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What’s next for food marketers? More Migration Marketing.

What’s next for food marketers? More Migration Marketing.

Foodpreneur Dom Celentano interviews product launch expert Julie Hall about a continuing trend of migration marketing, where food brands and manufacturers create products for new consumer audiences and retail channels. Recent examples highlighted include QSR chains like IHOP and Olive Garden creating supermarket grocery products. The article discusses how for food marketers, brand and product positioning is essential.

Read more about the Migration Marketing trend.

Launch Expert Julie Hall Adds 5th “P” – Participation – to the Classic 4 P’s of Marketing

The Holmes Report featured an op-ed by Schneider Associates’ EVP and Launch Expert Julie Hall about how social media is changing the way we launch new products. 

Hall and Schneider Associates introduced the Most Memorable New Product Launch (MMNPL) Survey in 2002, and since then, the poll has surveyed thousands of consumers about the most memorable product launches each year, analyzed media consumption and purchasing habits, and predicted trends based on the results. 

Hall highlighted one significant change in this year’s MMNPL findings: “Facebook was nowhere near the top 10 sources of information about new products – and in the span of one year, it became the third most used source of information on new product launches, jumping from 17% to 40%. And this is just Facebook.”

Based on this and other findings, Hall coined the fifth P in the product marketer’s arsenal – Participation (the original four: product, price, promotion and place). Hall insists that consumers can be engaged by “Relationship Marketing,” which allows them to interact more closely with brands and products they love. Going forward, campaigns must consist of a blend of participatory marketing through various sources of old and new, traditional and social media marketing techniques in order to succeed.

Read the full article here.

If you would like help planning your next launch, contact us at launch@schneiderpr.com or on Twitter @SchneiderPR.

Pre-Launching Products with Consumer Integration - Why Putting Your Customer Front and Center is a 2012 Imperative

By Julie Hall and Joan Schneider

Launching a new product or service in the age of social media isn’t easy. 

As product launch specialists, we know that now it’s harder than ever to get your customer’s attention, and their dollars.  Bust as more people embrace social media, brands have an opportunity to deepen customer relationships, drive loyalty and increase purchases.  Extending relationships with and among customers is the new norm.  It’s time to explore collaborative marketing and messaging with customers-and brands working together to find the right words and action to motivate customers to try and buy new products.

Consumer integration in action

Several brands are using customer integration in developing new services and products.  New Balance customers helped design their Minimus running shoe line.  Baskin-Robbins crowdsourced the creation of a new ice cream flavor.  Mountain Dew’s Dewmocracy campaign called on customers to advocate and gather votes for their favorite discontinued flavors.

Getting engaged

By involving customers before making product development and management decisions, brands can acquire new customers and get existing customers excited before product even hits the shelf, leading to robust initial sales.  What’s better than that?

The State-Gate Solution

Brand managers can profit from adapting Dr. Robert Cooper’s State-Gate approach to developing new products and initiatives by incorporating customer input:

In the Preliminary Investigation phase, consider and identify what your customers really need.  Why do they choose your products and brand over others?  What would they change?

For the Detailed Investigation phase, consider starting a beta program to test your product or services with a few core customers, secure feedback and use their input to refine your product.

The Development phase provides the opportunity to craft your message with input from customers.  What are they saying about your brand, product or service?  What do they want to hear?

In the Testing and Validation phase, introduce the redesigned product to the customers who provided feedback.

During the Manufacturing Production phase, provide your employees with the training and tools they need to become ambassadors for the launch.

In the Market Launch phase, involve the customers with whom you initially recruited to create the launch marketing strategy.

 

To learn more about cutting edge public relations tactics and trends from our PR agency partners around the world, download our free eBook from WorldCom Public Relations Group.

If you would like help planning your next launch, contact us at launch@schneiderpr.com or on Twitter @SchneiderPR.

 

SXSW is a Hotbed of Digital Innovation & Food Product Flavor Experiences

  

At this year’s SXSW 2012 event, brand names vied for exposure in a space teeming with messages and activity, with everything of course being shared in existing and new social media platforms. For more about what’s hot in the digital world and being launched and experienced by the 20,000 visitors to SXSW, be sure to watch the following videos with Launch Expert Julie Hall of Schneider Associates and our on-site correspondent, Lynne Viera, president and CEO of Rival Marketing.

 

No SXSW conference is without free food and sampling, and this year was no different. Some of the brands displaying innovation and creativity include Chevrolet, Nikon, Miller Lite, Monster Energy, and Doritos. Doritos JACKED, the newest tortilla chips from Doritos, were being sampled at a Doritos sponsored concert that also featured a chance to win special prizes. Doritos also displayed a nearly six-story tall pop-up vending machine with giant oversized quarters, to help promote the new extra large chips flavored as Smoky Chipotle BBQ or Enchilada Supreme. Doritos also recently launched a Doritos branded taco shell which is being served at Taco Bell. For additional commentary on food brand promotions at SXSW, check out the post from Dom Celentano, The Foodpreneur, on About.com.

 

SXSW also launched its first Tex-Mex Taco Table that featured participating restaurants Taco Deli, Habanero Mexican Café, and Matt's Famous El Rancho. What better place than Austin, Texas to promote foods and restaurants with Hispanic flavor profiles and influences?  This year, FedEx delivered food and free coffee from their food truck, along with providing a power up from their human chargers (see photo). Even world champion eater Kobayashi showed up to scarf what we think was a record number of grilled cheese sandwiches. The Today Show also had a food truck, as many brands find it is easier to get the attention of attendees outside the convention by offering free food or other services.

 

(Fedex Human Chargers)

(Today Show food truck)

Beer company Miller Lite gave its consumers a chance to enter the “SXSW 2012 Instant Win Game” for a $200 gift card or more.  Attendees can also "Tweet a Beer" to someone, buying a Miller via PayPal which is redeemable at some bars. They also sponsored giveaways and downloads on Pandora, Spotify, and other music apps.   Another beverage brand, Monster Energy, offered free breakfast and morning beverages during its events.

On the non-food front, Chevrolet developed an innovative promotion by providing taxi cab rides to Austin, Texas venues. Dubbed “Catch a Chevy,” the shuttle service showed off a full line of cars including Cruze sedans, Volts, Camaros, Corvettes and Mailbu Ecos featuring their updated OnStar service.  People test drove the vehicles from the convention center or hailed a car to take them to their next destination. 

Nikon put its new Nikon D4 and D-800 HD SLR cameras in the hands of fans.  SXSW attendees sampled the devices by snapping pictures of featured musicians.

The annual SXSW event began in 1987 in Austin, Texas, at the Austin Convention Center, and has become one of the best chances brands have to get in front of a core audience of influencers and trendsetters.

 

If you would like help planning your next launch, contact us at launch@schneiderpr.com or on Twitter @SchneiderPR.

 

10 Consumer Behavior Trends from the Most Memorable New Product Launch Survey

Check out our video highlighting 10 Consumer Behavior Trends from the Most Memorable New Product Launch Survey.

Velveeta Cheesy Skillets Forge New Ideas in Quick and Easy Dinners

Velveeta and its parent company, Kraft, have earned a reputation for introducing products that provide families with convenience and ease in the kitchen. Building on Velveeta’s popular quick and easy meals, the new Velveeta Cheesy Skillets are creating a buzz. The difference between the new introduction and Velveeta’s past dinner products is that moms and dads can whip up a “real” non-microwaved meal for the family in no time. Kraft is targeting busy moms during back to school season, when hectic schedules necessitate quick and easy meals.

In the commercial, a suburban mom is abruptly greeted by a man dressed as a 19^th century blacksmith holding an iron skillet and a box of Velveeta Cheesy Skillets as she attempts to leave the house to pick up dinner. The spokesman guides her hands while she prepares the meal in a way that is reminiscent of the famous pottery scene in the movie Ghost, all the while speaking in an olde English accent.  Another Commercial portrays a mom attempting to prepare a meal in the microwave as the 19^th century blacksmith appears yet again and stops her. He proclaims, “Reject these cold technology contraptions.  Would you want the shoes of your horse forged in a microwave? Your Stove: Use it!”

Velveeta promoted Cheesy Skillets via their Facebook page where visitors could take a poll on which of the four flavors is their favorite, while reading up on a product description of each.

Along with television ads, Facebook, and YouTube, Velveeta is also activating one of the most effective tools in promoting a new product: word of mouth. Through promotions that encourage hosting a Velveeta Cheesy Skillets House Party, the brand is hoping to promote trial and create a buzz by asking people to upload their house party photos to the Facebook page.

With the school year in full swing, it will be interesting to see if Velveeta’s new launch and ad campaign are persuasive enough to take market share away from competitors like Hamburger Helper and make it to family dinner tables.

Pepperidge Farm Launches Bread that Smiles Back

 

For more than a decade, children have enjoyed the famous Goldfish crackers from Pepperidge Farm (smiling Goldfish crackers were launched by Schneider Associates many years ago.) Now, Pepperidge Farm is leveraging their smiling Goldfish equity by launching Goldfish Sandwich Bread- the bread that smiles back.

The bread comes in three varieties: Soft White, Soft 100% Whole Wheat, and Soft Honey Whole Wheat. All three contain no high fructose corn syrup and boast 3 grams of fiber per serving for only 120 calories. Not to mention, the bread is completely crust-free, ensuring that the pickiest eaters will have no reason to dislike it.

“We are excited to offer kids and the young at heart a fun and healthful new way to enjoy their favorite sandwiches,” Maureen Linder, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Fresh and Frozen Bakery at Pepperidge Farm said in a press release from the company.

To celebrate the launch, Pepperidge Farms conducted a national survey to unveil the hidden troubles of making lunches. In “The Shape of Sandwiches” survey, they found that parents often find making lunches difficult and even frustrating. Nine out of 10 moms revealed that their children find their sandwiches more appealing if the bread is cut into fun and creative shapes and sizes, and are more likely to eat them. 50% of mothers participating in the survey revealed that their children have requested triangular sandwiches while 23% revealed that their children have wanted their food in shapes of faces. Pepperidge farm created a product based on a unique consumer insight, fitting into the recent trend of Customer Calibration™ that we have been seeing.

Aside from the survey, Pepperidge Farms also participated in Evo ’11, a three-day social media conference for women in Park City, Utah, to showcase their new bread. They provided lunch for the conference on Friday, July 8^th, where the new sandwich bread was a featured product. A photo op included a scenic picnic backdrop and a blow-up replica of the Goldfish mascot, Finn. Participant pictures were all uploaded onto the official Pepperidge Farms Facebook page.

So far, the reviews for Goldfish Sandwich Bread have been positive, which is no surprise considering the brand developed the product based on consumer insights. Is it the best thing since sliced bread? Could be.

The Triple Double Oreo: Delicious Indulgence and Nostalgic Delight

 
As if the Double Stuf Oreos are not tasty enough, in August, Nabisco launched what may be their most indulgent Oreo ever – the Triple Double. With one layer of original crème stuffing and one layer of chocolate stuffing sandwiched between three cookie wafers, the Triple Double delivers deliciousness with 100 calories and 4.5 grams of fat per cookie.

A creative new entrant to the Oreo family, the Triple Double seems to have the appropriate qualities of a popular consumer trend that is currently taking the U.S. by storm: Multi-layered foods have been the center of some other recent launches, like Taco Bell’s Triple Steak Burrito and Trident Layers Gum. The 2011 Sweet and Snacks Expo also reported that candy with dual layers and multiple-flavor profiles in one bite were two of the top candy trends this year. Food that is designed in multiples may not appeal to the health conscious, but instead may attract those looking for a small indulgence with 100 calories (two other trends from last year, which we saw in the annual Most Memorable New Product Launch Survey).

To support the Triple Double launch, Nabisco called on the “Double Stuf Racing League,” a dream team comprised of celebrity athletes Shaquille O’Neal, Eli Manning, Venus Williams and Apolo Ohno. In 2008, the DSRL took part in TV advertisements for the Double Stuf Oreo, where they competed to achieve the fastest Oreo-eating time. Now, the DSRL Team is returning for the Triple Double. Fans can expect more twist-and-lick racing as TV ads air this month, with the challenging twist offering up the slogan: “Are You Game?”

"Now that I am retired I can spend more time perfecting my twist, lick and dunk skills, and with an added layer of creme and a third cookie, it's clear that I am going to need the practice," said O'Neal.

As part of an online campaign, Oreo has also launched a series of games via their company website. Participating fans will have the chance to win a trip to attend a sports event and have a meet-and-greet with one of the DSRL team members.

The use of famous athletes may help to counter negative perceptions of a fatty indulgence like the Triple Double, or it may simply coincide with the recent competitive eating interest generated by food-challenge reality shows, like Man vs. Food. Will the Triple Double be a slam-dunk for Nabisco? Only time will tell.

A Healthy Shade of Green: The Avocado Trend

Where health-conscious eaters used to steer away from this fruit (yes – avocado is a fruit, not a vegetable), it seems that Americans now can’t get enough of them.  In the past year, domestic avocado sales skyrocketed to 1.3 billion pounds - a 16% increase, according to the Hass Avocado Board. This is partially due to the more than 75 new products made with avocado have been introduced over the past five years. Grocery store products, restaurant menus and chain markets have all jumped on the trend. Whether it’s a side of guacamole, a topping on your sandwich, or the center of a vegetarian entrée – avocados are now a low cost, healthy and tasty indulgence. 

With 85% of its calories coming from fat, it’s no wonder the avocado was nicknamed the “butter-fruit.” In recent years, researchers have put the high-fat myth to rest, uncovering an important difference between the fat content of avocados (monounsaturated fats), and the fat content of, say, a bag of potato chips. Avocados boost your metabolism, offer more than 20 different nutrients, help fight cancer and osteoporosis, and improve heart health, memory, weight-loss and anti-aging.

Using this new evidence, The California Avocado Commission (CAC) organized a marketing campaign that included a combination of radio spots, outdoor and online banner ads, trade commissions, print ads, point-of-sale support and coupon programs, resulting in 33 million consumer impressions.

A follow-up survey revealed that the primary motivation to purchase avocados came as a result of its versatility as an ingredient and use in conjunction with other foods. From here, CAC modified their campaign to include promotions that focused on educating the consumer on how to use and prepare avocados at home. 
Avocado products were co-promoted with related ingredients like chips, lime and salads – for example, CAC teamed up with ReadyPac Salad to co-promote avocados and fresh cut salads, via radio spots and coupons. Adhering to the consumer trend of authenticity, they also began to coordinate promotions with domestic avocado growers around peak harvest periods.  

These awareness campaigns successfully established public interest in avocados and its newly discovered health advantages. Results demonstrated a significant increase in consumers’ understanding of the health benefits of eating avocados.

Subway’s Avocado Sandwich

Earlier this year, Subway jumped on the avocado band wagon, nudging other fast food chains to follow suit and include the vitamin- and mineral-packed fruit on their menus. To promote the launch of its avocado spread, Subway created an ad campaign featuring Olympic athletes Michael Phelps and Apolo Ohno, juggling avocados. Subway also launched a “Grab the Green” campaign, promoting avocados alongside the summer flick, The Green Lantern. 

Their social media campaign included a Subway Avocado and Green Lantern promotion party, hosted on Twitter. For one hour, The Clever Girls Collective discussed the health benefits of avocados, as well as the Green Lantern movie, and Twitter followers’ superpower wish lists.

The avocado option was initially a limited-time offer, but after seeing all-time sales records during its first week, franchises may decide to keep avocados as a permanent topping. 

Around the same time that Subway released its avocado spread, Frito-Lay launched three different flavors of dip seasonings, including “Freshly Made Guacamole,” a seasoning mix added to fresh avocados, catered to those who need a quick and easy recipe to wow their guests. 

It’s rare that a fruit or vegetable ingredient takes the food industry by storm, but the amazing avocado has done just that, supported by a strong awareness campaign and a healthy eating trend.

Mountain Dew’s “Back by Popular Dewmand” Resurrects 3 Favorite Dew Flavors

Mountain Dew has earned a reputation for interacting with consumers to create new products. As one of the brands that is at the forefront of a new trend that Schneider Associates is calling Customer Calibration,™ Mountain Dew has actively involved consumers in all stages of new product development and marketing. First launched in late 2007, the DEWmocracy campaign allowed consumers to help create new Mountain Dew flavors, which resulted in the production of Voltage® in 2008 and the newest craze, White Out®, in 2010.

In 2011, Mountain Dew took a new route in DEWmocracy and developed another way to incorporate consumers into their production decisions – “Back by Popular Dewmand.” In an interview with Ad Age, Zach Harris, the senior marketing manager of Mountain Dew, explained, “In 2011, we consistently heard from our consumers, ‘But what about our favorite flavors that are no longer in the market?’ Instead of creating more new products from scratch, like we’ve done with Dewmocracy 1 and 2, we decided to celebrate our fans and portfolio by bringing back their favorite flavors.” The flavors were chosen by fans for fans and are back on the market as limited edition products during the summer of 2011.

“Back by Popular Dewmand” was designed to let fans reach out to other fans. Mountain Dew used Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, and partnered with other media outlets like Adult Swim, College Humor, and Gizmodo to advertise the campaign. Mountain Dew also asked their passionate advocates, or “Dew All-Stars,” to lobby for their individual favorites. Some fans created their own Facebook pages to rally friends and acquaintances to support specific flavors, while others produced viral videos to inform the World Wide Web. In the campaign’s press release, Brett O’Brien, senior director of marketing at Mountain Dew, discussed the company’s intention of encouraging participation from the masses. “Back by Popular Dewmand was created to celebrate our incredible fans by rewarding them with the return of some of their favorite Dew flavors,” said O’Brien. “There is no fan like a Mountain Dew fan – Dew fans are always engaged.” 

On May 16, 2011, Mountain Dew re-launched the three top-voted favorite drinks: Mountain Dew Pitch Black®, Mountain Dew Supernova® and Mountain Dew Typhoon®. Mountain Dew revealed that the diet version of Mountain Dew Supernova® will remain as a permanent addition in their lineup of diet drinks, so Dew lovers won’t lose the strawberry-flavored soda again. Mountain Dew is also featuring the “Dew All-Stars” in their print and web campaigns featuring fans and the resurrected flavors. It remains to be seen whether Mountain Dew’s fan engagement in flavor creation and marketing will result in strong sales, but it’s certainly an excellent case study in Customer Calibration™ where consumers help design both the product and marketing experience.