An Out of the Box Offer from Kraft Canada

Recently while being on Facebook, I discovered a new marketing online offer from Kraft Canada. The from Kraft Food offered a samplicious package which contains full size samples of their new products on the market. More the 15,000 sample boxes were available.

Anyone could sign up but you had to pay 9.95$ of shipping charges to get the box. At first I was wondering if this was a scam but someone took the initiative to call Kraft Canada to ask them if this was true. It sounded too good to be a real deal. But it was!

I jumped on the offer, shared it on facebook and twitter. Then I waited for my package to arrive.

Within a week and half, my doorbell rang. Outside the door my postman was holding my Samplicious package. The first question he asked me was: “Can you tell me what’s in there because I have four of those in my van?” I laughed and told him that it probably won’t be the last ones either… I told him what it was and immediately he said “Where can I get one of these?”. I had to inform him that it was sold out at this point in time. I suspect that
these packages were gone like hotcakes.

I opened the box in front of him and we were both impressed with the full size products.

My postman went on his way to deliver the other samplicious packages and the rest of the mail and I brought the box for the kids to see. They couldn’t believe their eyes. Usually when we get a sample of a product, we receive a sample which is a few to taste it. But this time it was full size boxes in the box. Also included in the box were three coupons for full size products at the grocery store for the cheese products. The only items that didn't stay in our house were the gums as we are not chewers of gum. I kept one of the new Trident flavors but I gave the rest to my mother-in-law when she was visiting. The other product that might not find supporters in this house is the Kraft Whipped Cheese Dill flavor. I figure the kids can eat it... *grin*

The fact that many Canadian sites are promoting the daily deals found everywhere on facebook and twitter, helped Kraft Canada to spread the word on this out-of-the-box offer.

Though we loved our package and I think it was an original way to promote new products, I think Kraft Canada would have been wiser to use only coupons to exchange at the grocery store for full size items. It would have cost less money for everyone I think. Though as a stay-at-home mom who also homeschool my four kids, I appreciate the fact that I didn’t have to run around for each of these products. But I think it would have been fun to go with the kids to get the products at the grocery store.

Now I suspect that this strategy is to stir the consumers to purchase the products they have loved from this package. Though we loved them some of these products are so expensive that I will never consider purchasing them on a regular basis.

Take the amOOza twists cheese snacks for example. This is one of the products I had to go to the store to get. The snacks are fun to look at and delicious while we eat it but the price tag attached to them is over 6$ believe it or not. When I was at my local Loblaws, I had found two of the three products that I had received a coupon from. Well with the amOOza! alone I had reached the maximum of allowed coupons from the register. My cashier had to call a supervisor to allow my next coupon to be keyed in. I thought it was hilarious!

I would be curious to see if the strategy of creating the Samplicious packages will created a love affair between the customers and the products offered.

What do you think of this out of the box offer from Kraft Canada? Do you think it will encourage customers to purchase their new products? Would you have paid for the shipping charges or would you prefer to only receive coupons to exchange at the grocery store?

Note to me readers:  This was a post done for the course Applied Social Media in Business that I am currently completing to get my Social Media Certificate. 

Lego Brickmaster Star Wars

Lego Brickmaster Star Wars
From DK Canada

About the product

Books and building bricks come together like never before! Dynamic full-color photos combine with clearly labeled instructions, trivia, and a compelling story to make the Brickmaster kits perfect for all LEGO fans!
With this kit, kids can create incredible spacecraft from the world of Star Wars, or build their own unique warp-speed ships.

My Thoughts

The Brickmaster series is fabulous for any child who loves Lego.  Not only will it guide you to build some interesting theme constructions but it contains Lego bricks as well!

The Brickmaster Star Wars includes more than 240 bricks as well as 2 figures – a clone trooper and a battle droid.  

Battle on Christophsis is the first step-to-step building instructions you will have.   You will be able to build a AAT Battle tank as well as a nu-class attack shuttle.   Then your child can re-enact the battle on Christophsis.  Once he/she is done with these construction, he/she can travel to the ice planer in the Outer Rim of the galaxy and build the Single Trooper Airspeeders (or STAS) as well as a Low Altitude Assault Transport/Reconnaissance (or LAAT/R) personal gunship.  After some time on a iced planet, nothing is better than to more into the desert.   In the Desert Raid section,  the child will follow step-to-step instructions for building a mobile missile platform as well as a sand dune scuffle and a s-wing speeder bike.  Finally, you can transport the battle to the forest when you build the Varied Terrain Speeder (or VTS) as well as the All Terrain Reconnaissance Transport (AT-RT) Walker. 

Each ship comes with a data file where the child can read more about the name, manufacturer, class, crew, top speed, armament as well as role of the vehicle.  Every now and then, you will see a DID YOU KNOW? box that contains interesting information on the ships or anything related to Star Wars.

To be honest, I would be surprised if Dad doesn’t join the kids when they build the Star Wars spaceships.    It would be a great way to spend time with your kids during the holidays.

I am quite impressed with the Brickmaster series.    It is very original and fun at the same time.   A great way to surprise your kids on Christmas day.

Other Brickmaster idea packages are available at DK Canada. You can find one for City, Atlantis, Ninjago, Castle, and Pirate.

The Brickmaster Star Wars is available at your favorite bookstore, even amazon.ca.

Disclaimer: I received the product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Lego Ideas Book

Lego Ideas Book – unlock your imagination
Published at DK Canada

About the book

You have what it takes! Did you ever wonder what you can do with all of those LEGO® bricks after you have created the project they came with?

Now with The LEGO Ideas Book, you can take what you already have and make something new! The book is divided into six themed chapters—transportation, buildings, space, kingdoms, adventure, and useful makes—each with basic templates of key models and spreads to inspire you to create your own.

Hints and tips from Master Builders can help you turn your classic car into a race car or add a bridge to your castle! Don't be concerned if you haven't got all the bricks you need: this book also shows how to simplify details, making this a great user-friendly guide for any building ability.

Featuring all-new LEGO® building projects, tips to supplement and enhance your LEGO creations, inspirational builds, and expert advice from LEGO Master Builders, The LEGO Ideas Book will keep kids of all ages creating for hours.

My Thoughts

When I was younger, I played with Lego quite a bit.  My mom even bought some ideas books that I still have to this day and now my own kids are using them. But DK Canada now have a fabulous book that I knew my kids will jump on it when they see it.

This book is simply amazing and contains numerous ideas where you and your kids can build from.    Not only will it give you building tips but you will find ideas that will spark your own imagination.   The book is divided in six sections full of construction ideas.  

Planes, Trains & Automobiles cover any vehicles that  you can think off.

Town & Country will guide you in how to build a building whether it is in town or in the country.

Out of this World is a section that will present anything from out of space.

In Days of Old will bring back in time and guide you in building Medieval structures.

A World of Adventure will bring you into the world of pirates, Vikings, the jungle as well as robots.

Make & Keep will guide you in building useful items like desk organizers or board games.

Each section always star by presenting some of the bricks you might need to complete the ideas included in it.    Some people might find that it is unfortunate that some pieces are not easy to get and I understands their problem.   Recently, I saw a marvelous box of Lego at Wal-Mart and checked to see if strange pieces were included in it.  There was not many out of the ordinary pieces unfortunately.   I would have consider getting the box if it would have been the case.   I am still thinking I might purchase it because the bricks I had when I was younger are older and break easily. But not having special pieces to build the ideas in this book could be discouraging.

Like I mentioned my kids now play with my older Lego and they also got Lego for their birthday or Christmas over the year.  So our Lego collection is growing…  I am uncertain to how many pieces we might have to do the ideas in this book but I am excited to get down on my knees and do some building with them.  Unfortunately, this book doesn’t contain a step-by-step method of building the ideas.   You will have to figure out most of the ideas by yourself.   In a way it will help you to stretch your imagination and develop your deductive skills when investigating which pieces you will need.

Lego Ideas Book is available at your favorite bookstore, even amazon.ca.