From testing to learning: How Diageo used consumer feedback to expand in Africa

Room 3 | 12:15 pm - 12:45 pm | Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Join Deirdre van Zyl, Diageo’s head of innovation planning and insight in Africa, and Nicole Teh, strategic account director at Zappi, as they delve into Diageo’s consumer-centric approach to product innovation in Africa. With a diverse portfolio spanning over 200 brands globally, Diageo prioritizes local nuances to create innovation that will deliver strong growth for an important growth region like Africa.

In this talk, we’ll explore how Diageo, in partnership with Zappi, shifted its strategy from mere testing to continuous learning, enabling them to adapt and thrive in diverse African markets. Deirdre and Nicole will discuss how their partnership enabled Diageo to:

• Optimize product concepts: Streamline feedback processes and utilizing real-time insights from Zappi’s platform to refine product concepts iteratively, ensuring better alignment with market preferences.
• Leverage what they know: Harness rapid data collection to uncover emerging consumer trends and cultural influences, informing strategic decisions for enhanced product creation and market positioning.
• Move from testing to learning: Implement a cultural shift towards continuous learning and insights-driven decision-making within Diageo’s innovation teams, fostering sustained growth and innovation in the dynamic African market.

Through these topics, we will delve into how Diageo and Zappi collaborated to optimize product concepts, leverage valuable consumer insights and transition from testing to continuous learning, ultimately driving successful product innovation across Africa.

Key takeaways:

1. How to use product testing to gain a holistic understanding of consumers in new markets and categories.
2. How you can create a culture of continuous learning and insights-driven innovation, driving sustained innovation in emerging markets.
3. Why iterative product testing can improve product innovation and help teams learn.