US – With physical retailers facing ongoing challenges to reach audiences, CBD brand Charlotte’s Web is experimenting with offering its hemp-infused topical formulas in extreme locations. To target high-intensity outdoor athletes, the brand installed five vending machines in remote locations such as the top of a giant rock spire in Utah and on a road biking route in Arizona.
As these products are intended to soothe muscle inflammation and promote recovery, the presence of Charlotte’s Web topicals on treacherous terrain allows the brand to demonstrate the use of CBD in-situ. And while the vending machines are only likely to reach a small number of consumers, the surrounding marketing is likely to generate buzz for wider audiences.
Pop-up brand activations will be a familiar strategy for many retailers seeking to unshackle their operations from flagship-only trading. But this extreme location outreach provides new avenues for the kinds of Nomadic Brands we identify in our Eco-venience Retail macrotrend, especially as outdoor recreation continues to become a feature of travel.
Strategic opportunity
Tune into the ways that your products are being used and consider how you could take up space – either through products or advertising – in unexpected locales.