IGA Partners With Busch Gardens For KidsFest Retail Marketing Event
CHICAGO -- IGA here and Busch Gardens are partnering to bring the eighth annual kid-focused summer marketing event to IGA retailers via the IGA Hometown KidsFest, set to take place July 29 through Aug. 11 in participating IGA stores across the country.
As the third marketing event in the 2007 IGA "Family, Friends & Food" marketing program, IGA Hometown KidsFest is being sponsored by IGA Red Oval vendor partners, including Campbell Soup Co.; The Coca- Cola Co.; Coca-Cola Hydration Business Unit; ConAgra Foods, Inc.; Georgia-Pacific Corp.; The Hershey Co.; Kraft Foods; Nabisco; Nestle USA; Nestle Purina PetCare Co.; The J.M. Smucker Co.; and Unilever.
During the event's two-week time frame, IGA stores will offer valuable savings on brand-name consumer sponsor products, as well as the opportunity for kids to participate in an in-store treasure hunt designed to familiarize children and their parents with sponsor products and teach kids how to be smart consumers by asking them to read product labels.
New for 2007, each child who completes the IGA-provided treasure hunt game card will be entered to win one of two grand prize packages that include a trip for four to the winner's choice of Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa, Fla. or Busch Gardens Europe in Williamsburg, Va. Each trip will include four round-trip coach airfares on Southwest Airlines, hotel accommodations for three days/ two nights, park admission for two days, and four meal vouchers to be used during the guests' visit to Busch Gardens.
The IBA/Busch Gardens partnership was designed to raise awareness for the Treasure Hunt game and its focus on smart shopping. "By incorporating a high-profile consumer prize, we hope to increase treasure hunt participation and reach more kids about the importance of reading labels when shopping," said IGA marketing specialist Princess Reyes.
Added Jayme Filiberto, Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks national promotions manager, "We encourage kids to explore their local grocery store for a chance to 'Explore the Worlds of Busch Gardens.'"
Though the event is based on the Hometown KidsFest treasure hunt, Reyes stressed that the goal when developing each of the events in 2007 was to provide retailers with the resources they need to tailor events to their own communities. For example, during the two-week KidsFest time frame, IGA retailers are encouraged to build creative sponsor product displays, work with local animal shelters to host pet adoption events, and hold outdoor kid-themed carnivals.
"Hometown KidsFest is a perfect example of how our IGA retailers can customize our marketing events to meet the needs of their communities," said Reyes, adding that in many cases, "[o]ur retailers are using this event as a means of developing the most extensive kid-related activities their communities will see all summer."
As the third marketing event in the 2007 IGA "Family, Friends & Food" marketing program, IGA Hometown KidsFest is being sponsored by IGA Red Oval vendor partners, including Campbell Soup Co.; The Coca- Cola Co.; Coca-Cola Hydration Business Unit; ConAgra Foods, Inc.; Georgia-Pacific Corp.; The Hershey Co.; Kraft Foods; Nabisco; Nestle USA; Nestle Purina PetCare Co.; The J.M. Smucker Co.; and Unilever.
During the event's two-week time frame, IGA stores will offer valuable savings on brand-name consumer sponsor products, as well as the opportunity for kids to participate in an in-store treasure hunt designed to familiarize children and their parents with sponsor products and teach kids how to be smart consumers by asking them to read product labels.
New for 2007, each child who completes the IGA-provided treasure hunt game card will be entered to win one of two grand prize packages that include a trip for four to the winner's choice of Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa, Fla. or Busch Gardens Europe in Williamsburg, Va. Each trip will include four round-trip coach airfares on Southwest Airlines, hotel accommodations for three days/ two nights, park admission for two days, and four meal vouchers to be used during the guests' visit to Busch Gardens.
The IBA/Busch Gardens partnership was designed to raise awareness for the Treasure Hunt game and its focus on smart shopping. "By incorporating a high-profile consumer prize, we hope to increase treasure hunt participation and reach more kids about the importance of reading labels when shopping," said IGA marketing specialist Princess Reyes.
Added Jayme Filiberto, Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks national promotions manager, "We encourage kids to explore their local grocery store for a chance to 'Explore the Worlds of Busch Gardens.'"
Though the event is based on the Hometown KidsFest treasure hunt, Reyes stressed that the goal when developing each of the events in 2007 was to provide retailers with the resources they need to tailor events to their own communities. For example, during the two-week KidsFest time frame, IGA retailers are encouraged to build creative sponsor product displays, work with local animal shelters to host pet adoption events, and hold outdoor kid-themed carnivals.
"Hometown KidsFest is a perfect example of how our IGA retailers can customize our marketing events to meet the needs of their communities," said Reyes, adding that in many cases, "[o]ur retailers are using this event as a means of developing the most extensive kid-related activities their communities will see all summer."