Product

93%
New to brand
800+
Reviews captured
88%
Recommend the product
The challenge
Ueshima Coffee Co. (UCC), a renowned Japanese coffee brand, sought to introduce their instant coffee bags to the UK market. Despite the product's popularity in Japan, UK consumers were largely unfamiliar with coffee bags. The primary challenges included:
- Educating consumers about the novel product format
- Converting users from competing coffee products
- Establishing a clear post-trial purchase pathway

The solution
To address these challenges, UCC partnered with Sampl to develop a targeted sampling campaign aimed at educating and engaging potential customers.
Targeted Sampling
Leveraging Facebook's advertising platform, the campaign targeted individuals who had previously engaged with coffee-related content and demonstrated a propensity to shop at Waitrose. This approach ensured that samples reached well-qualified consumers.
Consumer Education
Each sample was accompanied by educational content detailing the brewing process for coffee bags. This step was crucial in familiarising consumers with the product and encouraging correct usage.
Post-Trial Engagement
To maintain engagement post-trial, the campaign included multiple touchpoints:
- Encouraging consumers to leave reviews
- Providing information on where to purchase the product, utilising NearStore to highlight local retailer availability
The results
The campaign yielded impressive results:
- 93% of consumers were new to the Ueshima brand
- 61% had never purchased instant coffee bags before
- 90% of intended to purchase in the future
- 92% of users of competing brands intended to switch to Ueshima
Key Metrics
- 47% of participants opted in for future marketing communications
- Over 800 reviews were captured
- 88% of participants stated they would recommend the product
Conclusion
This case study demonstrates the effectiveness of targeted sampling and consumer education in launching new products in unfamiliar markets. By engaging potential customers with trial and providing clear pathways to purchase, brands can successfully introduce innovative products and convert users from competing brands.
No items found.
Never miss a case study. Get the latest industry insights direct to your inbox.
Other success stories

Wellness and Self-Care
How Colgate-Palmolive reduced CPL by 33% with targeted sampling
Learn how Colgate-Palmolive increased CRM opt-ins and collected high-quality product reviews while streamlining their sampling process.

Food & Nutrition

How CocoaVia turned 10k samples into 1,100+ reviews and 11,909 leads
Targeted sampling helped CocoaVia build trust, generate reviews, and grow a high-intent CRM.

Pet Care

How Applaws and Reveal inspired 84% of cat owners to purchase after sampling
Applaws and Reveal teamed with Sampl in U.S. campaign, sparking a journey where 84% planned rebuy and 9% bought instantly.