Genesis Today, the maker of SuperFruit Juices, made the most of testing a sampling campaign by staging it in close proximity to one of its production facilities so the logistics of supplying product for a supporting buy-one-get-one-free promotion would be easy.
The campaign, which ran for eight weeks in San Antonio, TX, and Austin, TX, resulted in a 30% increase in sales in those two markets. Nine weeks later sales are still up 27%.
Consumers who bought any number of the 64-ounce juices— Acai Berry, Cranberry Goji, Pomegranates and Berries with Resveratrol and Veggie Blast—could take the same number home for free regardless of how many bottles they bought. Between 500 and 800 coupons were also distributed at each location.
The success of the program, handled by experiential marketing agency Pro Motion, led to its expansion to Denver and then on to three more markets—New Jersey, Los Angeles and Dallas—and the addition of branded vans to transport staff and product while advertising along the routes. Stops through February include fairs, festivals, farmer’s markets, salons, health clubs and parks where brand reps seek out women ages 25 to 54.
The buy-one-get-one-free promotion is still underway being tested to see if the level of participation justifies the costs of shipping the product to sampling events distant from production facilities.
“You look at what it’s worth to encourage trial and repeat purchase,” Elizabeth Boysen, the marketing coordinator for Genesis Today, said. “I believe there is a long term benefit to that. You give away one bottle to someone who over the next six months buys seven bottles.”
Some 1,500 to 2,000 64-ounce bottles of the juices are expected to be given as samples each week.
Sampling is underway at a number of retail stores, both inside near the product in the refrigerated section and outside in front of the stores, including Central Market, Albertson’s, Super Target, Walmart, Sam’s Club and ShopRite, where the product is just launching.
For product demonstrations, Walmart has an agency that it requires its customers to use, but because selling the beverages requires in-depth knowledge of the health benefits of the product, Genesis Today wanted Pro Motion to conduct the sampling. By contacting individual store managers, permission was granted in a number of stores.
“We have proven results to show that the teams with Pro Motion helped move the needle significantly more than Walmart because they have the education to really help people understand why our juices are the healthiest out there,” Elizabeth Boysen, the marketing coordinator for Genesis Today, said.
So far, the most recent sampling events are also pulling about a 30% sales lift with coupon redemption at 10 to 20%.
“This program is sticking and it’s converting people over a pretty long period of time,” said Pro Motion President Steve Randazzo.
TV, radio, billboards, print and digital, including www.Walmart.com and www.SamsClub.com are supporting the events. The company has recently hired a director of digital media who is putting together a plan for the Web site, a blog, Twitter and Facebook.
Privately held Genesis Today has been in business since 2000 and launched the first SuperFruit Juice, Aci Berry, exclusively at Walmart.
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