- Elaine Wong

Procter & Gamble will bring its brandSaver coupon book to life with a store opening in midtown Manhattan on Black Friday, which will showcase brands like Tide, Olay and CoverGirl.

Called brandSaver Live!, the store on 57th Street and Sixth Avenue is part of P&G's push to make its monthly coupon drop more experiential for consumers. P&G publishes brandSaver 14 times a year, and the booklet is delivered to approximately 50 million U.S. households via newspaper circulation.

P&G is offering consumers a chance to engage with actual brands that have been positioned as "affordable." Through December 11, those who walk into the midtown store can get their hair washed and conditioned with Pantene, and get made over by Olay and CoverGirl beauticians. Visitors can also browse through samples in the kitchen and laundry area, showcasing Tide, Downy, Bounce and Dawn. Nine P&G brands are participating in the store launch.

Glenn Williams, P&G brandSaver rep, said the company first tested the concept in Dallas and Rochester in June. Based on high coupon redemption rates, P&G decided to proceed with testing in an area with high foot traffic. The midtown store is located near Radio City Music Hall. P&G first introduced brandSaver six years ago, but this is the first time it's actually brought the concept to life.

"What's happened is, the economy has made this more timely and certainly, we've redirected the December 14 brandSaver and the messaging of the store to focus on the value that our brands offer," Williams said.

To promote its brandSaver booklet, P&G has tapped Kate Gosselin, star of the show Jon and Kate Plus 8, as a spokesperson. Gosselin will discuss money-saving tips and how to live on a tight budget at the Nov. 28 event.

Blair McCaw, president of the Constellation Management Group, a brand management firm in Chicago, said that while pop-up stores aren't new, P&G is one of the first to effectively channel short-term marketing promotions into long-term "brand-building vehicles" by actively engaging consumers.

"This type of experiential marketing creates a special interaction with the brand that goes well beyond a short-term trial vehicle," said McCaw. "This application adds some real punch to a targeted promotion."