Network mobilisation and set up of promotional operations in mass retail outlets.

A major success for "The Ice Cream Festival"

To break away from the seasonal context and promote ice cream eating in France, the SFIG (Federation of Ice Cream and Sorbet Manufacturers) has organised an event-driven operation called "The Ice Cream Festival" to start at the beginning of April.

The main media used for this event were:
underground stations decked out in ice cream colours, a cookery magazine partner and media coverage (radio, PR).

In this context, how can the mass market sector be mobilized to transform the event-driven operation into a sales drive directly related to issues ice cream manufacturers are facing?.

Sopexa's solution

• Meetings organised with decision-makers from central buying groups.
• Adapting the concepts to match promotional characteristics: POS material expressing "enjoyment, when you feel like it" and developing offers in partnership with the manufacturers.

Results

During a 2 month period of mobilizing 30 mass retail decision makers:

• 6,100 outlets operated by 12 different store chains took part in the operation, 3,200 of them with specific promotional offers negotiated with producers and overprinted on generic promotional material.
• 86 % of department heads ready to repeat the operation in 2003.
• 10 % increase in turnover for the month of April 2002/2001 (Source: SFIG Consumer Panel).