Pro Motion Experiential Marketing

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of marketing operations for Utz Quality Foods, a snack food manufacturer.

What challenge were you trying to address with Pro Motion Experiential Marketing?

Pro Motion helped us activate our retail brand at various events. The biggest engagement we had with Pro Motion was during a Major League Baseball (MLB) event, where they did sampling for us.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a multi-location sampling opportunity with Pro Motion where they did exit sampling at a stadium for multiple days. Then, there was a big tented event where they handed out prizes and small, one-ounce packages of chips. 

Pro Motion hired and trained people in Cleveland for that specific event. Their staff showed up at 8 AM to set things up, and they remained open from 9 AM–9 PM. There were groups of people coming in and out all day long. 

What is the team composition?

In total, we worked with around 10 people. We worked directly with Steve (President) and Cathi (Account Director) to lay the basic framework of the event. We also collaborated with their staff as well as locals. 

How did you come to work with Pro Motion Experiential Marketing?

I'd worked with them in the past, and I was very supportive of what they do and their approach. That was why we hired them for this event.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested around $25,000–$30,000 for this project. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from July–October 2019. We would’ve worked with them in 2020, but there were few sports games because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The MLB played one-third of their planned games, and most of those were without fans, so I had no work for Pro Motion to do that year. 

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

We had a very good turnout and great engagement in the games. When we put our products in people’s hands, it often translated to them going home and buying our products, which was what we wanted. We saw a marked increase in sales in that market. 

Steve and Cathi did a great job, especially in preparing people and pulling things off. They were highly engaged with us as their customer. I admired their planning, approach, and timeliness — they were truly a good partner.

They were also good at hiring good-caliber people who had done projects like this before. The staff they hired already had an overview of our company and knew interesting facts about us when they came to the events. When people walked up to them, the staff could talk about our company well. They were very polished that way.

Doing these things could be complicated. Sometimes, we'd have people in 3–4 different locations. Handing out a bag of chips may look easy, but it could also be complex. However, Steve and Cathi did a good job. 

How did Pro Motion Experiential Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

In terms of project management, they performed very well. They did nice recaps at the end of the events. They’d been doing these types of projects for a long time, so they were great in project management. We usually communicated using emails and phone calls, and they were very prompt. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their professionalism and experience were most impressive. Pro Motion performed like a very well-oiled machine. They even pointed out some things we wouldn’t have thought of. I personally enjoyed working with them because once they found out what I was looking for, they took it and ran with it. They also kept me informed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Steve and Cathi, along with the rest of the Pro Motion team, can help people to understand what’s involved in such projects — they’re great at doing that. 

We had a gap of well over 10 years between projects, but they picked up this project with us very quickly. They were very professional and their experience really shone through.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Hussmann Corporation is a leader in refrigerated cold displays found in grocery or convenience stores, and we're headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. I'm the VP of specialty products and corporate marketing communications. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Pro Motion Experiential Marketing?

We wanted to be in front of our customers at their locations, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trade shows were canceled and customer visits were limited if they were even possible at all.

Pro Motion gave us a way to go out and meet customers per their schedule at the location of their choice. We also wanted to engage more people other than the usual ones that we engaged with at trade shows or through customer visits. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

This was our second event around the mobile experience where we engaged with Pro Motion. We wanted to showcase nine focus areas around our processes, solutions, and products for the food retail market. They helped us with the concept planning around those focus areas. 

They worked on sourcing, acquiring a trailer, and setting up the buildout and audiovisual equipment, ensuring that the experience was at the level that we wanted. Pro Motion was also responsible for scheduling, logistics, and production resources, including the people who were manning the trailer and providing overall management support. 

Pro Motion worked on some social media marketing tasks. We worked with them on some designs within the trailer, and they sourced third parties to produce and assemble graphics. Moreover, they helped us produce videos, and several of them could be found on LinkedIn and Instagram. Overall, Pro Motion gave us a turnkey offering. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with Steve (President) and Cathi (Account Director). There were three other resources that stayed with the trailer during the entire 12 weeks. 

How did you come to work with Pro Motion Experiential Marketing?

Pro Motion was highly recommended to us by a person within our company that had experience working with them. We did our first project together in 2018, so it was natural that we moved to this next stage with them as a partner. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent over $500,000 on this project. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project was a 12-week roadshow. It lasted from August–November 2020. 

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

During our engagement, we visited 25 different cities, went through 41 states, traveled over 8,000 miles, held 36 events, and visited a total of 343 retail attendees, which comprised 64 food retailers. Along the way, we were able to stop and engage with some Hussmann employees that wouldn’t have participated in a traditional trade show. We were able to bring the show to them and help them understand that the event was special for the industry and our customers.

Our key success metrics included checking whether we started and finished on time as we delivered the experience to the customers. The budget was another metric. Dealing with such large expenditure, we wanted to make sure that we were delivering on our commitments around costs — we surely did. 

Delivering the event in a safe manner was also critical due to the unknowns and safety concerns relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was important not only for the Hussmann and Pro Motion employees but also for the customer service team. 

Lastly, we checked the overall customer engagement. At the end of the day, the project was all about engaging the customers around the solutions that our company developed. In the end, we had discussions in person, and we were able to do them in a safe way. 

How did Pro Motion Experiential Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

I would rate Pro Motion highly on project management. They had a can-do attitude. At the same time, they were transparent about what they were capable of doing and what wasn’t possible, which was important because we were not experts in the space.

We wanted a partner that has experience in similar projects and a team that could quickly field questions and make quick decisions. We had commitments to show up — rain or shine — and be positioned in a way that we could accept customers at the right location. It’s a matter of hours and minutes in some situations. Overall, the team was able to deliver, and they managed the project as expected.

We did Teams and Zoom meetings where we brought in subject matter experts (SMEs) who weren’t able to travel to the events for one reason or another. We also did that for some of our customers. Pro Motion was able to make those things possible. At the same time, they moved the trailer from one location to another, setting it up and then breaking it down to ensure that we delivered on our time commitments with our customers. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Pro Motion was a true partner. During the engagement, they were truly a part of the Hussmann team, and they were interested in making the experience the best for us and our customers. For instance, the resources who were with the trailer understood our focus areas and spoke on behalf of the Hussmann business, presenting our content. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. I can’t call out anything specific.

There were things that we both learned in the process relating to what we could do better going forward. However, a lot of those things had to do with Hussmann’s internal processes and not with Pro Motion. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s all about upfront planning. You must have a true buy-in from your business. You must have a substantial investment, and remember that the success of the project doesn’t depend all on the partner that is delivering the experience. 

It’s a team effort, and the effort should not only come from Pro Motion but also the business that’s using their services. Overall, the success of a project is as good as you make it. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the brand manager for an alcohol beverage company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Pro Motion Experiential Marketing?

The overall brand objective was to build brand awareness and trial with import and craft beer customers.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their role was to work with our team to plan the sampling programs, establish a curriculum for brand ambassador training and partner with local distributors to schedule events.  They would attend the wholesaler kickoff meetings with the brand team; it was a true partnership. They worked directly with the field sales personnel in their respective markets in addition to distributor management and bar/restaurant owners.

What is the team composition?

We had a dedicated program manager, who was our central point of contact.

How did you come to work with Pro Motion Experiential Marketing?

Part of our team had a prior relationship with Pro Motion for another major brewer. We needed to move quickly to get them on the ground.

How much have you invested with them?    

In the first project, we spent $350,000. The second program was roughly $175,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our first major project was from August 2008 to September 2008. A separate project was September–October 2009.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

There were some definite wins that helped the company expand its package distribution. Everyone had their best interests in the outcome so I noticed that they were willing and able to change plans as needed.

They were also very open to accepting feedback. It was an open partnership with direct and clear communication.

How did Pro Motion Experiential Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

There was a draft website used for communication between the brand and Pro Motion for scheduling and communication. Having a central hub and a portal that could talk to Pro Motion directly was a really nice touch. We established clear roles and responsibilities, which we had to nail down early on. They managed the schedule well and were very good in all project management aspects.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were well-versed in the alcohol beverage and beverage sampling industry from working with other brands. It was a huge asset they brought to the table. They were instrumental in helping the brands gain greater visibility and a broader customer base.

Are there any areas they could improve?

From a recapping and program rollout standpoint, I would have preferred to have a consistent presentation of the information and more uniform rollouts of market recaps.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the President of KaBOOM! whose mission is to amplify the power of communities to build inspiring play spaces that spark unlimited opportunities for every kid, everywhere.

What challenge were you trying to address with Pro Motion Experiental Marketing?

Our funding partner had recently completed research relative to how families interact and they rediscovered how important play was positive family family interactions. Basis this research, they developed an idea to do a six-city Play Together tour where we would bring free, fun outside play experience to families in these six cities. We hired Pro Motion to bring this idea to reality.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Pro Motion joined our project team very early in the process. They provided input to the designs themselves, assembled the road team, sourced / produced all the tour equipment we would be using on the tour.  They managed all the logistics and onsite operation as we moved from city to city. They took care of staffing, sourcing ambassadors to support the event and managed teams of volunteers as well.

What is the team composition?

Promotion had two primary leads (who managed their team and the ambassadors), KaBOOM! had two leads, and our funder had two leads. 

How did you come to work with Pro Motion Experiental Marketing ?

Our funding partner provided us with a list of five partners they recommended. We then executed a full RFP process with Pro Motion being selected.

How much have you invested with them?    

We've invested $1 million with Pro Motion over several projects.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together November 2013 and wrapped up our first engagement in September 2014. Since then we have worked together on several other projects of various scales.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

This was the first time KaBOOM! had ever done anything like this at this scale. Pro Motion realized this and took the time to bring us along at our pace. The end result was that the first tour and subsequent events were huge successes and we got rave reviews. They did a really good job of understanding our mission and culture and bringing that to life.

How did Pro Motion Experiental Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

They used a really interactive, disciplined process process that kept us all on track and focused on our objectives.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were professional along every step of the way and made sure their leads really understood what we were all about as a nonprofit. We liked them so much they became our partner for future campaigns.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they always worked to make the experience better and always had great recommendations.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you need to do a large or small event with an experiential component at a reasonable cost, they're the ones I'd recommend by far. As a non-profit, we appreciate that a lot.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former local marketing associate manager of a farm supply retail company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Pro Motion Experiential Marketing?

We were trying to find experiential activation to bring the brand to life. The activation needed to inform customers who we are, what we stand for, and the types of products they can expect to find in our retail and online stores.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Collaboratively, we worked on a year-to-year activation project that went to county and state fairs and community events. Top national brands for many products had interactive games that brought the brands to life at the events. For example, Pro Motion suggested a bean bag toss game. Working together, we expanded it to the bean bags resembling the pet food bags, and when tossed in the mouth of the animal, a sound specific to that animal was heard. They handled 100% of the execution. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with an account rep and an account coordinator. There was a travel team overseen by Pro Motion of about five people that were at the events, along with 2-4 local company ambassadors, depending on the size of the event.

How did you come to work with Pro Motion Experiential Marketing?

The company did an RFP and invited them to be part of the bidding process. I believe the director of my team may have gotten their info from another client.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $800,000 - $1,400,000; 50% company funded, and 50% vendor funded. Pro Motion Experiential Marketing suggested the split.

What is the status of this engagement?

They began the project in 2015, but I worked with them from May 2016 – January 2020. There were 6-8 weeks of event season per year, and prep for the upcoming season was done during off-season months. We finished the 2019 tour and prepped for the 2020 season before I left the company.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

It was a new area for the company to dip into. Pro Motion executed everything well, making the company top of its class at the events. The company struggled with looking at key metrics of things that didn’t directly impact sales, so we challenged Pro Motion on how to measure the success of the tours.

They had formulas to measure impressions and worked with the events to secure branding in other areas within the event itself. This included banners, PA announcements, brochures, program flyers, etc. We used all of that to measure the success of the program, as well as feedback from the company team on-site at the events.

How did Pro Motion Experiential Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

Account management was phenomenal. We had weekly conference calls to stay in touch, an update on how the tours and team were doing, and the reception of the footprint. They were also great at making sure we were able to understand the science behind what they said. Their team was able to represent the program internally from an impression standpoint.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The length of the tour speaks to how great of a partner Pro Motion has been for the company. Unlike other vendors, they did everything in their power to ensure our level of expertise in experiential marketing matched theirs. They went the extra step to make us be experts, as well. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Regarding scheduling, there didn’t seem to always be a firm layout of the event we were going to and what to expect.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t be afraid to ask all your questions. There are no stupid questions. Lean on Pro Motion as the partner.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was a media manager at ShurTech Brands. I was in charge of the marketing for Duck Brand duct tape products. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Pro Motion Experiential Marketing?

We wanted assistance putting on various live events including festivals, pop up shops, and a bus tour across the country. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

The first project we worked with Pro Motion Experiential Marketing was our “Duck Tape Rolls Across America” bus tour.  They helped us prepare the bus in a short amount of time. Their team actually took it on tour for four consecutive summers. 

They’ve also provided support with our annual festival since 2013. They help run the sales tents and manage the in-house marketing team to help with all the activities. 

Additionally, Pro Motion Experiential Marketing organized a pop-up shop in New York City for Duck Brands. They helped us secure the space and transform it. The pop-up shop lasted 12 days and began with a fashion show for the opening. 

How did you come to work with Pro Motion Experiential Marketing​​​​​​​?

I found them online when we were looking for support with our bus tour campaign. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in early 2012. I left the company in March 2019, but as far as I know, they’ve continued the relationship. 

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

During the pop-up event in New York City, we had over 15,000 shoppers visit us, and we sold over 10,000 rolls of tape. That event also garnered a lot of media attention, including a feature on Good Morning America, which gave us exposure to approximately forty million viewers. 

Their team is small, but they know what they’re doing. They worked as if they were part of our organization. 

How did Pro Motion Experiential Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

They were always very responsive to my inquiries, regardless of what time of day it was. We mostly communicated via email and over the phone. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their attention to detail is like none other. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

From my perspective, no. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Just be open and honest, and let them do their thing because they’re truly amazing at it.