Episode 607 Promotional and Experiential Brand Marketing With Al Schuster
Show Highlights
This episode of The SDM Show Podcast, hosted by Rob Cairns, which features a conversation with guest Al Schuster, the founder and owner of Polaris Brand Promotions. The discussion centers on the role of brand ambassador agencies in providing experiential marketing services, such as in-store product demonstrations, trade show staffing, and event activations, for various consumer goods, particularly alcoholic beverages and packaged snacks. Cairns and Schuster explore how these promotions drive brand awareness and sales, emphasizing the importance of planning for peak retail seasons like October, November, and December (OMD), while also touching on the complexities of regulation and effective strategies for client engagement.
Show Notes
This episode features host Rob Cairns and guest Al Shuster, founder and owner of Polaris Brand Promotions, a nationwide promotional and experiential agency. They dive into the world of brand ambassadors, in-store demos, and experiential marketing, exploring how brands connect with consumers through face-to-face interactions.
Meet Al Schuster and Polaris Brand Promotions
- Al Schuster is the founder and owner of Polaris Brand Promotions.
- The agency is located in the greater Philadelphia area but operates nationwide.
- Polaris boasts a database of over 9,000 brand ambassadors across the country, serving clients “coast to coast.” (They recently signed a client for an event in Hawaii—their first “off of coast” event!)
- Services include:
- In-store product demonstrations and sampling events.
- Street teams.
- Trade show booth staffing.
- Pop-up activations at large public gatherings (sporting events, concerts, music festivals).
- Company Motto: “We create unforgettable experiences for your brand.”
- Corporate Team: Steph Crawford (VP of Operations) and Heather Johnson (Business Development Coordinator) manage the process with Al.
The Role of Brand Ambassadors
- Industry Unknown: Al notes that the promotional staffing industry often goes unnoticed because the ambassadors always represent the client’s brand, not their agency.
- Not In-Store Staff: The people offering samples at stores like Costco are almost always hired through an outside agency (like Polaris), not employees of the retailer.
- Why Use an Agency? It’s easier and more cost-effective for brands. Agencies handle the recruiting, interviewing, hiring, training, agreements, and payroll. The client simply dictates the location, activity, and message.
- The Power of Trying: Both Rob and Al discuss the impact of trying a product in-store, with Rob citing the one-touch razor at the Honda Indy and food/liquor samples as examples of purchases made after a demo.
- Focus Groups vs. Demos: While focus groups have value, Al explains that brand ambassadors act as an “unofficial focus group” by gathering real-time customer comments and feedback (e.g., “too sweet,” “would go great with this”) that can influence future mixtures, presentation, formula, or marketing efforts.
Brand Ambassador Careers and Compensation
- Pay Rate: Brand ambassadors can earn between $20 to $40 per hour.
- Full-Time Career: In large markets (like Anaheim, Las Vegas, Orlando) with thriving trade show scenes, large consumer activations, and retail markets, a dedicated person can make a full-time career out of being a brand ambassador.
- High-Volume vs. High-Cost Products:
- Lower-Priced CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) Items (e.g., a $5 snack) are expected to sell at higher volumes (20-30 units or more) during a three-hour demo.
- Higher-End Products (e.g., a $50-$60 bottle of tequila) will sell at lower volumes (two, three, four bottles) but at a higher price point, requiring targeting specific customers.
- Sales Factors: Sales success depends on the product type, price point, venue, time of day/week, and external factors like payday in the local area or major events happening nearby. Al notes they work with stores to schedule demos for the best days and times.
The Busy Season: OND (October, November, December)
- Busiest Time: Al refers to this period as OMD (October, November, December), particularly for alcoholic beverage promotions.
- Why It’s Busy: It’s driven by holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s) and the fact that many brands operate on a fiscal year that matches the calendar year, leading sales and marketing teams to use up their budgets by the end of December.
- Lesson for Clients: Clients need to book their promotions as early as possible (ideally starting in July or August) to compete for limited availability, as stores’ promotional portals can be “grayed out” by late September.
- Holiday Blackouts: Stores often avoid demos on major holidays like Thanksgiving Eve, Christmas Eve, or New Year’s Eve, as they are already swamped with shoppers and don’t have room for tables.
Experiential Marketing: Events and Venues
- Retailers vs. Suppliers: Retailers (like grocery stores) rarely pay for demos because they know people who walk in will buy something. Suppliers (makers) and wholesalers/distributors pay the marketing dollars for promotion to build brand awareness and drive sales of specific products.
- Sporting Events, Concerts, Festivals: These venues are a volume game focused on raising brand awareness and generating leads, not direct sales.
- Activities: Giving away merch or swag, running contests to gather consumer information (leads), or using celebrity appearances for buzz.
- Key Consideration: The activation must align with the goal (e.g., a family-friendly approach for a broader sporting event demographic).
- Timing: Demos often do best before the game when attendees have time to mill around.
- Changing Demographics: Sporting events are no longer “male-dominated.” The increasing attendance of women and families has caused the industry to pivot toward family-friendly engagements and activations that appeal to a wider range of consumers.
Regulation in the Industry
- Heavily Regulated Areas: Alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and gambling.
- Compliance: Polaris checks with the state liquor control board in every state they enter to ensure compliance (e.g., New York requires a marketing permit; Maryland requires a solicitor’s permit).
- Safety Measures: Agencies sometimes implement rules that go above and beyond local laws (e.g., telling brand ambassadors not to pour and leave liquor samples on a table) to protect the public and minimize liability.
Starting a Brand Ambassador Program: First Steps
- Call Polaris Brand Promotions! (The smartest first move.)
- Keep It Simple (KISS): Avoid overly extravagant setups and high-end giveaways initially. You can create an amazing brand experience with simple signage and giveaway items. The key elements that win customers are trying the product and the quality engagement with the brand ambassador.
- Determine Your KPIs (Key Performance Indicators): Brands must define their return on investment (ROI) goals. This includes what constitutes a successful demo, both in terms of direct sales and long-term brand awareness/loyalty (like a billboard).
- Value vs. Cost: Don’t choose the cheapest agency. Understand the full value of the services provided for the rate. Polaris includes services like account scheduling, confirmations, and liability insurance in their rate, offering a greater value than a lower hourly rate might suggest.
Contact Al Shuster and Polaris Brand Promotions
- Website: polarisbrandpromotions.com
- Visit the “Contact Us” page, fill out a form, and the team will be in touch within a few hours.
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