According to Neilsen Wire, over 100 million people watch the Super Bowl every year, spending nearly $700 million on snacks like chips, popcorn, crackers and nuts alone —not to mention other party staples like beverages, dips and wings. “The Super Bowl drives a huge amount of business,” says Jeff Specht, Vice President of Marketing for SAS Retail Merchandising. “It’s one day, one superstar event where people are willing to spend more on food for their Super Bowl party than they do to feed their family a holiday dinner.”
One way retailers and vendors can take advantage of this huge promotional period is through large off-shelf displays and themed end-caps. A giant football sculpted out of stacked soda cases, a pop-up of this year’s favorite player positioned over a display of chips and salsa—visual marketing can go a long way to enticing customers to buy.
In-store sampling can also give retailers an edge. Offering a sample of a new dip or a heat-and-serve chicken wing appetizer can take shoppers’ party planning from stressful to simple, all the while lifting sales.
Both strategies have a proven track record. According to the Grocery Manufacturer’s Association, off-shelf displays are one of the best ways to build brand awareness. And both instore sampling and off-shelf displays are amongst the most effective strategies for trial and purchase amongst consumers. SuperMarket News also notes that shoppers who sample spend about 34% more that day in the store compared to shoppers who don’t.
Combining the two strategies can lead to even greater results. According to David Deal, Director of Global Brand Development for Interactions, visible displays help people see the product and draw them over to an event to learn more. “From our research, displays visible from a distance lift sales for demonstration events [like in-store sampling] by 32% on average,” says Deal.