Simple ideas pay at the point-of-purchase

Your vision of point-of-purchase advertising (MW June 8) rightly highlighted that this style of consumer marketing is growing against a backdrop of declining TV revenues.

Technological developments such as floating holograms and interactive advertising media appear to deliver the “wow” factor for PoP advertising, but one question missing from the article was: “What do shoppers actually want?”

The article pointed out that in-store TV is not yet proven to add value to supermarket stores – or perhaps more importantly, it hasn’t added value to customers’ shopping experience.

These days, we’re busy people who want to shop quickly and efficiently. In-store media should not interrupt our shopping, but should provide time-pressed customers with inspiration and ideas. In-store TV demands that customers stop and actively consume the message. With 10,000 brands and 100,000 variants in a typical store, and everyone under pressure for time, is this a realistic request?

Surely the way to engage with customers is to put advertising in front of their eyes – on the end of the trolley they push or the basket they carry during their visit. The best and most effective ideas are often the simplest.

When advertisers can segment shoppers by shopping mission, delivering relevant messages at the right time, this adds further refinement, but not complexity. For example, snack and impulse brands wanting to target convenience shoppers have a ready-made advertising platform in basket media; for top-up shoppers, there is a top-up trolley advertising panel; and there is also a trolley panel designed to capture the big weekly stock-up shopper.

These simple and effective in-store media platforms track very well in terms of awareness and message out-take, which translates into higher sales. There’s a bright chap in advertising and marketing who’s built a very successful business from wire and plastic products. PoP advertising should stick to things customers want and that work, rather than constantly trying re-invent the wheel.

Alan Valler

Head of sales

Redbus Outdoor

London W1