Leadership Forum 2020
By Manufacturers. For Manufacturers.
Sept. 10-11, 2020
The Broadmoor
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Leadership Forum
This is an event authentic to CPG — our challenges, our opportunities, our future.
It’s our chance to come together to solve problems, to stretch our thinking until our brains hurt and to be not just ready for the future, but ahead of it.
Through inspiring and insightful content, we elevate the industry by strengthening those who lead it.
2019 Highlights
For the Future of Packaging, Impatience is a Virtue
“The big elephant in the room is that all of your packaging is already recyclable.” Tom Szaky, founder of TerraCycle and believer that all things – even cigarette butts – are recyclable, said the real question was not if their packaging could be recycled, but when it would be practically recycled. “When” was a constant question throughout the packaging sustainability sessions. The impatience in the room was palpable. Because time is running out.
Maintaining Consumer Trust in a Meme-Driven World
As children, we were told not to talk to strangers. Today, thanks to Uber and Airbnb, we get into their cars and stay in their homes. Trust has dramatically changed, with mistrust shifting to politicians, reporters or others in power. Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb managed to buck that trend at FDA, taking a consumer-focused approach that earned him respect and a reputation for being the consumer’s regulator. “The best approach that I’ve found when you have major challenges, was to own them right up front,” said Gottlieb.
Can the CPG Industry Guard Itself Against a Looming Recession?
Wall Street whiplash has been in the news even more so than usual, as threats of a recession loom large. But in conversations with economists and analysts, there’s a silver lining for CPG companies – if they are innovating. “What I love about this business is that it’s so stable,” said Caroline Levy, senior equity research analyst at Macquaire Group. “I do think we’re going to outperform most industries in a recession. I still think there’s room for products to dramatically outperform the competition with good innovation.”
Brands That Create Relationships with the Consumer Find True Authenticity
Brand authenticity is essential for relating to the consumer and the consumer is becoming more and more sophisticated. “The consumer is much smarter now and they know the delineation between spokesperson and co-founder,” Sarah Michelle Gellar said, comparing her experience as a Foodstirs executive versus her time as a celebrity spokesperson. “If I were going to step back into that world it had to be for something that I felt passionate about, that I had a hand in creating what the voice was, because I do have a voice and I wanted to be able to use it.”
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