Easter ethnic promotion a big draw for drug chains

Drug Store News, May 10, 1993 by Liz Parks

Easter is one of the biggest holiday seasons of the year for African-American consumers, and this year a number of chain drug retailers participated in what may have been one of the biggest blockbuster Easter ethnic promotions ever.

Several retailers told Drug Store News it was one of the most unusual promotions they've ever seen for targeting a select consumer niche--partnering an ethnic product manufacturer, Pro-Line, with a general market manufacturer, the Polaroid Corporation.

The promotion, called the Polaroid/Just For Me Easter Coloring Contest, gave children a chance to win prizes in a local coloring competition, and let mothers shop a store where their child could be photographed with the Easter Bunny. The program ran in 25 high-volume ethnic markets.

Michelle Jones, HBA ethnic buyer for Detroit-based Perry Drug, said Easter is a "very big event" for hair care in African-American neighborhoods.

A buyer for a high-volume chain with many ethnic doors called it a promotion with "an awful lot of consumer appeal.

"Most African-Americans dress up for Easter," this source pointed out. "Families get together to celebrate, to pray and to enjoy a special Easter feast. So what could be more natural than a promotion that features hair care, film and videocassette products?"

Judy Wray, who buys general and ethnic cosmetics for Revco, said the promotion's uniqueness made it one of the "neatest" ideas she's encountered lately.

And Steve Lund, vice president of merchandising for Perry Drug, said Perry especially liked the promotion because it was different. "We felt it would bring a lot of folks in to the stores, and once we get them in the stores, they can see what we have to offer with our selection and our prices, and that has to help sales."

For three weeks before Easter, Pro-Line, Polaroid and participating retailers advertised the contest on local radio stations and in their stores.

They encouraged consumers to come to the store for a coloring sheet application and give it to their children. The coloring sheets were judged by local radio personalities, who separated the contestants into three age groups: 6 to 8; 9 to 11; and 12 to 14.

Prizes included bikes, computers and gift certificates, including restaurant certificates for a family Easter dinner.

To give the promotion even more value, the sponsors gave away instant in-store rebate coupons, plus participating chains featured the products in their local circulars and on end-cap displays, both in the film department and in toiletries.

In select high-volume stores, Polaroid and Pro-Line arranged for a photographer to take the Easter Bunny photos, given free to families who made a product purchase.

"It was especially exciting because it tied the coloring contest into the Easter Bunny pictures," says Michelle Jones. "There are lots of lines at the malls for pictures with the Easter Bunny at this time of year, and this gave us a chance to capture some of that business."

In Los Angeles, Osco/Savon had 100 participating stores, as did Eckerd in Miami. In Detroit, Perry Drug had 80 participating stores. Other chains included Walgreens, Rite Aid, Big B, Hooks, Drug Mart, SuperD, CVS/Peoples, CVS, Thrift and Pathmark.