Fast Ideas for Point of Purchase Displays

Take a moment to imagine you're walking into your local grocery store. What do you see? Shoppers, aisles, and lots of products. So, so many products. It's easy and common for customers to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of options they have whenever they walk into a store, whether it's a small convenience store or a mega-warehouse. So what happens when a customer has too many choices? Particularly in a pandemic, when they may be in a rush to leave a crowded store. Well, their brain subconsciously makes the decision easier by quickly prioritizing factors like familiarity, packaging, or price. Finer details like ingredients, taste, health benefits, or brand values can fail to register with customers making their decision in the aisle. The phenomenon, known as information overload, is common in our everyday lives, and it poses a unique challenge for emerging brands looking to compete in crowded Brick-and-Mortar stores.

So, if you own a brand or are a marketing manager, how do you cut through the noise of a crowded shelf and grab the attention of a wandering shopper? Get creative and create some advertising that POPs!

Point of Purchase (POP), similar to Point of Sale (POS), is a marketing term used to describe when and where a buyer is committing to a purchase. POP advertising is then advertising in places where customers make their purchasing decisions, like in-store aisles and windows. If done effectively, POP advertising can significantly impact brands looking to grow their market share by conveying information or emotion that doesn't jump off the packaging. 

Thinking back to your local grocery store. The most visible examples of POP advertising you'll recognize are extravagant displays for the Super Bowl set up just after the new year. These gigantic arrangements transform ordinary beverage cases into billboards and shelving into branded paneling. 

Even if you don't have the marketing budget of, say, a billion-dollar corporation, or even if you focus on regional distribution rather than national, there are still opportunities for you to augment your brand's marketing strategy with POP advertising. 

If efficiency is one fundamental principle of your marketing, then having multi-use advertising materials can be an effective cost-saver. Consider this POP item used by Rockstar Energy Drink, used to promote a vacation giveaway contest:

In stores, the item can be used as both a window sign or a "case card," which covers the exterior of a box of products. Companies that offer commercial printing and graphic design, like Excalibur Displays, can work with your small business to create multi-use advertising materials that are perfect for retail space.

You may also consider using banners, flags, or posters. These items can be purchased in smaller quantities and have a giant presence wherever they go. Marin Bikes, a high-quality bicycle manufacturer, shipped this small, dual-sided flag to second-hand retailers who would be interested in adding quality decor to their shops. 

Most importantly, the flag helps Marin Bikes stand out in a crowded store, but it also conveys customers' information about the brand. Marin Bikes have the exceptional quality that appeals to high-performance athletes, and also the durability that interests weekend riders and daily commuters. That's a lot of value for a $50 flag.

However, you don't always have to go as big as a window sign or a flag to promote your brand; sometimes, relying on subtly can be just as effective. Shelf strips can snuggle right up next to your product's price tag in stores, and they're the perfect way of grabbing the attention of a customer who may be looking at similar items. If, for example, a hesitant shopper isn't sure what energy drink to grab at the store, they may be guided to your brand if they see interesting information that might not stand out on your product's packaging at first glance; and, as discussed earlier, first impressions can be critical for landing new customers.

If you've seen something you liked in this article, or you want to learn more about POP and POS advertising, don't hesitate to start elevating your brands' presence today. Our team of expert designers are happy to help you, and you can reach them by emailing info@excaliburdisplays.com or calling +1 (866)-948-0100.