Stand Out on the Digital Shelf. Simplify and Amplify Your Online Product Imagery.

People increasingly shop online. Amazon, Coop, Matas and Nemlig are part of driving the transition in Denmark, with eCommerce expected to reach $4.9 trillion globally by 2021 and gain a 22% share of total global retail sales by 2023. The growth has only been amplified by the Covid-19 pandemic. A Mastercard Spending Pulse report found that e-commerce sales increased by 92.7% in May 2020

So how can brands leverage this and convert browsers into buyers? At our recent webinar, a panel of speakers from Carlsberg, Real Coffee and Danish School of Media and Journalism shared their learnings on creating Mobile Hero Images to drive sales online.

Growing Through Amazon

Real Coffee sells Nespresso and Dolce Gusto compatible coffee capsules. It has been a small shark in the Amazon waters for some time but decided to go all-in to strengthen their direct-to-consumer business and gain more from the platform.

To succeed in the competitive environment, they had to optimise their digital presence focusing on click-through- and conversion rates.

Through extensive eye-tracking tests and A/B-testing, an optimal set of guidelines and product imagery were discovered and defined. It was important to establish and uphold a communicational hierarchy that boiled everything down to the most essential information.

By simplifying and amplifying the most essential information, Real Coffee increased its online stand-out and achieved great results. The click-through rate was increased by 67% and the conversion rate grew from 2,93% to 4,91%.

Designing for the Digital Shelf

As an Associate Professor at the Danish School of Media and Journalism (DMJX), Ulla Risager knows a thing or two about the power of graphic design.

While studying online product imagery, she quickly identified a great need for creating better images. This sparked a research project, which, so far, has given birth to a set of guidelines for designers to create a stronger presence on the digital shelves.

Early on, Ulla noticed that the majority of product photos were not adjusted to their digital context. What works on the physical shelves does not work in a webshop, where product communication is often limited to small images, which among others makes it very difficult to promote the emotional appeal. And, research shows that purchase decisions are highly driven by emotions rather than logic.

To create maximum online shelf impact, it is important to make the product desirable. This can be achieved through the use of depth and lighting. And with the use of eye-tracking analysis, designers and marketers are able to find out if their hypotheses actually work in the real world – the webshop.

Working in a Global Organisation

With products in 150 markets and 140 brands worldwide, the Danish brewery Carlsberg is a major player in the FMCG industry. Their global and local brands are dear to people across the globe and have become icons worldwide. This has resulted in brand guidelines that help ensure a consistent brand experience across touchpoints.

However, with 67% of eCommerce coming from mobile, it is important to create images optimised for small screens. Therefore, to implement a new set of Mobile Hero Image guidelines for the rest of the organisation, it was vital to show its effect and build a strong case.

A team was set, including Rasmus Kjeldsen, Senior Manager Global eCommerce at Carlsberg, to develop a new set of guidelines for Mobile Hero Images. They began with initial tests in Switzerland with Grimbergen. Among other impressive results, Carlsberg saw a +39% increase in the number of packs sold per week.

With a successful test, Carlsberg has now expanded the guidelines globally, creating a workflow and system that makes room for local brands to adapt the online imagery to their market.

Moving Onwards with Mobile Hero Images

Right now, Mobile Hero Images presents a great opportunity for brands to create better online shelf impact and stand out from the competition.

To do so, brands have to simplify and amplify their product imagery. Through testing, it is possible to define and design a digital presence that builds impact, resonates with the consumer and drives sales.

If you want to know more about your possibilities with Mobile Hero Images, please reach out to Thomas Gamst at tg@everland.dk.

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