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Stop Being Boring
CPG MBA
July 18, 2023
So, you’ve established yourself as a brand.
You’re on store shelves, your ecommerce website is going strong, and you’ve got a dedicated group of customers loyal to your product. You’re running dedicated ads across platforms and collaborating with influencers for greater reach.
Is there anything else you could be doing to help grow your company?
The answer is… get creative.
In a world where people are being spammed with products left and right, you need to make your brand stand out.
Looking for inspiration? Check out these great brand campaigns:
Pipcorn - Buy One, Give One
Pipcorn, a family-led snack company, heavily relied on in-store sampling to spread awareness of its products. Then COVID happened.
With in-store sampling shut down, Pipcorn developed a creative new campaign to encourage sales while also getting its product in front of thousands of new consumers.
Their solution was a “Buy One, Give One” campaign where customers could choose to ship a free bag to their best friend with each qualifying order.
This unique marketing tactic boosted Pipcorn’s sales, reached numerous new customers, and collected digital consumer data for future promotions—all in the middle of a pandemic.
Oscar Mayer - For the Love of Hot Dogs
In 2017, legendary hot dog brand Oscar Mayer updated their recipe and launched a summer-long campaign dedicated to getting “a hot dog in every hand” in America.
How did they do this? By sending Wienermobiles absolutely everywhere.
And we mean everywhere.
Random hotel parking lots? Wienermobile.
In front of Home Depot? Wienermobile.
On a barge heading to Governer’s Island in New York? Wienermobile.
The result?
The campaign was covered by more than 1,500 media outlets, the hashtag #ForTheLoveOfHotDogs was used over 8,800 times, and Oscar Mayer hotdog sales rose a whopping 3.4% during the campaign’s first month.
The Farmer’s Dog - Dog Park Supply
Boutique brand The Farmer’s Dog makes healthy dog food. While it has its fans, it’s not as well-known as major brands like Purina or Hill’s Pet Nutrition.
So, how did they raise brand awareness?
Instead of waiting for dog owners to find them, they went to the dog owners.
The Farmer’s Dog set up a food truck next to a dog park in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and gave out food samples to new customers and treat samples to existing customers, along with a dog bandana to strengthen existing relationships.
Oh, and the cherry on top? They set up a water station next to the truck so that the dogs would come to them.
Strategic Sampling
As a small business, you may not have the budget to send dozens of Wienermobiles across the nation. But what you can do is offer samples at strategic locations, much like The Farmer’s Dog.
When done correctly, this can generate hundreds of new customers and drive sales in the process.
And remember, while retail sampling has remained a core marketing tactic across industries, the store isn’t the only place to get your product in the hands of potential customers. Consider trying out some more creative distribution methods:
Goodie bag samples are a fantastic choice at conferences, street fairs, or summer concert events.
Farmer’s markets or sidewalks with busy foot traffic can be a great way to reach hundreds of people in a short period of time.
Niche congregation spaces (such as coworking spaces, gyms, etc.) are great for micro-targeting based on your target demographics.
We can’t wait to see what you come up with.
Until next time,
The CPG MBA Team