You don’t have to look far in a supermarket to find the big players. Coca-Cola lines the drinks aisle in every imaginable format — regular, diet, zero, mini, multipack — with aisle fins, shelf talkers, digital boards, and branded shippers reinforcing their dominance. They’re everywhere. And they’ve earned it over time.
But look a little closer… and between the giants, you’ll spot something far more exciting: small, challenger brands quietly breaking through.
I see it on LinkedIn all the time — proud founders posting about getting their products into a major retailer. You just know it’s the result of years of graft. I imagine them taking their families down to the shop to see their product on shelf. And rightly so — it’s a huge milestone.
But getting in is just the start. Staying in — that’s the real battle.
This is where the in-store moment matters more than ever. Challenger brands often don’t have the media budget or mental availability that household names enjoy. Without on-pack promotions or bold POS, they’re simply not front-of-mind when shoppers pass by. And here’s the thing: if your brand doesn’t grab attention in store, there’s no memory structure helping it win at the shelf. It gets overlooked. Forgotten.
I’ve seen it time and again in live campaigns: the proof is in the pudding. Remove the on-pack or dial down the in-store activity and you can watch the interaction rate plummet. Even with a solid campaign behind it, if there’s no trigger when the shopper is standing in front of the shelf, the opportunity slips by.
Supermarkets are busy, fast-moving environments. Footfall doesn’t equal attention. And without something compelling at the moment of decision, a great product can easily go unnoticed.
So this post is a little celebration — a nod to those brave brands fighting to make their mark. The ones using smart tactics to compete with the big boys. There’s space for everyone… but only if you know how to earn it.
