Launch PR - Powered by Schneider Associates

Gum Brands Battle on Health and Wellness Positioning

In the battle for gum supremacy, rivals Wrigley and Kraft continue a trend in health consciousness with two new additions focused on well-being. Extra Dessert Delights from Wrigley helps dieters seeking to replace the calorie load of dessert without sacrificing flavor. Kraft’s competing entry, Trident Vitality, comes a year after the brand introduced the successful Trident Layers, and is for consumers who want their daily dose of vitamins in a tasty way. With the recent mergers of Mars Inc. and Wrigley, followed by Kraft and Cadbury, these two Chicago-based, global gum giants are credited with 65% of the world’s gum sales, according to Euromonitor International. In a category where it is difficult to differentiate products, Wrigley and Kraft have managed to innovate.

Launched in October, 2010, Extra Dessert Delights introduced Key Lime Pie, Mint Chocolate Chip and Strawberry Shortcake varieties. Only five calories per stick, Dessert Delights gum is marketed as a smart, tasty substitute for sweet cravings. “Consumers are seeking more indulgent flavors,” said Jennifer Jackson-Luth, senior manager of marketing at Wrigley. “Gum chewers have been using Extra gum as one of the tools that could help avoid snack cravings for the past few years.”

Extra relied heavily on free samples to win over consumers. Free packs of gum were given to Facebook fans, Wal-Mart shoppers and bloggers, while printable coupons littered the web, creating significant social media buzz. Extra’s Facebook and YouTube pages featured videos of young professionals engaged in exercise designed to burn off the five calories in Dessert Delights gum. A sponsorship of Bravo’s “Top Chef Just Desserts” and amusing commercials rounded out Wrigley’s strong marketing push.
...

While Wrigley focused on promoting a gum for dieters, Kraft appealed to consumer lifestyles. Trident’s wellness-focused Vitality features three flavors, Vigorate, Rejuve and Awaken, each with an infusion of vitamin C, ginseng or white tea. Vitality targets a slightly older demographic in an attempt to gain back 25-35 year olds who have dropped out of the gum market. Although the gum’s innovation comes from its vitamin ingredients, Trident executives also focused on flavor and sleek, stylish packaging to market their newest product.

...

 Launched nationwide in February, the buzz for Trident Vitality kicked off with a launch event on December 8th featuring celebrities such as actor Tyson Beckford, Kelly Rutherford of Gossip Girl and Adrienne Bailon of Cheetah Girls. Spa treatments and a bar featuring Vitality-inspired smoothies highlighted the hip, stylish nature of Trident’s new line. Partnerships with Sundance Film Festival and Style 360 aimed to reach Trident’s key demographic, as did commercials featuring young, healthy people enjoying the gum’s fresh flavor and innovative packaging. A solid social media push included a Trident Facebook page and a Vitality Twitter handle.

......

"Gum is the new delivery system for benefits, whether it's breath freshening or teeth cleaning, relaxation or just excitement because of new, unusual or interesting flavors,” said Lynn Dornblaser, director of consumer product group insight at Mintel International Group Ltd. Extra Dessert Delights and Trident Vitality are excellent examples of positioning to expand the category and further associate the products with overall health and wellness, introduced during the time of year when consumers start thinking about shedding pounds. What’s next? Dinner flavored gums like in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?

Microsoft Advances Gaming Technology with the Amazing Kinect for Xbox 360

With Kinect, consumers can get in the game like never before. The first controller-free gaming device, Kinect is similar to the Wii in that it detects movement, but unlike the Wii, it is completely hands-free. With multiple sensors that “read” a players’ body shape, movements, voices and faces, people not only play the game, but become a part of it as well.

Microsoft launched Kinect for Xbox 360 on November 4, 2010 to an audience of thousands of eager gamers in Times Square. The event featured product demonstrations and dancers, as well as performances by Ne-Yo and Lady Sovereign. Actor/producer Mark Wahlberg also appeared to support Xbox and Boys & Girls Clubs in a program to get children “off the couch” and moving with Kinect’s active gaming. The actor was on hand to help announce Microsoft’s decision to donate Kinect to Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide.

A $500-million marketing and advertising campaign helped to introduce the Kinect experience to consumers prior to the launch.  Microsoft’s heavy social media push included efforts on Facebook, Hulu, YouTube and a microsite, www.kinect.me, where consumers could share videos and experiences. The buzz continued in October, when Oprah distributed free Kinects to her studio audience. Television commercials rounded out the campaign, depicting parents spending quality time with their children while moving with the Kinect.

Kinect’s launch in early November positioned it for success on Black Friday, when it sold over 2.5 million devices and was one of 2010’s holiday hit products. There is also speculation that Microsoft may expand Kinect’s availability to PCs in the future.

Since the launch of this revolutionary device, techies have been exploring the product’s features and revealing its capabilities. MIT Media Lab researchers created a holographic video using a Kinect and streamed it over the Internet, while the MIT Media Lab Fluid Interfaces Group hacked a Kinect and used it to navigate the Web on a PC by simply waving their hands. To further explore the possibilities of the Kinect, hackers have formed a community on the Internet featuring a blog, KinectHacks, which follows the latest news on Kinect applications.

With a masterfully executed launch that included activating influencers, recruiting celebrity spokespeople, and establishing a charitable partnership, Microsoft brought the future of gaming and a new user interface to consumers’ living rooms. And it all happens with just the wave of your hand.