Submitted by: Chuck Evans, Director of Sales & Marketing
COCA-COLA BILLBOARD PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM
When we acquired the naming rights of Coca-Cola Park, we also acquired marketing assets such as outfield billboards and concourse signage. Early on we used these signage assets to leverage branding of our products. We also took a chance in leveraging one of the outfield billboards with one of our customers, Wegman’s in return for space. The partnership concept worked as we gave Wegman’s a billboard to market their name, and in return we were given additional space in the store for displays. This lasted 5 years, as Wegman’s did not renew their partnership and was going to use that space for their intention to promote alcohol. As a result, we decided to look at using the signage for additional customers.
Through ABE's SMT, in our S-3 Strategy - Grow Volume & Sparkling, we looked to use our Coca-Cola Park assets with our top 2 customers, Giant & Weis. We created a similar program with both in leveraging advertising on the billboards for acquiring additional space for displays to grow sparkling and MC. As a result this past summer, we were up 27.8K cases, 4.2% in volume and up $428.6K, 17.9% in MC over prior year.
To emphasize the results of our display packages thru our Coke Park partnership program with Giant, 20pk volume was up 13.5% and 16.8% MC, and 2L volume was up 11.6% and 26.5% MC.
We also instituted the same Iron Pigs partnership program with Weis and thru incremental displays, 20pk volume was up 44.3% and 123.3% MC, and 2L volume is up 7.5% and 14% MC.
Due to the success, we took this program one step further and have now reached a similar program with our top Independent C&P chain, Topstar and also just reached an agreement with Walmart, running the partnership program Feb - Dec.
The attached picture is the beginning of the Coca-Cola Park partnership program with Walmart.
