Product
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84%
intended to buy
1,428
product reviews
4.7 ★
average review
9%
purchased during the campaign
About
Applaws and Reveal are two challenger brands under MPM Products, a UK-based company known for natural pet food and treats made with minimal additives and high-quality ingredients. Looking to expand in the U.S. market, both brands spotlighted two hero products:
- Applaws Cat Purée (Tuna, Salmon, Chicken)
- Reveal Whole Tuna Cat Loins
Positioned as premium cat treats, these lines target a broad age range of American cat owners (25 to 55+). Before this campaign, 73–75% of consumers had never heard of Applaws or Reveal, so handing out free samples wouldn't cut it. Awareness and education were top priorities.
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Challenge
Winning over cat owners in a crowded category
Pet food is a highly competitive space. To stand out, Applaws and Reveal needed an approach that would:
- Reach real cat owners.
- Drive brand awareness and repeat purchases.
- Collect honest reviews for online and in-store credibility.
- Expand their CRM with qualified leads and interest data.
The mission was to introduce these premium cat treats to engaged, open-minded cat owners and create a seamless purchase path to drive immediate and long-term sales.
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Solution
Targeted cat treat sampling for real results
To avoid wasting samples on the wrong audience, Applaws and Reveal leveraged Sampl’s platform for smart targeting and easy follow-ups.
Precise ad targeting and validation
- Ads were shown to cat owners aged 25–60.
- SamplMatch confirmed cat ownership to minimise duplicates and ensure only genuine requests were approved.
Two campaigns, one seamless process
- Applaws Cat Purée
- Managed email marketing via Mailchimp.
- Store locator powered by NearStore for retail purchase direction.
- Reveal Whole Tuna Cat Loins
- Emails sent using Klaviyo.
- MikMak provided a direct online or in-store buying journey.
Clear follow-up emails
- Sales email: Sent ~Day 9 for Applaws, ~Day 12 for Reveal, featuring direct purchase links and store locators.
- Review email: Sent ~Day 14 for Applaws, ~Day 17 for Reveal, prompting participants to rate and review the product and share how they used it with their cats.
Review syndication
Sampl’s Bazaarvoice integration syndicated all new reviews to top e-commerce and retail sites. This created a full-funnel approach from product trial to purchase to brand advocacy.
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Results and data
A surge of real enthusiasm
Once the samples started arriving, cat owners showed genuine excitement, and the data confirmed it. Both brands exceeded targets for reviews, email opt-ins, and purchase intent. Remarkably, 9% of recipients purchased before the campaign even ended!
Applaws Cat Purée
- 5,000 samples shipped in about 15 days.
- 726 reviews collected (15.2% response rate) with 87% positive sentiment.
- 4.67★ average rating, and 84% said they planned to buy again.
- 9% purchased during the campaign.
- 65.4% opt-in rate (3,270 new leads for ongoing marketing).
- Cost per approved sample: $0.36; Cost per opt-in: $0.24.
Reveal Whole Tuna Cat Loins
- 5,000 samples shipped within 7 days.
- 736 reviews collected (15.3% response rate) with 81% positive sentiment.
- 4.68★ average rating.
- 84% intended to repurchase, with 9% already buying before campaign end.
- 67% opt-in rate (3,350 new contacts for continued outreach).
- Cost per approved sample: $0.29; Cost per opt-in: $0.24.
Both lines benefited from highly engaged cat owners who shared detailed reviews and voluntarily joined email lists. This delivered robust first-party CRM data (gold) for future product launches, promotions, and personalised offers!)
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Key takeaways
- High engagement: Over 65% of participants opted in for ongoing marketing.
- Immediate conversions: Around 9% bought the product before the campaign ended, showcasing the power of timely follow-ups.
- Multi-channel success: Many consumers purchased both in-store and online, validating the dual approach using MikMak and NearStore.
- Ongoing CRM impact: New subscribers continued to open newsletters and emails, creating more opportunities to promote product lines or upcoming launches.
Looking ahead
Beyond the sampling period, Applaws and Reveal maintained strong momentum. Reveal more than doubled treat sales, and Applaws launched new Lickable Treats using real consumer insights. Future campaigns will refine targeting based on age group preferences and emphasise the brands’ premium, natural ingredients.
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Ready to see sampling fuel your growth?
Turning free samples into genuine sales doesn’t have to be guesswork. If you want to replicate these results and grow an active, engaged CRM base, get in touch with Sampl. We’ll help you identify the right audience, collect impactful reviews, and nurture brand fans for the long run.
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