FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Straight answers for brand managers planning a START — not a one-off freebie, but sampling that expands online into Online Platforms, CRM and targeted communication.

About START

What is START by Care Direct?: START is Care Direct’s family of life-stage product sampling programs. Brands put samples in people’s hands at moments of change — pregnancy, newborn, first foods, school, teens, campus and more — then expands online via digital guides, Online Platforms, and consented CRM, loyalty and targeted email.
Who is START for?: Brand marketers and agencies that need real product trial when consumers are choosing new brands — not only digital impressions. Typical categories include baby care, personal care, food, hygiene, services and other FMCG or service brands that benefit from in-hand trial.
What does “hybrid marketing” mean for START?: Hybrid marketing combines traditional direct experience (trial and education) with digital experience. START’s model is kit + digital guide + consented CRM / targeted email + Online Platform — a complete experience from trial to loyalty.
How is START different from a one-off street sampling team?: START is built around defined life stages and trusted distribution points (clinics, schools, campuses, home delivery, and similar). Each program is a complete experience: physical samples, a keepable guide, then Online Platform and CRM so the brand stays present after the handout.

How a START works

How does a START program work?: Each START is a complete experience: sampling in the kit, a printed or digital guide, GDPR-compliant registration for CRM and targeted email, plus Care Direct Online Platforms after the freebie.
What do brands get in a typical kit?: Sample placement in the box (format depends on the brief: full-size, mini or combo), presence in the guide where agreed, and the option to continue on Online Platforms with CRM and targeted email after registration. Exact kit fit is confirmed per program and market.
Is there always a printed guide?: Programs use a printed guide, a digital/web guide, or both — depending on the life stage and country. Examples include maternity guides, school guides, START 9 for high school and UniStart+ for university.
How do data, CRM and targeted email work?: We gather consented first-party data under GDPR (freely given, specific, informed, affirmative) to power CRM, loyalty programmes and targeted email or SMS. Withdrawal must be as easy as opting in. This is not a bought third-party list.
Can we ask for category exclusivity?: Exclusivity is rarely automatic. Raise it in the brief; what can be closed depends on the program, market and contract. Put category and exclusivity needs in your first join request.

Markets & reach

Where does START run?: START runs across Southeast Europe: Greece, Cyprus, Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia. Care Direct also runs promotional and activation programs in the Middle East — those sit beside START, not on every START program page.
Do you report reach by country?: Yes — ask for yearly volume and placement by market, not only a blended regional number. Reach and clinic/school lists are confirmed for the year you join.
How many life-stage programs are in the START family?: START covers a full life-stage map: Pregnancy, Newborn, Luxury Moments, First Foods, First Grade (and Christmas edition), Teen Girl, High School, University, Army, Marriage, Pet, Ladies (menopause) and Seniors — one playbook with local execution.

Programs & life stages

What is the difference between START Pregnancy and START Newborn?: Pregnancy reaches expecting mothers in the third trimester via gyn and maternity clinics. Newborn reaches mothers about 2–3 days after birth in maternity clinics. Many brands use both as a sequence: trial before birth, then again in the first days.
What is START Luxury Moments?: Luxury Moments is the premium newborn edition for private clinics — suites and private rooms — aimed at a more exclusive audience. Same life-stage timing as Newborn, different environment and positioning.
What is START First Foods?: First Foods reaches families when the baby starts solid food at about six months. The box is delivered home — a second wave of trial for food, feeding and care brands after pregnancy/newborn.
How does school sampling work?: START First Grade hands a multi-brand box to six-year-olds and their parents on the first day of school in primary schools. START First Grade Christmas is the festive seasonal edition. There is also a Teen Girl home-delivered program and High School sampling with digital guides such as START 9.
How do campus and high-school programs work?: START High School targets students entering high school (about 15–16), with digital properties such as START 9. START University targets first-year students making independent purchases, with UniStart+ as a live digital guidebook example.
Do you cover marriage, pets, menopause or seniors?: Yes. START Marriage (home delivery for couples getting married), START Pet (vets and adoption organisations), START Ladies (women 50+ at gynaecology clinics, with LadiesBook) and START Seniors (retirement / senior venues) are part of the same family. Availability by country is confirmed in the brief.
What is START Army?: START Army reaches young men on recruitment day at military camps — a hard-to-reach audience gathered in one place on the day they enter service. Confirm markets and volumes when you brief.

Briefing & joining

How do we join a START?: Pick the life stage on start.caredirect.com, review the program page and country insights, then use Join a START / Plan with your audience, markets, sample format and timing. The local Care Direct team returns reach, timing and a commercial outline.
What should we put in the first brief?: Life stage and why now; markets and timing window; category and exclusivity needs; sample format (full-size, mini, leaflet or combo) plus dimensions/weight; volume or budget band; need for guide, kit branding or Online Platform presence; and KPIs (trial, CRM registration, loyalty email or all three).
How long does planning take?: It depends on the program calendar (for example school years vs clinic ongoing distribution), sample production and market approvals. Incomplete briefs slow proposals — sample logistics and access rules drive cost more than late creative variants.
Can one brief cover several countries?: Yes. Name the life stage first, then the countries. Ask for reach and timing per market so regional teams can compare like-for-like.
Where can we read more for brand teams?: See Insights on this site for articles on hybrid marketing, sampling vs digital, clinic and school sampling, freebie psychology and how to brief a life-stage program — written for brand managers.

For people who received a kit

I received a START box — how do I order or learn more?: Use the Order samples path on this site when available for your market, or follow the guide and Online Platform links included with your kit. For privacy or opt-out of messages, use Care Direct’s privacy and opt-out pages linked in the site footer.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Straight answers for brand managers planning a START — not a one-off freebie, but sampling that expands online into Online Platforms, CRM and targeted communication.

About START

What is START by Care Direct?: START is Care Direct’s family of life-stage product sampling programs. Brands put samples in people’s hands at moments of change — pregnancy, newborn, first foods, school, teens, campus and more — then expands online via digital guides, Online Platforms, and consented CRM, loyalty and targeted email.
Who is START for?: Brand marketers and agencies that need real product trial when consumers are choosing new brands — not only digital impressions. Typical categories include baby care, personal care, food, hygiene, services and other FMCG or service brands that benefit from in-hand trial.
What does “hybrid marketing” mean for START?: Hybrid marketing combines traditional direct experience (trial and education) with digital experience. START’s model is kit + digital guide + consented CRM / targeted email + Online Platform — a complete experience from trial to loyalty.
How is START different from a one-off street sampling team?: START is built around defined life stages and trusted distribution points (clinics, schools, campuses, home delivery, and similar). Each program is a complete experience: physical samples, a keepable guide, then Online Platform and CRM so the brand stays present after the handout.

How a START works

How does a START program work?: Each START is a complete experience: sampling in the kit, a printed or digital guide, GDPR-compliant registration for CRM and targeted email, plus Care Direct Online Platforms after the freebie.
What do brands get in a typical kit?: Sample placement in the box (format depends on the brief: full-size, mini or combo), presence in the guide where agreed, and the option to continue on Online Platforms with CRM and targeted email after registration. Exact kit fit is confirmed per program and market.
Is there always a printed guide?: Programs use a printed guide, a digital/web guide, or both — depending on the life stage and country. Examples include maternity guides, school guides, START 9 for high school and UniStart+ for university.
How do data, CRM and targeted email work?: We gather consented first-party data under GDPR (freely given, specific, informed, affirmative) to power CRM, loyalty programmes and targeted email or SMS. Withdrawal must be as easy as opting in. This is not a bought third-party list.
Can we ask for category exclusivity?: Exclusivity is rarely automatic. Raise it in the brief; what can be closed depends on the program, market and contract. Put category and exclusivity needs in your first join request.

Markets & reach

Where does START run?: START runs across Southeast Europe: Greece, Cyprus, Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia. Care Direct also runs promotional and activation programs in the Middle East — those sit beside START, not on every START program page.
Do you report reach by country?: Yes — ask for yearly volume and placement by market, not only a blended regional number. Reach and clinic/school lists are confirmed for the year you join.
How many life-stage programs are in the START family?: START covers a full life-stage map: Pregnancy, Newborn, Luxury Moments, First Foods, First Grade (and Christmas edition), Teen Girl, High School, University, Army, Marriage, Pet, Ladies (menopause) and Seniors — one playbook with local execution.

Programs & life stages

What is the difference between START Pregnancy and START Newborn?: Pregnancy reaches expecting mothers in the third trimester via gyn and maternity clinics. Newborn reaches mothers about 2–3 days after birth in maternity clinics. Many brands use both as a sequence: trial before birth, then again in the first days.
What is START Luxury Moments?: Luxury Moments is the premium newborn edition for private clinics — suites and private rooms — aimed at a more exclusive audience. Same life-stage timing as Newborn, different environment and positioning.
What is START First Foods?: First Foods reaches families when the baby starts solid food at about six months. The box is delivered home — a second wave of trial for food, feeding and care brands after pregnancy/newborn.
How does school sampling work?: START First Grade hands a multi-brand box to six-year-olds and their parents on the first day of school in primary schools. START First Grade Christmas is the festive seasonal edition. There is also a Teen Girl home-delivered program and High School sampling with digital guides such as START 9.
How do campus and high-school programs work?: START High School targets students entering high school (about 15–16), with digital properties such as START 9. START University targets first-year students making independent purchases, with UniStart+ as a live digital guidebook example.
Do you cover marriage, pets, menopause or seniors?: Yes. START Marriage (home delivery for couples getting married), START Pet (vets and adoption organisations), START Ladies (women 50+ at gynaecology clinics, with LadiesBook) and START Seniors (retirement / senior venues) are part of the same family. Availability by country is confirmed in the brief.
What is START Army?: START Army reaches young men on recruitment day at military camps — a hard-to-reach audience gathered in one place on the day they enter service. Confirm markets and volumes when you brief.

Briefing & joining

How do we join a START?: Pick the life stage on start.caredirect.com, review the program page and country insights, then use Join a START / Plan with your audience, markets, sample format and timing. The local Care Direct team returns reach, timing and a commercial outline.
What should we put in the first brief?: Life stage and why now; markets and timing window; category and exclusivity needs; sample format (full-size, mini, leaflet or combo) plus dimensions/weight; volume or budget band; need for guide, kit branding or Online Platform presence; and KPIs (trial, CRM registration, loyalty email or all three).
How long does planning take?: It depends on the program calendar (for example school years vs clinic ongoing distribution), sample production and market approvals. Incomplete briefs slow proposals — sample logistics and access rules drive cost more than late creative variants.
Can one brief cover several countries?: Yes. Name the life stage first, then the countries. Ask for reach and timing per market so regional teams can compare like-for-like.
Where can we read more for brand teams?: See Insights on this site for articles on hybrid marketing, sampling vs digital, clinic and school sampling, freebie psychology and how to brief a life-stage program — written for brand managers.

For people who received a kit

I received a START box — how do I order or learn more?: Use the Order samples path on this site when available for your market, or follow the guide and Online Platform links included with your kit. For privacy or opt-out of messages, use Care Direct’s privacy and opt-out pages linked in the site footer.