Abstract:

As pure digital-players like Amazon and Alibaba bring the online retail experience to the offline world by opening walk- in stores loaded with Artificial Intelligence that look and feel like e-commerce solutions, we can no longer believe in an analog-digital divide, nor keep thinking about “on” and “offline” consumer as two separate and distinct entities. Instead, we need to think about omnichannel solutions that follow consumers as they seamlessly flow between screen and brick- and-mortar experiences, challenging the role of existing distribution and retail channels as last-mile bridges between brands and their consumers. So, how do you create “phygital” omnichannel solutions for a specialized category sold in a dedicated, specialized and highly atomized distribution channel, without alienating its traditional retail ecosystem? You commit to a co-creation process via Design Thinking. Here we will explore the Royal Canin/Mars experience, re-shaping Chile’s pet food market.