The Challenge
How does a new health and wellness company foster community engagement and get its name out in a market so heavily saturated with wellness products?
When KOSI Wellness approached us about wanting to increase its brand awareness and retail presence in Western Canada, we knew an experiential marketing activation was the way to go. Experiential marketing allows companies to engage directly with their target audience and offer value to potential customers and suppliers. With an upcoming Vancouver-based conference and tradeshow buzzing with top brands, stores, and distributors around the corner, it was time to get planning.
The Objectives
Make connections with retailers and distributors
Bolster customer awareness and brand loyalty
Grow website traffic and social media engagement
Our Solution
Going Straight to the Source
CHFA NOW is a tradeshow in Vancouver that boasts a variety of innovative products and top distributors. Featuring a two-day educational conference with a speakers series and a weekend-long exhibit of Vancouver’s top and upcoming health brands, CHFA seemed like the perfect place for KOSI to network and glean industry insights from key health experts in Vancouver. The Kipling team got to work creating the perfect display for KOSI products.
Creating the KOSI Booth
KOSI vitamins are sold on Amazon and in select pharmacies, so the brand has had little face time with customers. We were eager to get the products directly in front of Vancouverites and potential stores that could sell its products. It was important for the brand’s display to be well-aligned with its values: natural, traceable, and rooted in science.
Kipling’s design team got to work creating an inviting booth featuring KOSI’s signature pastel colours and natural woods. In order to stand apart from the crowd, we special ordered furniture and expedited the bottle design of new products to show CHFA visitors mockups of what’s to come. Location was also key to attracting visitors. After scouting out the CHFA location, we selected a space in the corner to get traffic from both sides of the conference. The aim was to create an inviting space to bring people in, make KOSI stand apart from the competition, and leave enough room for the public to browse and chat with KOSI’s leadership.
Putting a Face to the Brand
We decided to bring KOSI’s experts to the booth to answer questions, make community connections, and educate visitors. Dr. Kaleigh Anstett is a Naturopathic Doctor who completed her medical education at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. She was the perfect person to answer questions about promoting better health. Dr. Anstett is also the lead formulator behind KOSI products.
We recognized that many people also have questions about the development process when it comes to supplements – in terms of quality, traceability, and ingredients. For that reason, we brought in Saba Saiyed, who has nailed the manufacturing process for KOSI.
Product Giveaways
At any experiential activation, we strive to create a tangible experience that visitors can take with them. So, we created mockups of new products (sleep, stress, nutrient-boost, and more) to showcase KOSI’s unique and diversified line. We also had ample supply of KOSI’s current products to use in giveaways for visitors. To complete the package, Kipling designed KOSI tote bags – an especially popular item at CHFA.
The Results
+200%
Website Traffic Growth
35+
New Retailers and Distributors
20,000
Total Visitors
+50%
Social Media Traffic Growth
KOSI’s booth was one of the most popular spots at the event. Our creative and enticing booth design effectively drew people to learn more about the brand. We saw 5500+ total visitors, including influencers, customers, and other brands who came to take photos/videos of our booth for inspiration.
Overall, KOSI Wellness’ foray into experiential marketing at the CHFA NOW 2023 was a huge success. There are so many wellness products in the market, that it can be challenging to attract a loyal customer base. But, one great way to do so is by showing face and offering something of value to the community – in this case, through education and giveaways. People are much more likely to use a product or service when they already know and have a reason to trust the brand. CHFA NOW gave KOSI a chance to do just that.
