May 7, 2013 · 9:54 am

Marketing Seasonality with the Many Flavors of Summer

FOS_FinalIt’s an American tradition to savor the flavors of summer. From delicious salads and sides to perfectly grilled goodness….food just tastes better when it’s served outdoors. And that was the inspiration behind this iconic summertime promotion for our client, the Vidalia® Onion Committee (VOC).

With the year-round availability of sweet onions, consumers are not necessarily aware that Vidalia onions are only available in the Spring and Summer months which prompted us to develop the campaign. The Sweet Vidalia Flavors of Summer program launched May 1, and features downloadable coupons, a consumer recipe contest, tips from experts on outdoor cooking and entertaining and more fun stuff at www.flavors-of-summer.com.

The campaign partners Vidalia onions with similarly iconic summer brands Johnsonville® Mild Italian Sausage Links, Gourmet Garden Herbs & Spices, National Mango Board, Avocados from Mexico, National Watermelon Promotion Board and Stemilt Cherries to promote the versatility of all participating products.

While the VOC has been successful with past programs based in popular entertainment, the committee decided to tackle an emerging trend with the Flavors of Summers program – outdoor kitchens and cooking as an extension of the American home. According to a study conducted by the Home Patio and Barbeque Association, 82 percent of all U.S. households own a grill or smoker. To appeal to more than just the home cook or grill master, the campaign goes beyond recipes to also target hosts and hostesses with outdoor entertaining content.

The Flavors of Summer campaign provides multiple cross-promotional marketing opportunities through a fully integrated campaign and a variety of channels, such as:

• On-pack brand/message integration
• National consumer contest
• Campaign website for consumers
• Social media messaging
• Food blogger outreach
• Retail display contest
• Point-of-Sale (POS) materials

To help stores get in on the fun in the sun, retailers can download campaign graphics online for in-store circular advertisements. Retailers can also request POS materials from their Vidalia onion supplier, which will feature a colorful, summertime theme and participate in a retailer display contest.

Produce managers are encouraged to use the POS materials and be creative with in-store displays for a chance to be recognized among their peers and to win the latest Apple iPad mini. Four runners-up will receive a Deluxe Grilling Accessories Kit, which includes a Cuisinart 14-Piece Grill Set, Cuisinart Simply Grilling Nonstick Grilling Basket and a copy of The Barbecue! Bible by Steven Raichlen.

Rebecca Lang, who is a cookbook author, cooking instructor and television personality as well as a contributing editor to myrecipes.com and Southern Living magazine, has been named the official spokeswoman of the campaign and is hosting several events to help kick off the program, including in-store appearances. Lang also will participate in social media activities with food and entertaining bloggers Jamielyn Nye, Courtney Whitmore, Stephanie Dulgarian and Angie Ramirez, who were chosen as the Flavors of Summer brand ambassadors.

For more information, visit www.flavors-of-summer.com.

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December 3, 2012 · 5:08 pm

Tis’ The Flavor of the Season – Marketing Food as Limited Editions

In fresh produce we often talk about the importance of seasonality.  Summer is for peaches, fall is for apples, winter is for citrus and the list goes on and on.  However, I’m not sure we ever manage to capitalize on the excitement or marketing potential of the “season” like many of our CPG brand counterparts.

ImageFrom pumpkin flavored bagels and coffee, to peppermint flavored cookies, chips and popcorn, it seems everyone has embraced the opportunity to market to the appeal of the season.  I’ve seen candycorn flavored Oreo’s and Gingerbread flavored Pop Tarts and I can say I enjoy at least a couple Starbuck’s peppermint mocha’s during the holiday season and a few cranberry English muffins for breakfast. 

Just go to the grocery store and look around during your regular shopping trips.  You’ll see packaging grabbing headlines like “Limited Edition”, “Seasonal Flavor”, and “Limited Time Only”.  These cleverly packaged and named seasonal finds create must-have moments and impulse purchases.  Because yes, there is a need to know… “what does a pumpkin pie spiced Pringle taste like.”

ImageI’m confident with a little smart marketing in fresh produce we could capture the same enthusiasm.  Kudos to Bolthouse who recently showcased new carrot packaging that featured graphics touting carrots as the “Official Snack of Santa” and others who have amped up their packaging with holiday messages.  But can we do more? 

Of course we can.  We should be promoting new or unique varieties and giving them limited release windows.  We should be creating seasonal flavors and specialties.  For example, flavor infused products like bubblegum Crazy Apples and the Grapple are right on trend, so where is the winter mint or pecan caramel apple?   The flavor possibilities are endless and limited edition releases of a unique peach, melon or Clementine variety tied to a unique season should be a priority.   Even the McDonald’s McRib has rabid fans that wait for its limited run appearances – and seriously, its pressed meat.  Fresh produce is way sexier, tastier and healthier than the McRib.

Do you have products that deserve or need a seasonal spin?   Make it a New Year’s resolution to come up with a few new ideas or drop us an email and let us help.   

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November 27, 2012 · 3:41 pm

The Celebrity Endorsement – More Than Favorite Things

ImageThe arrival of the holiday season and the return of “Oprah’s Favorite Things” reminds us that the celebrity endorsement is a powerful tool in the marketer’s arsenal with significant opportunity for big gains.  This begs the question, is a celebrity endorsement right for your product?

Over the years celebrities have endorsed everything from cars and soda, to underwear and shoes with consumers clamoring to “Be Like Mike” or get the fabled ticket where they  might hear, “…and you get a car, and you get a car and you get a car.”  The reach of some celebrities has launched corporate titans, helped brands gain thousands of impressions and sold millions of units.  Oprah alone put Spanx on the radar (and aren’t we all thankful for that), and Lance Armstrong brought cancer awareness and support to a global stage with yellow wristbrands and Livestrong.

Today the celebrity endorsement has continued to gain in popularity and reach with the broadening of the term celebrity thanks to reality TV, the increase of mainstream media outlets and the communal access to social media.  And there is no lack of celebrities willing to endorse your product at tradeshows, via twitter or Facebook or hawk their likeness on pack.

ImageThere are several factors that should be weighed when considering a celebrity endorsement, and very often, the cost of the endorsement deal itself is the least prohibitive.    

1.  What do I hope to accomplish?  (impressions, sales, both, other)
2.  What kind of celebrity personifies my product or brand? (chef, reality star, sports icon)
3.  What is the consumer recognition and future trajectory of this celebrity?
4.  Who is the audience of this celebrity and does it match my target audience?
5.  What is the potential risk of “human fail” for this celebrity and the potential repercussions?  (Think Paula Deen’s promotion of unhealthy foods before announcing her health issues or Lance Armstrong’s doping scandal).
6.  If my chosen celebrity has a “human fail”, can my brand weather the storm?
7.  Is this celebrity both a fan and a consumer/user of my product? (Not a win when Oprah tweets love for the Surface from her iPad)
8.  What will be the life span and marketing longevity of the partnership or the celebrity?
9.  What do you want from the brand partnership?  (on-pack likeness, media, content, other)
10.  What will it cost?  Will I pay a one-time fee or a per-pack royalty or something else?

The above list is not all-inclusive, it is meant to only be a primer to a solid marketing conversation about the realities of celebrity endorsements.  We’ve all watched a TV show or admired the power of a celebrity from afar and remarked out loud what a coup it would be if they would endorse our products, but also dismissed the idea thinking it was unrealistic.  In today’s marketing world, nothing is too far-fetched and no idea out of bounds.

Celebrities have become brands, just like your products.  They too, along with their agents, are continually seeking opportunities to generate new revenue streams and opportunities for brand extensions.  The opportunities for celebrity endorsements and brand partnerships are greater than ever before and the choices more expansive.  What do you think – do celebrity endorsements work?  Is the risk worth the reward?

 

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November 16, 2012 · 12:57 pm

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble – Lessons From The Butterball Turkey Hotline

ImageAs marketers, we are constantly looking for ways to connect brands and consumers in meaningful and long lasting ways.  It’s the emotional connections that help solidify the brand’s place in the consumer’s heart and mind and create long lasting brand recognition and loyalty.

The holiday season brings about many iconic images and brands that tug at our heartstrings, stir emotional responses, or just make us smile at the memory.  Kay Jewelers reminds us that “every kiss begins with Kay,”  A Christmas Story reminds us that the Red Ryder BB gun might shoot your eye out and apparently Santa prefers Coca-Cola with his cookies.  These brand images are all powerful brand connections, but they lack one-on-one consumer connection.

With the Thanksgiving meal beckoning us to the table to fill our plates with an abundance of turkey, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie and more, it seems Butterball comes up the hands down winner for consumer connection and brand loyalty. 

Since 1981, the Butterball Turkey Hotline has been serving as the expert in all things turkey.  When the hotline debuted, about 11,000 callers contacted Butterball to ask questions.  In 2011, over 1 million callers contacted the hotline that is staffed by experts that are either dietitians or home economists.  And even more users visit the Butterball website and Facebook for a more integrated experience that provides recipes, cooking videos, portion selectors, click to chat and more.

What I find exciting and compelling is how Butterball differentiated their brand with expertise.  They took customer service to a whole new level.  A turkey is essentially a commodity just like produce.  There is nothing special or value added about that Butterball turkey, it’s just like the turkey next to it. The difference is the people behind the scenes at Butterball and their commitment to delivering superior customer service.

Regardless of your product, your brand has plenty of avenues to differentiate itself in the marketplace.  It’s only limited by your willingness to commit to a marketing path that shuns ordinary and seeks to identify a point of differentiation that creates long-term loyalty and emotional connection.  You might not be in a position to save Thanksgiving, but surely you’ve got some panache that will make somebody’s meal special. 

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November 13, 2012 · 12:59 pm

Moving in a new direction – Full Tilt!

As you may have noticed these past few weeks, this blog has a new face lift. I am happy to announce that McIntyre Marketing has changed to become Full Tilt Marketing and I am proud to be partnering with produce industry veteran and creative marketer, Melinda Goodman.

Melinda and I have been working together for the past year teaming up with several key clients and projects so it made sense for us to change the direction of our individual consulting firms and merge into one company – full speed or tilt ahead.

So What’s in the Name?
Full Tilt: top speed, maximum energy, full throttle, wide open and of course a little off-center, but always on point. Exactly the way we think marketing should be. And that’s the mantra of these fast paced and ever changing times. That’s why going forward, you’ll see more insights on the latest marketing trends and the good news is that you’ll see them more often.

We’ll provide our own Full Tilt perspective with value added articles, observations and insights on food, marketing, consumer trends and things we are interested in. Use this as your resource for information and feel free to join our mailing list and receive regular updates.

We’d also love your feedback, tell us what you think! We’d really like to create an ongoing dialogue and exchange ideas and viewpoints.

In the meantime, take a moment to learn more about the engine that runs the Full Tilt machine at www.fulltiltmarketing.net.

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October 17, 2012 · 3:58 pm

Tradeshow Networking 101

Not all of us are comfortable schmoozing and working the crowd. And although I am a very focused at work, I find myself easily morphing into a bad case of ADD at large trade shows such as the Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) Fresh Summit. This is because there is so much going on at these events combined with a packed schedule and daunting to do list. But trade shows do provide a great opportunity to step out of our comfort zones and make meaningful connections. So how do you prepare? Here are some helpful tips.

Mine the Attendee List to Find Key Contacts:
PMA has over 18,500 attendees and this provides a great opportunity to connect with a wide range of potential customers. But it’s important to mine the list in advance by drilling down to your specific target audience. Sending your target group a personalized invite will go a long way in introducing yourself and enable you to set up appointments at the show. This will help to maximize your time with meetings that can add value to your bottom line. We don’t recommend the “old school” tactic of sending out a generic post card to a mass list of attendees. The response will be minimal at best.

Use Social Networking Platforms such as LinkedIn
LinkedIn provides a great opportunity to connect before and after a trade show. Invite your target list to connect with you on LinkedIn before the event. If you have contacts that are connected to a potential customer, use these contacts to assist you in providing a good word or endorsement. After the event, you can also send out LinkedIn invites to connect with the people you met at the show to establish an ongoing rapport and referral base.

Take Advantage of Scheduled Activities to Network
Plan to attend pre-scheduled activities such as the Welcome Reception, General Breakfast and special events and receptions to network. If you’re like me and working the room does not come naturally, give yourself a pep talk before the event and practice introducing yourself to people in the room especially those waiting in line to get food or drinks. The more you “work at” introducing yourself, the easier it gets.

Make sure you have your business cards available to hand out and a pen ready to take notes on the cards you receive which will assist you with the follow up after the show. You may be surprised at who you meet and how much you can learn from these individuals.

Experts say that 5-9 hours a week of dedicated networking can generate 50% in new business, so trade shows provide an excellent platform to meet and exceed this quota.

Follow-up Immediately After the Show
Send a follow up note to everyone you meet within 48 hours after the trade show. A personalized note will stand out in a pile of junk mail or form e-mails. If possible, include something personal from your conversation. This way, they will be more likely to remember you when it comes time to ask for their business or to connect with them in the future.

Experts say that a referral generates 80% more results than a cold call. Trade shows provide a great opportunity to generate new business but also obtain referrals for future business opportunities. By the time you get to your event, the majority of the hard work and preparation has been completed, so keep this in mind and remember to relax, be social, have fun and make meaningful connections that are long lasting.

We’ll see you at PMA and we’d be happy to have a quick sit down, share a drink or help you connect with others if we can. Let the handshaking and business card exchange begin!

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August 21, 2012 · 12:00 pm

Partnership Marketing: Teaming up with Brand Power to Increase Exposure

Partnering with a larger brand can breathe new life into your marketing initiatives and enhance your company’s own brand recognition. Not to mention the benefits of expanding a limited marketing budget.

A major spend is not required to develop key partnerships
Many of my clients assume a large marketing budget is needed to play in this arena but this is simply not true. A good example of this is our client, the Vidalia Onion Committee, who has received much praise for its brand partnership efforts. As a whole, the committee has a modest marketing budget but the industry has ample brand recognition and retail exposure.

Back in 2010, the Committee’s goal was to reach kids with a not so easy product – sweet onions. The solution: connect onions to the ever popular Ogre by teaming up with Dreamworks to promote the fourth and final movie release of Shrek Forever After during peak season. The “Ogres and Onions” campaign featured Shrek on floor stand units and Vidalia Onion bag packaging in the produce department along with a retail display contest.

Consumers were invited to win “The Ultimate Shrek TV Video Gaming Package” by visiting VidaliaOnion.org. Like an Easter egg hunt with an ogre twist, contestants learned Vidalia trivia online as they searched for onions scattered in Shrek’s enchanted forest.

Increasing consumer awareness and sales
The promotion was a resounding success receiving national attention from large media outlets including ABC World News Tonight and the Wall Street Journal and online with CNN and Entertainment Weekly. Over 40,000 consumers played the online game and entered the sweepstakes during the 90-day campaign and the industry reported a 30% increase in sales over the previous year.


Generating additional media exposure
Another example is our client Produce for Kids which initiates two annual supermarket retail promotional campaigns each year that raises funds for children’s non-profit organizations while educating parents about healthy eating. Well known in the trade industry, Produce for Kids was seeking to become more recognizable as a consumer brand but cannot afford television advertising.

By teaming up with Sprout TV, Produce for Kids was able to receive ample media exposure including a first-ever television commercial which aired four times a day during the campaign along with banner ads on the Sprout’s web site reaching one million unique visitors each month. Sprout TV reaches over 57 million households and ranks among the top channels for co-viewing with parents and kids.

In-store events featured the Sprout characters signing autographs and interacting with kids and parents. Also included was point-of-sale materials with the popular Lazytown characters who educates kids on the importance of healthy eating combined with physical fitness – a perfect fit for Produce for Kids.

Large retail footprint can make up for small budgets
Although Produce for Kids has a small marketing budget it’s footprint in the produce department reaches over 3,000 stores with 15 retail banners nationwide. This provided a great platform for Sprout TV to be featured in-store while PFK received much needed media exposure.

Make sure the partnership meets your strategic objectives
When teaming up with a larger brand, it’s important to make sure that your overall goals are in alignment and that there is ample benefits for both parties. The right brand partnership can become a win, win without having to cost a big spend.

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