Sample Lab! The first TRYVERTISING store in the world
First published – April 2005.
Mass advertising is dying. Experienced consumers could not care less about commercials, ads, banners and other fancy wording and imagery that is forced upon them, so let’s move on to more interesting ways of igniting conversations between corporations and consumers. Much has already been said about search-based advertising and initiating word of mouth as new (and certainly more relevant) ways to replace mass advertising, but TRYVERTISING, which is all about consumers becoming familiar with new products by actually trying them out before they buy them is the FUTURE!
The doors to the first tryvertising store – Sample Lab!® were opened in July 2007 in Tokyo’s Harajuku precinct. A members-only space that invites consumers to sample and test new products. Members pay a modest registration fee and annual membership fee. Members need to be over 15 years of age, and gain entrance to the lab by showing a QR code stored on their cell phone. In addition to store-like shelves stocked with merchandise, the space also features a powder room where women can sit down to try out beauty products. Besides trying everything out in the shop, members can take home up to 5 items per visit based on their loyalty-level. To harvest their precious feedback, Sample Lab members fill out surveys about the products they’ve tested.
After 2 years of testing and improving the model, the decision was taken in early 2009 to offer Master Franchise rights to the system around the world.
In late 2009 given the substantial number of applications and at the request by a number of the larger consumer goods companies, the decision was taken to rebrand the global business to Sample Central®.
Same business model, same business concept – new global brand.