POP Display Development Process

Developing and launching a display program can be broken down into key phases.

While every organization may call them something slightly different, the essential steps — and cross-functional collaboration — remain the same.

(Stated lead times below are estimated minimum lead times based on a well-trained cross-functional team within a major CPG; your timing may vary.)

1) Concept Vetting (≈ 2 Weeks)

Sales or Marketing drafts a Display Brief outlining the business opportunity — why it matters, what’s being promoted, and timing expectations.

The brief is presented to the cross-functional team to confirm feasibility: lead time, production and copacker capacity, and estimated demand.

✅ Outcome: Team alignment to proceed with exploration.

Typical participants: Sales, Marketing, Display Process Owner


2) Concept Exploration (≈ 6 Weeks)

The Display Process Owner kicks off supplier engagement — confirming ship testing (if it’s a new structure), obtaining material and assembly pricing, and managing feasibility checks.

Finance reviews profitability; Sales estimates volume; Master Data, Demand Planning, and Supply Planning validate system setup and capacity readiness.

✅ Outcome: Concept validated and financially viable.

Typical participants: Display Process Owner, Finance Co-Pilot, Sales, Master Data, Demand & Supply Planning

3) Concept Approval (≈ 2 Weeks)

With profitability, capacity, and demand confirmed, the Display Process Owner presents the proposed program to leadership for approval.

Sales, Finance, and Technical Packaging teams attend as subject-matter experts to support the business case.

If approval isn’t granted, the program is either refined and resubmitted or, if timing doesn’t allow, dropped.

✅ Outcome: Executive approval to proceed to production.

Typical participants: Display Process Owner, Sales, Finance, Tech Pkg

4) Production (≈ 11 Weeks)

This is where creative meets execution. Technical Packaging finalizes specifications, Master Data activates SKUs, and Sales publishes the SED (Summary of Event Details) to enable selling.

Display Process Owner manages artwork finalization and release, while Supply Planning and Display Suppliers coordinate material manufacturing, product flow, and copacking activities.

✅ Outcome: Display materials produced, packed, and ready for distribution.

Typical participants: Tech Pkg, Master Data, Sales, Supply Planning, Display Process Owner, Copacker, Display Suppliers

5) Distribution (≈ 2 Weeks)

Week 1 - Assembled displays are distributed throughout the internal DC network (assuming multiple DC locations) based on DC splits.

Week 2 - At the end of week 1, displays distributed within internal DC network - often referred to as "1st Ship Date", or "1st Ship to Customer". Customer orders displays and displays are the customer's DCs.

Typical participants: Supply Planner, Demand Planner, Customer Facing Supply Chain.

✅ Outcome: Displays arrive where they need to be, when they need

💬 Final Takeaway

A well thought trough development process results in the following:

• Drives cross-functional team alignment.

• Provides the Display Process Owner to effectively gauge progress.

• Ensures team members know their deliverables and related due dates.

• Keeps team focused on work instead of trying to figure out what's next