MORE THAN 50,000 students at universities in London, Portsmouth, Devon and Cornwall recently took part in a special market research campaign by Mike and Ike. The two-week event clearly demonstrated that people love the taste of Mike and Ike, as 90% of students who tried our fruity candies said they would definitely be buying Mike and Ike in future!

SENIOR executives from Just Born, the US company that manufacturers Mike and Ike candies, are pictured at a recently promotion at the Asda superstore in Eastleigh, Hampshire during a flying visit to the UK. The event allowed supermarket shoppers to receive a free pack of mouth-watering Mike and Ike candies when they bought a copy of the Southern Daily Echo.

Mike and Ike samples are being given away at hundreds of events this year, including pop concerts, adventure sports events, family shows and football matches.

IN A special promotion aimed at retailers, MIKE AND IKE® have linked up with leading trade magazine The Grocer to offer some great prizes. The competition featured in the February 16th issue of the trade publication and gave retailers the chance to win a brilliant portable DVD player plus a bumper selection of MIKE AND IKE® goodies. Similar editorial promotions are being arranged with six other leading trade magazines in the next few months.

As part of a continuing commitment to consumer sampling at major events and supermarkets, Mike and Ike recently dropped in at the Bristol Classic Car Show to offer free packs of Fabulous Fruits candies to a bumper crowd of 15,000 enthusiastic visitors.

MIKE AND IKE® attended yet another major movie premiere on December 9th when Alvin and the Chipmunks made their big-screen debut. Lots of free samples were offered to celebrity, VIP and media guests attending this live action/CGI comedy that was a big Christmas hit.

THE LONDON premiere of the new Dustin Hoffman movie Mr Magorium’s Wonder Emporium was very much a celebrity affair – and MIKE AND IKE® played a starring role! Celebrity guests including Dustin Hoffman himself plus film critics and VIPs all had a chance to enjoy a free pack or two of MIKE AND IKE® candies at the premiere.

MIKE AND IKE® chilled out at the Metro Ski & Snowboard Show by provided lots of free samples to visitors to what is the largest consumer winter sports show in the world. The event, held recently over five days at London’s Olympia, attracted around 50,000 snow sport fans and all visitors to the White Lines Snowboard Magazine display stand were handed a free sample packs of MIKE AND IKE® candies.

MIKE AND IKE® has extended its national TV campaign by taking extra advertising boards at Premiership grounds for the rest of this football season. MIKE AND IKE® had already signed up with Everton and Championship contenders Charlton Athletic but have now also agreed to advertise at Blackburn and Derby. As the scene from the recent Everton v Liverpool match shows, the ads are providing fantastic live national TV coverage for MIKE AND IKE®.

BLUES AND SOUL Magazine recently celebrated its 1,000th issue with an exclusive London party so MIKE AND IKE® couldn’t resist an invitation to offer celebrity guests the chance to sample the delights of their fruity candies. MIKE AND IKE® also showed up at the recent MOBO Awards where X Factor winner Leona was just one of the celebrities who enjoyed her MIKE AND IKE® candies.

MIKE AND IKE® have been getting out and about in the past few weeks with a tour of major universities. More than 52,000 students have had the chance to sample MIKE AND IKE® candies. The tour took in Portsmouth, Exeter, Plymouth and the combined universities of Cornwall as well as three leading London venues – Middlesex, Westminster and London Metropolitan universities. The overwhelming view of students was that MIKE AND IKE® taste absolutely brilliant!