Sampling

If a moveable European-style sidewalk café environment boosts sales in
Philadelphia the concept could emerge as a bigger part of the
marketing mix for Melitta USA. The coffee marketer the No. 5 premium
brand last Saturday launched a six-week Euro Café Tour that will bring
free java and pastries bistro tables and chairs and classical music
to city streets and consumer events.

 

"We're looking at this not as a one-time program but as a new face for
the Melitta coffee brand " Chris Hillman marketing director told

A three-city sampling effort for Ben & Jerry’s new pre-packed ice
cream cones got consumers to help spread the brand buzz. Sampling teams
in New York City and Chicago (both earlier this month) and San
Francisco (this week) distributed 50 000 full-size cones per market.

 

The Ben & Jerry’s twist? In addition to standard sampling on the
streets consumers could request that B&J reps deliver samples to
friends’ homes or offices later in the week—friends had to live or work

Smoothie King Franchises’ first-ever event tour is focusing on getting consumers to take a taste of the company’s beverages. The events revolve around a fully customized van—named the Orange KaBAM Van after a menu item—where the Smoothie King crew whips up its fruity concoctions.

Hitting fairs festivals and sporting events the tour unfolds into a 40-by-15 foot display where consumers can sample smoothies and receive coupons that drive them to local stores.

How to connect at food and wine events

Dove this summer distributed more than 2.3 million chocolate samples on busy street corners and at music festivals in nine U.S. cities. The next phase of the sampling program moves to major retailers such as Wal-Mart Kroger and other national chains that sell the chocolates.