Where the brand meets the customer’s decision.

Progressive’s trade marketing team designs campaigns, promotions and retail solutions that translate the brand message into action at the moment the customer makes a decision. Whether at the shelf, in-store, at a promotional event or through partner channels, we seek creative solutions that provide a genuine response to shoppers’ motivations. Through strategic thinking, creative mechanisms and pinpoint execution, we help ensure that the idea is visible, understandable and drives action.

Shopper insights, promotional mechanisms, POS, retail communication and end-to-end implementation, all within a single system, to ensure that creative ideas work effectively in the shopping environment.

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Trade marketing
Trade marketing
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Service areas: we make the most of every customer interaction

Shopper insight and trade strategy

“Trade marketing begins with understanding what goes through the customer’s mind at the moment of decision.”

Orsolya Szabó, Business Unit Director, Partner

A good trade campaign understands exactly what the brand wants to communicate, as well as the context, motivations and constraints within which the consumer makes their decision. The target audience, the product category, the retail environment, the promotional objective and the brand promise all work together to determine the creative direction. In this way, the solution will provide a precise response to a real-life consumer situation.
Promotional mechanisms and in-store promotions

“A good promotion doesn’t just seek attention; it provides a clear reason to take action.”

Member of the Progressive Trade team

For product launches, seasonal campaigns, prize draws, tastings, in-store promotions and brand activations, we plan the creative concept, the customer journey and the implementation details together. An activity works well if it is easy to understand, appealing, true to the brand and commercially effective. Customers need to be able to see straight away why it’s worth choosing the brand right now.
POS, retail materials and end-to-end implementation

“In the retail space, every detail counts: the message, the form, the material, the visibility and the feasibility.”

Member of the Progressive Trade team

Whether it’s POS materials, displays, in-store signage, hostess materials, sales support tools, packaging accessories or digital retail displays, we manage both the creative and production processes simultaneously. With our in-house production and DTP facilities, we can produce versions, adapt designs and create technically accurate materials more quickly, whilst ensuring that the materials are tailored to the brand, the channel and the shopping context.

The usual trade marketing routine…

Promotional communication without insight: when the promotion consists solely of a price discount or a promotional mechanism, but is not based on genuine customer motivation or a brand message.

POS production without a system: when the display, shelf materials, digital banner, hostess brief and sales materials are all produced separately, the campaign falls apart at the point of purchase.

A creative idea without any basis in retail reality: when an idea is spectacular but doesn’t fit within the realities of the channel, production, logistics, the in-store environment or partners’ expectations.

…and our approach to trading

Let’s start from the customer’s perspective: We always link the brand message to when, where and on what basis the customer makes their decision. The creative solution stems from this real-life decision-making situation.

Combining creative mechanisms with business objectives: A promotional idea must be clear, appealing, consistent with the brand and measurable all at once. That is why we design the mechanism, the message and the execution as a single integrated system.

We design with retail realities in mind: We take into account the specific characteristics of the channel, the in-store environment, manufacturing capabilities, partner expectations and customer attention. This ensures that the idea works not only in the presentation but also in the actual retail environment.

In-house creative and production resources: The strategy, creative, DTP and production teams work closely together, which means that versions, POS materials, adaptations and sales support tools are produced more quickly.

A transparent, controlled process: The Client Portal and the review platform help to ensure that tasks, changes, versions and approvals can be tracked. The trade campaign proceeds through a shared, transparent workflow, with fewer scattered coordination efforts.

Related work

All Trade marketing references
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Szabó Orsolya

Szabó Orsolya

Business Unit Director, Partner

This is how we work together

How do you go about tackling a trade marketing task?

First, we analyse the purchasing situation: where does the customer encounter the brand, what decision do they need to make, in which category, through which channel, and with what business objective in mind. Only then do we move on to the mechanism, the creative direction, the POS or the form of activation.

How do you help with a product launch?

When launching a product, we coordinate the launch message, the promotional strategy, retail presence, the POS system, sales support materials and related communications. This ensures that customers are presented with the same compelling argument at every touchpoint.

Can you design promotional schemes as well?

Yes. Whether it’s prize draws, tastings, in-store activities, seasonal promotions or partner campaigns, we design the mechanism based on the objective, customer motivation and the brand’s character. We ensure that the activity is easy to understand, appealing and feasible.

How can a POS display be more than just a simple decoration?

By treating it as a decision-making moment. A good POS helps customers recognise the brand, quickly understand the offer, and makes it clear why it’s worth choosing. To achieve this, the message, format, visual style and execution must all work together.

How does the trade campaign tie in with the rest of the communications?

Trade activity is effective when it is linked to the brand’s wider campaign strategy. TV, social media, performance marketing, content, POS and in-store activations can all reinforce the same message, albeit in different contexts and formats.

Can you adapt quickly to multiple retailers or channels?

Yes. Thanks to our in-house creative, DTP and production capabilities, as well as our automation systems, we can quickly adapt to different channels, sizes, specifications or partner requirements. This is particularly important for trade campaigns, where there are often multiple retailers, multiple formats and multiple rounds of approval running simultaneously.

What is my role as a client in this process?

As a client, you play a vital role in joint business and brand-related decisions. We manage the production and coordination process as a single, integrated process, whilst the Client Portal and review platform help ensure that versions, feedback and approvals can be easily tracked.

How do you measure the success of a trade campaign?

Success depends on the objective: we might be looking at sales figures, trial rates, redemption rates, participation, in-store activity, reach, partner feedback or campaign effectiveness. The most important thing is to agree at the outset on the specific decision or behaviour we want to elicit from the customer.