Co-Op Advertising

What if you could share (or completely eliminate) advertising costs without having to jump through hoops or sign up for things you don’t want or need? You can. Consider co-operative advertising. Never heard of it? You’re not alone. According to an IAB/PwC study, most small retailers are unaware of this option.

Co-op advertising is offered by national brands that want to join forces with retailers to have their products advertised in local markets. In fact, most manufacturers earmark big dollars toward these campaigns—yet much of what’s set aside annually goes unused.

Things to know:

• Co-op advertising policies differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. Ask questions before you jump in.
• Vendors pay (at least) a portion of the advertising costs and supply the retailer with photos or graphics to use in print, radio or television ads (or sometimes the entire ad itself).
• Contributions can range from a large amount of money to promotional items and point-of-purchase displays.

So, if you’re into stretching those valuable advertising dollars (and who isn’t?), it might be worth it to make a few calls to see what your vendors have to offer.