To garner the most reach, EMS sought the most highly attended, multi-day event that would reach the Dr Pepper target demographic. After research, the team landed on the Columbus Arts Festival, a three-day event that attracts over 500,000 in attendance annually and held in the prime of summer.

To stand out in a sea of white tents provided to all vendors, EMS produced giant removable decals that spanned the 10′ x 20′ tent tops and backwalls that could be seen from far distances. Large can signage, branded tablecloths, and barrel coolers complemented the display. Pink napkins and strawberry string lights added a nice touch.

Four energetic Brand Ambassadors, dressed in Dr Pepper Strawberries & Cream tees, were on hand to sample pours of Dr Pepper Strawberries & Cream and Dr Pepper Strawberries & Cream Zero Sugar throughout the weekend-long event.

The simplicity and effectiveness of the display, combined with the goal of focused distribution and event selection, made this one of our most successful sampling programs to date! Prime booth placement, vibrant branding, large signage, and an enthusiastic team of Brand Ambassadors were key to drawing in event attendees to sample the new flavor.

High foot traffic resulted in engagement with 9,077 event attendees and the distribution of 9,500 total samples over three days which was an average of about 413 sample/hr.

Plus, some guests even stayed to share their feedback on the new flavor and their experiences from leaning about the flavor via social media to purchasing the product (that was sold out locally!). Overall, the sampling activation was a success that garnered overwhelmingly positive feedback about Dr Pepper and the newest flavor, many calling their friends and family over to give it a try!