Premiums have been used with great success by the Minneapolis Cereal Company during the past six months in the sale of their Cream of Rye. A silver spoon, guaranteed for five years, is placed in every package of Cream of Rye and the gift has proven to be a remarkable stimulant in the sale of this cereal. Such a scheme as this, when advertised and spread broadcast throughout the country, gets the people to buy an initial package. The cereal being good and the spoons attractive the repeat orders naturally follow. It forms the basis of a most excellent distribution plan.
The Minneapolis Cereal Company worked out the scheme further and there is general satisfaction over the way it has taken hold. This plan is a free exchange of silverware. In other words an exchange certificate and the silver spoon are placed in the same package. They can be exchanged for more expensive silverware. Many housewives save the spoons until they get a complete set of six or twelve pieces. Then they save the remainder for exchange purposes.
A long list of premiums, which are given out for certain numbers of the spoons, makes every woman anxious to continue buying Cream of Rye. Six coffee spoons are given for 18 teaspoons, six orange spoons for 24 teaspoons, a soup ladle for 36 teaspoons. Other silverware on the list includes dessert spoons, table spoons, sugar spoons, butter knives, dessert forks, medium forks, medium knives, individual butter spreaders, berry spoons, large meat forks, oyster forks, pie servers, cream ladles, gravy ladles, oyster ladles, child sets, baby sets and oak chests of 26 and 42 pieces. In the 26 set chest are six teaspoons, six tablespoons, a butter knife, six medium forks, six medium knives and a sugar shell. This set is obtained with 200 Cream of Rye teaspoons. Three hundred and sixty spoons are necessary to get the 42 piece set.
Most of the great breakfast food companies are coming around to the premium methods of merchandising and advertising. In no other way can they obtain popular favor and appreciation. Not only does the saving of coupons for premiums stimulate sales and bring in the repeat orders, but the mere fact that these companies are willing to show customers they appreciate their trade by making gifts brings in good will between manufacturer and customer—something that is necessary if the business is to expand to its fullest extent.
The Jewish Weekly Trading Co., 139 Delancey Street, went into the ltands of receivers lately. The liabilities are placed at about $50,000. The SALESMAN is informed that many cut glass, silver, jewelry and china firms are creditors. Jacob Pfeffer is president of the company. The principal business of the concern, it appears, was buying goods as premiums for newspapers.
Source: The Pottery, Glass & Brass Salesman - 27th April 1911
QUAKER OATS AND PETTIJOHN'S BREAKFAST FOOD - ONEIDA COMMUNITY Ltd.
A 1903 advertisement from the the American Cereal Co. offering flatware in the Cereta pattern from Oneida by sending in coupons found in Quaker Oats and Pettijohn's Breakfast Food: