Confused stock boy...or brilliant product placement?

So simple...and yet so smart. 

Check out where BBDO got grocery stores to stock Campbell Soup's Chicken Noodle soup.

Sometimes you don't have to spend millions on a campaign.  You just have to ask a different question.

In this case:

"Would you be willing to stock some soup in your cold meds aisle?"

Smart, smart, smart.

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Comments

[Matthew Trogdon]

Genius, sheer genius! Thanks for posting.

Matthew Trogdon
Director of Business Development
OnMessage Inc.
www.itsonmessage.com

[Laynie - the marketing muscle of BOSC]

Brilliant. It's always the simple things isn't it? Step outside yourself and think differently for a moment to find an original answer. Thanks for sharing Drew.

[Dennis]

I am so stealing this image for my training program ;-)

[Drew McLellan]

It's amazing how simple it is, isn't it? Just a reminder to all of us that sometimes we over complicate things.

And Dennis...steal away!

Drew

[Casey Hibbard]

This is great! My personal example is Whole Foods, which is pretty good at merchandising like this.

I would never purposefully go through the candy section. But when they have a chocolate display at the end of the cereal section so I can't miss it, that's it, I'm getting the candy.

[Kathleen, The Savvy VA]

I agree with you Drew--this is brilliant. I have actually seen a display similar to this in a pharmacy and my first thought was, "yup, sometimes the absolute basic and commonsensical works just as well, or better."

[Laura P Thomas]

I've seen my local grocery stock the cold meds next to the Kleenex/tissue!

[Steve Woodruff]

That really is pretty brilliant. Maybe they should start putting diet stuff right in the middle of the candy aisle...

[Beth Harte]

My vote is for confused stock boy with crreative gumption... I kid! ;-)

Simple sometimes is always best! I bet Campbell's sold a lot of soup in that aisle. I don't know about other cold/flu sufferers, but I want in and out when I am sick -- this simple idea saved TONS of sick and weary folks from painfully walking multiple aisles (I have the flu right now, so this speaks to me!)

Beth Harte
Community Manager, MarketingProfs
@bethharte

[Victor Ramayrat]

Ok Vons/Safeway, wake up. Sell your candle items right next to the cakes...

[Drew McLellan]

Casey,

That's why you never see fruits and veggies in the display cases right by the check out! They know we're hiding from the candy!

Drew

[Drew McLellan]

Kathleen -- exactly. Sometimes smart is simple.

Laura -- a variation on the theme. I think part of it works just because it is unexpected. And part of it works because of the borrowed connection.

Steve -- so you are going with the counter intuitive option, as opposed to "like things together!"

Drew

[Drew McLellan]

Beth,

Sorry about the flu. I had it a couple weeks ago and it flattened me.

When you think about it -- whether you are sick and shopping for yourself or you're the shopper for a family member who is sick -- this is not the time to browse the aisles.

So by putting the products together, it's a brilliant nudge that you should buy some soup while you're there.

Someone took the time to really think about the audience and where their mind was at.

Drew

[Drew McLellan]

Victor,

Good point. You could probably go through the store and find many "matching" items that could be stocked together.

I know the store's mentality is that if they make you walk all around, you will throw more things in the cart. (This is why milk is always in the back) But I think they've overlooked what a precious commodity time is. If they save me time, I am more likely to choose them over their competitor.

Drew

[Gerard McLean]

What was the incremental lift on soup sales?

[Drew McLellan]

Gerald,

I don't know...I couldn't find a case study with that figure in it.

Drew

[Jay Heyman]

Great Post. Triggered a similar ad campaign idea of mine that I had not thought of in years. (http://bit.ly/m0TUq)
Such an easy, obvious idea, you have to wonder why more stores don't do it. And not just stores. I bet there are some great unexpected product tie-ins that can be done, if folks just think about it.
Jay

[blogging for money]

I think it's a brilliant marketing plan. What do people want when they are sick? Chicken noodle soup and cold meds. Makes perfect sense to me.

[Karen]

My local grocer puts bananas in the cereal aisle. I always thought that was a good idea. But this, even better! Love it

[Drew McLellan]

Jay,

Thanks for spreading the word!

Drew

[Drew McLellan]

BFM,

Exactly....so simple and yet so intuitive. That's what makes it so brilliant, I think!

Drew

[Drew McLellan]

Karen,

Ohhh, that's a good one too. I wonder where, beyond the grocery store, this is already happening?

Drew

[1day1brand]

Brilliant! Thanks for this.