Case Study - Salem

CHALLENGE:

1. Newspaper is the only legal medium for cigarette advertising.
2. Very limited retail outlets in the Chinese market.
3. Salem had not been available in the Chinese retail outlet till then.
4. Salem's new pack design had to be established in the market along with the task of brand awareness.
5. No budget for research was available to look into consumer insights peculiar to this market.

SOLUTION:

Strategy: Event marketing through "Supreme Karaoke Contest", which would involve the target audience as well as create tremendous brand awareness.

Media:  Planned print advertising on stringent media plans and schedules.

Operation: 

• Era Integrated successfully negotiated with top 8 Chinese karaoke bars to co-organize Salem semi-final at their bars.
• Promoted Salem heavily by means of merchandising materials through the participating karaoke bars.
• Organized the hosting of the Grand Finale at Markham Theatre.
• Branded the event with designs & illustrations along with strong programming with high production values.
• Extensive merchandising efforts put together for both the semi finals and the finals Karaoke event.

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Salem - Icon	Salem - Version 1	Salem - Version 2
Salem - Version 3	Salem - Version 4

RESULT:

• Salem as a brand achieved an immolate increase of sales in and around the event locations by about 22%.
• Salem sales went up by 60% as compared to the year before.
• "Salem Supreme Karaoke Contest" became a case study that was presented at the JTI-MacDonald International sales conference in Geneva.

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