It's a jungle out there.

I have heard some interesting analogies while talking to marketers about the not-so-subtle distinction between the consumer and the shopper. I will spare you the examples, but let's just say that some are, to put it diplomatically, "creative" and at least one evoked images of a jungle cat stalking its prey. Rarely do we see this level of cunning and premeditation at my local Dominick's grocery store, however.

While researching our cover story this month, senior editor Pauline Hammerbeck managed to elicit one of the best explanations I've seen on the subject from Saatchi & Saatchi X's Julie Quick: "Shoppers are master editors. Their primary job is to find out what to …