Organizations have long recognized the importance of gathering insights into consumer demand and technology trends in specific categories. However, they still struggle to effectively bridge the gap between these insights and broader cultural shifts. This is where the CPG Forum comes in.
Our half-day event will inspire attendees to connect the dots between big cultural shifts and category-level business outcomes in a scientifically grounded and actionable manner. We’ll kick off the day with a focus on human-centric thinking, showcasing the power of structural anthropology in identifying consumer-led platforms for innovation.
Namely:
- Taking a consumer-led approach to identify platforms for innovation.
- Identifying technologies that meet emerging consumer platforms.
- Pinpointing the gap between future demand and available technologies.
In the following session, we’ll provide a concrete example of how a consumer-led platform can be translated into an actionable technology assessment. We’ll also delve into foresight, demonstrating how it can be systematically gathered and measured and its technological landscape assessed.
The event will conclude with a panel discussion featuring inspiring leaders who are pushing boundaries within their organizations to connect the dots between cultural shifts, corporate mandates, and day-to-day business outcomes. The panel will be followed by networking and opportunities for further conversation in a social setting.
Join us for a thought-provoking and inspiring half-day, where we’ll explore new ways to connect the dots and drive innovation success.
| Time (CDT) | Session Description | Presenter |
| 8:00AM – 9:00AM | Networking Breakfast | |
9:00AM – 9:40AM | How Consumers Organically Create Innovation Platforms Join us for a thought-provoking talk on understanding how consumers naturally create innovation platforms. Cultural anthropologist and Lux MotivBase founder Ujwal Arkalgud will explore the fascinating world of structural anthropology and reveal how consumers give meaning to topics and trends in three phases. You’ll learn how to decode opportunities in phase 2, where consumers give birth to new platforms for innovation, and how to tap into the power of consumer-led innovation to drive your business forward. Using examples in food and personal care, we’ll showcase emerging innovation platforms and outline opportunities rising within these platforms. | Ujwal Arkalgud EVP and Group Director at Lux Research |
| 9:40AM – 10:10AM | Translating a Human-Centric Innovation Platform into a Technology Assessment The consumer packaged goods industry faces notable challenges to growth continuing through 2023, stemming from factors ranging from rapidly increasing competition to maintaining sustainability targets to shifting policies. However, strategic innovation is no longer a nice-to-have, and connecting technology readiness and differentiation to a human-centric perspective allows leading organizations to remain ahead. In this session, we’ll explore the value of connecting anthropological insights to technology assessments to create innovation strategies targeting the reemergence of circular opportunities. While renewables, biobased products, and co-product opportunities are receiving attention, building a human-centric strategy onto your technology assessments can pay dividends when prioritizing investments — especially during periods of challenged growth. You’ll leave this session with a unique perspective on how to advance your assessment process. | Josh Haslun, Ph.D. Research Director at Lux Research |
| 10:10AM – 10:40AM | Networking Break | |
| 10:40AM – 11:20AM | Unlocking the Future of CPG: Bridging the Gap Between the Future and the Present Foresight isn’t about predicting the future; it’s about systematically examining patterns of language and systems of meaning that exist just outside the contextual boundary of a trend. By measuring their rate of change and likelihood of becoming relevant, we can gain a deeper understanding of the future and how we can assess whether technology is keeping pace with emerging consumer needs. So, what does the future of consumer packaged goods (CPG) look like? And is technology ready to address these emerging needs? Where do we see the biggest gaps and opportunities? What are the five key areas where we see the biggest gaps and opportunities? This talk will provide attendees with a roadmap for unlocking the power of foresight and turning insights into action. Whether you work in R&D, innovation, business development, or insights, this session will leave you with a new perspective on the role of foresight in shaping the future of technology and consumer needs. | Ujwal Arkalgud EVP and Group Director at Lux Research Josh Haslun, Ph.D. Research Director at Lux Research |
| 11:20AM – 11:50AM | Client Panel: Strategies for Closing the Innovation Gap in the CPG Industry Join Lux Research for an insightful discussion featuring top executives from the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry. Our panelists will share their experiences and practical solutions for bridging the innovation gap between strategic cultural changes and day-to-day business outcomes. Through real-world examples, you will learn from leaders who have successfully transformed their organizations from a reactive to a proactive mindset. Discover actionable strategies that you can implement in your own organization to drive innovation and stay ahead of the competition. This is a unique opportunity to gain insights from industry experts and connect with like-minded professionals. | Moderators: Josh Haslun, Ph.D. Research Director at Lux Research Client Panelists To Be Announced |
| 11:50AM – 12:00PM | Networking |
About the Lux Forums
The Lux Forums are a premier opportunity for innovation decision-makers to learn more about the commercially viable science and technology needed to enable sustainable innovation roadmaps. This event series brings together Lux Research’s global analysts with executives and industry thought leaders to learn from each other and tackle the most critical issues facing their industry today.
At the Lux Forum, subject matter experts will provide meaningful insights relevant to oil and gas, utilities, industrials, chemicals, and consumer products innovation leaders. In this exclusive setting, attendees will make connections with executive-level industry counterparts through networking sessions and will take in cutting-edge research from the leading provider of sustainable innovation research and advisory services, Lux Research. These forums will deliver the thinking you need to accelerate the pace of innovation at your company.
