To get customers to sample as well as avail benefits on the first product purchase (post sampling),

with coupons generated being specific to the sale point thus ensuring footfalls and customer gain for

the POS.

The annual unique walk-ins at retail stores, vets and other associated outlets is 2 million pet parents of which 60% feed their dogs home-cooked food. (Data source: IPSOS research data 2010 and a Dipstick survey conducted by Mars). That is a huge concentration of pet parents across 3000 outlets and therein lay a huge category opportunity. This insight is what led us to consider tapping pet parents were we are most likely to find them and to change their pet food habits by encouraging, educating and incentivizing them to try Pedigree®.

We created an app that also incentivized the retailer and thus got the implicit support of the trade. The programme captured valuable data via the app that in turn led to sampling and building up loyalty. Our programme helped capture leads in a simple format, disseminated free samples and dispensed additional information as well as a discount on product purchase. All of this was done seamlessly through a system wherein-

• The leads were captured through an app and the customer received a sample basis his or her breed type.

• Data was handled through a Lead Management System

• The trained call center staff worked to convert the lead into a satisfied customer hence driving sales.

• The app allowed us to ramp up the programme quickly and smoothly – taking it pan India

• Sampled customers received a feedback call within 24 hours keeping the brand connect alive.

As against Rs 20 crore spend on TV media (2015), just 6 crore of the budget was used in the sampling programme

• The sampling increased from the targeted 2,500-5,000 to 30,000 per month

• We achieved 33% as the coupon redemption rate which is 3 times more than the average ‘high’ FMCG market standard of 10%

• The app brought down costs from Rs 900 (2015) to Rs 150 (2016) since not only were additional people not required, the generation of a unique OTP ensured that only unique pet parents were being approached and thus cutting down on spillage.

• Customers were pushed to the same retail store as the sampling to redeem their M-coupon

• The app also helped retailers to keep tabs on the pet’s nutrition requirements basis the breed and age.

• Small pack sales in sampled outlets registered a 2X faster growth vs other outlets.