Brands are handing out freebies at Walmart as online ads lose appeal

For years, companies large and small used online ads to help target their products at specific demographics. But doing so became less effective in 2021, when Apple Inc began letting iPhone users block brands from tracking their online behaviour. — Reuters

Online ads are delivering less bang for the click these days, so brands are turning to an old brick-and-mortar marketing gimmick: handing out free samples at the local supermarket.

In stores across the US, companies are doling out everything from small-batch nut butter and sanitary wipes to Halloween-themed Oreos. While warehouse clubs like Costco and Sam’s have been offering freebies for years, more retailers are discovering that samples provide something digital marketing can’t: a chance for shoppers to try products before buying them.