Scott Goldberg, managing director and executive vice president of Carve Communications, talks about supply chain issues and marketing initiatives in the Toy Book’s annual State of the Industry Q&A.
The Toy Book: What were some of the biggest challenges your clients faced in 2021, and how did you work with them to mitigate their effects?
Scott Goldberg: It goes without saying that just about every consumer products company dealt with supply chain issues of some kind, whether it was manufacturing, chip shortages, or simply not being able to get their products off ships in a timely manner. Where our clients succeeded was having the foresight to implement a strategy months in advance of our busiest season, which significantly minimized delivery delays and product availability for consumers. We were able to capitalize on this situation and utilize our relationships to communicate that while competitors’ products may not be available, we are ready to provide them with great products when they need them most. It was an ideal “problem-solution” narrative that allowed us to secure valuable exposure for our clients, and we’re continuing to utilize this opportunity in early 2022.
Alternatively, we also had a client that struggled with the supply chain issue, specifically due to the elevated demand for quality educational products coupled with the limited supply during the holiday season. Rather than ignoring or avoiding the truth of the situation, we were upfront and honest with the media, who communicated their appreciation for our approach. Ultimately, being proactive with the media not only benefited our long-term relationships, but it also resulted in our ability to stretch the availability window for these new products as the inventory quantities begin to increase in early 2022. As a result, we’re now positioning the products as great options available for spring and Easter.
TB: What new marketing initiatives are working now that haven’t in the past, or vice versa?
SG: We’ve always found that creating truly integrated 360-marketing programs has helped our clients find success no matter the situation. From traditional media and influencer to retail marketing, experiential, and thought leadership, it’s about strategically and authentically tying each facet together. While 2020 handcuffed us quite a bit with many of those “tools in our toolbox,” 2021 allowed our team to bring back a level of experiential marketing to the mix. Getting products into the hands of consumers (both parents and kids) has traditionally paid dividends and the hope is for more opportunities to do so in 2022. Seeding our target audience is valuable for several reasons, the most important being receiving genuine feedback from kids and families. As a result, we piqued interest in key products, drove additional sales, and created new opportunities for 2022.
Another example is the in-person media events that took place in 2021, and with hindsight being 20/20, I think many of us took these interactions for granted in the past. These events came to be a dime-a-dozen and became something we all had to do, while we all may have lost sight of just how valuable they were. While in-person events can be exhausting, the single best way to build relationships with the media is to meet with them in person time and time again; exchanging stories, sharing a joke, and truly getting to know one another aside from emails and texts.
This article was originally published in the February 2022 edition of the Toy Book. Click here to read the full issue!
