Potato chip brand Lay’s brand has launched a new campaign in New York City in partnership with Uber, which could hold some clues about how marketers will adopt sampling to the digital age.
The PepsiCo’s brand usd Uber’s courier service to pass out free picnic baskets that included Lay’s potato chip flavors to Uber customers who logged on to Uber’s site and entered a code.
The basket will also include two sandwiches from Katz’s Deli, fruit and two bottles of Aquafina water, which is owned by PepsiCo.
Lay’s launched the digital campaign to promote the second year of its “Do Us a Flavour” contest, which will end in a new potato chip flavour for the brand.
PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay North America reported 2% revenue growth in the second quarter, which some analysts viewed as a lacklustre performance.
Sampling is a key part of the plan to raise awareness, and the new campaign shows the direction that the practice may take in the future.
In traditional sampling, brands hired third-parties typically hand out products at or near supermarkets. But through the Uber program, Lay’s is testing the notion that people might pay more attention to a brand if they actively summon it, rather than randomly encounter it at the store. Such strategies could become critical as more people buy goods online using channels such as Amazon.
The Uber program was be capped at 200 total deliveries over the two days and was only be available in Manhattan between 14th Street and 96th Street.