Susie Fogelson, a food marketing pioneer and strategist, announced the launch of F&Co, a boutique consultancy that delivers brand and content strategy, storytelling concepts and experiential recommendations to companies across the food and beverage arena. Fogelson is well-known for leading marketing and brand strategy at Food Network and Cooking Channel for more than 15 years.
Throughout her tenure at the groundbreaking cable networks, Fogelson developed creative programs to propel brands forward and drive revenue by helping them engage with avid food connected consumers through entertainment and strategic partnerships. Her unique ability to leverage consumer insights and spot emerging trends were critical to Food Network and Cooking Channel’s success. Fogelson also appeared as a judge for more than a decade on Next Food Network Star, one of the network’s most highly-rated shows, and a talent discovery vehicle.
“We launched F&Co with a singular focus: to help brands engage with the food connected consumer – a segment that we were very influential in creating at Food Network,” explains Fogelson. “The strength of our work comes from an understanding of this audience and food culture, combined with an ability to translate our insights into actionable programs and initiatives to reinforce the brand’s proposition and maximize its potential.”
Fogelson has teamed up with award-winning creative director Gary Nelson to show clients how they can bring storytelling strategies to life. Several companies have already tapped into New York City-based F&Co for insights and strategic counsel, including Applebee’s, Kantar for Nestlé and AB InBev, and start-up The Abbott’s Butcher, a promising new entry in the exciting plant-based protein category.
“In addition to her formidable expertise and experience, Susie brought a fresh perspective and a creative approach to solving our issues,” says Javier Balaguera, Executive Director, International Marketing, Applebee’s and IHOP. “She was able to identify trends and translate them into scalable and executable tactics that helped distinguish us from our competition.”
“Both established and fledgling brands need to operate with an intimate understanding of the dynamic trends that can make or break their success,” adds Fogelson. “That may mean transforming along with grocery to more omnichannel commerce models, or reestablishing relevance where snacking has disrupted traditional mealtimes, or taking a closer look at how consumer demand for convenience and transparency suggests new products or approaches.”
The company has also released a 2018 Food Trends Report and launched “À la carte,” a weekly food news round-up. A video series offering unique insights into food trends and food connected consumers is in the works.
In addition to helping brands identify their storytelling strategy, F&Co will help upcoming talent develop their personal brands and points-of-view for pursuing food-related entertainment and partnership opportunities.
“Every company has a food story and successful brands understand that food marketing is very much about entertainment. Finding ways to tell a story through digital/social channels, live experiences and strategic partnerships is critical in today’s marketplace,” says Fogelson.