(Promo) Olay has launched a new sampling program it hopes will get 250,000 to try its Olay Daily Facials product.

The request-based sampling initiative began last month. Consumers call 1-800-TRY-OLAY and interact with a speech-recognition system to request the free product sample. Olay requests some personal information (such as home phone number, address, name and skin type) in exchange for the appropriate sample of the cleansing cloths. At the end of the call, consumers are invited to join the Club Olay relationship program to get free samples, newsletters and other benefits.

The six-month pilot program– at a cost per call of less than $1– is expected to deliver about 250,000 samples, said Dan Hamilton, interactive marketing manager at Olay.

“We have updated the cloth technology and have gone back to the market with a stronger customization message,” Hamilton said.

Olay chose a phone-based system to capture a group of the population that may not be accessing its Web-based sampling programs. The ease of application was also attractive.

“The phone has a higher household penetration than the Web and the consumer perception is often that the phone is a more secure place to give out personal information,” Hamilton said. “There are still many people who are online who are afraid to fill out Web-based forms that ask for personal information.

Shortly after the promotion ends, P&G will follow up with consumers to determine conversion rates and whether the phone-based sample request program will be a viable option moving forward, said Doug Scalia, business development executive at CIBER Inc, an information technology consulting service that provided support for the promotion.

“It may not be as convenient for someone to remember a URL they saw in a print ad as it is to pick up the phone and dial an 800 number,” Scalia said.

A quick call to a toll-free number and a sample of Olay Daily Facials will arrive at your doorstep within weeks, thanks to a new request-based sampling program that began last month.

Consumers call 1-800-TRY-OLAY and interact with a speech recognition system to request the free product sample. Consumers supply Olay with some personal information (such as home phone number, address, name and skin type) to receive the appropriate sample of the cleansing cloths. At the end of the call they are invited to join Club Olay, a relationship program, to get free samples and newsletters, along with other benefits.

The six-month pilot program–at a cost per call of less than $1–is expected to deliver about 250,000 samples, said Dan Hamilton, interactive marketing manager at Olay.

“We have updated the cloth technology and have gone back to the market with a stronger customization message,” Hamilton said.

Olay chose a phone-based system to capture a group of the population that may not be accessing its Web-based sampling programs. The ease of application was also attractive.

CIBER, Inc. and West Interactive, handle.

“The phone has a higher household penetration than the Web does and the consumer perception is often that the phone is a more secure place to give out personal information,” Hamilton said. “There are still many people who are online who are afraid to fill out Web-based forms that ask for personal information. Shortly after the promotion ends, P&G will follow up with consumers to determine conversion rates and whether the phone-based sample request program will be a viable option moving forward, said Doug Scalia, business development executive at CIBER, Inc, an IT consulting service that provided support for the promotion. “It may not be as convenient for someone to remember a URL they saw in a print ad as it is to pick up the phone and dial an 800 number,” Scalia said. Print ads, radio and TV supports.