• by Scott Jones , Op-Ed Contributor, December 3, 2014

It seems like December is the time of the year that many people make predictions about the year to come. While I have my opinions, I’ll leave the prognostications to the analysts and pundits ... my only prediction: some of them will be right, and most of them will be wrong. In lieu of fortune telling, however, I’ve pulled together a roundup of five must-read reports from 2014 that I believe provide 1) good research; 2) good insight and guidance; or 3) a good mix of both.

The Digital Future: A Game Plan for Consumer Packaged Goods

A collaboration between the GMA, BCG, Google, and IRI, this report reviews the key trends reshaping the CPG sector in regards to digital commerce. Specifically it provides answers to a set of strategic and operational questions including: how deep and fast things will change, who will win and lose, and how should CPG companies adapt to capture growth? It also provides guidance with respect to managing a near-term future where digital represents up to 50% of annual growth.

How U.S. CPGs can get their groove back

This report from Strategy&, formerly Booz and Company, now part of PwC, provides information related to the increasingly complex CPG environment – specifically around changes in consumer behavior, the emergence of smaller competitors, and the proliferation of retail formats. It’s best elements are the commentary around six adaptations that it recommends CPG companies should consider:

1. Reassess and fine-tune the portfolio;
2. Win with complexity;
3. Develop a true channel strategy;
4. Help your customers win through innovative merchandising;
5. Position for success in digital; and
6. Take new approaches to the price-pack architecture equation.

Accenture Technology Vision 2014 for Consumer Packaged Goods

A technology-focused view, this report from Accenture provides relevant and well-presented information related to three disruptors and three enablers that will impact CPG companies. 

• Disruptors: 1) The data supply chain; 2) the blurring of digital and physical worlds; and 3) crowdsourcing
• Enablers: 1) API-driven application development; 2) always-on hyperscale; and 3) architectural resilience

The CMO Survey

A bi-annual report from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, with support from the American Marketing Association and McKinsey & Company, the CMO Survey delivers great current and historical data related to the marketing discipline. Information split by industry vertical, company size, and marketing channel make this report extremely valuable as a tool for benchmarking.

IAB Internet Advertising Revenue Report

This report from the IAB, produced twice per year, provides seminal data related to digital advertising. Considered the most accurate measurement of Internet and online advertising revenue, because the data is compiled directly from information supplied by companies selling advertising online, the report breaks down information by channel, provides historical data, and includes analysis, benchmarks, and insights into marketing trends.