Brands Hand Out Freebies as Online Ads Lose Appeal
Everyone from snack giant Mondelez to small online brands are rediscovering the benefits of an old brick-and-mortar marketing gimmick.
Handing out Oreo Halloween Boo! samples at a Walmart store in Fort Worth, Texas.
Photographer: Shelby Tauber/BloombergOnline ads are delivering less bang for the click these days, so brands are turning to an old brick-and-mortar marketing gimmick: handing out free samples at the local supermarket.
In stores across the US, companies are doling out everything from small-batch nut butter and sanitary wipes to Halloween-themed Oreos. While warehouse clubs like Costco and Sam’s have been offering freebies for years, more retailers are discovering that samples provide something digital marketing can’t: a chance for shoppers to try products before buying them.