Question

Topic: Advertising/PR

New And Improved Grocery Cart Advertising Product

Posted by Anonymous on 7/15/2011 at 4:11 PM ET 50 Points
I have invented and manufactured an innovative new product designed to display printed advertising on grocery shopping carts. The prime location of this exciting new device would be most ideal for displaying "point of purchase," in-store products, but will accommodate advertisements for other products or services equally as well.

The sturdy, lightweight plastic construction combined with the unique design of this product provides exceptional strength and durability at a lower than average cost of produce.

The unique location of this new device does not interfere with either front or back advertisements placed at the "child's seat" location or for those at the front location of the shopping cart on either side, or anywhere else on the shopping cart.

Do you think this new form of "ad" awareness for the everyday shopper would be seen as an effective advertising strategy for companies? Would this be of any serious interest to a maketing company? I know that they are always looking for innovative ways to catch customer's eyes for certain products and brand names.

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RESPONSES

  • Posted by peg on 7/16/2011 at 3:17 AM Accepted
    It depends. Most likely the answer lies in the part of the invention that you can't describe here.

    As a general rule, consumer goods advertisers are now interested in "smart" (automated electronic) or innovative advertising systems that can give them an advantage over their competitors directly at the point of sale. They need ways to influence soap decisions while a shopper is in the laundry soap aisle, and create incremental, impulsive pizza purchase decisions when that same shopper switches over the freezer aisle. If your device can help them get closer to that goal, then you probably have a winner.

    However, if the device is limited to static print advertising only, then your advertising base may be limited to the local insurance agents and rug cleaning services that you see in existing grocery cart ad spaces.

    An alternate way for you to realize a return on your device may be this: Apply for a patent on your invention (if you have not yet), and then license your patent-pending device to an existing grocery cart print advertising manufacturer or distributor, or to a large grocery store chain. See one of the major online legal services for advice about how to get a patent application started expeditiously and affordably.

    Hope this is helpful in developing your thoughts. Thanks so much for coming to the Marketing Profs forum.



  • Posted by mgoodman on 7/16/2011 at 2:17 PM Moderator
    Without knowing more about it, this doesn't strike me as being a big, high-value idea. In that sense I agree with peg.

    The possible exception is if you can demonstrate greater effectiveness. It would be ideal if you can get a local supermarket chain to cooperate in a carefully designed matched-panel test in 25-30 stores. If you can demonstrate that your product/approach generates incremental sales (versus a suitable control), then you have a story to tell -- and a product you can market.

    Doing the same thing they do now with the current approach at a lower cost isn't going to be nearly as attractive. Saving money is OK, but it's not usually a compelling reason to abandon what has proven successful in the past.

    Can you set up a test like this?
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