Ashworth To Explore “Brand Storytelling in the New Digital Frontier”

TORONTO - SGK, a division of Matthews International and a leading global brand development, activation and deployment provider that drives brand performance, announced today that Eric Ashworth, will present “Brand Storytelling in the New Digital Frontier” at the Food & Consumer Products of Canada’s (FCPC) Digital Insights E-commerce Essentials event, January 13, 2015, in Toronto.

With Canada’s grocery retailers rapidly moving into the e-commerce space, FCPC Digital will explore e-commerce, what’s happening in the Canadian market in response to changing shopper realities and what suppliers should focus on to build strong digital capabilities.

Ashworth will address this elite group of multinational and Canadian owned grocery product manufacturers, packaging industry leaders and key decision makers on the impending deconstruction of the traditional retail environment and its implications for package structure, design, messaging and supply chain.

“Changes in the traditional retail environment, from physical-to-digital, create a new frontier for brand design and storytelling,” said Eric Ashworth. “Brand experiences change with e-commerce, and progressive brand owners are rethinking their business models to adapt.”

“Merchandising, distribution and packaging will have a completely different influence and must be reconsidered,” continued Ashworth. “These areas create opportunities for every brand to take advantage of and be able to tell a more cohesive and, more importantly ‘consumer direct’ brand story.” 

“That’s the heart of the conversation,” said Ashworth. “How does the brand take advantage of its existing physical design equities to do a better job of selling a product online, while also fulfilling the promise that this product makes once it reaches the consumer’s home—all done outside of the traditional retail environment?”

Ashworth concluded: “People are buying more items online, and that creates a change in the relationship with the brand. By shipping directly to consumers, brands can engage and speak to consumers in new, more powerful ways. The constraints in which our current brands have been built have completely changed, and progressive brand owners are taking advantage. Brands have a big opportunity here and I’m excited to talk about it.

A passionate believer in the power of thought leadership to drive business forward, Eric is a dynamic, sought-after speaker whose insights on developing brands provoke conversation and debate. Eric holds a B.S. degree from San Francisco State University and an M.B.A. from the University of San Francisco. Additionally, he has served as a guest lecturer on brand strategy at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to coming to SGK, Eric served as Chief Marketing Officer for Fitch Worldwide and served in senior brand management positions at The Clorox Company, Levi Strauss and Colgate-Palmolive.