Catering to Value Shoppers (INTERVIEW)

Nina Riley, Vice President of Marketing at High Ridge Brands, is an expert in the consumer products good category. Riley has a background working with some of the world’s leading CPG companies. She also created and founded her own company called Water Sensations Inc and successfully sold it. Riley truly believes in consumer insight and manifests innovation in every breath she takes. High Ridge Brands is a personal care products company that includes Alberto VO5®, Zest®, White Rain®, Coast®, Rave® and is geared towards value consumers.

2 Questions with Nina

Do you have specific rituals for re-setting your team to be creative?

I love going to retailers. Taking the time to walk around stores such as Walmart, Shop Rite, TJ Maxx and so on really ignites my inspiration. In addition, I read a lot of magazines, trade journals and articles. I dissect print ads and I like to step back and analyze the potential white space. Then, I apply this learning or insights to our value based brands and think about the value shopper. We are spending a lot of time on packaging and design for lower income segments of the world. In accordance, High Ridge Brands is a proud sponsor of the ‘Family-to-Family Shower To The People Program.’ High Ridge will donate up to 3 million showers worth of soap, body wash, shampoo and conditioner to social service organizations nationwide. On February 2, 2014, HRB brands will deliver a national double page spread FSI in Sunday newspapers where every coupon redeemed is worth one shower. It is truly the value shoppers being able to help other people in need.

Looking to the future, how is High Ridge Brands going to be a leader in innovation?

We have a wonderful innovation process and are very disciplined in terms of routines we have for developing an idea and processes/tests we work through. There is a method to the creative “madness.” The process quickly identifies winners and points out what needs to be discarded or altered to move forward.