Product Launch with Product Placement Checks
Challenge:
A leading international beverage company and airport food service provider were launching a promotion for a new refillable water bottle. To drive sales at airport restaurants and bars, key promotional tactics included server suggestions, placement of bottles on tables, and in coolers (where available). The company needed to assess whether these methods were being properly executed to boost sales.
Approach:
Leveraging decades of experience, Confero designed a program utilizing independently contracted mystery shoppers to gather crucial data for the client. This included verifying the presence of the product at locations, capturing photos of tables and coolers, and ensuring proper execution of promotional strategies.
Solution:
Despite the challenges posed by post-security airport locations, Confero successfully deployed shoppers who were already traveling through the airports. These shoppers conducted their assessments discreetly, taking photos and reporting their findings promptly. After each mystery shop, shoppers spoke with the manager to ensure they were informed of the visit, providing immediate feedback on how well the promotion was being executed.
Results:
The company received the precise information needed to assess the promotion’s effectiveness. Surprisingly, 83% of the locations were not displaying the water bottles as required. Additionally, servers suggested the water bottle only 24% of the time, meaning promotion execution was falling short. Locations that did not display or suggest the product when water was requested were promptly contacted to address the issue and ensure consistent, accurate promotion of the new water bottle.
This product launch coupled with product placement checks was a success!
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