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Fisherman’s Friend swaps TV for sampling

Fisherman’s Friend has put TV advertising on the backburner as it opts for an experiential sampling approach to shifting packets of its strong-flavoured lollies this winter.

The brand, which is imported by Stuart Alexander in Australia and New Zealand, is looking to drive down the age of people who buy the brand, targeting 30-somethings with a sampling push that asks men to choose between its ‘fresh’ or ‘feisty’ flavours.

Consumers will be able to interact with the ‘Fisherwomen’, characters similar to the one seen in a recent TV commercial in which a woman in a fisherman’s smock slaps in the face with a fish a man who has just eaten his first Fisherman’s Friend lozenge.

The sampling activity will be executed by Naked Communications.

The sampling program will be located at sports events, where there is high footfall of younger audiences. Sampling will be supported by point-of-sale activity and in-store displays from the start of June.

The aim of the campaign is to secure double-digit growth this year: from 4% to 10%.

Paddy Bryans, head of confectionery marketing for Stuart Alexander said: “The shift from TV to sampling is not about saving money. We have the same money to spend, but need to use a different channel.”

“The challenge we face is that Fisherman’s Friend is the one product in the confectionary category that no one would pick up if there was a bowl of them on a table,” he added.

“This campaign is about showing consumers about the variety of Fisherman’s Friend products. They don’t all blow your head off. We want to challenge perceptions by introducing Australians to our new flavours.”

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