May 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Patricia Odell

Cetaphil has discovered that one of the best ways to sell its hand cream is to massage it into someone's skin.

To do that, the skin care products brand set up experiential pop-up shops in three major cities recently where consumers could sample its wares and a whole lot more.

The stores spread over 3,000 square feet, plenty of space where visitors could get free hand massages, spin a wheel of fortune that featured Cetaphil products as prizes and view videos that showed detailed product information.

Over the course of the promotion, street teams targeted the brand's core target — 18- to 30-year old females — with 250,000 samples of its skin cleanser, cleaning bars, moisturizing lotion and cream, facial moisturizer and anti-bacterial bars. Along with each sample, visitors received a coupon good for $1 off any Cetaphil product.

“In a pop-up store, a consumer can spend anywhere from five to 10 minutes getting true experiential marketing,” says Joel Benson, president of EventNetUSA, which handles the shops. “People can ask questions and someone is there to answer them. They can watch a video and be taught through video. They can watch computer demonstrations, try the product or talk to consultants about skin conditions.”

The winter-phase of the shops, which wrapped last month at Water Tower Place in Chicago, also popped up in New York and in Atlanta. Plans are underway for a possible fall program.

DETAILS

POP-UP STYLES:

Kiosk: 10-foot by 10-foot walkup that serves three to six people at one time.

In-line Retail Store: ranges in size from 1,000- to 5,000-square feet and holds up to 100 people. Looks like a retail store with a front door and windows, display counters and other components.

Cost: $10,000 to $100,000

For more articles on experiential marketing, go to www.promomagazine.com/eventmarketing/

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