Best Mall Event Program

Program Name: Little Movers
Client: Kimberly-Clark
Agency: Xclamation Marketing

To promote its Little Movers Diapers in the Canadian market, Huggies had one burning question for consumers: “Have we made babies too fast?” Besides that tagline–a play on the name of its new product, which is designed to help babies move and scoot around more freely than ever–Huggies also wanted to stimulate sales at partner retail stores, collect consumer shopping behavior data and generate sign-ups for its loyalty program, Enjoy the Ride Rewards.

Huggies found its answers at high-traffic shopping malls in Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver where for 321 days it offered millennial parents, new mothers, mothers-to-be and young families a hands-on experience with its new diaper product at changing stations. Trained “Shopper Converters” interacted with guests and distributed coupons for the product while its TV commercials played on monitors.

The Huggies Little Movers installation was a 200-square-foot playground for young children and parents surrounded by graphics replicating its print ad creative. While the tots played with toys and were entertained by the Shopper Converters, parents learned the benefits of the diaper, used it at the changing stations and discovered the Huggies’ loyalty program. But the big attraction of the event was the photo session, in which parents were snapped strategically holding their babies in front of a blue screen. The baby’s picture was incorporated into a Huggies’ print advertisement emailed to parents in which they could view their own child as the fast-crawling baby in the “Have we made babies too fast?” ad. Shopper Converters equipped with mobile devices captured consumer contact and shopping behavior information. They also encouraged sign-ups for the brand’s loyalty program by demonstrating the enjoytheriderewards.com website.

Huggies reaped its own rewards from the program which resulted in nearly 5,964 pictures taken, 6,166 diapers used at changing stations, 7,597 surveys answered and 22,774 coupons distributed. More than 87 percent of survey respondents authorized Huggies to use contact information to send parenting information or special offers; 79 percent participated in the experiential photo concept.

Among the consumer comments: “Now I’m switching from Pampers to Huggies,” “I am a new mom and this really confirms that I have chosen the right brand” and “What a great concept; it’s great to see Huggies being interactive with customers!” We just wonder: how many answered “yes” to the question about making babies too fast?

Program Name: Swype Challenge
Client: Samsung
Agency: Cheil USA

To educate consumers about Samsung’s new Omnia II mobile phone featuring Swype texting technology, which is a new way to text by sliding a finger around the touchscreen keyboard instead of tapping letters, the brand hit eight malls from December 2009 to February 2010. The goal was to expose consumers to the new technology, get them interacting with it and then get the phone into the hands of two target groups: tech-savvy, text-addicted youths and technologically competent business people.

Brand ambassadors invited mall shoppers to the footprint to see the new phone and try the Swype technology for themselves. After the guests had a chance to play with the phone, staffers helped them sign up for the onstage contest to try and beat the best texting speed of the day. The fastest texter won a phone. While participants Swyped on center stage, everything they saw on the phones in their hands was broadcast onto a six-foot-tall phone replica in front of them, for the entire crowd to see.

Over the course of the program, more than 5,500 people tried out the phone and Swype technology. After completing the challenge, participants received branded shirts and were encouraged to enter a separate text-to-win contest as an additional way to win a phone.
 

Program Name: Holiday Mall Tour
Client: Microsoft
Agency: Zed Ink, EPM Three

To increase awareness of the Xbox 360 and its capabilities, and push trials and sales of games and systems, Microsoft hit 12 markets in two phases during the holiday season last year with a series of hands-on consumer experiences.

Guests who passed near the footprint were encouraged to have “More Fun Today” by getting their hands on free trials of several games and especially to learn more about Project Natal, the new gaming system that uses controller-free gaming, where a player uses his or her body to play. A colorful, asymmetrical path through the space showcased sight lines for watching game play and access points to get in on the action. At every turn, staff helped even the most reluctant new gamer to step into the fun.

Preliminary reports show foot traffic was up six to eight percent at both Westfield and Simon malls, which is credited to be a direct result of the tour.