Whistl agency signs Deliveroo deal for sampling drive

Whistl-owned FMCG product sampling specialist Relish has signed an agency exclusive delivery deal with Deliveroo – which has already been trialled by PepsiMax and Arm & Hammer – in a move designed to transform in-home sampling opportunities for brands and media planners.

Through the agreement brands will be able to send difficult to handle samples, such as chilled, alcohol, full-size and short-dated products alongside Deliveroo deliveries direct to consumers.

The agreement is aimed at simplifying the supply chain for sample advertisers, they can deliver to one address and Relish will deliver directly to the Deliveroo sites which will fulfil alongside the customers’ order.

Alcohol brands, for example, using the new marketing channel benefit from the age gating process used by Deliveroo, simplifying the process of getting their items to consumers. If agencies want access to digital in-app assets, this can also be facilitated.

The new channel could have a transformative effect on the way FMCG brands interact with customers by timing deliveries to coincide with the Deliveroo sponsorship of Saturday Night Takeaway or with specific programmes on TV or events such as specific games during forthcoming Qatar Football World Cup.

Deliveroo demographic is typically aged 18 to 35 and the company points out the deal opens an opportunity to target consumers both within the home or at work. Relish has trialled the initiative with Deliveroo for customers including PepsiMax (pictured), Mikes hard seltzer, Caleno and, Arm & Hammer.

Initially the new service will be open to brands targeting households in London, and Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham, Bristol and Brighton, offering 300,000 potential sampling opportunities per month. Due to existing relationships with grocery brands, there are opportunities to place alongside food or grocery orders via the Deliveroo Hop service which is open from 08:00 – 00:00.

Relish managing director Natalie Betts said: “We work with brands and agencies alike to deliver effective consumer product trials and are so thrilled that Deliveroo will take such a central role in our offering. Deliveroo are pioneers in the UK for levelling up the ‘at home food ordering experience’. We have admired them for such a long time and although we have worked together on an ad hoc basis for over four years, this exclusive deal simplifies the sampling landscape for our clients.”

Whistl acquired Relish last year to expand the range of channels available to its customers when planning in-home sampling campaigns through is Doordrop Media division.