Agency: Pro Motion, Inc.
Client: Energizer
Despite its well-known pink bunny who’s energy goes on and on, Energizer’s Energi to Go portable instant cell phone charger was not so well known and, as a result, not so well purchased. Pro Motion was charged with raising awareness and, ultimately sales, through a sampling program.
Using guerilla marketing, the agency put the chargers in the hands of people who needed them the most – those attending all-day outdoor events with no access to electrical outlets or charging stations.
Their first stop was Lollapalooza in Chicago’s Grant Park. Working in teams, the agency distributed the Energi to Go chargers to more than 20,000 people over three days. The agency reports that some participants were so excited at the opportunity to grab the $20 charger and ensure they’d be able to Facebook, text and tweet all weekend that they got out of line to get it.
Their next distribution venues were three-day Komen Race for the Cure walks in Seattle, Chicago, and Minneapolis where more than 11,000 Energi to Go chargers were given out. Word of mouth during these events drove the distribution numbers up. Additional stops included the Austin City Limits Music Festival, the St. Louis Balloon Race, the CES Show in Las Vegas and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
The Energi to Go Sampling Program has distributed more than 130,000 chargers to date, on target with a goal to reach 200,000 before program end. The best result of all: the buzz generated interest from Walgreen’s, which is now distributing the product in all 7,000 of its stores.
