Integrated Sampling and Coupon Campaign Boosts Brand Trial for New Product

The Challenge

In response to growing consumer demand for natural products, Idaho Spuds introduced a new line of instant potatoes, made without artificial ingredients or preservatives. The company wanted to drive awareness and encourage trial with busy families who are always looking for easy-to-prepare meal solutions.

The Solution

Idaho Spuds’ target demographic was busy families with multiple children, making the product a perfect fit for School Family Media’s Back2School program, where samples and product details are placed right in the hands of parents at school-family events. A two-part program was developed: 500,000 full-size product samples were distributed in co-op parent gift packs at 5,000 K-12 schools across the country; and 200 of those schools were selected to prepare the product and offer samples to parents to try, right at their back-to-school events. Coupons and recipe ideas were hand-delivered to all attendees.

The Results

A parent survey revealed that Idaho Spuds’ involvement in the Back2School program increased trial, raised product awareness, drove purchase intent, and created genuine word of mouth among the core demographic.
• 65% of the sample recipients had never previously purchased Idaho Spuds.
• 100% of current non-users were likely to purchase after the custom sampling event.
• More than 20,000 in-person conversations about Idaho Spuds were generated between parents at back-to-school events nationwide.