Case Study
Driving Growth and Efficiency for a Leading B2C Bread & Snack Manufacturer
Creating a future-ready growth foundation
A leading B2C bread and snack manufacturer in the U.S., with a portfolio of premium and super-premium bread brands. One brand operates in the super-premium segment at higher-end retailers, while another competes in the broader premium category. Facing rising costs, fragmented marketing operations, and outdated data practices, the company turned to Craig Group to bring efficiency, accountability, and measurable ROI to its marketing investments.
Problem
Fragmented Operations
Media involved 20+ people with overlapping responsibilities, which slowed decisions, reduced accountability, and limited cross-channel integration.
Vendor Inefficiencies
Heavy reliance on outdated third-party providers with limited ability to adjust in real time. Direct vendor contracts also reduced negotiating leverage and raised costs.
Market Headwinds
Volatile grain prices and inflation squeezed margins, while super-premium pricing heightened the need for stronger ROI proof.
Outdated Metrics
Campaigns were judged on lagging measures that didn’t reflect consumer buying habits or business growth.
Solution
Audit & Reset
Identified inefficiencies and vendor cost leakage, streamlined roles for accountability, and improved collaboration and strategic vision.
Future-Ready Data Strategy
Reduced reliance on outdated providers in favor of retailer-owned and first-party platforms at a leading national retailer.
ROI Standards
Established consistent, ROI-driven benchmarks to evaluate all media investments against business outcomes.
Execution & Optimization
Craig Group took over programmatic strategy, piloted a national retailer’s media network, expanded retail media and video, and continuously optimized campaigns to expand household reach and customer acquisition.
Results
Portfolio-Wide
Streamlined vendor partnerships, reducing costs by ~$400K, while retail media programs drove multi-million-dollar incremental sales in a single quarter (20x ROI). Craig Group ensured marketing continuity despite agency transitions, inflation, and rising commodity costs.
Premium Brand
Achieved a 1.83% lift in household penetration, reaching 9 million homes in six weeks. Converted competitor buyers for a 5.5% sales lift, with the strongest gains among affluent households ($200K+) and younger families (ages 35–44). Expanded trial buyers and improved brand awareness, with 9 in 10 viewers completing ads on premium video placements.
Super-Premium Brand
Reinforced its premium positioning through retail media and video in a quarterly campaign. Campaigns delivered 4.6 million completed video views with strong engagement, while reallocations improved efficiency. Connected TV proved a precise, cost-effective channel compared to traditional TV.
Before & After Impact Assessment
| Category | Before Craig Group | With Craig Group |
|---|---|---|
| Investment Impact | Portfolio-level spend locked in costly, outdated third-party data | Eliminated waste; multi-million-dollar incremental sales in one quarter (20x ROI) |
| Premium Brand | Growth plateaued with existing buyers | Expanded reach (+1.83%, 9M homes) and +5.5% sales from competitor wins, with added brand lift |
| Super Premium Brand | Premium pricing lacked ROI proof | 4.6M completed video views at low cost; CTV validated as scalable growth channel |
Final Takeaway
Craig Group streamlined a leading B2C bread and snack manufacturer’s marketing by reducing complexity, increasing efficiency, and strengthening vendor leverage. By shifting from outdated third-party data to retail media and first-party partnerships, the company built a more resilient, future-ready foundation. Marketing investments were directly tied to results, expanding household penetration, winning new customers, and delivering a 20x return in some quarters.
One premium brand captured share through trial and penetration growth, while a super-premium brand strengthened its positioning with efficient, high-engagement campaigns. Building on this, an omnichannel strategy used an efficient media mix with tailored creative to reach audiences where it mattered most.
