Reckitt Hong Kong emerged as one of the top brands in content marketing by winning the bronze award for “Best eCommerce Campaign – Content Marketing” at MARKETING-INTERACTIVE's Asia eCommerce Awards 2023. This brand is one of those that has known it for its actions in the industry. Boudewijn Faith (pictured), general manager of Reckitt Hong Kong and Taiwan, said Hong Kong's streets are likely to continue to change and that this must always be kept in mind given the level of hygiene that residents have become accustomed to.
Faith, who led her team to embrace insight-driven marketing and earned the prestigious title of finalist in the award for Best Use of Analytics and Data Insights, shares her thoughts on the major changes expected in the e-commerce industry. I shared some of it with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE. forward.
This interview was conducted as part of MARKETING-INTERACTIVE's Asia eCommerce Awards 2023 interview series with winners and finalists. Click here for more information about the award.
What are the next big changes that will impact the e-commerce industry?
In the current retail industry, as the pandemic improves and people resume normal activities, consumers are leaning toward in-person shopping, leading to a decline in online traffic.
Online sales accounted for just 7.8% of retail sales in December 2023, down 29.7% from the same month last year, according to preliminary figures released by the Census and Statistics Bureau. But I think this is an opportunity for brands to ramp up their e-commerce efforts as a digital touchpoint with consumers and other channels through which they can reach and engage their target audiences. It's important for brands to stay ahead of the curve and invest in an omnichannel strategy that integrates online and offline channels for a seamless and consistent consumer experience.
At Reckitt, we continue to explore new opportunities and stay close to our consumers. With the goal of reaching more consumers, we promote our brands and products through various channels and create synergies between them. While the landscape is moving toward a hybrid landscape, there are ways to build on what we know and create new opportunities for growth.
What is one trend you have seen over the past year?
One of the trends I observed last year was the rise of omnichannel and retail media strategies. Brands were monetizing the large databases of market leaders like yu and Citero to accurately capture audiences and drive sales, especially at the bottom of the purchasing funnel.
We also focus on putting the consumer first and being where they are. That's why we launched a pilot campaign with yuu. Through this campaign, Dettol's weekly scan sales increased by more than 60% compared to periods when he ran similar promotions. Moreover, he can also target specific shopper segments and get two conversion data from offline and online channels. This provided a great example of how omnichannel and retail media platforms can help you optimize your marketing efforts and reach your target audience more efficiently. We will continue to work closely with our partners and invest in this area.
What will you focus on in 2024?
In 2024, we aim to build on last year's success. This primarily involves developing new and innovative strategies. We plan to achieve this by strengthening existing collaborations with retail partners such as HKTVmall and yuu and exploring exciting new partnerships to achieve greater shared success. As part of this effort, we will also focus on retail media and maintain an omnichannel perspective as we move closer to our strategic goals.
What do you think about the victory?
We are extremely proud of our success in deploying a strategic and precise approach across various channels and are honored to have been recognized at the Asia eCommerce Awards.
We pride ourselves on growing our user portfolio by creating and promoting engaging and relevant content to the right audience at the right time. Continuously refining our approach ensures that we remain at the forefront of the industry as we strive for a cleaner, healthier world and protect the health of our consumers.
