Business Challenge
Coppertone needed a plan to maximize sales for the critical Spring Break selling season, amid its launch of a new rub-free sunscreen. Key competitor Hawaiian Tropic has a long history of aggressive Spring Break marketing, and Coppertone didn’t have the budget to compete with them, and of some of its better-funded rivals. Adding more sales pressure for the brand: major retailers like Walmart sell the product on a consignment basis, so unsold sunscreen is returned to the marketer — a significant cost for the brands.
Insight
With dozens of available sunscreen brand choices, each with multiple products in their lineups, sampling is critical in driving brand preference and sales. We knew that if we could engage shoppers to purchase Coppertone, we would beat the competition at retail and the battle would be ours.
Strategy
aim created V.I.P., an integrated program that capitalized on the influx of spring-breakers in the Southeast. With a focus on driving customers to retail, Coppertone suncare brand ambassadors hit the beaches to demonstrate Coppertone’s new rub-free spray. To entice beachgoers to skip their beach bashes and visit Walmart stores, we offered one thing they couldn’t live without: free food. We created “Coppertone Spring Break Bash” parties at retail stores, and used strategically placed billboards and local radio and party fliers to build traffic for the events.
Walmart stores supported the program with display activity and multiple points of retail presence, including the world’s largest suncare displays.
Bragging Rights
At targeted Walmart stores, Coppertone rang up a 200% sales bump. More than 50,000 sun worshipers sampled the rub-free sunscreen, and 10,000 people attended the Spring Break Bash store events.
