The holiday season, the most pivotal time of the year for marketers, is just around the corner. With consumer spending booming during this period (NRF reported $626.1 billion spent last year), understanding the mindset of consumers is vital.

The internet is abuzz with pundits hailing the end of social media as a sales channel. In reality, most consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies do not have a sales and marketing strategy that incorporates social. However, social media is here to stay as a channel and moving beyond "like" to "buy" is no small task.

As the 2016 election winds down to the final stretch, the uncertainty of who will win leaves many consumers hesitant to spend. With one month left, retailers and CPG brands are being cautious as any slip up can lead to controversy. While most have tried to stay out of the political arena, others have found ways to use the election to their advantage and help address voter issues.

Those of us in the consumer packaged goods space know the power of the impulse purchase. When shoppers stand at the check-out counter the enticing snack or intriguing gadget intentionally placed at eye level often goes into their carts. According to a recent survey, 84% of respondents said they've made an impulse purchase at some time. While the majority of these purchases were made in-store, the opportunity for online impulse buys exists; and success lies in knowing how to create the opportunity.

There is no doubt that we are a food-obsessed society. Our social media feeds are inundated with videos and recipes for delicious meals and decadent desserts. The trend is widespread throughout various social media platforms-Twitter just enlisted 17 celebrity chefs to create the "Twitter Food Council," Facebook has over 1.4 million CrockPot Ladies on its site and "food hacks" are among the most popular content online today.

A study done by Cone Communications in 2015 found that 90% of global consumers are likely to switch brands to one associated with a good cause. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has seen tremendous growth in the last several years, with companies like PNC allocating $100M towards CSR initiatives from 2010 to 2015. As consumers expect more and more transparency from companies, the argument for a comprehensive CSR strategy becomes easier every day. As the CEO of Starbucks says "the currency of leadership is transparency."

Apple recently announced a partnership with Nike, linking its Apple Watch with the Nike+ running app. I wish more collaboration between tech giants, food and beverage manufacturers and grocery retailers were keeping nutrition apps apace.

In 2006, I worked for the CMO of American Express. One day, to an assembled group of marketing team members, he said, "The advertising and marketing industry is at a crossroads. We know that we are spending more money on our ads than before yet our audience reach is dropping significantly because people can skip past our ads."

We've all endured "in your face" ads that bombard us with yelling, flashy graphics and the insufferable barrage of message after message. What these advertisers have failed to realize is that every time they fill the screen with multiple graphics, split-screen shots, and voiceover that doesn't sync with the visuals, they are employing the ad's worst enemy: distraction.

Here are some tips for building your mission or, if you're at a place where you've outgrown your mission and things have shifted or evolved, some things to keep in mind as you refocus.