Wisner Marketing Group :: Case Study 1

Example 1: Whole Health Marketing

General Merchandise Distributor's Council
Food Marketing Institute

Results: Health and Wellness has become the critical marketing issue for the supermarket industry.

Wisner Marketing Group has become the recognized leader in Whole Health Marketing strategy. This consumer movement, driven by both an aging population and increased interest in self-care, has become the most important consumer issue for the Food and Drug Industry. While at Willard Bishop Consulting in 1998, Jim Wisner was responsible for a landmark GMDC/FMI study - Whole Health: Best Practices/Case Studies. This report triggered much industry-wide interest in Whole Health that has made it a key strategic issue for almost every retailer. Wisner Marketing Group has subsequently developed a great many programs both for both leading industry associations and retailers. Included among these programs are:

Whole Health Initiatives for Community Pharmacists

This half-day live pharmacy continuing education program produced for the General Merchandise Distributor's Council and the Food Marketing Institute has now been conducted more than 25 times with leading retailers throughout the United States. Adaptations of this program have also been developed and accredited in Canada. It has been called the "crown jewel" of retailer education programs and consistently receives rave reviews from participants.

A print version of this program has been distributed to over 57,000 pharmacies in the United States.

Women's Well-Being Merchandising Strategies

The General Merchandise Distributors Council released this industry research study in September 2001. It describes how retailers can successfully market to the Health and Wellness needs of women shoppers. This report has received widespread industry support and recognition.

2002 FMI Whole Health Conference

Wisner Marketing Group served as moderator and as keynote speakers for the 2002 Food Marketing Institute Whole Health Conference held in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Women's Health and Well-Being Continuing Pharmacy Education Program

Authored in conjunction with the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy, this new web-based pharmacy continuing education program was recently released as a follow-up to the 2001 study. Heavily employing the use of multimedia, this program is both informative and interesting and helps unite the pharmacy with the rest of the store in developing coordinated Whole Health initiatives.

University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy

Wisner Marketing Group has collaborated with the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy on several Whole Health issues. Jim Wisner was appointed to a visiting post at the university in 2000 and maintains a continuing relationship with the university on many Whole Health initiatives.

Natural Foods Marketing

Wisner Marketing Group offers many other products and services including training programs, natural / organic merchandising, Whole Health market assessments, and retail consulting work across a wide range of Whole Health issues. The firm works with retailers, operators and manufacturers on Whole Health Marketing Issues throughout North America.

FMI Health Living Pavilion (2004 FMI Show)

Responding to health and nutrition issues has become a critical theme for the supermarket industry. Wisner Marketing Group developed the concept and managed the sponsor participation for the Healthy Living Pavilion at the 2004 FMI show.

Merchandising For Success

This new study, conducted for GMDC by the Wisner Marketing Group explains how HBC has become a key category in channel selection, and how it connects with the broader issue of Women's Well-Being throughout the store.