0:01
>> LUKE KIGEL: We are on a transformation journey, marketing at Walgreens,
0:10
which honestly is really part of a company transformation towards digitization.
0:13
It's grounded in the understanding of the changing needs
0:16
and expectations of consumers,
0:21
and really evolving from a pharmacy retailer who has a digital offering,
0:25
to becoming a true omni-channel experience platform
0:29
that's designed to meet the needs of our customer, where and when they need it.
0:36
>> LAWRENCE COLE: In today's episode of The Update, I'll be talking with Luke Kigel
0:39
about how Walgreens has transformed their marketing strategy
0:44
to focus on their customers, rather than specific channels, to grow their business.
0:48
What did your marketing strategy look like at the beginning of 2020,
0:51
and how has the pandemic changed that?
0:54
>> LUKE: From a messaging perspective, we were focused on ways of sharing
0:57
that we're meeting consumers on their terms.
1:00
Customers are looking for the freedom to shop when and how they want.
1:02
Whether it be in store, whether it be online,
1:06
again that notion of omni-channel, physical, digital.
1:07
The consumer doesn't care.
1:15
We need to offer an overall experience that is safe, that is convenient, and, quite frankly,
1:18
that's what people have relied on Walgreens for for more than a hundred years.
1:23
We also pivoted our broader marketing initiatives towards digital
1:27
to best engage consumers, as people were adjusting to their new normal.
1:31
We are all living very, very different lives with shelter-in-place,
1:36
so our task was to determine and find the optimal way to actually reach consumers in
1:39
that new normal and deliver them relevant experiences.
1:42
>> LAWRENCE: Meeting consumers' needs in the moment is crucial.
1:45
How are you combining what you know about your customers
1:48
and their needs with Google's local campaigns?
1:50
>> LUKE: We have over 9,000 stores.
1:53
80% of the country lives within five miles of a Walgreens.
1:56
We are truly, truly local to everybody.
2:01
And with local campaigns, we're able to understand the need in a moment,
2:04
and really meet the consumer in that “I need it right now” moment.
2:08
Perhaps one of the most exciting things is sort of where we're headed.
2:11
With over a hundred million Balance Rewards members,
2:16
our ability to put those things together and integrate them into
2:21
what we're doing in local campaigns is really going to accelerate our capability
2:25
and, again, allow us to deliver an even better experience
2:27
and meet the needs of our customers.
2:31
>> LAWRENCE: Lastly, what does future digital investment look like for Walgreens?
2:39
>> LUKE: So it's less about, are you shifting from traditional and moving it into digital,
2:44
and it's more about understanding what it is you're doing in digital
2:48
that is more effective, and what is driving your ROI
2:51
and where’s that contribution coming from in terms of the improved benefit.
2:55
And, quite frankly, it's all about how you deploy your data.
2:58
It's more about understanding that, and then taking those principles
3:01
and applying them to what you do traditional,
3:06
and essentially, digitizing your traditional ecosystem, if you will.
3:09
And again, you can't do that on your own:
3:11
a) it takes a village, and,
3:16
b) it's really about evolving the industry in totality,
3:19
and we want to be at the forefront of pushing that forward.
3:23
And we are, and we continue to look for partners to help us drive that.
