The rise of consumer interest in product and brand information has supercharged an industry of data-driven storytelling. Trust Codes head of strategy Emma Wheeler looks at how companies can use data to make meaningful connections with consumers. This article was first published in Food & Drink Business March 2021.
Being able to connect a consumer to the product through use of something as simple as a QR code, is a powerful tool to enable data-driven storytelling and connect the supply chain right through to a consumer. Spinning this data into a compelling story helps frame the information in a contextual way for the consumer.
If a brand can’t contextualise the data, its narrative may go adrift, resulting in a missed connection with the person buying the product.
The food system is inherently complex, with products and brands needing to keep up with innovation cycles and trends. This organically leads to product claims being more complex to differentiate them in the marketplace.
But there has also been an increased mistrust in the food system due to false or unsubstantiated product claims. Using data to connect directly to a consumer is one-way brands can build transparency and educate consumers about their product.
The use of intelligent data and analytics that are connected to a product can provide richer insights and facilitate smarter decisions.
When used correctly, data can enable organisations to tell better stories about their products, in a way that means something to the consumer. They can share product information, such a credence claims like being organic, or brand values showing how they are measuring progress; but whatever the claim, it must have a credible data source to underpin this.
These data points and insights can have an influential effect that ripple across the entire supply chain, as each point becomes more efficient with precise information and the ability to make more precise forecasts. The final point is the consumer who receives a personalised experience that ultimately encourages them to come back for more.
We work with brands to achieve this through using a digital identity on each and every item in the form of a unique QR code. It not only helps brands to tell a data-driven story about their products, it also provides brand protection delivered from a global cloud assuring authenticity, provenance and the ability to manage recall.
Once a QR code is scanned, it can provide contextual information to the consumer about that exact product (going beyond batch level information), such as pairing suggestions for wine, or recycling instructions dependent on the region a consumer has scanned. Trust Codes has also built its own augmented reality function that does not require the download of an app.
Good data, good health
The health and wellness category is primed for companies to provide as much information as possible about a product’s attributes and health claims. Having data that is interoperable enables consumers to integrate many data sources to create a robust picture of their personal health and wellness. For example, scanning a QR code on pack that inserts the products nutrients, then integrates with your exercise regime information, and adds top ups of nutrients though nutraceutical consumption, then gives a holistic picture of your health.
Immunity products are also seeing huge growth, with claims ranging from natural and functional, through to feeding specific gut microbiomes. Again, there is pressure to have full transparency and visibility of all claims, with non-negotiable data validation.
Data is critical. With substantiated data, the brand or product owner can then wrap a story around this into insights a consumer can understand and digest. Having access to the data increases transparency and therefore trust within the brand. Without the data, storytelling is just a story.
Smartly sustainable
Let’s look at the ability to personalise data based on something relatively simple, such as location.
A consumer might care deeply about the environment and want to know the company who makes the product and its packaging have a similar philosophy. Smart brands can connect this type of information to their packaging, not only physically on pack but through the likes of a QR code.
Once scanned, a consumer can be given specific information on how they can recycle that specific products packaging, dependent on the regulatory rules in the region of scanning.
This shows a consumer their brand cares about sustainability and the environment.
It conveys their brand values and how they are contributing to Sustainable Development Goal 12 – ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns. It can provide instructions on where, or how, they should be disposing or recycling the packaging.
This type of information is valuable for many different reasons and connects the brandto the consumer in a meaningful way.
Without a validated data source, consumers are increasingly questioning product claims. Brands that wrap a narrative around their data, translating data to insights for their consumers are those that are creating trust and transparency for those that matter the most, the people who buy their products.
