StateWays | www.stateways.com | July/August 2016
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state in every type of store; a brand costs the same in Kittery as
it does in Fort Kent, and the same at a chain grocery store as a
rural package store.
"Our messaging wasn't getting across to consumers
about who we are at Maine Spirits and what we do," Mineo
says. "So now we buy television, radio and print advertising
through Pine State on a monthly basis to promote Maine
Spirits, which we say is 'your liquor company.'" Immediately,
Pine State Trading handles warehousing and distribution operations for the state of Maine, under a fee for services contract.
the agency saw engagement increase and retailers began re-
sponding to the program.
When the new ten-year contract with Pine State went into
effect, it also set the commission rate for agency stores – 12% or
14%, depending on the price of a bottle. An incentive was also
built into the contract, which would increase those percentages
by 0.75% each year that overall sales increased at least 4.5% from
the prior year.
"The fi rst year of the contract, sales went up 4.6%, so
the retailers got a raise," Mineo says. "For the second year,
it's going to be very close – they may get a second bump in
their commission."
agency agency
profile
MAINE'S NEW WAY FORWARD
"We're 95 percent there right
now. Most of what we do
is web-based and we've
eliminated a lot of paper."
—TIM POULIN, BABLO DEPUTY DIRECTOR,
ON IMPLEMENTING A STANDALONE, WEB-BASED
SYSTEM THAT ALL INDUSTRY MEMBERS COULD USE
