Pot Noodle went into Dig In Freshers welcome boxes two years running. In 2021, 500,000 Pot Pastas reached students as they arrived. 72% of those surveyed had not tried it before, and 73% would buy it again (n=3,035). In 2022, 300,000 Pot Noodle samples followed. 79.7% of students surveyed were more likely to buy, and 85.7% felt more positive about the brand (n=6,100).
The brief
Unilever wanted Pot Noodle in students’ hands as they set up their first kitchens. In 2021 it also wanted new triers for Pot Pasta.
What we did
We put 500,000 Pot Pastas into the Freshers 2021 welcome box and 300,000 Pot Noodle samples into the Freshers 2022 box, handed to students through their halls as they arrived. Each year, a survey asked students who received the sample what they thought and whether they would buy.
The result
79.7%
more likely to buy Pot Noodle, n=6,100, Freshers 2022
85.7%
feel more positive about Pot Noodle, n=6,100, Freshers 2022
72%
had not tried Pot Pasta before, n=3,035, Freshers 2021
73%
would buy Pot Pasta again, n=3,035, Freshers 2021
What it means for brands like yours
Most students who got a Pot Pasta in 2021 had never tried it, so the welcome box recruited new triers, not only existing fans. Coming back a second year reached a new intake of first-years, who arrive every September without fixed brands.
Questions
Did Pot Noodle sample to university students?
Yes. Pot Noodle went into Dig In’s Freshers welcome boxes in 2021 (500,000 Pot Pastas) and 2022 (300,000 samples).
What did students think of Pot Noodle?
In 2022, 79.7% of students surveyed were more likely to buy and 85.7% felt more positive about the brand (n=6,100). In 2021, 73% would buy Pot Pasta again (n=3,035).
Did the sample reach new customers?
Yes. 72% of students surveyed in 2021 had not tried Pot Pasta before (n=3,035).