newsXpress invents a season and drives traffic for its members

Two years ago newsXpress launched unicorn promotion. It was a success.  Last year, it expanded the promotion, launching Unicorn Season. Thanks to the support of a group of different suppliers, terrific in-store displays and collateral and online marketing, it was a hit.

This year, on July 1, newsXpress launched Magical / Unicorn season – a broader season build around the fun, magic and mystery of unicorns.

This now established season has broad demographic appeal. It is also easy to engage with in-store as well as online. Plus, it is a leave-behind opportunity, with unicorn and related products a key segment offer inn the gift department.

Attracting shoppers through a campaign that is fresh and banner group specific is a good move because there is less competition in this same space. I think that is a factor in the success for this season.

While the usual seasons remain important, it is these new seasons that can be more valuable at driving incremental traffic and purchases.

Here are a few photos of in-store execution from different newsXpress businesses.

There are plenty more stores engaged than these four. The traffic and revenue success tells us this type of blue ocean promotion is well worthwhile.

The supplier offer is broad with ten different suppliers offering products for this season.

The season is worthwhile because not recasts how people see each business and what they expect they cn purchase there.

While I see other retailers, including some newsagents, with unicorn products, none has embraced it as a season with in-store support through collateral, events and more.

As our channel continues to evolve through falling traffic for newspapers, magazines, stationery and lottery products thanks to online and other factors, we must create other opportunities for shoppers to visit our shops. This is where unicorn season, and similar fresh and unique seasons, play well for us. The new shoppers they attract can become shoppers beyond the season. Existing shoppers, too, as I have noted, spend up thanks to a great display.

This season is one example of how we can grow our businesses in the face to the doom and gloom of some. It is not too late.

Footnotes:

1. To any who may make fun of this when talking to colleagues in the channel, and not here, unicorn season is one small tactic of a comprehensive year-round online and offline newsXpress strategy pursuing new traffic and revenue. Any criticism would be ignorant without store performance data.
2. I am a director of newsXpress Pty Ltd.