Coupon Group Marks 25 Years
The Association of Coupon Professionals celebrated its 25 anniversary at the recent Industry Coupon Conference, “Coupon Nation, Celebrating the Past, Present, and Future of Coupons,” in Nashville, Tenn.
The event, which featured FMI senior VP and Progressive Grocer columnist Michael Sansolo as keynote speaker, discussed the current industry landscape and future trends as well as changing consumer shopping habits and the impact of social networks.
The conference was presented by ACP in collaboration with the Food Marketing Institute, Grocery Manufacturers of America, GS1 US, Coupon Information Corp. and the Promotion Marketing Association.
The event serves as an ongoing look into important industry trends. “Consumer response to coupons continues to be strong, but it is changing,” said ACP Executive Director John Morgan. “For the marketer, it is not deciding between traditional paper distribution or Internet print-at-home or digital coupon; it is traditional coupon, and Internet print-at-home and digital coupon.”
Noteworthy industry issues were highlighted throughout the conference: traditional coupons continue to grow; usage of Internet print-at-home coupons continues to evolve; GS1 data bar adoption is happening as retailers are reading them on their POS systems and manufacturers are releasing data bar-only coupons. Coupon counterfeiting is ongoing and retailers and manufacturers are using tools that are being developed to combat the issue.
Sansolo offered a diverse, in-depth and unique view of the changing nature of today’s shoppers and employees, business competition and the wide-ranging impact of economic issues. Google’s Lisa Landsman presented how technology has enhanced the path to purchase, explaining the “zero moment of Truth” and the journey to purchase decision incorporating innovative technologies and digital incentives such as Google Wallet, Offers and digital coupon platforms.
ACP also conducted its annual business meeting and awards presentation. “Industry Impact” award winners were Joanne Walk of Hormel, Ross Ely of ProLogic and Ken Conrad of Pinpoint Data.
Elected to the ACP board of directors were Catalina Marketing Corp.’s Pam Samaniego; ICSB’s Naomi Ali; ProLogic Redemption Services’ Ross Ely; Promotion Eyes’ Mike Sonsthagen; Redemption Processing Reps’ Ron Fischer; Unilever’s Mary Ann Pindulic; and Winn Dixie’s Stanley Wadford.
Next year’s event is scheduled for April 23-25, 2013, in New Orleans.