Sampling

Kimberly-Clark this month launched its broadest non-traditional campaign ever to support the Cottonelle brand. The effort called Be Kind to Your Behind includes a mobile tour dubbed the Cottonelle Comfort Haven and a sweepstakes as part of an integrated campaign that also includes web marketing Internet advertising bus and train station ads and FSIs as well as traditional TV and print advertising.

As a way to connect kids and families with its new Fresh Apple Fries menu item Burger King has inked a deal to be the presenting co-sponsor of the Jonas Brothers’ Burning Up Tour a 41-city event produced by Live Nation. The tour kicked off July 4 and runs through Sept. 5.

Burger King in June announced the launch of a new more nutritional Kids Meal featuring the “fries” (apple slices cut in the shape of fries) and Kraft Macaroni & Cheese as part of its BK Positive Steps nutrition program.

YOU'VE PROCURED THOUSANDS  of samples trained brand ambassadors and are ready to hit the ground running. But even the most interesting and well thought-out sampling campaign can fall flat if your brand is hit with hefty fines from local municipalities and ushered out of the city limits before the fun even begins.

To connect with an African American demo Nestle Coffee-mate is hitting the road to bring its café experience to events in four markets. It kicked off its tour last month at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans followed by a stop at the National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta. Next it hits the African Festival of the Arts in Chicago and concludes at the Congressional Black Caucus in Washington D.C. On site Nestle Coffee-mate sets up a café shop filled with tasting stations serving hot and iced coffee flavored with Coffee-mate flavors.

Starburst this month is concluding a national tour designed to drive trial and purchases of its new Gummiburst liquid-filled gummies. The tour which debuted this fall and ends on Dec. 11 hit almost 30 college campuses across the country sampling gummies and engaging students with the chance to hop on stage and play in a virtual garage band—including drums guitar and bass—via a Microsoft Xbox console and four large plasma screens.