Cosmetic Sales at Drug and Discount Stores Rise Due to In-store Demonstrations

Shoppers visiting Shopko stores in June were surprised to find professional makeup artists promoting CoverGirl products such as Simply Ageless Foundation, TRUblend Foundation and Loose Powder, Perfect Point Plus Eyeliner, Eye Enhancer Eye Shadow, and Eyelights Mascara.  Over 560 customers took advantage of the free makeover and that translated in almost 2000 sales in just 4 hours! 38% of the customers who had the makeover had never used CoverGirl cosmetics and were glad to be able to try before they bought. In addition, 3000 coupons were distributed which will bring the customers back, and 51% of customers surveyed intended to make a purchase.

The Saturday event was supported by an ad and the same store sales increased in these 93 stores by 17% in dollars and almost 23% in units. The chain is considering offering more such events combined with super saver ad programs.

Over at Navarro Drugs, a small chain catering to a mainly Hispanic market, professional, bi lingual makeup artists demonstrated TruBlend Liquid Makeup, Simply Ageless Foundation, TruConcealer, Wetslicks, Lash Blast Luxe ,Eye Enhancers, TruCheeks Blush, Perfect Point Eyeliner  and Continuous Lipstick to customers. Over 267 pieces were sold in less than 4 hours in the 10 Miami area stores. Of those who didn’t purchase that day, 30% indicated intent to buy. At both Navarro and Shopko, customers could enter to win a free beauty basket filled with CoverGirl Products – one per store.

Both programs were completely coordinated and executed by Cosmetic Promotions Inc. The company secures the professional makeup artists, trains them and handles all the details to insure a successful event.

We’ve found mascara that isn’t so thick that it clumps but doesn’t have so much liquid that it smudges. We liked the Revlon Beyond Natural Defining Mascara creamy formula, because you can layer without clumping. This mascara also has a unique brush so you can actually comb through your lashes. The result is very natural looking; we suggest this product for when you’re going to be outside or for work.

This article was written by Kristen Jason at Cosmetic Promotions. For more information on Cosmetic Promotions, please check out their website www.cosproagency.com or contact Kristen direct at kcopeland@cosmeticpromotions.com.

Targeting Hispanic Women at Community Events

Harrisburg, PA – RITE AID has been working with Cosmetic Promotions Inc, a National marketing company that specializes in beauty, to promote their beauty and health department to Hispanic females by attending a series of 10 community events in 4 key Hispanic markets. The program is in its 4^th successful year sending Hispanic bilingual models to various conferences and festivals to distribute 20,000 beauty and health sample bags to female attendees.  Attendees of these events have always been thrilled with the sample bags that include products geared to Hispanics from RITE AID Beauty/Health vendors including  Smooth n’ Shine, Colgate, Tropez, Kiss, Jane Cosmetics, Clearasil, JNJ, L’Oreal, LA Looks, Palmers, Therma Flu, Dove and DeveloPlus.  In addition, some of the bags contain a prize of a $100 RITE AID gift card.

An upcoming event is the 33^rd Annual National Hispanic Women’s Conference being held this year on May 22^nd in Pasadena, California at the Convention Center. Over 3,000 Latinas are expected to attend this one-day conference that focuses on professional development and networking. The day includes workshops on career planning, educational achievement, financial planning and life empowerment as well as a runway fashion show. The conference’s signature event – Women of the Year Awards Luncheon – honors three exemplary Latinas who have influenced their chosen industry and have made a mark on society as a whole.

Bags will also be distributed to the first 2,000 females who attend the Hispanic Cultural Street Festival in downtown Los Angeles on May 24^th. Over 30,000 people are expected to attend this annual weekend celebration of Hispanic music, food, dance, art and culture. A free Health & Wellness Village will offer screenings, blood pressure, preventative programs and bilingual materials for festival-goers while Latin, Jazz and Pop musical acts will captivate the audience.

On May 30^th, the first 2,000 females attending the 10^th Annual Cuban Parade and Festival in N. Bergen, New Jersey will receive a RITE AID Hispanic Sampling Bag. This festival is all about honoring the vast contributions of Cuban-Americans in the United States and is expected to attract over 50,000 people. The festival will feature food kiosks with traditional food and plenty of entertainment and music by various artist and groups.

This sampling program is in addition to RITE AID’s African American (Beauty the RITE Way) and Teen (Glam Camp) beauty target sampling programs. All three programs are completely coordinated and executed by Cosmetic Promotions Inc.  The company secures the vendors, the bags and all the venues for distribution. The Hispanic program begins its 5^th year in July and will run through June 2010 and events will be in the Philadelphia, Los Angeles, New York and New Jersey areas.

Glam Camp Program is a hit at Teen Community Events

Harrisburg, PA RITE AID stores, working with Cosmetic Promotions Inc, a national beauty marketing and promotion firm, attract Teen shoppers to their stores by attending various Teen events around the Nation. For the 2^nd year, CPI sends attractive young models along with high-value giveaways to targeted events happening in 5 of RITE AID’s strongest markets that match up with a high teen population. The giveaway is a custom designed “Glam Camp” duffle bag that contains 12 beauty product samples and coupons from RITE AID’s vendors such as Jergens Natural Glow, Jesse’s Girl Eye Dust, Clearasil Daily Face Wash,  Colgate Max Fresh Toothpaste,  John Frieda Clear Glaze,  Hawaiian Tropic Oil Free Faces, Maybelline Volume Seduction Lip, Wet n Wild Lip Gloss, Ban Solid Deodorant, Got2Be Smooth Operator Hairspray, Yes to Carrots Sample, Playtex Gentle Glide Slender Tampons and a Seventeen Magazine Subscription Card. The Glam Camp bags are also a gift themselves as they are a pink and black small duffle bag with a hip logo that can be re-used for school, events, or hobbies.

RITE AID Glam Camp was excited to be involved in this year’s 94.5 WPST Prom Expo which happened on March 22^nd in Hamilton, NJ.  The 1^st 500 event attendees to arrive received the FREE Glam Camp Bag valued at over $25. The event was promoted heavily in advance on the radio as well as on the PST website.  There was a “Pimp your Prom” contest which offered PST listeners a chance to win a complete prom package for 5 couples including limousine, dresses, tuxedos, make-over and spa services! In addition to the contest, vendors and sponsors had the opportunity to showcase their business, products and services. The Expo PST’s Totally Interactive Night Show host, Shinn, hosted the event. “Even though we didn’t win the ‘Pimp my Prom’ we loved the Rite Aid goody bag” said one attendee; “There is such great stuff in here. I will use all of these; especially the Jergen’s bronzing lotion.”

Another popular event is the annual US Spirit Cheerleading Event held in Columbus, Ohio this past March which had a target audience of teen girls 15-to 19 yrs of age. The Glam Camp bags were handed out over the three days of competition to 1500 attendees. The RITE AID message was promoted via banners at the event to over 3500 participants and almost 8000 spectators.  The event coordinators  felt the free Glam Bags were a big success and perfect fit for the event’s participants and look forward to having RITE AID there again next year.

“Thank you so much for allowing US Spirit the opportunity to work with you in distributing the free Glam Bags to our cheerleaders. The girls absolutely loved receiving the Glam Bags and the moms liked the idea that it wasn’t the usual “junk” but rather items the girls need and will put to good use”, gushed Jen Schenck, US Spirit Coordinator “Each day, the free Glam Bags added much enthusiasm to our already excited cheerleaders. We knew the Glam Bags would be a treat for them, but the wonderful response far surpassed anything we had anticipated!”

The Glam Camp program has been very successful for RITE AID and their vendors. One vendor’s website hits went up 244% after the first bag distribution and continues to grow with each event. “I can always tell when the bags have been distributed” says Jesse Lawrence of Jesse’s Girl, an exclusive RITE AID brand of cosmetics; “because I get so much web traffic the next few days”. Other Glam Camp programs include Back to School Makeovers in 200 stores and a tie in with Seventeen Magazine featuring 8 vendors. All programs are completely coordinated and executed by Cosmetic Promotions Inc. The company secures the vendors, the bags and all the venues for distribution.