The Thirst that Was Never Quenched – Milo’s On-Pack Promotions

What comes to your mind when you hear the word ‘Milo‘? There are two things that come to mind, the warm chocolatey taste, and sports. But why do we associate Milo, a beverage company, with sports? We feel that this is due to the endless barrage of marketing campaigns directed at supporting sporting events, as well as, the many on-pack promotions Milo constantly churns out. Milo’s on-pack advertising range from free shirts to thermal flasks. Here are some examples,

In May 2018, Milo won the APAC Effie Award for its ‘2017 Active Vietnam’ campaign. The APAC Effie Award is awarded to the most outstanding marketing communication campaign. Milo won this award because of its efforts in supporting locals in organising sporting events, providing schools with sports facilities, and encouraging parents to persuade their children to sweat it out.

In Singapore, on-pack promotions include redeeming a free Under Armour t-shirt with every SGD27 purchase of Milo Nutri G or Milo Peng bottles. This promotion is currently ongoing until 24th March 2019 in all supermarkets and online retailers.  ‘Milo Ice’ cans are also available at 7 Eleven outlets to help locals combat the heat.

Another example of a previous on-pack promotion is the Champion Mix Shaker. The free shaker is a gift included when buying a kilo of Milo’s ready-mix chocolate powder as a gift with purchase.

With all previous on-pack promos taken into consideration, how would you interpret this?

 

 

Differences in language can cause misinterpretations for on-pack promotions

Solely interpreting by the pictures, it seems like Milo is giving away a free bag or maybe a basket or soccer ball. In the past, Milo has given away free bags, basketballs, and soccer balls. Thus, it is normal to assume that this on-pack advertising is similar to those done previously. Consumers might even purchase the drink to redeem the bag.

 

 

 

However, this is what the box truly means, “Energy for Playtime, At each hour of school recess time, take one box of Nestle MILO with Activ-Go, it helps you gain more energy and nutrition, enough for kids activities! 2 boxes of Milo every day for 2 hours at playtime (am/pm)”

The “on-pack promotions” on this Milo packet is a mere guide on how much Milo customers should consume while exercising. This shows how customers should be wary of language differences when interpreting promotions. However, this can be considered a good thing for Milo. Milo’s history of on-pack offers had subconsciously trained customers to assume there was an offer even without reading the words, thus convincing impulse buyers to make the purchase.

 

How can ODM help?

Innovative brand packaging design is very necessary and extremely important for building brand recognition! Want to use smart details and original designs to promote your brand? Fortunately, the ODM team can help you come up with inventive and unique product design and packaging. We have product designers who have vast experience in designing brand packaging and on pack merchandise for your business. Contact our team today to learn more about how we can help you grow your business through the use of effective promotional products!

 

Check out some of Nestle’s other promotions,

Click here to see how Nestle advertised their brands through different advertising techniques such as POS display, customer giveaways, and on-pack gifts.

 

Nestle made an impact via the use of door handle. The brand placement and location of the promotional product helped the brand gain greater visibility.

 

Cereal bowls are one of the most common giveaways by cereal brands because they are practical and brandable. This helps boost brand engagement and recall.

Here for some more Milo related case studies!