WAKEFERN, P&G JOIN IN DIRECT-MAIL CAMPAIGN

RICHARD TURCSIK

ELIZABETH, N.J. -- Wakefern Food Corp. here has teamed up with The Procter & Gamble Co., Cincinnati in a direct-mail campaign containing coupons for P&G paper goods and personal care items.

P&G sent customers of Wakefern-supplied ShopRite supermarkets a fold-out brochure that looked like a three-story Victorian house.

The advertising vehicle portrayed a spring home improvement theme, using its center to describe how Bounty paper towels, Pampers, Always maxi-pads and Charmin toilet tissue can help improve life in a household.

The brochure also touted the benefits of shopping at ShopRite. "You'll find a house full of low prices at ShopRite. Everyone likes saving money. So why go anywhere but ShopRite?" it asked. "Where you'll find great low prices on the products you want most. Aisle after aisle of them. Good deals. Good quality. At ShopRite we're right on the money."

On the brochure's back, across from the mailing address sticker, it used the slogan "This little house holds valuable coupons from Procter & Gamble and ShopRite." Inside it contained a 20 cent coupon for Charmin, a $1 coupon for Pampers, a 10 cent coupon for two rolls of Bounty paper towels and a 40 cent coupon for Always maxi pads. While the brochure was geared to ShopRite, the manufacturer coupons can be redeemed at any retailer.

Officials at Wakefern declined comment, but Greg Rossiter, a spokesman at P&G's Cincinnati headquarters, told SN the piece is a "partnership effort" with the retailer, although P&G handles all of the production, logistics and mailing aspects of the brochure.

"These brochures are done based on the interest from a particular retailer in providing some value-added promotion to their consumers to differentiate the retailer and our products as well. It also provides value-added editorial to the product," he said.

P&G has used the brochure and similar programs for several years, and has been "pleased" with the results. While the brochures are produced at certain times of the year, they are not necessarily distributed in conjunction with a specific holiday or event, like spring house cleaning, Rossiter said.

"With this program we're trying to build brand loyalty and store loyalty for our customers as well. Depending on the size of the promotion that determines how much editorial, the number of coupons, etc. We have also done this with other retailers," he said.

Rossiter said that participating chains must purchase a specified number of cases of featured P&G products for their part in the promotion.

While a ShopRite here visited by SN did not have displays of the P&G products, an extra three cases of Bounty paper towels were placed on the floor for shoppers in front of Bounty's shelf space.