For decades, product trial has been a cornerstone of consumer marketing, yet it’s often the least measurable part of the mix.
Ask a media buyer how a campaign performed, and you'll get dashboards, attribution models, and granular audience breakdowns.
Ask how that in-store sample or event giveaway performed? You’ll probably hear anecdotes.
This gap matters — especially in a world where marketing budgets are scrutinised and every channel is expected to prove ROI.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth:
Some sampling methods, as they stand today, do not scale with precision — and rarely earn a seat at the strategy table.
But what if sampling could be:
As trackable as a digital ad?
As scalable as your media plan?
As data-rich as your ecommerce playbook?
The future of trial isn't just physical — it's connected, measurable, and strategic.
And as consumer journeys evolve, so should our approach to introducing products into consumers' hands (and baskets).
It’s time we bring sampling methods into the same performance mindset as the rest of the marketing funnel.
What’s your take?
If you’ve led or launched product sampling campaigns, we’d love to hear how you’ve tackled the measurement challenge.
