The elements of a product awareness campaign should tie in the what, where, and when of a new product release. A brand must engage the consumer by describing what the product is and what it does, as well as when it will be available and where to buy it. While it may sound simple, many CPG brands flounder when rolling out new products as they’re unable to communicate these elements effectively.

When it comes to CPG products, 50% of all product launches fail to hit business targets. Of course, the term “fail” is broad. For a major CPG brand, less than $1 million in sales may be seen as a failure, while smaller challenger brands can succeed with much less. In either case, the overall result is often the same in that the new product does not have enough of a following to be worth continuing. However, by better communicating the abilities and availability of the product during the product awareness campaign, brands stand a better chance of success in creating a lasting, successful product launch.

Starting the Product Awareness Campaign With Engaging Content

Before the product even hits the shelves, brands must find a way to not only make consumers aware of the product but to make them anticipate it. Such a need goes beyond commercials and more traditional advertising methods to create an all-encompassing campaign that drives excitement and delights consumers. Brands can manage this by offering digital content on a variety of platforms, including:

• Digital lookbooks: This type of media allows brands to create digital books or collections that feature images of new products, as well as information about them. These can be delivered through multiple mediums, like on mobile apps, social media, and company websites. The lookbooks are designed to provide short, easily consumable snippets of product information that intrigue individuals.
• Explainer Videos: Videos that introduce the new product, as well as ways it can be used, are great options for multiple platforms. Brands can purchase pre-roll advertisements on popular video sites like YouTube or they can create rewarded video content in conjunction with shopping or gaming apps.
• Social media reviews: By offering early samples of products, brands can create buzz on social media that could, later on, translate into sales. Brands don’t have to partner with large, costly influencers to pull this off, either. Instead, they can focus on connecting with smaller micro-influencers and household decision-makers as a means of creating buzz for new products.

A digital content campaign can act as a means of gaining attention for new products before they even reach the store. This CPG product launch plan helps to create product awareness pre-shop, but brands will need to take it a step further. They’ll need to connect with consumers as they shop to capitalize on the where and when of product awareness campaigns.

Tying Where and When Together With Mobile App Advertising

Mobile marketing campaigns are useful for driving in-store engagement with new products. They let consumers know, in the most important moments throughout the shopping journey, where and when to purchase new products in the shopping aisle.

When Rimmel London wanted to gain attention in the crowded beauty aisle, they chose to contact Shopkick to partner on an in-store campaign. They used the mobile shopping app to guide consumers to their products in the store by incentivizing interaction. Consumers were able to scan UPCs on the new products in exchange for rewards points. Following this interaction, nearly 40% of purchasers noted they’d never purchased Rimmel products before viewing the products on the app. Shopkick delivered a 5:1 ROI for Rimmel, which is an impressive result in the highly competitive cosmetics market.

This campaign was successful because the mobile app marketing program alerted consumers that the new products were available during the appropriate time and in the right place. It covered the where and when of product awareness campaigns and drove trial and consideration, rather than just simple awareness. The campaign increased sales by offering consumers incentives for product interaction, which includes physically handling the product. This engagement primes consumers to purchase by creating a sense of ownership.

A strong product awareness campaign brings the elements of what, where, and when into play in a way that engages consumers.

A strong product awareness campaign brings the elements of what, where, and when into play in a way that engages consumers. Online digital content like videos, lookbooks, and reviews can create an early interest in the product. Meanwhile, mobile apps drive sales by encouraging consumers to interact with products in the shopping aisle. By leveraging the digital space through social media and mobile apps, brands can introduce new products and create success even in the highly competitive CPG market.

Shopkick works with our partners to build effective product awareness campaigns through mobile marketing. Check out some of our success stories to see how we’ve helped brands roll out new products and drive interest in old ones.

Image courtesy of Lenka Horavova