"Our [retail] customers really want to be able to differentiate themselves from their competitors," says Foss. Cordero reports that other major marketers, such
as Hershey and Campbell Soup, are also working more aggressively with stores.
Rick Lawlor, vp of retail at Hess, which runs convenience stores and gas stations, says that it has gotten easier to coordinate such promotions since PepsiCo shelled out $7.8 billion to buy its two biggest bottlers earlier this year, partly to establish a more direct relationship with retailers.
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