have the motivation to continue to want to figure out what’s going on. I know that it’s been super hard for you – throughout this process – and, I imagine, disappointing, as you’ve been, kind of, talking to different people, doctors, to figure out what’s happening. But, you know, one thing that I just admired about you – through this entire process – is that you’ve ‘taken it [on]’. You said, you know, ‘This is happening to me, but I’m not going to give up. I want to figure out what’s going on.’ And so, I think that’s really important, as you go through this journey, that you recognize that it isn’t going the way that you intended, but you’re also kind of pushing forward to make sure that you get the answers that you need in order for you to feel better about yourself and your life.

Elana Powell: Thanks, Dominique.

Jake Conlin: Yeah, I’ll just add, I really appreciated your comment there about ‘something eventually will come that gets you excited again.’ And, earlier, your comment that sometimes life is tough, and expectations aren’t being met and that it’s OK to acknowledge that. I think in my life I’ve found it’s important to acknowledge that just because I’m going through a challenge doesn’t necessarily mean that I’m weak. And so, I just loved your message about staying positive and knowing that eventually things will start to look up and sometimes that just takes time. And on the other hand I, you know, I like that idea of finding something to keep you excited and positive, especially when you’re facing more just routine challenges, things that aren’t as big of a deal, maybe a tough work week. Just having that bowl of ice cream at the end of the day that you can look forward to. Or maybe that hobby that you’ve been working on outside of work; so, yeah, just definitely appreciated the sentiment.

Elana Powell: Thanks, Jake. Yeah, my reward is a caramel macchiato from Dunkin’ Donuts. That’s what got me through tough times. No, no. But honestly, thank you all for talking about support systems. You’ve all been here. You know, I’ve known you all for most of the year and you’ve been terrific support systems. And I’m so lucky to have each of you on this podcast, and I’m really fortunate to have a team, Dominique and Funda and just the larger team here at NIQ, here, to support me through all of it, which is just – it makes all the world of difference to know that you’ve got people in your corner and people who will back you up when you need it. So, I want to say thank you to all of you too for being here for me and being here for each other, I think it’s a great team we have here. I’m really happy to be a part of it.

Jessica Arledge: 100%, 100%.

Jake Conlin: Yeah, yes.

Dominique Brown: Agreed.

Elana Powell: Well, thank you all so, so much. Thank you everyone who took the time to listen to our show today. We put a lot of love into bringing this podcast to life and I hope that you were able to see that shine through during our episode. Please, please, please visit our website or your preferred podcast provider. We’ve got Spotify, Apple music, any of them, and you can listen to all of our other amazing episodes of My __ Story. Remember that we all have a story to tell. Thank you.

A Century of Investing in Insights, Technology, and Talent to Provide the Full View of Consumer Intelligence

Chicago, IL — Aug. 24, 2023 — NIQ, the global leader in consumer intelligence, today celebrates its 100^th anniversary. Founded by Arthur C. Nielsen, Sr. in 1923, the company that created the concept of market share has evolved into the world’s leading authority on consumer buying behavior and actionable, data-driven insights — measuring more channels, consumers, and countries than any other provider.

Earlier this year, NIQ announced the successful completion of its strategic combination with GfK. With the leading consumer intelligence providers for FMCG, technology, and durables together, the global company is uniquely able to offer the Full View™, the world’s most complete and clear view of consumer buying behavior. The combined company has over $4 billion in sales and over 30,000 clients covering more than 100 countries.  This was just the latest development in decades of successful investments in coverage and technology innovation designed to prepare customers for the future via omnichannel coverage, business intelligence tools, and predictive analytics.

“This is an exciting and transformative year for NIQ, as we celebrate our long history as an industry leader while advancing our vision to lead the next chapter in consumer intelligence,” said Jim Peck, CEO of NIQ.  “We are so proud of how far we have come and confident in our position as the best and only choice for companies who understand how tremendously powerful omnichannel data and insights are in navigating an increasingly complex consumer landscape.”

For the next 100 years and beyond, NIQ will continue to move measurement forward and uncover new pathways for growth by helping retailers and brands:

• Track sales and share across brick-and-mortar, e-commerce, and omnichannel to identify trends and understand competitive and category performance.
• Understand consumer and shopper behavior, demographics and loyalty through consumer panels and custom survey capabilities.
• Maximize profitability, eliminate wasteful trade spend, and ensure the right price and promotion strategy with more granular data and precise recommendations.
• Create sustainable growth by improving assortments and merchandizing.
• Evaluate opportunities to increase sales and quantify the impact of potential 
  outputs, media, and in-store actions based on geographies and demographics.
• Create the best shopping experiences for consumers through personalization and digitization.
• Maintain sales by quickly identifying out-of-stock risks and reducing supply chain disruptions.
• Fuel growth and accelerate time-to-market by testing, refining, and reinventing product lines with highly predictive, market-tested consumer insights.

“As we step into the next century, we are more committed than ever to leveraging cutting-edge technology to empower businesses with the insights they need to succeed – and I firmly believe that the best is yet to come,” added Peck.

About NielsenIQ

NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights—delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms—NIQ delivers the Full View^TM. 

NIQ, is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90% of the world’s population. For more information, visit NIQ.com.

Media Contact

Gillian Mosher gillian.mosher@nielseniq.com

gillian.mosher@nielseniq.com 

Bianca Piluso

Vice President of Analytic Sales, NIQ

Bianca Piluso began her career at NIQ as an analyst working on assortment and pricing models. After several years, she expanded her expertise to the manufacturing side where she took various roles in category management and trade strategy. In 2013, she began leading the delivery and sales within advanced analytics. Currently as Vice President of Analytic Sales at NIQ, she works daily with CPG brands in helping them get the most out of their trade, pricing and revenue optimization strategies. Bianca has an undergraduate degree in mathematics from the University of Waterloo and an MBA from Cornell University.

Bianca Piluso

Vice President of Analytic Sales, NIQ

Bianca Piluso began her career at NIQ as a junior analyst working on assortment and pricing models and analytics. After several years she expanded her expertise to the manufacturing side where she took various roles in category management and trade strategy. Starting in 2013, she began her leadership role in delivery and sales within advanced analytics. Currently as Vice President of Analytic Sales at NIQ, she works daily with CPG brands in helping them get the most out of their trade, pricing and revenue optimization strategies. Bianca has an undergraduate degree in mathematics from the University of Waterloo and an MBA from Cornell University.

The closing of the combination of NIQ and GfK is not just about two companies coming together; it’s about a commitment to our clients and delivering on the promises we have made.  

Our goal for this transaction is clear: to bring our clients the Full View of consumer behavior, built on a bedrock of unrivaled data and analytics, backed by 200 years of combined industry experience and thought leadership, and delivered by upper-echelon and diverse talent across over 100 countries.  

One of the most exciting aspects of this transaction is the combination of FMCG and Technology & Durables. We are bringing two gold-standard measurement capabilities together to deliver a Total Store read.     

Both companies are proven first-movers— leaders in omnichannel measurement and cloud-native technology that ensures our clients have speed to insight.     

Most importantly, our people are at the heart of our success, and integrating NIQ with GfK brings together two global teams with complementary strengths. We have the best and most talented people. Our shared culture and diverse workplace will sustainably attract the best talent to serve our clients’ needs— The combined company will bring our clients a Full View across more consumers, channels, categories, and geographies, delivering actionable insights through technology that helps them move quicker and smarter. We are already hard at work on this and are excited to bring our clients so much more in the coming weeks and months.  

Jamie Clarke
Head of North American Retail, NielsenIQ

Jamie Clarke is North America Head of Retail and leads all of NIQ’s North American retailer engagements and the strategic growth of the retail business.

Prior to joining NIQ, Jamie led retail partnerships for Quotient Technology and was responsible for 20+ retailer partnerships covering both retail media, digital coupons and data management and developing new retailer partnerships across the grocery, dollar, drug, club, auto, and other retail verticals.

Media Contacts

For NielsenIQ

Gillian Mosher
Vice President, Communications
gillian.mosher@nielseniq.com

For GfK

Kai Hummel
Vice President Communications & Public Affairs
public.relations@gfk.com

CHICAGO & NUREMBERG, Germany — NielsenIQ (NIQ) and GfK SE (GfK) have today received clearance by the European Commission for their planned combination.

The European Commission has approved the proposed combination of NIQ and GfK, thereby allowing for completion of the transaction to create the world’s leading consumer intelligence company. The clearance decision is conditional on the divestment of GfK’s Consumer Panel business to an independent third party. The condition does not have suspensive effect on the completion of the combination of NielsenIQ and GfK.

The two companies will now take the necessary steps to enable the transaction to close without further delay.

About NielsenIQ

NIQ, the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, reveals new pathways to growth for retailers and consumer goods manufacturers. With operations in more than 100 countries, NIQ delivers the most complete and clear understanding of consumer buying behavior through an advanced business intelligence platform with integrated predictive analytics. NIQ delivers the Full View.

NIQ was founded in 1923 and is an Advent International portfolio company. For more information, visit NIQ.com.