Twist-Ease tie dispensers can primarily be found in produce departments and bulk food departments in grocery stores. The purpose of the tie is to seal a plastic bag while the dispenser holds the ties together. “During the early years of Twist-Ease, we always thought there is a missed advertising opportunity that our product presents,” says Jim Helseth, President & Owner of Twist-Ease. “Our dispensers are basically billboards without an advertisement and have placements across the department.” Soon after the thought, Twist-Ease presented the idea to the stores in hopes they would take the initiative and use the space to advertise. “We learned none of the stores had the time or wherewithal needed to implement,” Helseth said.
Twist-Ease let the idea go for nearly 20 years until random fate connected the company with the innovation team at Insignia, who immediately saw value in having an advertising vehicle in a perimeter department, like Produce. “Within the produce department there is high demand for advertising, but little opportunity exists,” commented Helseth.
Dispenser used as billboard
Twist-Ease started developing freshADS with Insignia in 2016. It’s basically a ‘billboard’ in front of an active shopper who has come to the store to make a purchase. freshADS serve as a reminder to shoppers to add items to their shopping list, explore new meal solutions, try new products, and encourage them to explore other areas of the store. “It’s the only marketing vehicle designed with the produce department in mind,” says Stacy Vossberg with Insignia Systems. freshADS officially launched at PMA last fall and have been in store for just over a year. Insignia provides the in-store advertising knowledge and Twist-Ease provides the logistical aspects to make the program able to succeed in stores. “We’ve learned a lot in the past year, taking feedback from shoppers and brands to improve. One of the biggest benefits we’ve seen both sides excited about is using freshADS to offer coupons and recipes within the Produce department – the Twist-Ease dispenser offers the perfect place for that type of engagement with the shopper,” Vossberg shared.
In its first year, freshADS has generated over 7 billion shopper impressions and was present in over 2,000 stores. “The program will be expanding this year with specific expansion plans coming soon,” said Vossberg. To date, freshADS has set programs featuring brands from across the store and nearly every aisle from produce to frozen. “We want to ensure the programs we are putting in the produce department are relevant to that area as that will ultimately improve the shopper perception, retailer acceptance and brand engagement,” Vossberg shared.
For more information:
Jeff Helseth
Twist-Ease
Tel: (+1) 763-543-9003
Brandon Dvorak
Insignia Systems, Inc.
Tel: (+1) 763-392-6244