How about setting up a tent where the “unofficial” practice swims are? Since the areas are "public access points" they can’t really say anything about it.

Mike -

The name of the game is business. And your product is clearly superior, so you just need to get people to use it, then the are done and hooked like crack ;-) I even tried to go away for a while (sorry), but the lure back was strong :0

How about just have a ton of athletes in InfinIT tri singlets, jerseys, shorts, etc. You get tons of on course advertising, people will ask them what they use, etc.

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Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

You guys and gals rule. I have a ton of eyes looking at this thread and we are getting some really really good ideas. Keep em coming...

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infinIT Nutrition
Custom Blended Nutrition Solutions
http://www.infinITNutrition.com

If you use this one... All I would like is some free product.

This one says it all...

This picture


and the tagline

Just because your run isn't explosive...
Doesn't mean your runs don't have to be... IM Perform

You can also use a porta potty...

or INFINIT - Custom nutrition so your PERFORMance does not go to crap.

 

If you could get us some iron-on Infinit logos that we could iron on our own race kit I would go for that.

and also a sticker to put on our bikes.

Simple hot chicks handing the stuff out.

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Looking like a color blind super hero!
Damn triathlon.

I like that. Iron-ons would work and be very cost effective.

Infinit shuttle busses for the week of the race! "Need something reliable? ride with Infinit" There I even gave you a slogan

Become the official Sponsor of the Underpants Run.
Get a bunch of undies printed up and give them out. These are the only press pictures of the race we care about anyway ;-)

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This is your life, and it's ending one minute at a time. - Fight Club
Industry Brat.

I'd go with the "lunch truck model". It seems to be all the rage these days and you can just park it legally. Samples, purchases, signage and portable sounds like a decent deal.

On-course INFINIT stations for the Epicman Kona on Wednesday?

Wow. Hmmm.

Well, you were nice enough to visit us for a product training here at TriSports.com a few weeks ago and I enjoyed your presentation and I like your product and the ethos of your company.

You'll prevail.

By prevail I don't necessarily mean "conquer" but you may even do that. One word: Apple.

Consumers love an "alternative", they like the little guy and they like a valid product. Now, at least in appearances (little guy, alternative) you are that little guy, that underdog.

I say take the high road. In what advertising you do, tell the story: "The product so good it was banned", "No. 1 independent drink preferred by Ultra-Distance athletes." "Not even Iron can keep us out". This is just an awesome tag line waiting to happen. Remember the Apple ad with the guy throwing the hammer?

This is a chance: Fight "The Man". People identify with that. People love a (perceived) underdog.

On the flip side, don't forget to sell your product on its own virtues. You have success for (predominantly) two reasons:

1. Your product is valid and unique. It delivers, it works.
2. You guys work hard in marketing and in maintaining the quality and integrity of the product.

This is America. That will work.

Cervelo grew because they had a valid product, were in the right place at the right time and did a good job educating dealers and consumers about their valid technological superiority. Do the same.

Posting here is an excellent start. Don't stop. When a person puts a post up here that says, "The drinks at the aid station at Ironman made me sick..." Jump on it. don't take the low road and bash the competition. Instead, educate: Tell people about sports nutrition and hydration. Ask questions. Listen. Interact. Be a champion of the sport and of sports nutrition. People (smart people) will see you for who you are- a good guy trying to help and sell a good product that works. People will respond to that by trying your product. Once they try INFINIT the product speaks for itself.

Yesterday I put up a post about how Ironman and the brand has benefitted the sport. They have. If it weren't for Ironman the market to even consider selling your product would be smaller, probably substantially smaller.

If you haven't read The Art of War, now is the time. It is filled with insights on how to fell a larger foe, how to absorb energy and use it, and to prevail even in the face of insurmountable odds.

This is an opportunity. It's also a fascinating case. I look forward to revisiting this thread three years from now when you are massive, your product is even better and we tell the story of this thread and laugh.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

go out the night before the race and write INFINIT on the road all over the place. LIke they do in the tour! BIg huge white letters.

give free infinit bucks to the athletes that are there for the week who love your product (I do-but won't be there) and have them wear attractive, professional T-shirts giving out samples, or offering info.

you guys have a great product, you won't get screwed, it might actually benefit you!

Good Luck...

hand out blank poster boards/sticks (race week) with your logo in the corner- people to use to make signs for athletes, similar to what Janus does. Could hand out at coffee shop, etc. They would like it cause it would keep customers in the shop for longer.

Guerilla marketing will do a lot for you, and I highly recommend you confab with Albert at Coffees of Hawaii. He's done a great job of building awareness in Kona during race week.

I'm a user of the product, and had a great race a few weeks back at IM Canada, partially because I finally got the nutrition right. The power of your product is its' customizability, tailored to the athletes particular needs, with the ability to be flexible to adjust for race conditions. Why not set up a custom mixing station at or around Lava Java, where people can come up and get a free bike bottle filled with a customer mixture on the spot? If I recall, there are a number of vacant stores in the Coconut Grove mall area, the volleyball court, and some large grass areas. You could mock up a board with the 'sliders' on it, have an athlete tell you that I want X calories, X sodium and so on, and mix it for them on the spot.

Other ideas: sponsor the underpants run, handing out tightie whities with the Infinit Logo on it; custom bike bottle with 'Kona 2010'; hand out the free samples you had in Canada at the pier, with a sticker directing people to your custom mix station; sponsor some of the triathlon podcasts (can't cost much) and so on.

The thing that clicked for me with Infinit, and why I won't use anything else, is the drink can be whatever I need it to be. That's powerful. That's the message you have to get out, and what must be supported by whatever actions you decide to take in Kona.

Bummer, but....how about giving away free Infinit bottles for all Infinit users to use on the course....IM might ban you from being on the course, but not sure they can ban participants from bringing in colorful bottles that say Infinit all over them....

Also- read Mao Tse Tung's treatise on guerilla war. It is an example of how to prevail in assymetrical conflict. At these events, you must strike and fade into the night.

At Hawaii this year, consider the "choke points": Why do terrorists favor airports as targets? A high concentration of folks in a small area engaged in dynamic behavior. Target the airport. People in T-shirts. Samples being handed to obvious athletes. Bottles being handed out. Coupons that direct people back to your website. Banners were allowable. Flyers in rental cars.

You get the idea. Work the choke points. Use weapons (marketing) that highlight your validity. Never bash. Only work your own strengths.

Yeah- we're inspired...

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

There are lots of good ideas here, but what you need is a theme/campaign to tie it all together, similar to Ben & Jerry's amazing "What's the doughboy afraid of?" campaign, back in the early 90's when Haagen Daz tried to get their distributors to not sell Ben & Jerry's. Interestingly, Haagen Daz is now distributed by Nestle!!!

If you can come up with a slogan or theme, then you will leverage all these other great ideas. I don't know what that theme is, but perhaps you can tie it to some of Nestle's other products, wh/ include Purina, Pro Plan, etc.

Victor

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We'd love an Infinite sponsored aid station on the QueenK for Epicman Kona....maybe we can have Folan do the the "finish line" too. I'm glad someone else made the request first :-).

Infinit could also do the "official Unofficial drink count" at Kona. Basically as guys leave bike check in, just ask them on the street what they are using for their personal drink....you're not at the expo, you're just asking people what they are using as they walk down Alii drive after checking their bikes. The hard part will be to catch all the competitors as they leave....if you don't get all of them, you won't have a proper count....this could get tricky

Then publish the results on the Infinit website....."Top Sports Drink Used by athletes at Kona"....

Dev

That's a great idea. I say we need a tag line contest here. Winner would get an INFINIT T-shirt, some INFINIT custom blend sports nutrition product and an INFINIT hat.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

A house on Alii Drive full of banners and people always seemed like a smart idea to me as a base to do the other things people are recommending. It will be an upgrade from those years in the Royal Kona. Like the idea of undies with INFINIT on the rear. Good luck bruh and to everyone doing Epicman Kona (and the race on Sat)!

I think tee shirt handed out is a great idea. Maybe get them printed with" INFINIT performs".

This news alone would make me want to buy some INFINIT which is something I have never done before.


.

He uses INFINIT:

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

This is off-topic...why do you feel the expo and Kona are so important to your market?
Realistically, I see Kona once a year. I might go to an expo once a year as well. Furthermore, I would never buy and use product like nutrition from an expo.
On the other hand, I swim/bike/run with members of a tri club several times a week. These are guys I know, trust, and look up to. When they talk, I am prone to listen partially because 4-5hrs of riding is a long time to ignore somebody). Furthermore, training is when I am willing to try things. For example, a friend suggested EFS during a couple of our rides and offered to let me try some. I tried it, liked it, and bought it.

I guess my point is, let IM have the expo. Sponsor tri clubs. Pick a couple Kona-bound members from various clubs around the country (or world-wide?), set them up right with nice kits that advertise your product, and let them in on good deals that allow them to let other members of the club try your stuff.

Or if you really want to do something big at Kona...I am thinking Boston Tea Party style dumping of the Powerade drink into Kona Bay the night before. Dressing up as Indians is a must, bow and arrows optional.