Archway, Campaigners Collaborate at Retail

Archway Merchandising Services has teamed with promo agency Campaigners to pitch in-store promotion, merchandising and training services to retailers and manufacturers.

The alliance couples Archway's merchandising expertise with Campaigners' field marketing skills, especially in-store demos. Campaigners also can tap Archway's sister company, Archway Marketing Services, for promotion fulfillment and distribution on consumer and b-to-b campaigns. Each will sell the other's services, but the two companies continue to operate separately.

Rogers, MN-based Archway handles merchandising projects such as shelf sets and P-O-P displays in 30,000 retail stores nationally; its field staff of 6,000 merchandisers manage all projects electronically via Archway's eMerchandising system. The company also handles customer care services as well as fulfillment and distribution.

Redondo Beach, CA-based Campaigners specializes in retail sales programs, product demos, events and sales force training. It has a field staff of 3,000. Campaigners ranked No. 49 in the 2004 PROMO 100 with 2003 net revenues of $3.2 million, up 41% from 2001. Clients include Fujfilm, AOL, Microsoft and Samsung.

The partners will offer a menu of services, from staff training to shelf planning. That one-stop shopping makes it easier for retail and brand clients.

"This co-marketing alliance allows Archway and Campaigners to provide clients a broader range of turn-key solutions without the hassle of multiple vendors," said Archway President Ed Fruchtenbaum in a statement.

"We will now be able to provide brands and retailers with a one-stop shop, best-in-class solution for nearly all their in-store support requirements from sales training of retail personnel to plan-o-gram integrity," said Campaigners President-CEO Melissa Orr.