Kellogs case study

Kellogg’s - Launching Real Fruit Winders through new media

Summary:
This case study looks at the recent launch of Kellogg's Real Fruit Winders.

The Internet was chosen to communicate with the target audience because it is where children interested in games and technology are most likely to be found.

The campaign aimed to grab the attention of opinion formers and trendsetters who wouldthen tell their peers.

The campaign is particularly interesting because it was based around a set of animated characters who speak their own language.

Online games and competitions help remind consumers about a brand, but the difficult bit is how to persuade audiences to interact with these forms of branded entertainment in the first place; promotions such as animations, e-mail campaigns andsponsorships need to be developed.

Note how precise the objectives are for the company's first non-cereal based product: become a Top 10 kids confectionery snack to generate annual sales of over £15 million and to be profitable within 2 years from launch.

To achieve this level of interest, Kellogg's went for: interactive animated advertisements placed on children's websites animatedcharacters that used a secret language to give true 'cool credibility'.

Introduction

This case study looks at the recent launch of Kellogg's Real Fruit Winders. The launch had two main features. Firstly, it was done with key support from a website. Secondly, the product format is Kellogg's first move outside of cereals and cereal bars and into a totally new category of fruit snacks.

Real FruitWinders are fun, fruit snack rolls. The primary target market for them is children aged 6 - 12. The Internet was chosen to communicate with the target audience because it is where children interested in games and technology are most likely to be found.

The campaign aimed to grab the attention of opinion formers and trendsetters who would then tell their peers. The campaign is particularlyinteresting because it was based around a set of animated characters who speak their own language. Also, these characters and their adventures were introduced to the target audience well in advance of the product they supported.

In a rapidly changing world, marketing specialists need to use state-of-the-art communication methods, particularly when dealing with young people who tend to be most familiarwith the latest technology. The best way to launch a new product is to use the media most appropriate to the target audience. For example, magazines like Bliss and Sugar (targeted at teenage girls) are ideal vehicles for launching teenage cosmetics. Similarly, popular television programmes watched by a large proportion of the population provide suitable media for marketing mass market consumerproducts like toothpaste and breakfast cereals.

Traditionally, firms have used television for product launches because it reaches into millions of homes. However, in an age in which the majority of homes have access to the Internet and where young people are the keenest online browsers, it makes sense to build a launch around digital media as well as television advertising with some products.Online games and competitions help remind consumers about a brand, but the difficult bit is how to persuade audiences to interact with these forms of branded entertainment in the first place; promotions such as animations, e-mail campaigns and sponsorships need to be developed.

The marketing plan

Even the very best new products will not sell themselves. They need the support of a soundmarketing plan.

Objectives

The starting point of any plan is to set out clear objectives. Marketing planners at Kellogg's established the business objectives for Real Fruit Winders and its launch. Note how precise the objectives are for the company's first non-cereal based product:
* become a Top 10 kids confectionery snack
* to generate annual sales of over £15 million and to be profitable...