Aquafina Promotion:
‘The proof of pudding is in eating it.’ Similarly a sample taste of a product may achieve something which ten advertisements will not be able to achieve. Sampling involves the active participation of the customer. After tasting or making use of the sample, the customer has to give his decision-good or bad! Will accept the product or reject it. But if the sampling belongs to an established and creditable company, the results from the sampling process are likely to be highly encouraging. Well established companies know the well-established advertisement techniques. Though the avenues of advertisements are turning out to be more and more innovative, the traditional methods still hold sway and are found to be result-yielding.
For the promotion of Aquafina bottled drinking water, film festivals were the chosen venues. This new vitamin-based water beverage delighted the discerning customers, right from the initial stages of the launch. The Sundance Film Festival, held in Park City, UT on January 28, saw customers holding in their hands and also tasting the beverage in three flavors, Berry Pomegranate, Orange Lime and Peach Mango. They were aware of the success story of the Aquafina drinking water, debuted in the market in the year 1995. It is the No.1 selling bottled water in America now. More sampling demonstrations were planned at the Tribeca Film Festival held in Manhattan and AFI in Dallas International Film Festival and they were a huge success.
The promotion strategies were the same. TV, radio spot, and the advertisements through the print media! Along with the newly introduced beverages, the Aquafina bottled water was promoted as well. It was the two-in-one advantage.
On June 25, 2003 Aquafina announced launch of ‘Aquafina Pure Luck’ promotion campaign. The consumers had the chance to win more than 40,000 on the Spot prizes. It was a collaborative effort. The company joined hands with AOL Time Warner for promotion with On-Air and Online programs on the WB Television Network and with America Online.
It was an action-packed sales promotion program. You were the actor and participator in the company’s program, without your knowing it or signing the contract. It was the category’s largest-ever consumer product promotion. What was this campaign about? You were not to collect coupons, it was not a lottery, and no discounts were offered either. You need to be lucky enough to be spotted drinking Aquafina or Aquafina essentials. Aquafina branded blimps traveled to more than 60 cities throughout USA. “Aquafina is the category’s leading brand of bottled water so it’s fitting that we’re launching the category’s largest-ever-national consumer promotion,” said Steve Sears, vice-president of marketing, non-carbonated beverages for Pepsi-Cola North America. “This new program emphasizes the significant support Pepsi-Cola is putting behind Aquafina and, at the same time, rewards consumers for purchasing our brand over other bottled waters.”(Time Warner…)
AOL Time Warner Media Properties and The WB Television Network, several America Online brands, Time Inc. magazines were all roped in, in this mammoth advertisement campaign. This broad relationship included marketing and advertising Aquafina and the related products.
The Gilmore Girls were also the part of the advertisement campaign of Aquafina. In effect, the consumers were encouraged to watch the WB to see who was being spotted in Gilmore program with the aquafina. An imaginative slogan was drafted for the purpose, “Get Spotted Drinking Aquafina and Win Pure Prizes.”
“An original promotional spot featuring Lorelai and Rory Gilmore walking in Stars Hollow (the town featured in the series) will discuss the “Pure Luck” promotion in its most general meaning and will include a tag directing viewers to watch Gilmore Girls and reinforce the Aquafina “Get Spotted’ messaging. The promotional on-air schedule will include The WB Television Network, TNT and TBS. Aquafina in-store displays and promotional print ads will be tagged with Gilmore Girls imagery and tune-in information and will appear in People, Entertainment Weekly, InStyle and Teen People.”(Time Warner…
Extending this unique advertisement further, special sites available across several American Online brands were so integrated the elements of the offline methods, the consumers actually donned the role of Aquafina spotters to become eligible for the Aquafina Pure luck sweepstakes.
To give solid backup, rich-media promotions and interactive sessions specially created through collaboration between America Online and Viewpoint—well, there was some one to spot you in the crowded summer parks, if you were lucky enough to possess the Aquafina water bottle in your hand. Don’t keep it aside. There could be many a slip between the lips and the bottle. If you were spotted you earned entry into weekly and Grand Prize sweepstakes drawings. That was a perfect arrangement.
All those advertisement gimmicks were well-supported by the traditional advertisement modes. Regular advertisements, reporting through television, print and electronic media, radio, banners across in important junctions and properties added to the inquisitiveness of the consumers and to drink Aquafina water. The amount earmarked for winning prizes was $ 250,000
The company which introduced Aquafina, is a multinational giant with high reputation. Their reputation alone can initially see through the success of any type of product. The merit of the product of course has to sustain the subsequent sales boost. In the present case, they had joined hands with another top giant, AOL Time Warner, the world’s leading media and Entertainment Company. In this they are like the octopus. Growing on all fronts-cable systems, filmed advertisements, music, television networks, interactive services and publishing! The stupendous success achieved as for Aquafina bottled water, is the net result of all these Herculean efforts which created deep impact amongst the consumers.
Even though they were one of the highly reputed international companies, the pepsi-cola giants did not take any chances in the matter of promotion and marketing of their Aquafina bottled water. They covered every segment of the population, taking into consideration the theory of fractionalization, because requirement of water is not for a particular segment only. Once you are hooked to a brand, you are likely to be the life-long customer of that product. So it was an all-embracing advertisement campaign by the Company, the prize-scheme being the added incentive. Nobody will become the water-customer, just because of the prizes. Water is a health product. As such, in the long run, the quality of the water must appeal and agree with the health of the customer. That Aquafina fulfilled this need of the customer unfailingly goes to their credit to make it the number one brand selling bottled water in USA. Having reached the top position, to retain it is also equally important. One step slip means, a million questions will be asked. Rumors and canards spread fast, and the company must stand ever ready to counter the onslaught from the competitors, and the customers who are not satisfied. Howsoever great might be the product, a section of the consumers will remain not happy with the product for various reasons. It is the customer care and service department of the Aquafina looks into this aspect.
———————————–
References Cited:
Article: Aquafina Announced Launch of ‘Aquafina Pure Luck’ Summer Promotion:
www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0,20812,669967,00.html – 27k –
