We've been keeping Duerrs sales up, north of the border, for several years now, and I was pleased recently to spot across the breakfast bar that increasingly rare commodity, the on-pack premium offer. Tucked inconspicuously under the marmalade lid was an SLP for a 'Golden Jam Spoon'. Curiosity got the better of me, and I sent off my £2.99, then sat back and waited.
Around about a week later (full marks for turnaround), a suspiciously knobbly jiffy bag arrived, crooked labels back and front, addressed to me. I was trying to remember what bit of climbing gear I'd forgotten I'd ordered when out tumbled a rather garishly golden Duerrs-branded spoon that looked like Uri Geller had been up his tricks. Bent double, and then back again, its kinked stem sits remarkably well on the side of a jamjar - so no need to lie it down and make a sticky splodge on the tablecloth. Every B&B should have one. (An idea, perhaps, for the overs?)
In the few days between ordering and receiving my spoon, the supermarket's low-loader had arrived with our weekly online shop. 'Thought we'd try some new jams and stuff.' A selection of tall, thin jars with exotic superfillings like cherry and blueberry, brands I'd never heard of. Staggeringly, they've gone down a storm with the kids and grown-ups alike, and - guess what? - the Duerrs spoon works really well for reaching right down inside them (the tall jars, not the kids).
Wooden spoon? Well - accompanying the Duerrs spoon inside its bog-standard jiffy bag was a selection of zilch. Yes - or rather no - fresh air only. No coupons, no leaflet, not even a comp slip. No nice little gift-box (just a bit of protective poly). No nothing.
What a great opportunity to keep the Mt Difficulty crew brand-loyal to Duerrs... to introduce us to new products in the range... to incentivise us to get out there and buy some more. It's a hard world and a fast-moving one. There's a war going on out there, and every week the consumer's loyalty runs the gauntlet of enemy fire. Sales Promotion is a shield one shouldn't leave behind.
