'Less CPG, More CES.' Inside General Mills' Evolution for the Modern Era

Consumer packaged goods companies with complex legacy histories can often struggle to adapt to the lightning-fast demands of modern marketing. Not General Mills. The Minneapolis-based food company, which is hurtling toward its 100th birthday, has transformed itself in recent years to leverage the power of culture in everything it sells. In this episode of On Brand, we speak with Brad Hiranaga, chief brand officer for North America, about the company’s product and packaging innovations, its commitment to purpose, and how it shifted strategies during Covid to serve consumers who are cooking more at home.

Timestamps:

• 1:27 – How WFH has been going for Brad and his team.
• 3:01 – The pandemic’s impact on General Mills’ content strategy.
• 6:21 – The company’s purpose-based mission reflected in a Wheaties campaign.
• 9:58 – Social good efforts from the company’s fruit-snack brands and Box Tops program.
• 16:07 – A look at product innovation, like the heart-shaped Cheerios.
• 19:04 – Cool things General Mills has been doing with packaging lately.
• 23:31 – The biggest change in marketing in Brad’s 15 years at the company.

Every Thursday at 4 p.m., Clio president Nicole Purcell and I chat with top brand marketers—most of whom are still working from home—about the value of creativity, what they want from their agency and solution partners, how they’re shepherding their brands through Covid and beyond, and more. See all the On Brand episodes here.

If you’re a brand marketer who’d like to take part in the series, please get in touch.