WHO WE ARE

The Year of the Tiger

Following a strategic project with Walmart in China, the GIG team started a long term strategic relationship with Walmart that has continued to this day.

The Walmart China projects started with GIG producing and delivering the China Year Beginning Meeting in 2010 for 15,000 delegates across China.

The GIG team also worked on creating the strategic marketing plans and delivering a world class events programme that started with Chinese New Year and culminated in bringing the Moon Festival to life in stores.

From Australia to China to Leeds

With a fast growing customer base in the UK, Great Ideas Group set up their Europe office in Leeds (the home of Asda Walmart UK).

The Leeds team soon became specialists in FMCG trading and marketing and launched a business unit that worked on numerous trading projects, including delivering Trading Workshops and Buyers Academy modules to help experienced buyers and sales teams to win in an ever changing retail landscape.

The GIG team also start working closely with the Walmart International team based in Asda House in Leeds.

The Asia growth continues

As well as the support for the Walmart China team, GIG was brought in to take a look at how to create differentiation in the shopping experience for Walmart in India.

Based out of Delhi, the GIG team looked to create a world-class demo and retailtainment plan for the Walmart team. This plan ensured a focus on customer experience that bring events and new product launches to life for customers in stores across the country.

Our first Retail Study Tour

Back in Australia, the GIG team were working closely with Sigma Pharmaceuticals, the largest retail-led pharmacy network in Australia.

As part of a number of trading initiatives that GIG were supporting the Sigma team in delivering, they were also asked to build and bring to life a Retail Study Tour for the Sigma leadership team and their pharmacist customers.

The first Retail Study Tour took place over two weeks in Canada and the USA, with a number of ‘behind the scenes’ key retailer and supplier visits and workshops. Since then, Retail Study Tours have taken place in various countries around the globe.

The GIG Retail team are born

Following a project for Asda where GIG Retail were asked to review the Asda Media Centre, the GIG team were invited to put forward a proposal on how they could deliver a better media sales solution for Asda.

With a business unit of just 5 sales and one client service expert, this new team were the first point of contact for all of Asda’s top suppliers who wanted to bring their brands to life in stores.

Moving Home

The focus on Asda Media Sales continued throughout the year. And as the months went on, more media assets were brought into the mix for the GIG Retail team to use to build even stronger campaigns for brands – from the Asda Magazine, through to experiential sampling pods at the front of stores.

At the same time, the new GIG Licensing division is created to help licensors maximize retail opportunities.

As the team has now grown to 15 people, the current office on The Calls in Leeds is now too small. So the GIG team moves to their new home in Brewery Wharf.

GIG Retail Toronto bound

With the Licensing division in full flow, the GIG team enter the Licensing Awards, and are delighted to win a top gong at the prestigious ceremony in London.

At the same time, the Walmart Canada Media Group invite the GIG team over to Mississauga in Toronto to support them on the next phase of growth of the Walmart Media Group.

Whilst back in the UK, the focus on Shopper and Brand Marketing continues for the GIG team with a record number of campaigns being built for various fmcg brands.

The Journey Continues

The GIG Retail growth journey continues as four distinct business units are created – each led by a member of the management board.

• Media Sales and Evaluation
• Shopper & Brand Marketing
• Digital and E-commerce
• Licensing & Consumer Products

And with a focus on delivering results for clients around these four pillars, the GIG Retail team are currently working on various projects across Europe, Australia, North America and Asia.

GIG continues to grow and diversify

Advertising sales for ASDA Media Partnerships continues to grow – with a significant focus on new digital media assets.

In the U.S. GIG start working with Vet IQ, in a ground-breaking project to introduce veterinary clinics into Walmart stores.

As the GIG client portfolio grows, so does our team. Including the recruitment of a team of 14 Digital experts who join GIG. As well as a new insights and product proposition team.

The larger team means we have to move into a larger office in Brewery Wharf too!

Global focus continues for GIG

The GIG partnership with Walmart U.S. continues across a number of projects in Digital Media.

The GIG team also work with a growing number of FMCG and CPG brands across the globe – with a key project for one of the world’s biggest drinks companies supporting their teams in USA, Mexico, Canada, UK, China and India.

Whilst in Australia, the team begin working with Pharmacy Alliance, Australia’s largest independent pharmacy network, to deliver true differentiation in the Australian pharmacy market in both B2B and B2C.

We have now grown to a team of over 50 people!

Continued growth with Walmart and ASDA

GIG’s partnership with Walmart around the globe extends to working with Walmart in Mexico. A new GIG Mexico team are created to support the Walmart Media Group in Mexico City.

Within the UK, GIG further develops partnerships with digital and insights agencies to create best in class campaign reporting. The new insights reports now deliver detailed and bespoke ROI analysis of all retail media campaigns booked through GIG.