OBJECTIVES:

To get IT’S GIVING into the hands – and onto the shelves! – of independent retailers, and to back this up with robust and unbiased feedback from those store owners.

METHOD:

We sent a case of IT’S GIVING to 200 retailers who opted in to receive one via our Better Retailing Club Rewards platform. Because of the unique retailer profile data we hold, this means we could guarantee we would be sending cases to real stores that sold products within the category, and that we could create strong, segmented insights after the campaign.

We promoted the partnership via Retail Express, e-shots via Better Retailing, and on our Better Retailing social media platforms (primarily Facebook, where we know our retail audience spends most time).

After the products had been in stores for six weeks, we sent a simple survey to retailers that had received stock to get insight into what they – and their shoppers – thought about the drinks, how it hold sold during this trial period, and whether they’d be likely to stock It’s Giving or other functional energy products in future.

OUTCOME:

We got the product into 200 stores that it was not previously sold in, across the British Isles. These were split 52%/48% affiliated/unaffiliated, and 44%/34%/22% urban/rural/suburban.

The follow-up survey was filled in by 57% of those stores, giving a strong base upon which It’s Giving can start to build future marketing, communications, sales and distribution plans.

Among other things, we were able to identify:

  • A robust numbers on how many stores would continue to stock It’s Giving, giving a topline sales story that can be taken into wholesale and retail sales conversations
  • How many functional or healthier drinks our stores sold pre-trial, meaning we could then assess how It’s Giving sold and whether they’d keep stocking the brand and other drinks in this sub-category
  • Stores of different types or affiliations and how the drinks sold in their stores, identifying stores that might be good fits as future targets for the brand
  • Qualitative feedback on the product that offered both praise and areas upon which to build.

TESTIMONIAL

The results speak for themselves; but below are the words of Simon Gray, founder of Boost Drinks and It’s Giving:

We worked with Newtrade Media’s Insight team on a retailer sampling campaign for IT’S GIVING, using Better Retailing Club Rewards alongside their print and social channels to get the range into the hands of 200 independent convenience retailers and gather robust, unbiased feedback.

“The campaign was a great opportunity for us to reach retailers across the British Isles, giving them the chance to try IT’S GIVING for themselves, put it on shelf and see how their shoppers responded.

“For us, the real value has been in combining that reach with genuine insight. The retailer feedback, data and sentiment captured by Newtrade Insight have given us a much clearer picture of how the brand is landing in independent convenience and provided learnings we can put into action.

“That insight is already helping to shape our marketing, communications and sales and distribution plans as we continue to grow the brand.

“The partnership with Newtrade Insight has been incredibly valuable, and we’re already looking at further activity together to build more retailer case studies, deepen our understanding of the channel and support the next stage of IT’S GIVING’s growth in independent convenience.”

Simon Gray, Founder, It’s Giving