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Robert Sandelman, Sales Promotion Pioneer, Dies At 81

Robert M. Sandelman, a sales promotion giant and pioneer in cross merchandising -- in one 1987 promotion, children redeemed box-tops from Cheerios cereal in return for free trips aboard a Trailways bus (if accompanied by parents at full fare) -- died earlier this week at 81. Stephen Miller writes that he was "a barker standing at the corner where companies and customers meet."

In one of Sandelman's promotions, boxtops could be redeemed for canine haberdashery he dubbed "bonedanas." In 1989, he put magicians in Sloan's supermarkets in New York City. "Imagine people laughing and applauding while they're waiting in line," Sandelman said. He also conceived of a campaign to convince restaurateurs to abandon the practice of presenting customers with a free glass of unasked-for water. "The excuse was to save water during a drought," Miller recounts. "His client was the United States Brewers Association."

A native of The Bronx and graduate of Taft High School, Sandelman played clarinet in a swing band with fellow students Stanley Kubrick on drums and Eydie Gormé on vocals. He then studied marketing at NYU and opened Robert Brian Associates Inc. in 1954. Some say it was the first pure sales promotion agency.

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2 comments about "Robert Sandelman, Sales Promotion Pioneer, Dies At 81 ".
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  1. Jon Wright from JW Enterprises, April 11, 2014 at 1:36 p.m.

    To Bob Sandelman...

    I just now learned of your death and thus, I wish your wife Linda all the best in her grief (though I believe she grieved all that much with your passing)! Mr. Sandelman...wherever you are at this time...after stealing all of my ideas in regards to the "Chip-Mates" and selling them to Nabisco Brands without compensating one penny, I rejoice in the fact that not only is death the great equalizer...but that hopefully a most holy God has judged you as truly an evil man and thus, you are suffering in hell for the rest of eternity for the terrible things you did to so many people in business.

  2. Jon Wright from JW Enterprises, April 11, 2014 at 1:39 p.m.

    I also hope that should Linda somehow ever read this post...since she is most likely living off of Bob's acquired wealth from his shady business dealings...that she would contact me to apologize for all the money that Bob stole from me in business.

    PS-my apologies for typos in my postings

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