Idaho Potato Commission Display Contest Packs $150K Purse
Erupting volcanoes, helmet-topped spud football teams, and giant Idaho maps made of potatoes are just a few of the winning ideas that retailers have employed to drive February spud sales and earn cash prizes in the Idaho Potato Commission’s Potato Lover’s Month Retail Display Contest.
This February, the 21st annual edition of IPC’s longest-running and most popular promotion will offer $150,000 in cash and prizes for the nation's best retail displays featuring Idaho potatoes. Plus, everyone who enters will automatically receive a free portable iPod docking station.
“This is a great way to pep up potato sales during February, which can be a slow month,” said Seth Pemsler, IPC’s vice president for retail/international. “Besides the incentive of cash prizes, stores will see increased traffic in the produce department when they put up a creative, crowd-pleasing promotional display. Some of our past winners have reported sales increases of 20 percent, 50 percent and more.”
To enter, retailers design an attention-grabbing produce department display that includes fresh Idaho potatoes, an Idaho dehydrated potato product, Mrs. Dash Seasoning Blends and Molly McButter, along with special-themed point-of-sale material from the IPC, Mrs. Dash or Molly McButter.
Retailers will be competing with other stores their own size, in one of three categories: one to five cash registers, six to nine registers, or 10-plus cash registers. Entrants within each store category compete for these prizes: first place, $1,500; second place, $1,000; third place, $750; fourth place, $500; and fifth place, $250. Additionally, 100 honorable mention prizes of $100 will go to displays selected from the remaining entries. For category managers, if their store secures a top place, they will win a matching prize.
Displays must be shown in the store’s produce section for at least one week between Jan. 30 and March 2. Submit a picture of the display and an entry form to the IPC no later than March 16. Winners will be notified by May 2, 2012.
All entries will be judged on use of Potato Lover’s Month signage, creativity of the display, how the display incorporates the partner products and perceived salability of the display.
The Idaho Potato Commission is a state agency that is primarily responsible for expanding the markets for Idaho-grown potatoes through advertising, promotion and research.