Quick Marketing Tip: Freebie Placement

While I was taking my weekly shower at my friend’s place this morning, I tried out his shampoo. “Wow this shampoo feels so soft and amazing on my hair, maybe I will get a bottle of Finesse for myself, ” I shouted outloud. Then an idea sparked.

If you are a new or young toiletries company, go partner with hotels and offer it for free to guests.

shampoo

These companies would jump at the chance to cut costs. This would work just as well with any business but you need to target your industry. The same could go for giving away freebies of your stuff to airlines. These are great chances where it makes relevant sense for people to try your product as opposed to seeing you on the bottom isle of the supermarket.

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9 Responses to “Quick Marketing Tip: Freebie Placement”

  • Roger von Oech
    November 1st, 2006
    3:51 pm

    Good idea. (Although, if you only take a “weekly” shower, doesn’t all shampoo feel good on the 7th day?)

    Who is the kid in the photo?

    Best wishes,

    Roger von Oech

  • saving advice
    November 1st, 2006
    4:12 pm

    Funny…I had the same thought the other day on the plane with the snack food I got with my drink - if you were trying to introduce a new snack food, it would be the perfect place to do so.

  • Joe Suh
    November 1st, 2006
    4:44 pm

    This reminds me of how KitKat became #1 in Japan: http://alphamale.typepad.com/blog/2006/04/how_kitkat_beca.html

    But I would think toiletries in hotels and snacks on airplanes have to compete for product placement (ie I think they have to pay the hotels/airlines).

  • Sri
    November 1st, 2006
    9:04 pm

    Some companies I think are taking this approach with Walgreens. Every month or so, there are several products that you can buy at Walgreens and get every penny back if u send in the hassle free rebate. But Alas……I read somewhere that only 2 out of 5 people actually send in their rebates. And Walgreens overprices these “free” products.

    Example:
    Shampoo XYZ
    Walmart :
    $3 per bottle * 5 bottles = $15

    Walgreens :
    $ 5 per bottle * 5 bottles = $25

    Now $25 - ($10)* = $15
    * 2 people who actually submitted the rebate.

  • Mike Sabat
    November 2nd, 2006
    9:42 am

    I’m not sure, but I think companies pay to have placement in hotels, at least the ones that I can’t afford to stay at.

  • Jason
    November 2nd, 2006
    2:42 pm

    Before Starbucks became big, they had an idea to place their coffee on all United Airlines flights. They thought they could entice business travelers with their blend of coffee by hitting them up on flights. This idea fell through, but they are happy it did. Even though this would hve been huge, they felt their image would be cheapened by being put on airlines.

    On a side note. I was at a Wyndham hotel and they gave Bath and Body works shampoo and soap in the bathroom. This was four years ago I think.

  • Roger von Oech
    November 2nd, 2006
    3:27 pm

    >

    All United flights I’ve been on this year say something like, “We proudly serve Starbucks on this flight.”

  • Loren Feldman
    November 2nd, 2006
    7:12 pm

    This practice has been going on for at least 50 years.

  • Ray Dotson
    November 9th, 2006
    4:00 am

    I would be there’s already a lot of competition in this area, but there may be some untapped niches.

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