{"id":3020,"date":"2015-06-12T18:38:53","date_gmt":"2015-06-12T18:38:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.theswitch.us\/blog\/?p=3020"},"modified":"2015-09-09T12:41:12","modified_gmt":"2015-09-09T12:41:12","slug":"client-spotlight-barkthins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/switch.us\/blog\/client-spotlight-barkthins\/","title":{"rendered":"Case in Point: barkTHINS"},"content":{"rendered":"
When a high-quality, yet casual, snacking chocolate brand wanted more exposure and more sales, we worked with them to build a program that focuses on sweet-talking retail decision makers.<\/address>\n

 
\nWe love chocolate. And not just any chocolate\u2026fair trade, GMO-free dark chocolate that breaks into satisfyingly thin pieces and tastes incredible. We\u2019re talking, of course, about barkTHINS, an emerging CPG brand that garners the same reaction from everyone who takes a bite: \u201cWoah!\u201d<\/p>\n

Yeah, woah.<\/p>\n

\"barkthins-snacking-chocolate\"<\/a><\/p>\n

When Switch first met barkTHINS, the snacking chocolate company was in its early stages of national distribution, first hitting the higher-end national food chains, such as Whole Foods Market and Target. We were impressed with the package design \u2013 the continuity of branding across product versions, the emphasis on quality, the use of sustainable ingredients, the tempting stack of perfectly thin chocolate, and the clear flavor distinction. BarkTHINS\u2019 variations each look and sound decadent, and at an affordable price of $4-5, there\u2019s no reason not to try each package. The brand includes high-quality, snacking ingredients like coconut, quinoa, pumpkin seeds and pretzels into the chocolate, ensuring salty-sweet combinations and pleasing texture.<\/p>\n

Smart Hiring<\/h1>\n

We started the program in 2014 in just a few test markets, but have since expanded to over 10 markets nationwide. Unlike past field marketing programs that used the help of Brand Ambassadors to sample product and connect with consumers, this program hinges on a different role \u2013 the Area Brand Manager (ABM). These highly motivated individuals are hired to hustle within their territory \u2013 so they have the advantage of being super familiar with the neighborhoods and potential retail locations.<\/p>\n

Much like the role of a Brand Ambassador, ABM candidates fit the barkTHINS lifestyle \u2013 someone who is conscious of the quality and integrity of their food, a naturally casual, yet polished vibe and of course, one who loves chocolate. When hiring for this role, we also searched for individuals who had a solid mix of marketing and sales experience, preferably in the CPG industry. We needed people who wouldn\u2019t be afraid to sell, but who would also transcend the typical \u201csales\u201d personality. We needed warm, inviting and knowledgeable \u2013 with a hint of aggression.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Image

Image source: instagram.com\/barkthins<\/p><\/div>\n

Sales-Based Sampling<\/h1>\n

ABMs have been targeting small, independent grocers and natural food focused retailers that would benefit from featuring barkTHINS in their locations. Rather than sending our teams off with a backpack of barkTHINS and an encouraging nudge, we have empowered ABMs with the authority to negotiate with retailers when necessary. Back at headquarters, we keep track of our ABMs\u2019 success through our Switch Mobile Reporting Tool (SMRT\u2122). The dashboard gives a clear report of the number of accounts visited, demos performed, incremental retail sales and the overall sales journey for our ABMs.<\/p>\n

In the end, everyone wins. The retail location can curb their customers\u2019 sweet tooth with a high-quality, absolutely delicious product, effectively transforming them into \u201cbarkFANS.\u201d ABMs build relationships with priority retail locations to help grow the brand. And finally, our client gains additional exposure and a sales boost in some of the largest, most health-conscious markets in the country. Sounds like a celebratory chocolate break is in order.<\/p>\n

To connect with our client barkTHINS, visit them on Instagram<\/a>, Twitter<\/a> or Facebook<\/a>. And if you\u2019re thinking, \u201cHey, I want a program like that for my budding CPG product,\u201d send a note to Nicole Phillips, our VP of New Business + Account Management at NicoleP@TheSwitch.us<\/a>.<\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When a high-quality yet casual, snacking chocolate brand wanted more exposure and more sales, we worked with them to build a program that focuses on sweet-talking retail decision makers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":3033,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29,2,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3020","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-client-spotlight","category-featured","category-featured-home"],"yoast_head":"\nCase in Point: barkTHINS - sw:tch blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When a high-quality, yet casual, snacking chocolate brand wanted more exposure and more sales, we worked with them to build a program that focuses on sweet-talking retail decision makers.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/switch.us\/blog\/client-spotlight-barkthins\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Case in Point: barkTHINS - 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