Integrated marketing communication strategy for Kellogg's Special K

Thèmes abordés

Special K - Integrated Marketing Communications

Résumé du document

This report aims to outline an integrated marketing communication strategy for Kellogg's Special K. We found that there is a gap in the market that we feel Special K should be taking advantage of, in order to secure its leading position in the market. Our identified opportunity is to access the adult male market therefore increasing brand and product awareness within this segment. As a secondary objective, we aim to increase sales of the original Special K. To reach this goal, a yearlong strategy will be implemented in conjunction with the London 2012 Olympic Games. Media choices are the key factors in the implementation of this IMC campaign. Our recommendations would be, to use burst and drip strategies parallel to each other, with the use of both mass media and targeted social and press media. Experiential marketing drives will also be used in the form of free samples in press campaigns. Our campaign will be evaluated throughout and after the 12 month period, using feedback from social media as well as qualitative and quantitative studies.
This would be a huge investment on behalf of Kellogg's and Special K, however we feel that the opportunity should be utilized and this will result in the opening of a new market for the brand.

Kellogg's sales in 2009 were reported to have reached nearly $12.6 billion (Winkinvest - Kellogg Company 10-K, 2010). The company is reasonably the world's largest ready-to-eat cereal manufacturer in Britain, producing 1 billion kilos of cereal annually (Claudio Vignali, 2001). With sales in more than 180 countries, Kellogg's produces the world's most iconic and easily recognizable brands. Special K was introduced to the cereal market over 50 years ago by Kellogg. As a healthy alternative to Corn Flakes, it consists of toasted rice and wheat cereal flakes that are said to be low in calories which also appeals to those leading a healthier lifestyle. Today, the brand maintains a good position in the breakfast cereal market, particularly since its advertising campaign launched in 2003 with the tagline "Help Yourself", mainly targeted at the female market with the incentive of dropping a dress size (Aaron Baar, 2003). However, the market of breakfast cereals is in a maturity step, with many competitors and strong distribution channels. Thus, to keep its popularity, the brand must attract and reach more consumers in differing markets in order to maintain a high stake in the breakfast cereal market. A newly designed Special K Integrated Marketing Communications campaign has the potential to improve the brand influence on the cereal market

Extraits

[...] Special K aiming to be part of making these men able to led healthier lives Sponsoring London 2012 Olympic Games One of the major vehicles in putting this message across to our target market is to use the upcoming London 2012 Olympic Games to underpin this strategy and allow Special K to access a larger percentage of the male market. K. A. Farrell and S.W. Frame (1997, p. 171) describe “Olympic sponsorship as an opportunity to increase sales by increasing awareness of both new and existing products, as well as projecting their firm as a good corporate citizen”. To make this strategic IMC decision a successful one there must be an immediately apparent relationship between London 2012 and the Special K product range. [...]

[...] This corresponds to a real loss for Special highlighting a previously unreached market for the cereal Communications Analysis According to TNS Media Intelligence, Special K spent $80 million on advertising in 2008 and $73 million in the first three quarters of 2009 (The New York Times, 2010), giving the impression that Special K are trying harder than ever to market their products. For efficient marketing communications in today's technologically advanced world, the brand has developed an Internet website containing point-of- sales promotions focusing on health, with advice from nutritionists, TV commercials and billboard advertisements. Special K has also experimented with social media, launching an online content sharing initiative to compliment its ‘Shape Mate' campaign (Marketing Week, 2009). [...]

[...] Retrieved October from www.pressgazette.co.uk: HYPERLINK "http://tinyurl.com/2vbd4n9" http://tinyurl.com/2vbd4n9 S.L. Vargo & R.F. Lusch. (2004). Evolving to a new dominant logic of marketing. The Journal of Marketing pp. 1-17. Special K. (2010). Retrieved October from HYPERLINK "http://www.specialk.co.uk" http://www.specialk.co.uk Weightlossressources. (2010). [...]

[...] you man enough” This phrase was chosen to the fact that it had link to male and the connotations of a challenge or of a gauntlet being set down to anyone who wanted to participate in this post perches activity. This intrigue or anticipation of taking up the challenge could enhance buyer readiness for the product. The tag line will be present in all messages delivered through all channels during the campaign Media Planning The campaign would consist of two elements of how to put the message across to consumers. These are burst and drip strategies. These terms are encapsulated by Smith and Taylor (2004, p. [...]

[...] (2007). Nutrition & Food Science: Kellog. Nutrition & Food Science Paul Russel Smith & Jonathan Taylor. (2004). Marketing Communications: an integrated approach (4th ed.). (K. P. Ltd., Ed.) London. Press Gazette. (2010, August 12). Mag ABC's: Lads' mags dive as Men's Health extends lead. [...]