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DSN, Mack Elevation launch New General Market platform

The New General Market Leadership platform — a Drug Store News and Mack Elevation Forum co-produced industry platform — kicked off before NACDS Annual Meeting with a special reception featuring guest speaker Michael Yormark, president of Jay Z’s Roc Nation. Yormark’s talk, “The Power of Authenticity and Experience in Reaching Today’s Diverse Consumer,” explored why real consumer intimacy and authenticity are core to creating an “emotional connection” with today’s consumers.

Yormark’s presentation was introduced by Rich Dennis, co-founder and CEO of Sundial Brands, a leader and pioneer in identifying and responding to this cultural shift, and a core partner in the development of the New General Market platform. Dennis shared Sundial’s history and vision for creating products for diverse consumers based on unique, unmet needs; focusing on fair trade practices, natural and certified organic ingredients; and doing business under the model of community commerce, sourcing ingredients from seven women’s co-ops in Northern Ghana.

The New General Market Leadership platform was developed behind a mission to bring together leading companies that have demonstrated commitment to building a strong community and thought leadership with a diverse consumer base.

Next up, the program heads to Chicago on May 27, for an exclusive one-day industry forum aimed at helping leading CPG companies forge strong, emotional connections with today’s changing New General Market consumer. Hosted by Drug Store News and Mack Elevation Forum, the one-day forum will include a presentation from Sundial’s Dennis and Walgreens GVP/GMM for beauty and personal care Shannon Curtin, on their companies’ shared vision for connecting with today’s New General Market Consumer. In addition, the May 27 forum will focus on eight key pillars:

• Identifying the New General Market — who are they, how do they think and what are their unmet needs?
• More than just diversity of color or race, the New General Market is about diverse views.
• How millennials are influencing and inspiring the New General Market.
• Rethinking the in-store experience, product groupings and activation.
• Creating authentic brand communities with the New General Market.
• Building cultural competency and influence in a changing world.
• Creating an holistic brand investment strategy with the New General Market.
• Measuring success with the New General Market.

“We have brought together companies who are very open and have built relationships with consumers based on their aspirations and values — not just their demographic profile,” said DSN publisher Wayne Bennett.

Mack Elevation Forum managing director Dan Mack added: “We hope to spark a conversation with the industry … sharing how some of the top brands are building authentic, emotional relationships with today’s changing consumer and the in-store implications, product groupings and activation that are a part of that.”

Participating companies include Sundial Brands, Beiersdorf, Paris Presents, Wahl Home Products, Unilever, Fleet, Hello Products, Mentholatum, Kao Brands, Ansell, Combe, Dentek and others.

The collective insights from the forum will be summarized in a series of special DSN reports.