The Logic Behind P&G's Old-School Manhattan Giveaway

Photograph by David Paul Morris/Bloomberg
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These days, there are more ways than ever for a company to get brand recognition—from sponsored tweets to blatant movie tie-insBloomberg Terminal. But as it struggles to prop up its portfolio of household products, Procter & Gamble is leaning toward the good, old-fashioned giveaway.

On Wednesday morning, its promotional army descends on Manhattan to pass out a potpourri of more than 40,000 products spanning 25 brands. It will have pop-up “boxes” in five places, including a Times Square venue focused on Cover Girl makeup, a Gillette “Man Cave” in Washington Square Park, and a Harlem hub for P&G’s “My Black Is Beautiful” campaign. Stylists will be on hand to give tips, and celebrities will make appearances.