Multi-Market In-Store Activation

Initial Situation

air up® approached us with a clear objective:
Increase brand awareness across four core markets, create direct product experiences at POS, and measurably improve retail conversion.

As an innovative beverage brand using scent technology, air up® represents a product that requires explanation. That is precisely why physical brand interaction at the point of sale is essential. In a competitive environment, trial needed to convert immediately into purchase – scalable and performance-driven.

Strategy

Together with our partner agencies in France, the Netherlands and Belgium, as well as our own team in Germany, we developed a coordinated multi-market sampling strategy.

The approach:

• Focus on high-footfall urban retail locations

• Wet sampling to demonstrate the “air up® feeling”

• Clear KPI alignment (trials per day, conversion rate, cost per trial)

• Consistent brand execution with local market adaptation

Target per promotion day:
150+ trials and a conversion rate of approx. 15%.

The activation combined product explanation, experience and direct guidance to shelf.

Implementation

Markets:
Germany | France | Netherlands | Belgium

Locations:
Leading supermarket chains, prime shopping areas and high-traffic retail clusters.

Core touchpoints:

• Live demonstration of scent technology

• Active engagement by trained brand ambassadors

• Direct shopper guidance to shelf

• Performance tracking via daily reporting

Teams were intensively trained with focus on:

• Storytelling around innovation & sustainability

• Clear argumentation versus sugary beverages

• Fast shopper needs identification

All markets operated within a unified reporting framework to ensure comparability and scalability.

Results

• Several tens of thousands of trials across markets

• Significant sales uplift on activation days

• Double-digit measurable conversion rates

• Strong brand visibility in four strategic markets

Particularly effective: the direct combination of experience, explanation and shelf proximity.

Why It Worked

air up® is not a product you simply see – you need to experience it.

In-store sampling reduced the cognitive barrier of an innovative product and translated curiosity directly into purchase intent. Personal interaction built trust, sampling created the “aha moment”, and shelf proximity made purchase the logical next step.

Conclusion for FMCG & Innovation Brands

International POS activation works when:

• Markets are centrally coordinated but locally understood

• KPIs are clearly defined

• Sampling is treated as a performance tool

• Trial and conversion are strategically connected

With the right setup, sampling becomes not just a tactic, but a scalable growth driver.