I came across something interesting when food shopping at the ShopRite in Piscataway NJ the other day: a stand dedicated to advertising companies. Right there next to the produce. Not exactly in the direct line of vision from the entrance, but it’s clearly noticeable.

I know that many supermarkets have free boards where you can post ads for free, whether it’s in the form of a handwritten piece of paper with a service or something for sale/rent, a postcard about an event or a business card for your company.

The supermarket wall has added many a card to my collection. But, my question that I bring up in this blog is: would you try out a product or service based on an advertisement found in your local supermarket?

For me, the answer would be no, but it does create awareness to perhaps research that’s being advertised.

Let’s take this advertisement and start from the top. The first one is for Combinations Martial Arts & Fitness Academy. I know of MMA based on the growth of the sport through UFC. I enjoy watching it from time to time also.

But would you enroll yourself or your children based solely on a supermarket display? Of course, with the power of the Internet, you would do some research on their Web site and on Google about who is teaching the classes and how dangerous the sport can be.

The other one was for a realtor named Audrey Dalton. She is not only selling her services as a Broker Salesperson (or Broker Sales Associate depending on the business card), but a new house that is local to the area.

That’s the common bond between these two companies: being local to the area. Of course, putting up a display (which I assume is being paid for) is a great way to attract locals. However, with the digital age, I feel like people are going to see this display and then research the Internet to see if they want to partake.

I know that with my job in digital marketing that I preach for a more SEO-driven marketing campaign, but hitting your local supermarket is a great way to target strictly local people.

The final thought: is it worth the money? I have no idea how much it costs and how many conversions it has, so I can’t tell you. All I know is that it’s a good way to raise awareness about your brand to your local audience.

But they should also be promoting online. I know real estate companies and whatever her title is do it through the Web, but not sure about the MMA school. Hope it’s working out for you guys!