Idaho Potato Lover's Month Retail Display Contest Officially Underway
EAGLE, Idaho -- Entries are now being accepted for the 16th Annual Potato Lover's Month Retail Display Contest, sponsored by the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) here.
Displays for the contest, which offers over $150,000 in cash and merchandise prizes, must be in place at least one week during the Jan. 23, 2007-to-Feb. 27, 2007 contest period.
Along with the projected potato sales increase for stores that participate in the contest, the IPC's prize offerings serve as incentives. Last year every qualified entrant won a DVD player; this year every qualified entrant (one per entry) will receive a free MP3 digital music player valued at $70. Thousands of dollars in prize money will be awarded to the top five finishers in three store categories (with matching category manager prizes), plus $100 to each of the 100 honorable-mention winners.
Adding to the prize mix is the ad contest overlay program, in which the top five best ad entries will receive major cash prizes, and an additional 25 honorable mentions will be awarded.
All told, over $38,000 in prize money, and an anticipated $150,000 overall (including the projected MP3 player giveaways), will be given away during the 16th annual retail display contest.
Some of Kraft's leading brands -- including Cheese Whiz, 100 Percent Grated Parmesan Cheese, and Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Bits -- are teaming up for this year's contest with IPC, which said the 2006 contest drew over 1,000 entries more than last year, with an impressive 2,680 retailers entering the 2007 contest.
"Last year we made the contest easier than ever to enter -- and we offered more cash and prizes," said Seth Pemsler, IPC retail v.p. "Our entries skyrocketed in both number and creativity. But more than that, sales went up, too. This contest provides retailers a way to generate interest and incremental sales in the produce section during a traditionally slow time of year. Based on our growth in entries, retailers are seeing it as well."
Contest POS material kits are available at www.idahopotato.com, or via Kraft Express representatives.
Displays for the contest, which offers over $150,000 in cash and merchandise prizes, must be in place at least one week during the Jan. 23, 2007-to-Feb. 27, 2007 contest period.
Along with the projected potato sales increase for stores that participate in the contest, the IPC's prize offerings serve as incentives. Last year every qualified entrant won a DVD player; this year every qualified entrant (one per entry) will receive a free MP3 digital music player valued at $70. Thousands of dollars in prize money will be awarded to the top five finishers in three store categories (with matching category manager prizes), plus $100 to each of the 100 honorable-mention winners.
Adding to the prize mix is the ad contest overlay program, in which the top five best ad entries will receive major cash prizes, and an additional 25 honorable mentions will be awarded.
All told, over $38,000 in prize money, and an anticipated $150,000 overall (including the projected MP3 player giveaways), will be given away during the 16th annual retail display contest.
Some of Kraft's leading brands -- including Cheese Whiz, 100 Percent Grated Parmesan Cheese, and Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Bits -- are teaming up for this year's contest with IPC, which said the 2006 contest drew over 1,000 entries more than last year, with an impressive 2,680 retailers entering the 2007 contest.
"Last year we made the contest easier than ever to enter -- and we offered more cash and prizes," said Seth Pemsler, IPC retail v.p. "Our entries skyrocketed in both number and creativity. But more than that, sales went up, too. This contest provides retailers a way to generate interest and incremental sales in the produce section during a traditionally slow time of year. Based on our growth in entries, retailers are seeing it as well."
Contest POS material kits are available at www.idahopotato.com, or via Kraft Express representatives.