| Live, interactive, experiential tradeshow presentations | | | | about 6%. |
| add a dynamic dimension attracting crowds to your | | | | Therefore, the challenge of the Pro Plan Consumer |
| company's products and services at your tradeshow | | | | Experiential Marketing Program was to generate |
| booth. There's an added benefit of having your | | | | awareness of, create a preference for, and drive |
| audience participate in and become advocates of | | | | sales of Pro Plan foods. |
| your products during and after the tradeshow. It is, | | | | For starters, the tradeshow had the right audience-- |
| however, important to keep "on message" when you | | | | approximately 18,000 dog-loving consumers attending |
| have a live theater presentation at your tradeshow | | | | the tradeshow. Most of these consumers either have |
| exhibit. A highly- tuned message is the key to your | | | | a dog, attend the tradeshow to help decide what |
| success -- ensuring that you meet your company's | | | | breed to purchase, or attend to find a breeder to |
| marketing goals and objectives. Keep this in mind | | | | purchase from. They are of all ages, genders, and |
| when you engage your next tradeshow presentation | | | | ethnicities-and all of them are decision-makers or |
| company. | | | | influencers of dog food purchases. |
| According to Elaine Cohen, Founder/President of Live | | | | The overall goal was to re-focus the National Dog |
| Marketing in Chicago, studies show that if live | | | | Show experience to integrate a Pro Plan experience. |
| professional presentations at tradeshows focus on | | | | The way to do this was to immerse tradeshow |
| answering the marketing objectives of the company, | | | | visitors in the brand and to highlight the key |
| the company is then better able to deliver on those | | | | messages -- The Difference is Real-Real Meat, Real |
| objectives. The objective of the presentation may | | | | Experts, and Real Commitment -- and to drive at |
| be to have tradeshow visitors become actively | | | | least 400 attendees to participate in the show plan |
| involved by taking a quiz or survey, learn about the | | | | promotion at their tradeshow booth. |
| product in depth from experts who can truly educate | | | | By using a theater backed by content-specific |
| them, become committed to endorsing a charity in | | | | interactive exhibit areas, they were able to |
| their industry, in addition to writing an order. | | | | communicate the key messages: |
| When the objective is to increase sales, a company | | | | • At the Real Meat area, a computerized |
| would be wise to hire a crowd gatherer to get | | | | Pro Plan Product Selector was used to find the right |
| people to its tradeshow booth. Once there, | | | | Pro Plan product for each tradeshow visitor's own |
| attendees need to experience the product first hand. | | | | dog while communicating that the #1 ingredient of |
| There also needs to be a follow up way to have | | | | Pro Plan is Real Meat. |
| your tradeshow guests experience the product once | | | | • At the Real Commitment area, visitors |
| the tradeshow is over. A good idea to extend the | | | | learned about the animal rescue programs Purina |
| marketing of your tradeshow exhibit is offering | | | | supports and were given the opportunity to help |
| redeemable coupons to attendees they can use once | | | | support the cause. |
| the tradeshow is over. | | | | • In the Real Experts area, tradeshow |
| A Case Study: Cohen sites an example of a | | | | guests spoke with breeders and/or a nutritionist to |
| tradeshow live presentation campaign that produced | | | | learn how to tell if their dog is the right weight and |
| highly successful results for Purina Pro PlanÂ(R) at | | | | get answers to other canine nutrition questions. |
| the National Dog Show in Philadelphia in 2005. The | | | | They also had attendees complete a Pro Plan Show |
| campaign was titled "The Difference is Real --Real | | | | Plan quiz and survey and, closing the loop, tradeshow |
| Meat, Real Commitment, Real Experts." In fact, the | | | | booth staff gave away samples and coupons to |
| tradeshow live presentation was so successful that it | | | | drive visitors to purchase now and in the future. |
| was repeated at the Philadelphia's National Dog Show | | | | The solution was a totally integrated tradeshow |
| in 2006, and also at the 2006 Chicago Dog Show and | | | | exhibit marketing program that leveraged a live |
| the Detroit Kennel Club Show. | | | | theatre and activities to attract and educate |
| The campaign began with identifying what key | | | | consumers. |
| message Purina Pro Plan had for the national dog | | | | To have a successful tradeshow presentation, you |
| trade show goers and what the company hoped to | | | | must push all the right buttons of the tradeshow |
| achieve at the tradeshow exhibit. The message | | | | exhibit attendee-no matter whether your |
| focus was that: • Nutritionally, Pro Plan is an | | | | presentation is at the McCormick Convention Center |
| exceptional product. Among top breeders and show | | | | in Chicago, the Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland, |
| dog owners, Pro Plan is the #1 pet food brand. | | | | the Moscone Center in San Francisco, the Hannover |
| However, many consumers are unaware of this. In | | | | Exhibition Center in Germany or the San Jose |
| the specialty market, unaided awareness of the Pro | | | | McEnery Convention Center. |
| Plan brand is only 5% and Pro Plan market share is | | | | |