Light Touch
Situation
Light Touch is a versatile flavoured oil
for use as a healthy alternative to
butter in cooking. The product had no
direct competitor in the cooking oils section
and had received negligible marketing support. With sales static, Light Touch was at a mature stage in its life cycle. The proprietor, Pura Foods, needed to know whether modest promotional investment would raise volumes to sustain existing distribution and move the brand forward.
Objective
To assess the response of Light Touch to relatively low level marketing support in an increasingly competitive, health-conscious cooking environment.
Action
Data on Light Touch users was analysed to profile the brand in terms of regionality, demographics, nature and frequency of use.
Evidence showed that volume was skewed to heavy users in clearly defined age and class groups.
The key benefits of authentic buttery taste and versatility were well appreciated.
We devised a strategy to extend awareness of the attributes and distinctive on-shelf presentation of Light Touch amongst
non-users in the same core groups as frequent purchasers, to achieve greater market penetration.
At the same time, existing loyalty would be consolidated.
A minimal media schedule of consumer magazines providing appropriate editorial content and satisfactory coverage/ frequency of the primary target audience was compiled. A series of full page colour advertisements mouth-wateringly demonstrating the virtual indispensability of Light Touch to health conscious cooks was created and run over a six month period.
Short-term, on-shelf price promotions to encourage trial were organised with existing and new stockists to coincide with the media support.
Result
Retail sales monitoring during and after the campaign showed volume increases for Light Touch where already stocked, whilst ex-factory shipments indicated increased distribution.
Consumer research suggested the penetration had extended amongst traditional user groups and that trial amongst others had been achieved
Strong repeat purchase patterns were able to sustain the brand between periods of promotion.
