2010 is the perfect time to be bold, take calculated risks and leverage on innovation to compensate for constantly shrinking advertising budgets. For those hoping to find new and efficient ways to get the message across and generate sales, here's a newfound opportunity in Puerto Rico called Mediakart. Their slogan says it all: "advertise where it really counts". The shopping cart handle ads available in some major supermarket chains offer a promising opportunity to increase brands' chances to win consumers at point-of-purchase. As if that wasn't enough, check the following reasons to consider it.
Reason #1: Made in Puerto Rico
In a nutshell, Mediakart was created in 2004, by Santos Javier Nazario, a veteran Senior Producer with names like Grey PR (formerly known as WING) and Y&R featured on his resume. After a couple of years it was acquired by Flexcomm, Inc., a locally owned company that now manages the network of more than 7,000 shopping carts, available at Grande, Pueblo, Selectos, Supermax, Econo and Kmart. (Over 60 stores, and counting).
Reason #2: Proven results
The list of brands that have tried the media includes Licor 43, Cap'n Crunch, Café Yaucono, Suiza and Tres Monjitas. Considering that Mediakart is almost booked until August 2010, it seems the little ads on the shopping cart handles are doing well for brands and supermarkets too.
It's hard to have low expectations of a media that places a brand between shoppers' hands, literally, during the 30 to 90 minutes they spend doing their grocery shopping. If it was up to me, I would say "forget branding"; conversion of non-buyers into buyers requires a compelling message such as key product advantages or an incentive to buy i.e. discounts, sweepstakes, etc. Unless you are placing your ads in shopping carts at a bookstore, don't waste such a golden opportunity with "too much information".
Reason #3: Experience
We all have witnessed how several "alternative media" have died while trying to make it big in-store. However, Mediakart has grown slowly but steady during the last five years. Clearly, as the original creator, the new management, integrated by professionals with experience in advertising, B2B sales, and servicing, know what needs to be done to make it work. Since nowadays everyone is talking about shopper marketing, consumer marketing and trade initiatives it's up to their determination to stay strong and keep up with the new demands of such a high maintenance industry.
Here's Mediakart's eCard with details in numbers. Impressive? Yes. Believable? You tell me.
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