Anthem Recasts the Shopper Journey From Exposure to Advocacy

CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwired - Jun 27, 2013) -  Anthem, a global creative agency that actively connects brands with consumers by amplifying desirability from package design to brand campaign to drive brand performance, announced today the introduction of The Five Transactions that rule brands today in their recasting of the shopper journey from exposure to advocacy.

The Five behaviors that define the new medium of exchange today between brands and shoppers are: Attention, Engagement, Purchase, Loyalty and Advocacy. From first exposure to lasting relationship, brands today need to find, and be true to their own anthem to win at every point of transaction. Central to selling brands in a world hyper-saturated by communications, media outlets, product choices and other brands is the ability to create emotional connections that arrive simultaneously and seamlessly at each point of transaction to inspire action.

Jim Lucas, executive vice president, global strategy and insights at SGK, Anthem's parent company, explained, "Desirability is the most sought after quality in a brand. It represents the source of a brand's influence. Brands that add value to a product, tell a story about the buyer, or situate consumption on a hierarchy of intangible values, provide meaning for interest and consumption. Desirability makes consumers feel more passionate and involved in brands, because of what it does for them, and for their lives."

Lor Gold, chief creative officer at SGK, stated, "Each brand has its own anthem which must be heard clearly wherever and whenever a consumer encounters a brand. We amplify and elevate a brand's anthem, creating a seamless experience from brand idea to package to shopping basket and into consumers' lives. In this way, we inspire action and drive brand performance."

"Our approach puts the brand's package at center stage and tells the brand's story from the shelf out wherever the shopper transaction takes place," Gold continued. "It's the face of the product and the heart of the brand. It's where consumers become shoppers, and where the shopper's connection and relationship to the brand really begins."

Anthem is a global creative agency that actively connects brands with people by amplifying desirability -- creating an insatiable thirst for brands from package design to brand campaign. Anthem sells brands to drive brand performance. Anthem is part of the brand development group of SGK (NYSE: SGK), formerly marketed as Schawk, Inc. For more information visit: http://www.anthemww.com.