300+ events in 365 days, or the purple coffee revolution
Client
Tchibo is a global company with more than 75 years of tradition, with a unique business model, offering both coffee, espresso machines and other coffee accessories, but also a wide range of industrial goods (including fashion, home decor, sports), distributed from own stores, through retail chains, to online sales. Tchibo has been present on the Polish market for more than 30 years, systematically developing its business and brand portfolio.
In 2024, the company introduced a new coffee brand to the Polish market. Eduscho broke the routine in its category, which until now had been quite repetitive. Eduscho, with its subversive, contextual communication and vibrant color scheme, caught the eye. The economy-segment brand, which offers all types of coffee (bean, ground and instant), targets both older coffee drinkers and a young audience.
Challenge
The Polish coffee market is an extremely demanding segment, and consumers have hundreds of different products to choose from. Our task was to support Tchibo during the introduction of the new brand into this competitive environment and to build its distinct market position.
Tchibo needed comprehensive and ongoing support in the area:
- Build brand awareness for Eduscho
- Reaching out to consumers in major retail chains
- Organization of promotional, sampling and event activities
- Sales support in key distribution channels
All of this led us to the challenge of planning and organizing the brand's promotional activities.
Solution
The launch of a new coffee brand in such a competitive market required a comprehensive approach and the use of a variety of channels to reach the consumer. The strategic consideration was the need to combine mass activities with precisely targeted activations.
Key elements were differentiation from the competition through a distinctive purple visual identity, a modern, friendly way of communicating with the consumer, as well as tastings that allowed consumers to experience the brand's products multisensorially (including through taste and smell)....
The promotion strategy has been divided into 4 stages, which we have been implementing over the past 365 days under the banner of #ThereIsNewCoffee, and some of them are continuing.
Stage 1
Sampling and mobile tasting zones
The first step in building brand awareness was sampling activities implemented in urban spaces. Specially for the project, we prepared a mobile tasting zone that allowed us to reach consumers in key locations. We placed special emphasis on the vicinity of office buildings, where we could directly reach the young, professionally active target group.
In addition, in exchange for using the dedicated hashtag #JestrawaNowaKawa online, consumers could receive a free sample of the product, which allowed us to organically build social media reach.
The scope of our activities included:
- Design and implementation of a mobile tasting area
- Selection of strategic locations in business centers
- Encourage consumers to share coverage of the zone online
- Professional service by trained hostesses
- Comprehensive project management including, but not limited to, logistical and legal services
Stage 2
Promotional actions in retail chains
During the year, we carried out more than 300 tasting actions in various retail chains. Particularly intense was our cooperation with the Biedronka chain, where we simultaneously carried out a comprehensive promotional action in 50 locations.
In 43 stores, we carried out animations with hostesses in distinctive purple Eduscho outfits, who handed out product samples, and in another 7 locations we organized comprehensive zones that included: dedicated tasting stands, samples and marketing brochures.
Our task was also to expand the activities to more retail chains, including Kaufland, Carrefour, Auchan, Selgros and traditional channel stores such as Gram Market and Lewiatan, among others. Each action was precisely planned and synchronized with the chains' promotional newspapers, which allowed us to maximize sales of Eduscho brand coffee.
The scope of our activities included:
- Organizing and coordinating activities in various retail chains
- Managing the schedule of promotional activities
- Design and production of POS materials and booth equipment
- Recruitment and management of a team of about 100 brand promoters
- Logistics of products and promotional materials
- Preparation of comprehensive reports and photo documentation of activities carried out
Stage 3
Special events
In parallel, the Eduscho brand was present at numerous special events. We participated in marathons and runs, where our coffee zone provided a natural meeting and recovery place for participants. A particularly notable project was the brand's presence at the TEDx Women conference in Zlote Tarasy, Warsaw, where we created a professional coffee zone integrated into the event space.
The brand was also active during family picnics, industry events and trade fairs. Each event was treated individually - we adjusted the format of the presence and activities to the specifics of the event, its participants and location.
The scope of our activities included:
- Design and production of materials
- Assembly and disassembly of event zones
- Managing event schedule and logistics
- Provide a professional event support team including, but not limited to, installers, event hostesses and coordinators
- Creation of photographic documentation
Stage 4
Employer branding workshops
An innovative element of the project was the introduction of an employer branding component in the form of workshops for employees under the banner of the so-called "Nice Days" - internal events organized for employees of Tchibo's business partners. We managed to organize the first event under the banner of "Nice Days" in just 4 working days from the moment the idea was conceived.
During these events we combined coffee tasting with educational and integration elements. Of particular interest were professional workshops for creating natural coffee scrubs and demonstrations of alternative coffee brewing methods.
These events built positive brand associations among partners and their employees.
The scope of our activities included:
- Development of the "Nice Days" concept
- Organization of barista workshops and demonstrations
- Preparation of educational materials
- Production of gadgets and souvenirs
- Coordinate catering and logistics for the event
- Arranging coffee areas
- Creation of documentation of events
Summary of the #ThereIsNewKawa project.
The implementation of the Eduscho brand on the Polish market required the coordination of many parallel processes and ensuring the highest quality at every stage of implementation. The comprehensive handling of the project covered a number of key areas:
Planning and coordination of promotional activities
Over the course of the year, we managed dozens of projects in parallel, from single activations to complex campaigns involving dozens of locations.
Design and production of POSmaterials
We were responsible for creating a consistent visual identity system at points of sale and events in line with the brand's brandbook. This included the production of zone furnishings, POS materials, and promotional gadgets.
Team management and producttraining
The project required building and coordinating an extensive network of personnel - from hostesses and promoters to installers and baristas. Each person received dedicated product and sales training to maintain a consistent, high standard of service at all locations.
Reporting and improving operations
We implemented a system for regular reporting of sales amounts (including breakdowns by quantity, flavor or product weight). In addition, we monitored quantitative statistics (such as the number of samples issued by location) and qualitative aspects (optimization recommendations based on our observations and information from customers).
Effects of cooperation
A key factor in the success of the project was the comprehensiveness of the solutions offered and the flexible approach to changing conditions. Our cooperation with Tchibo goes back more than a dozen years, which allows us to effectively respond to the company's challenges and support the organization in systematically strengthening its position on the Polish market. Our activation plan is regularly updated based on sales results, seasonality and promotional schedules of retail chains and other brand sales channels.
During the first year of cooperation on the promotion of the Eduscho brand, we achieved the following results: