It’s difficult to imagine a situation in which people cheerfully wait in line for 45 minutes to brush their teeth. But that’s just what happened at the P&G booth at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Attendees were so interested in learning about the new Oral-B toothbrush that they actually stood in line – for dental care.
That was one of the many highlights from P&G’s participation at CES this past January. In a show recap, Phil Duncan, P&G global design officer, and Robin Schroeder, P&G global communications senior manager, give their perspective about the company’s success.
Meeting the numbers
When the decision was made to attend CES in 2019, says Duncan, it was because the event has become a powerful platform. P&G could show off its innovation achievements, demonstrate its commitment to its portfolio across many businesses, and attract key talent. Everyone felt that last year’s event was a success – and “This was year was even better than last,” Duncan adds.
That judgement comes from both the kind of metrics you can put on a chart, and from emotional rewards.
“Last year we expected to surprise people,” says Duncan. This year, P&G reinforced its transformative innovation, and demonstrated its commitment to helping people’s lives. Last year, consumers could see items in an early phase that now are ready to buy. “We were rewarded by media impressions, visitors to the booth, all the things we’d want from an external standpoint,” he says.
For example, says Schroeder, one way P&G measures success is media coverage. “Articles and news stories that showcase P&G brands brings our messaging to life,” she says. By those measures, LifeLab at CES was a very successful event, surpassing the goal of “eyeballs seeing our brand,” with more than 8 billion organic media impressions.
P&G has also been publicly recognized by the industry. The Consumer Tech Association, which runs CES, reached out, says Schroeder, to ask P&G to be a case study for companies that aren’t thought of as typical for the show. “They see us as an innovation source,” she says.
Beyond the numbers
But LifeLab was a success in less obvious ways. “It was a powerful employee moment of truth,” says Duncan. “I’ve seen people come back to their offices, refreshed and rejuvenated to do terrific innovation work.”
