EFMP Swiss partner, USP Partner, developed and implemented a highly personalized Christmas promotion for the iconic Swiss herb candy brand, Ricola. The activation took place at the event village of the annual Humorfestival in Arosa in the lead up to Christmas.
Emil Richterich spent much of his time researching the healing properties of herbs and experimenting with his own mixtures. The breakthrough came in 1940 with the invention of the 13-herb blend. Thus the Ricola original herb drop with its distinctive square shape was born. Emil Richterich’s virtually unchanged recipe still serves as the basis for all Ricola herb drops today.
The objective for USP Partner was to create an activation that was unique to the Humorfestival as well as in line with the season leading up to Christmas.
The activity offered a highly personalized experience of the Ricola brand, with the intention of attracting new customers, generating sales, and getting as many people as possible to sample the iconic Ricola candy, with the sentiment that Ricola belongs in every pocket.
Using the 4 most popular flavors namely Original, Lemon Mint, Elderflowers and Glacier Mint, USP Partner set up the XXL Limited Christmas Edition booth where consumers were able to personalize a box of Ricola candy. USP Partner arranged predesigned opaque labels, which could be customized on site using a thermal transfer printer. With the personalized labels stuck on the Christmas Limited edition, the pack was the perfect Christmas gift that consumers could purchase for themselves or as a gift for someone else.
Using the bright yellow brand colors, the USP team designed eye-catching stand elements. The brand ambassadors were neatly dressed in the same brand color that was easily recognizable and caught the attention of passing consumers. Brand ambassadors were thoroughly trained on the Ricola brand, products and promotion so that they were well informed to advise and persuade consumers to try and buy the herbal candy.
The novelty of this activation and the fact that it was not available anywhere else gave consumers even more of a reason to participate in the promotion.
USP Partner once again showcased their creativity and expertise in brand activation. The agency was responsible for the conception of the activity together with its customer Ricola and ensured a smooth implementation of all aspects that are entailed in bringing an engaging and personalized consumer brand experience to life.