Specialist shopper and and retail communications agency, Raydar, has taken a prize at the 2017 POPAI awards, which sees New Zealand and Australian companies compete.
The Best Sales Promotion went to New Zealand’s Raydar for its Anchor Olympics Promotion, completed for Fonterra Brands, while The Idea Shed had a win in Mobile, Social & Online for its Pernod Ricard Bank of Dad campaign.
The annual POPAI Marketing at Retail Awards recognise and reward best practice, innovation, and excellence in retail and shopper marketing across New Zealand and Australia.
Now in their 19th year, the Awards span 26 categories, covering physical display (both permanent and temporary) and shopper experience.
POPAI ANZ says, “It’s hard to stand out in milk. It is an auto-pilot purchase and shoppers average less than ten seconds to shop the category. This means shoppers do not differentiate much in the sea of white and milk brands struggle to find a place in their lives. Anchor, a sponsor of the NZ Olympic Team, saw an opportunity to connect with shoppers on an emotional level giving them reason to trade up at shelf.
“With Rio 2016 being so distant, even dedicated Kiwi fans would struggle to feel involved, Anchor needed to bridge the gap between New Zealanders and their Olympic heroes.
“During the Olympics over 3.7 million Anchor bottles carried unique codes and collectable athlete profiles. For shoppers the premise was simple: If NZ Win, You Can Win.
“Each code generated an Olympic scenario featuring Kiwi athletes. If that scenario played out in Rio, entrants instantly won a prize ranging from $100 Visa cards to $5 Anchor vouchers.
“Entries nearly tripled the target. 24,000 entrants averaged more than ten codes each meaning shoppers not only chose Anchor at shelf, but did so again and again. More importantly Anchor brought the Olympics home, becoming a brand that helped Kiwis follow their dreams.”
Carla Bridge, general manager, POPAI ANZ says the 2017 Awards maintained the record for the highest number of entries at 157, with a record 1000 votes registered for the relaunched People’s Choice Award.
To achieve Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards, entrants must hit set scores – in the case that a score is not met in any particular category for that year, no prize is awarded.
Bridge says, “The incredible level of innovation coming from New Zealand and Australian marketers in the retail space is exciting to watch.
“It seems with every challenge the retail landscape faces, the retail marketing industry meets head on and grows stronger.
“Marketing is the backbone of retail, responsible for increasing footfall, basket size and bottom line, and it’s crucial that the sector’s contribution is recognised with Awards programs such as this.
“The Grocery Awards are the POPAI Awards’ most tightly contested Awards categories each year, and 2017 was no different, attracting the largest number of entries from around the country.
“Specialty retailers have also really stepped up their game when it comes to retail and instore marketing in the last couple of years, and this year’s Awards are a testament to those efforts, with specialty campaigns beating out FMCG, the traditional owners of this space, in all the Pinnacle Awards categories.”
