CHARLOTTE, NC—The GOED-led AlwaysOmega3s industry coalition has completed a successful test market in Charlotte, North Carolina. In four weeks the integrated marketing campaign increased sales of omega 3s by 5.8 percent, significantly above the 3 percent campaign goal, and also showed a positive increase for the first time in many months.
AlwaysOmega3s is an educational project of GOED with the mission of generating awareness of health benefits and sustaining and expanding the markets for eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids (EPA/DHA) omega 3s.
The test market, which took place from mid-September to mid-October in Charlotte, included television, print and digital advertising, an educational consumer website, targeted public relations, billboard ads and retail store displays.
Based on survey results from two separate samples before and after the test market, an estimated 28,000 to 61,000 new users came into the omega-3 category specifically because of the campaign. It is also worth noting that the market research team analyzed the pricing structure in Charlotte and other geographic markets during the month and determined the increase in sales was not driven by discounts or sales promotions.
Now that the proof of concept has been established, the coalition is fine-tuning plans for a national roll-out in early 2015. Armed with learnings from the Charlotte test market, the coalition feels confident that it can amplify the consumer messaging and impact in a national campaign.
“This is an exciting time in the omega-3 business," said Adam Ismail, executive director of GOED and part of the coalition Steering Committee. “The Charlotte campaign showed that we can reverse the market decline by coming together as an industry and going forward, we welcome the participation of everyone, from suppliers to brands to brick and mortar retailers, with a stake in the EPA and DHA business."
Earlier this month, CRN came out in support of GOED’s petition to allow companies to claim EPA and DHA reduce blood pressure in the general population.