PROPER PLACEMENT IS KEY TO PROGRAM'S SUCCESS

A few years back there was a country music song by the name of "What was I thinking?"  As I review many of the Point of Purchase displays in the market today, I often wonder if some of the marketing group members who input these programs ever utter those same words.

Don't get me wrong, I truly believe that the mass majority of the marketing and creative teams behind many of the point of purchase display programs have great intentions and a strong desire to put their products in a position to sell more volume.  The trouble, or maybe confusion would be a better word, is that sometimes they really do not have a good feel for how the product is going to be displayed within their own retail outlets.

A good example is a recent full size graphic corrugated marketing sign that I came across at my regional chain grocery store.  This was a nice piece.  It was purchased by the grocer and was used to promote a particular convenience that the store offered.  The standee itself stood six foot in height and was close to forty-eight inches in width.  The marketing team went the extra mile with the display as it had two full graphic sides representing the message with a custom multi-sided easel.  Again, it was impressive.

Unfortunately, there was one major problem with the rollout of the campaign.  The store placement was right against a wall.  Yes, a wall.  You had no visual path to the back side of the sign. 

At first I just shook my head and chalked it up to the individual store taking it upon themselves to place the sign where they felt was most appropriate.  My curiosity soon kicked in though and I wanted to pursue it a bit deeper.  I made the decision to visit three other local outlets for this chain.

My hunch was correct. Every one of the stores had a similar placement of the units.  All of them had only one visual angle to view the sign.  What were they thinking?  Surely, everyone realized that by printing both sides of the display and investing in the top of the line custom easel a lot of extra expense had been incurred.  

The truth is that the world is not perfect and neither is the specific world related to point of purchase signage or displays.  The process involved in a campaign that utilizes these types of promotion pieces is very extensive.  Turning great ideas into fully implemented programs that cross areas of responsibility can be one of the most challenging tasks a business can encounter.

For those creative leaders who chose to lead such challenging assignments, I applaud you.  I also ask that you consider the following when rolling out your next campaign:

>>> Start at the retailer and work backwards.  Proper placement will drive the success of your program.

>>> Choose your supplier wisely.  The Point of Purchase supplier should operate as an extension of your vision.  They should be your safety net and must be held to a very high standard.  A supplier who cares will always ask you good questions to help ensure that you and your program are successful.

>>> Make sure that communication is strong with all members within the organization.  Most programs fail because of the "I didn't know factor".

>>> Clearly outline the objectives of your campaign and share it often.

>>> Lastly, spend your money wisely.   Graphics sell, innovation sells and great marketing messages sell.  Only invest in these things if you are sure that the retailer is going to properly promote and place your units.

My hopes are that I am not on an island and that others within the industry also see oddities in which we can work to improve.   Our market is important to the success of retailers as well as to CPG organizations.  If you work within the industry please be sure to aide those companies to ensure their success.