Marathon marketing mix
nutritional products - is to gain direct acces to millions of New
Yorkers next month with the launch of an extensive marketing
campaign in the New York metro region to support its sponsorship of
the ING New York City Marathon.
Abbott Laboratories' Ross Products Division - the maker of Ensure nutritional products - is to gain direct acces to millions of New Yorkers next month with the launch of an extensive marketing campaign in the New York metro region to support its sponsorship of the ING New York City Marathon.
Through a partnership with two New York retailers, ShopRite and Duane Reade, Ross Products Division is aggressively promoting Ensure's new more convenient, reclosable packaging through diverse methods including in-store, outdoor, broadcast, and print advertising.
Chris Scoggins, director of marketing, general nutritionals, Ross Products Division said: "Now that Ensure is in a portable bottle, we've launched this extensive campaign to make people aware that they can drink to their health, wherever they go. The ING New York City Marathon created an ideal opportunity through which we could demonstrate this point."
Advertising methods are to include a free- standing insert distributed October 12 in the New York metro area announcing the sweepstakes, in-store point-of-purchase displays and counter cards throughout October and Radio advertising for the two weeks leading up to the Marathon.
The company also intends to carry out extensive product sampling among the Marathon runners prior to the race at the New York City Marathon Health and Fitness Expo, as well as with race observers in several locations along the race route.
Ensure's sponsorship package of the Marathon, scheduled for November 2, also includes extensive signage throughout the marathon route, coupon distribution and ad placement in the participant handbook.
"With more than 40,000 runners and 2.5 million spectators, the marathon is a prime opportunity to introduce the new packaging," said Roger Bird, divisional vice president, trade sales and marketing, Ross Products Division.
Ensure products are available in six- packs and in five different flavors: vanilla, chocolate, butter pecan, strawberry and coffee latte. The remaining varieties of the Ensure product line - Ensure Plus, Ensure High Calcium, Ensure Fiber with FOS - are expected to be available in the reclosable bottle soon.
Abbott Laboratories' adult nutritional range of products includes Ensure, Glucerna - a nutritional product line for people with diabetes; and ProSure - a specialized nutritional product for people with cancer.
