Case Studies

Promotions and events

Article taken from The Publican Newspaper, 22 September 2003

Well-managed promotions are a powerful means of boosting business in a targeted and controllable way. With just a little bit of planning, they are easy to run and very popular with customers.

Raise your pub profile and performance with well-run promotions

Promotions are a great way to build up business at specific times or with specific lines - introducing a happy hour, launching a new product or a lunchtime menu for example. They also give you the opportunity to profit from new product development and national promotions run by major suppliers.

Planning for success

When planning your promotions, it's important to have clear objectives and to know how you are going to communicate with customers. Talk to your suppliers about how they can help you with national and local events.

Key tips

Key tips:

• Agree what you want to achieve and use the right kind of activity to make it happen
• Agree timings and brief your team
• Decide your communication method - posters, Optic strips, leaflets, press releases, etc.
• Choose activities that produce maximum impact
• Monitor results and learn how to build on your successes

Promotions in practice...

Here are just a few examples of how to use soft drinks promotions to boost sales:

• Increase awareness of particular products

  A special price promotion, attractive back-bar display or a “free” tasting can be ideal to push sales of high value or new products. For example, the exciting new product launch featuring Vanilla Coke, linked with Bacardi - an ideal opportunity to promote the profitable spirit mixer sale. According to Andy Monk of Coca-Cola Enterprises Ltd (CCE) “consumers have reacted very positively to the introduction of Bacardi and Vanilla 'Coke' with some outlets showing weekly sales of 370 bottles of Vanilla 'Coke'”.

• Time limited special offer

  Want to introduce a new lunchtime menu? Half price soft drinks in launch week could help get your service noticed.

• Increase business in quiet periods

  Early evening trade could get a real lift with a spirit mixer special offer and a midweek meal deal could help you compete more effectively for that lucrative lunchtime trade. A recent trial displaying “Schweppes” tonic and Gordon's Gin together boosted sales by 25 per cent (John Clements, Scottish & Newcastle).

And then there are national promotions that you can tap into for special events and occasions...

Promotions kicking off!

A prime example of a popular promotion was National Pub Football Week, in which leading independent pub groups got together to encourage business around the Euro 2004 qualifier games. The promotion also involved major drinks manufacturers.

David Bremner, head of sales development at Punch Pub Company, saw it as an opportunity to drive sales of all beer and non-beer products, as well as providing customers with some great offers and a good atmosphere for watching the games.

CCE is actively supporting the promotion and David is quick to recognise the value of its involvement. “The 'Coca-Cola' football kit represents excellent value,” he says. “It costs the pub £25 but includes six footballs, 24 'Coca-Cola' branded glasses and a scratchcard mechanic where a customer will win a Premiership shirt worth at least £45.”

David is also aware of the contribution soft drinks can make to sales. “It is difficult to entice pubs to run soft drinks promotions,” he says, “but there is great value in driving trading up and encouraging more lunchtime trade. What pubs often forget is that their lunchtime competitors aren't just other pubs but high street retailers and coffee shop chains.”

National Pub Football Week was designed to be easily introduced and communicated to customers through a dedicated website and an awareness kit for publicans which includes external banner, bunting, beer mats, posters and fixture dates posters.

The event culminated in the crucial final qualifying games held on October 11, 2003.

Activity type

The type of activity you choose to run depends on the occasion and what you wish to achieve.

The type of activity you choose to run depends on the occasion and what you wish to achieve.
Objective	Activity
To increase customer awareness of particular products	Sampling event Back-bar display Price-related promotion
To provide a special offer for a limited time	Price-related promotion
To increase trade during quieter periods	Early evening spirit-mixer deal Mid-week meal deal
To boost events	Themed evening featuring related drinks promotions e.g. salsa night, karaoke 'The Big Match' - big screens can pull in crowds