Brandshare
Brandshare is a New York-based Connected Sampling™ company that helps consumer packaged goods brands and retailers drive product trial through omnichannel in-home, in-venue, and in-store sampling programs supported by digital engagement and multi-touch attribution. It operates as a subsidiary of Advantage Solutions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Brandshare does
Brandshare is a New York-based Connected Sampling™ company that helps consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands and retailers drive product discovery, trial, and purchase through omnichannel product sampling combined with digital engagement. The company's proprietary Connected Sampling™ framework distributes physical product samples across three coordinated touchpoints — in-home (via e-commerce package insertion and direct-to-door partnerships), in-venue (gyms, hotels, colleges, and lifestyle venues), and in-store (point-of-purchase at retailers such as Lowe's, Walgreens, and Tanger Outlets) — supported by digital solutions that capture engagement data and provide multi-touch attribution across the shopper journey. The company engages millions of consumers monthly and serves enterprise CPG clients across beauty, food, beverage, health and wellness, baby, household, personal care, and pet categories; named customers include L'Oréal, Unilever, P&G, Estée Lauder, Coty, Beiersdorf, Nestlé, Kraft Heinz, Mars Wrigley, Campbell's, Quaker Oats, Mondelez, Kimberly-Clark, Reckitt Benckiser, Henkel, and Johnson & Johnson.
Brandshare's business model is anchored in B2B service fees for managing omnichannel sampling programs at scale, with revenue primarily generated from per-sample and program-based pricing negotiated with CPG brand teams. The company operates an enterprise field sales motion led by senior commercial leadership (SVP, Sr. Director, Associate Director) and supplements this with channel partnerships across e-commerce retailers and physical venues. A complementary direct-to-consumer revenue stream is operated through The Beauty Season, a curated beauty and wellness subscription box priced at $40 per unit (claimed $250+ retail value), including limited edition collaborations such as the Astrology Zone beauty box with Susan Miller.
In April 2022 Brandshare was acquired by Advantage Solutions, a global sampling and activations company, and in September 2022 it merged operations with sister agency Brand Connections to consolidate in-home and venue-based sampling capabilities under the Brandshare brand with Alan Verdun as CEO. The combined entity operates within Advantage Solutions' Media and Technology group, and the company has emphasized thought leadership through a library of category white papers and active participation in CPG industry events.
Brandshare firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Brandshare
- Legal name
- Brandshare
- Website
- https://brandshare.us
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Brandshare is a New York-based Connected Sampling™ company that helps consumer packaged goods brands and retailers drive product trial through omnichannel in-home, in-venue, and in-store sampling programs supported by digital engagement and multi-touch attribution. It operates as a subsidiary of Advantage Solutions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Brandshare industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Experiential Marketing and Product Sampling Services
- NAICS
- Advertising Material Distribution Services (541870)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sampling & Product Trial Programs (BPAFAMAH)
Keywords
Where Brandshare is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Brandshare business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Omnichannel Sampling Services: Brandshare provides sampling services to CPG brands, placing physical product samples across in-home, in-venue, and in-store channels. Revenue generated through service fees and per-sample pricing for managing sampling programs at scale.
- Retailer Partnership Programs: Partners with e-commerce retailers and brick-and-mortar stores to enrich customer buying experiences with product samples. Brandshare enables retailers to increase customer lifetime value by providing synergistic brand products inside orders.
- The Beauty Season Subscription Box: Direct-to-consumer subscription box sold at $40 per unit with $250+ retail value. Curated beauty and wellness products sold directly to consumers through thebeautyseason.com.
- Venue-Based Sampling: Sampling programs executed at lifestyle venues including gyms, hotels, colleges, and other locations. Revenue generated through venue partnerships and brand sponsorships.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | The Beauty Season Beauty Box - Limited Edition |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Brandshare product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Brandshare operates an omnichannel product sampling platform called Connected Sampling™ that distributes physical product samples to consumers through in-home (e-commerce package insertion and direct delivery), in-venue (gyms, hotels, colleges), and in-store (point-of-purchase) channels on behalf of CPG brands and retailers. The platform combines physical sample fulfillment with digital engagement and multi-touch attribution measurement to drive product discovery, trial, and purchase. The company also operates The Beauty Season, a direct-to-consumer subscription box brand.
Product overview
Brandshare is a Connected Sampling™ company that operates as a single unified product/service offering centered on omnichannel product sampling. The core platform provides physical sampling services across three main channels: In-Home Sampling (through e-commerce partnerships and direct-to-consumer channels), In-Venue Sampling (at gyms, hotels, colleges), and In-Store Sampling (at retail point-of-purchase). Supporting service modules include E-Commerce Distribution, Targeted Fulfillment, and Box Opportunities. Additionally, Brandshare operates The Beauty Season, its own direct-to-consumer subscription box brand featuring curated beauty and wellness products. The company also produces industry white papers on beauty, fragrance, and pet care trends. Brandshare is part of Advantage Solutions (Advantage Experiential Services) and merged with Brand Connections in 2022 to expand its omnichannel capabilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Beauty Season: Brandshare's own direct-to-consumer product line featuring curated beauty and wellness subscription boxes, including limited edition collaborations such as the Astrology Zone beauty box with Susan Miller.
Products and services
- Connected Sampling™ omnichannel sampling service Brandshare's flagship omnichannel product sampling service for CPG brands and retailers, combining physical sample distribution at scale with digital education and multi-touch attribution measurement across the shopper journey.
- In-Home Sampling Distribution of product samples to consumers in their homes, executed through e-commerce package insertion partnerships and direct delivery, reaching shoppers in a high-engagement environment.
- Venue-Based Sampling Product sampling at curated lifestyle venues including gyms, hotels, colleges, and other life-stage locations to reach target audiences in specific environments.
- In-Store Sampling Sampling programs that drive awareness, education, and trial at point of purchase in retail environments, executed at partner retail locations.
- E-Commerce Retailer Sampling Program Partnership program for e-commerce retailers to place product samples, premiums, or exclusive offers directly inside online orders to differentiate the customer unboxing experience and increase customer lifetime value.
- The Beauty Season subscription box Brandshare's direct-to-consumer subscription box brand sold through thebeautyseason.com, offering curated beauty and wellness product samples from national and emerging brands, including limited edition themed collaborations.
Quantifiable outcome
- Engages millions of consumers monthly across omnichannel touchpoints
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Brandshare
Customer profileNamed customers20 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Brandshare technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Brandshare partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Astrology Zone (Susan Miller)corePartnership with astrology expert and author Susan Miller for limited edition beauty boxes. Miller curates cosmically-aligned boxes featuring beauty and wellness product samples from two dozen brands. Each box includes her exclusive astrological forecasts and is sold through The Beauty Season DTC platform.
- Brand ConnectionscoreBrandshare and Brand Connections merged operations in September 2022 to expand the portfolio of omnichannel sampling solutions. Brand Connections brought venue-based sampling expertise to complement Brandshare's e-commerce capabilities. Both companies partner with top CPG brands and retailers across food, beverage, beauty, health & wellness, baby care, household products, and pet care categories.
- Advantage SolutionscoreAdvantage Solutions acquired Brandshare in April 2022, bringing the company under the Advantage Solutions umbrella as part of the Media and Technology group. Advantage Solutions also acquired Brand Connections in 2018. Brandshare operates as a subsidiary under CEO Alan Verdun's leadership.
- WalgreensminorE-commerce sampling partner where Brandshare places product samples in Walgreens.com orders, including gift-with-purchase beauty box promotions during holiday seasons.
- Lowe'sminorRetail sampling partner featured in Brandshare retailer marketing materials as a reference customer for customer loyalty and unboxing experience programs.
- Tanger OutletsminorVenue sampling partner where Brandshare conducts in-person sampling programs. Tanger Outlets reported foot traffic returning to pre-pandemic levels nationwide, making it an attractive sampling venue.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Brandshare competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hello World (formerly ICM Group): Promotion and sampling agency that executes product sample distribution, sweepstakes, and rebate programs for CPG brands. Comparable sampling execution vendor with overlapping enterprise CPG client base.
- Influenster: Digital-first product sampling and review platform that distributes samples to opted-in consumers and generates user reviews. Highly comparable to Brandshare's in-home and online sampling arm, serving many of the same CPG brand clients.
- BzzAgent: Word-of-mouth and product sampling agency that connects brands with consumer advocates for sample distribution and advocacy campaigns. Directly comparable B2B sampling service for CPG brands, though primarily digital rather than omnichannel.
- Daymon (Crossmark): Sampling, category management, and retail marketing services firm (now part of Crossmark). Directly competes in CPG in-store sampling and trade promotion services, with similar retail-partner distribution model.
Broad incumbents
- Acosta: Sales and marketing services provider for CPG brands including in-store demos, sampling, and retail execution. Comparable enterprise CPG services model with similar trade marketing capabilities.
- News America Marketing / Inmar: Large-scale in-store and FSI marketing services firm (now part of Inmar). Comparable as an established player offering digital coupons, rebates, and in-store sampling at retail scale, with much broader portfolio than Brandshare.
- Experiential Marketing Group (George P. Johnson): Global experiential and event marketing agency providing brand activation and live sampling experiences. Comparable in the in-venue sampling and experiential brand activation space, particularly relevant to Brandshare's venue-based sampling channel.
- Crossmark: Retail services company providing in-store demonstrations, sampling, and product launches for CPG brands. Comparable field marketing and sampling services at scale, serving many of the same enterprise CPG clients.
Emerging players
- Ipsy: Beauty subscription box sending curated samples to subscribers monthly. Comparable to Brandshare's Beauty Season D2C offering, though Ipsy operates at significantly larger consumer scale with a beauty-only focus.
- Social Nature: Digital sampling marketplace connecting CPG brands with opted-in consumers seeking product-trial experiences. Overlaps with Brandshare's in-home sampling capability but operates as a self-serve marketplace rather than full-service managed sampling.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Brandshare social profiles
Digital presenceBrandshare financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Brandshare leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Brandshare funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Brandshare M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Brandshare
What does Brandshare do?
Brandshare operates an omnichannel product sampling platform called Connected Sampling™ that distributes physical product samples to consumers through in-home (e-commerce package insertion and direct delivery), in-venue (gyms, hotels, colleges), and in-store (point-of-purchase) channels on behalf of CPG brands and retailers. The platform combines physical sample fulfillment with digital engagement and multi-touch attribution measurement to drive product discovery, trial, and purchase. The company also operates The Beauty Season, a direct-to-consumer subscription box brand.
Is Brandshare a public or private company?
Brandshare is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Brandshare founded?
Brandshare was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Brandshare based?
Brandshare is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Brandshare make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Omnichannel Sampling Services are the primary driver. The others are retailer Partnership Programs, the Beauty Season Subscription Box and venue-Based Sampling.
Who are Brandshare's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hello World (formerly ICM Group), Influenster, BzzAgent and Daymon (Crossmark). Broad incumbents are Acosta, News America Marketing / Inmar, Experiential Marketing Group (George P. Johnson) and Crossmark. Emerging players are Ipsy and Social Nature.
Does Brandshare have an API?
No public API is recorded for Brandshare.
What industry is Brandshare in?
Brandshare's product category is Experiential Marketing and Product Sampling Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFAMAH, Sampling & Product Trial Programs. Its NAICS code is 541870.