Just Born Inc. is asking consumers to “Sample This” with the first Canadian marketing campaign for its chewy fruit-flavoured Mike and Ike candy.
Just Born launched the Ontario-focused effort based on the brand’s strong sales results there, said Donald Houston, senior brand manager for Mike and Ike.
“We felt based on the growth we’ve been experiencing that now was the right time to do in-market activation,” he said. “Now just felt like the right time to communicate with consumers directly with the Mike and Ike brand message.”
The Mike and Ike program is based on an existing U.S. campaign, adapted for Canadian audiences, said Houston.
The effort includes transit and radio, and drives consumers to MikeAndIke.ca where they can instantly win one of over 1,000 music-themed prizes, like Rock Band 2, MP3 players and ring tones.
The Canadian website, developed by Amplitude Marketing Group and Pipeline Interactive, also houses product information, an arcade, and allows users to download branded screensavers, IM icons and wallpapers.
A 30-second radio spot, airing on Z103.5, The Edge and The Flow, features a teenager testing his tasting skills. He closes his eyes, pops a Mike and Ike from a box of Tropical Typhoon into his mouth, and tries to guess which flavour it is. A friend wanting to test her tastebuds joins the teen. The spot ends with a male voiceover inviting listeners to test their taste buds.
The program also includes in-store displays at major retailers as well as sampling at over 30 key events this summer including Blue Jay games, Caribana, Wild Water Kingdom and the Manifesto Hop Hop music festival.
The company will also deploy a branded sampling team during frosh week at several universities this September.
“Getting the candy into the hands of the consumers, have them taste it, is absolutely key,” said Houston. “We have great tasting candy, consumers have said that to us… it’s one of the key drivers to get them to try it.”
Boom Marketing is managing the sampling initiatives, while Bluesky Strategies developed in-store promotions. The campaign wraps up in September, with Mediaworx handling the buy.
