Managing 5,000 Demos Across 32 Markets
Via Carota standardized operations across 16 agencies and 32 markets, transforming 5,000 product demos from a coordination challenge into strategic market intelligence.
Brian Sedra at Via Carota faced a coordination challenge: 5,000 product demos across 32 markets, managed by 16 different local agencies. Each agency had their own scheduling systems, reporting formats, and execution processes.
“We had no real way to compare performance or know if our brand standards were being followed consistently.”
Brian Sedra, Chief Growth Officer
The stakes were high. Via Carota needed to identify which markets responded best to their ready-to-drink cocktails, which agency partners delivered measurable results, and how to optimize their promotional spend across all 32 markets. The solution would require a centralized platform that could standardize operations across all agencies. Via Carota implemented MainEvent to bring all 16 agency partners onto a single system.
The Data Standardization Problem
When each of 16 agencies reports differently, meaningful analysis becomes impossible. One agency might focus on sample counts, another tracks engagement time, while a third emphasizes demographic breakdowns. Without consistent metrics, Via Carota couldn’t identify their most effective partnerships or replicate successful approaches.
“Every agency was essentially speaking a different language when it came to reporting,” Brian explains. “We needed everyone submitting identical recap data for every event so we could actually determine who our most effective partners were.”
The solution required systematic standardization across all 16 agency relationships. Every demo would now generate the same data points, in the same format, enabling direct performance comparisons.
Real-Time Operational Intelligence
Managing agencies across 32 markets through traditional email reporting meant waiting days or weeks to understand demo performance. By then, opportunities to adjust strategy or capitalize on successful tactics had passed.
“Now we can analyze outcomes from every visit in real time,” Brian notes. “If we see one product resonating particularly well in specific markets, we can adjust our sampling strategy immediately rather than waiting for end-of-month reports.”
This immediate visibility transforms sampling from a brand awareness exercise into dynamic market intelligence, where successful tactics can be scaled instantly across similar markets.
Location Targeting with Census Data
Instead of relying on agency recommendations or market assumptions, Via Carota now analyzes demographic data to identify optimal demo locations before deployment. This data-driven approach to site selection has measurably improved engagement rates.
“The census analysis helps us make the best decisions on where to demo before we execute,” Brian says. “As a result, our sales and engagement rates improve for every visit, and our promotional dollars get spent more strategically.”
Each demo location is now selected based on demographic alignment with Via Carota’s target customer profile, turning location selection from guesswork into precision targeting.
Building Technology for Scale
As Via Carota expands their RTD portfolio and enters additional markets, operational scalability becomes critical. MainEvent’s AI-powered analytics and automated data processing aren’t just nice features. They’re essential as the brand scales operations across more markets and product lines.
“We wanted to work with providers who are forward-thinking,” Brian explains. “These capabilities are critical as we scale operations across more markets and product lines.”
Each new market or agency partner can now be onboarded using standardized processes, maintaining consistency while enabling rapid geographic expansion.
“We can analyze outcomes from every visit in real time. If we see one product resonating particularly well in specific markets, we can adjust our sampling strategy immediately.”
Brian Sedra, Chief Growth Officer
From Coordination Challenge to Competitive Advantage
Via Carota’s approach demonstrates how national sampling programs can evolve beyond coordination exercises into strategic market intelligence operations. Standardized data collection, real-time analysis, and demographic targeting transformed their field marketing into a scalable, measurable competitive advantage.
For brands planning national sampling programs, the lesson is concrete: operational consistency isn’t just about efficiency. It creates the foundation for data-driven growth across multiple markets and agency relationships.
Brian Sedra is the Chief Growth Officer at Via Carota Craft Cocktails, where he oversees national field marketing operations and strategic growth initiatives.