SCOTT UNFOLDS NEW PRODUCT PROMOTION

RUSSELL REDMAN

BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Building on advertising impetus from supermarkets, Scott Paper here is rolling out a worldwide promotional campaign, including television spots, for its repositioned household and personal-care paper products.

Supermarket chains nationwide -- including Giant Eagle, Safeway, Albertson's, Winn-Dixie, Harris Teeter, Kroger Co., Waldbaum's and Omni Superstore -- have run full- and half-page newspaper ads devoted to Scott's new product initiatives since they began entering stores in June, said Alex Armas, a Scott spokesman.

For example, this month, Central Islip, N.Y.-based Waldbaum's ran a half-page ad introducing the new Scott products, with shelf markers indicating sale items.

The ad said, "New Scott household cleaning and personal-care product innovations . . . And save on these revolutionary Scott products at Waldbaum's." Below that were three manufacturer coupons: a single-roll six-pack of Scott Clean paper towels for $2.99, a 100-count or 78-count Ultra Guard tub of Baby Fresh wipes for $2.79 and a 12-roll pack of Cottonelle bathroom tissue for $2.99. In an earlier full-page ad, Pittsburgh-based Giant Eagle showcased Scott's full line of new items, featuring facial tissue, paper towels and bathroom tissue under the Scott, Scott Clean, Scott 1000, Viva, Viva Ultra and Cottonelle brands as well as Viva scrub cloths and Cottonelle, Kid Fresh, Wash A Bye Baby, Gentle Touch and Baby Fresh wipes.

Coupons at the bottom of the ad offered 75 cents off a six-pack of Scott Clean single-roll towels, 50 cents off a 78-count or larger package of Baby Fresh wipes and 40 cents off a multipack of Cottonelle bathroom tissue. The net price of each product after the coupon savings was listed.

Giant Eagle officials declined to comment on the ad. But a local observer said Giant Eagle typically supports such ads with endcaps or other in-store displays.

Other supermarket ads focused on selected items. A half-page spot by Winn-Dixie Stores, Jacksonville, Fla., had coupons for 25 cents off one double-roll of Scott Clean towels and 40 cents off a multipack of Cottonelle bathroom tissue. Cincinnati-based Kroger Co. spotlighted Viva Ultra paper towels in a full-page color ad picturing the product, offering a one-roll package for $1.25. The ad said, "The paper towel that's more towel than paper."

Scott has been repositioning products since before it entered a merger agreement with Kimberly-Clark Corp., Dallas, this summer. Before the TV spots began, Scott spokesman Armas said promotion focused primarily on couponing and large ads in major newspapers. A Scott sales director told SN upon the products' initial rollout that some in-store demonstrations also would support the effort.

"It's basically to generate awareness about Scott's new packaging," Armas said.

The redesigns included new names, such as Scott Clean, Scott 1000 and Viva Ultra; additional sizes, such as Scott bathroom tissue multipacks, Scott Clean triple-roll paper towels and larger multipacks of Cottonelle bathroom tissue; and livelier labeling for the Scott, Cottonelle, Viva, Baby Fresh, Kids Fresh, Gentle Touch and Wash A Bye Baby brands.

"We're piggybacking that with the introduction of new products. And since all of this has occurred recently, we decided to do a big promotion to get big exposure," Armas said. New products include Viva Scrub Cloth reusable paper towels as well as Cottonelle with Baking Soda and Cottonelle Moist bathroom tissue.