You mean free sample is just an easy way to collect the contact of target group..?? Why an already established brand need to do this...?? Any business geeks here?
Yes, with time, sales and marketing strategies have also undergone change in their ways of implementation. This method has several advantages:
1. Sending emails is much easier than making camera-ready art and buying media
2. Email addresses are re-usable. They don't disappear with time.
3. People receiving emails have already expressed interest in your product. So its easy to get the sales pitch to them
Also, there are some disadvantages, primarily because internet penetration is not so great in India.
Do you remember how this brand called Pepsodent, and then Close-up affected the so called 'established' Colgate.
There was a time when Colgate had monopoly in toothpastes. The word Colgate was almost generic for toothpastes. Similar case is about Ujala- the fabric whitner from Jyothis Laboratories. It actually killed it competitor 'Robin blue' after a time when Robin was generic for whitners.
More on later, right now, have to leave. Bye.