Become a smarter marketer.

Join Over 564,000 Marketing Professionals

Become a PRO member

Know-How Exchange

Topic: Branding

Search more Know-How Exchange Q&A from Marketing Experts

This question has been answered, and points have been awarded.

Cpg Experience?

Posted by Anonymous on 250 Points
This is probably a dumb question, but......I have an extensive background in sales and worked in marketing as a one man department along with running the sales department. I am trying to get back into Marketing and Promotions and have been asked by several recruiters if I have CPG experience. Can someone please explain to me what this is?

  • Posted by Brian on Accepted
    The only CPG I know is...

    Consumer Packaged Goods

    Good luck with the job hunt...
  • Posted by db-marketer on Accepted
    I personally don't have CPG experience so I may not be the best person to answer this. But I'm up in the middle of the night and I'm probably a lot like you so here goes...

    CPG is "Consumer Packaged Goods", and refers to companies such as Proctor & Gamble (P&G), Kimberly-Clark, Nestle, i.e. companies that manufacture and distribute packaged goods to the consumer market. P&G is the ultimate CPG company and basically invented the concept. CPG companies are often recognized as being the world's best marketers.

    Generally, hiring companies like CPG experience because CPG companies are so good and so disciplined at marketing, especially brand management and product management.

    CPG experience suggests that you have a rich, thorough background in understanding consumers (e.g. how to segment them, identifying needs, what makes them buy) and that you have a disciplined approach to marketing (e.g. good market research skills, how to write a marketing plan, how to create unique sellng propositions, understanding of how to package, knowledge about trade marketing, how to run test marketing programs and trials). It generally also means you understand product and brand management extremely well and from the perspective of a CPG company.

    Sometimes I've met people with CPG experience who are more like "suits" (or large company politicians) but in general, most CPG'ers are extremely smart and capable. They have learned to focus on the customer relentlessly and they can offer a lot to companies who need more customer focus.
  • Posted by Sharon on Moderator
    Hello all. I am closing this question. This is standard procedure when
    the question author gets busy and falls out of the conversation for a
    while – or doesn’t understand the procedure for closing.

    Thanks, so much, for participating!

Post a Comment

More on Brand Management

  • Most Valuable Global Brands: Coca-Cola, Apple, and ... 
    Coca-Cola, Apple, and IBM became the three most valuable brands in 2012, according to Interbrand's 13th annual Best Global Brands report. Coca-Cola retained its No. 1 position from the 2011 ranking, Apple jumped six spots to rank at No. 2. And Google for the first time surpassed rival Microsoft.
  • Four Ways to Monetize Your Brand Without ... by David Oates
    Marketers often talk about brand equity and gaining loyal customers. But companies could actually monetize their brands directly and generate revenue from them at no cost to their customers.
  • Top Brands on Facebook: Coca-Cola, Hyundai, MTV 
    With a Facebook follower base of more than 34 million fans, and growing some 2.6% each month, Coca-Cola is ranked as the top brand on Facebook among the nation's top 100 advertisers, according to the Covario Facebook Presence Index, which evaluates the competitive performance of Facebook pages.
  • Customers Demanding Corporate Responsibility 
    Consumers worldwide are demanding a higher level of social responsibility from the companies they engage with, and most are using the power of the purse to press those demands, according to a study by Cone Communications.
MarketingProfs uses single
sign-on with Facebook, Twitter, Google and others to make subscribing and signing in easier for you. That's it, and nothing more! Rest assured that MarketingProfs: Your data is secure with MarketingProfs SocialSafe!