Situation Analysis Client: Fage The Category •
The general yogurt category is the 11th fastest-­‐growing category of packaged foods (Daily Industries International 2011) •
Yogurt production has increased by 57% from 2004 to 2010 (Daily Industries International 2011) •
Greek yogurt is projected to be the leading yogurt subcategory, gaining 19% of the overall yogurt category (Paish 2011) •
Two small Greek yogurt pioneers, Fage and Chobani, are leading the market acquiring almost 13% of the yogurt category (Slattery 2011) The general yogurt category is ranked as the 11th fastest-­‐growing category of packaged foods. According to the Department of Agriculture, yogurt production increased by 57 percent between 2004 and 2010 (Daily Industries International 2011). This immense consumer demand has encouraged the entry of more Greek-­‐style yogurts, or yogurts that claim to be Greek-­‐style, into the market (Daily Industries International 2011). Greek yogurt has fiercely penetrated the yogurt market, accounting for almost 19 percent of the overall yogurt category (Paish 2011). According to Euromonitor International, Greek yogurt is expected to almost double its sales to $1.5 billion from 2010 to 2011, while just five years ago Greek yogurt annual sales amounted to only $60 million (Christiansen 2011). These projected results will make Greek yogurt the leading sub-­‐category within the larger yogurt category. According to a 2011 UBS report, Greek yogurt is one of the fastest growing food segments ever, with sales increasing more than 130 percent (Bainbridge 2008). To put that in perspective, just three years ago the yogurt category was lead by the traditional non-­‐Greek yogurts with a 98 percent category growth (Paish 2011). Today, the yogurt category is dominated by Greek yogurt representing a 146 percent growth of sale, while the traditional yogurts have experienced only a 15 percent sales growth (UBS Report 2011). Two small companies, the current category leaders Fage and Chobani, are the pioneers who were able to foresee the changing American eating habits and brought Greek yogurt into the North American market. Together, Fage and Chobani have experienced rapid growth, capturing almost 13 percent of the overall yogurt category and almost 70% of yogurt category growth (UBS Report 2011). According to the market research firm Symphony IRI Group, Chobani's sales in 2011 accounted for $257.3 million increased by 225.9 percent within a year, while Fage's sales increased by 66.3 percent totaling $147.7 million (Potenza 2011). As a result, category giants like Dannon and Yoplait are trying to catch up by engaging in intense promotional campaigns for their own Greek yogurts to capitalize on the trend (Slattery 2011). In spite of this, General Mills and Dannon have been unsuccessful in acquiring a significant market share (UBS Report 2011). The Company · Fage is the #2 Greek yogurt brand in the United States, controlling 22 percent of the market share with $123 million in sales in 2011 (Badkar 2011). · With more than 85 years of history, Fage’s motto and mission statement declare that the company makes products its employees are proud to feed to their own children · The company is an outspoken advocate for healthy lifestyles, which they encourage with consumers through their uniquely Greek heritage, innovation, and high-­‐quality products. · Fage is unique among Greek yogurt brands because of its genuine recipe that dates back to its 1926 Greek roots. The second strongest company in the Greek yogurt category, Fage has been a major player in the growth of Greek yogurt category in the United States since its introduction here in 1998 (Stanford 2010). In fact, Fage served as such a leader in the Greek yogurt trend that “the phenomenon known as Greek yogurt is the creation of the Greek Fage brand, which has worked tirelessly to ensure that North Americans view strained Fage yogurt as traditional Old Country fare” (Brouwer 2011). After introducing its yogurt to America, Fage grew to control 80 percent of the Greek yogurt market share in 2008. However, as of 2011, its market share dropped to 22 percent, with $123 million in sales and a 13 percent contribution to growth of the category overall (Badkar 2011). Despite Fage’s decreasing market share, its company continues to expand in the United States. In 2008, the company opened a 145,000 square foot, state-­‐of-­‐the-­‐art production plant in Johnstown, New York, where it employs over 170 people and manufactures 85,000 tons of yogurt per year (Food Processing Technology 2011). As of 2011, a $26 million expansion plan has been approved for the plant to increase production capabilities (Food Processing Technology 2011). Fage’s ability to spearhead the Greek yogurt trend stems from its uniquely authentic history. Founded with a recipe created by Athanassios Filippou in 1926, Fage yogurt as we now know it was sold in a “small dairy shop on (…) part of the countryside” in Athens, Greece (Fage Website 2011). The family business began when Athanassios brought his two sons to work with him; with their help, Fage created the first wholesale yogurt distribution system in Greece and was the first company to present branded yogurt products to the Greek market (Fage Website 2011). Today, Fage is “Greece’s leading yogurt company” (Fage Website 2011). Cherishing its modest beginnings, Fage has won the hearts of yogurt-­‐lovers worldwide with its simple and honest mission statement: “With our 85-­‐plus years of history, Fage is dedicated to this vision: To be a dairy company that contributes, through continuous development of innovative and high-­‐quality products, to the balanced nutrition and healthy lives of our consumers around the world” (Fage Website 2011). The company thus differentiates itself with its Greek heritage, stating that “Fage isn’t Greek-­‐style yogurt. It is Greek yogurt” (Fage Website 2011). Its authenticity is further emphasized by its celebration of “good living,” or the “positive health and well-­‐being” of traditional Greek culture (Fage Website 2011). Fage’s company culture promotes and distinguishes itself as far more than just yogurt, but as a part of a happy life. With such emphasis on history, Fage prides itself on the nutritional and health components of its products. The product line includes Fage Total Classic, Fage Total 2%, and Fage Total 0 % yogurt (Fage Website 2011). Its yogurt is still made with the original 1926 recipe and all-­‐natural ingredients, including the specific bacterial strains that create the unique Fage flavor and four pounds of whole milk for each single pound of yogurt produced. Even the new Johnstown plant is specially designed to deliver the same authentic recipe (Food Processing Technology 2011). The result is a product that is low in calories with up to 23 g of protein per serving (Fage Website 2011). Due to its reputation for healthfulness, Fage emphasizes the versatility of its product as a substitution for more fattening ingredients such as sour cream and crème fraiche, as seen in its “Community Cookbook,” an interactive feature on the company’s website (Fage Website 2011). As a result of such taste and nutritional benefits, Fage yogurt has won several awards, including the Gold Star Award from Sante, The Magazine for Restaurant Professionals, which recognizes food products of exceptional quality (Fage Website 2011). Other awards include the Bite of the Best Seal of Approval in 2009, which described Fage yogurt with the exclamation, “all yogurt is not created equal” (Bite of the Best 2009). The product standards that enable Fage to create such high-­‐quality yogurt have been in place since 1925 with the establishment of the Filippou family motto, “We would never make a product that we would not give to our children” (Fage Website 2011). In 2011, Fage launched its first-­‐ever national television advertising campaign with the slogan “Plain Extraordinary.” Mullen advertising agency in Boston, Mass. has crafted the campaign to expand Fage’s current consumer base and media placement options to generate broad appeal (Mullen Website 2011). The Consumer •
According to MRI+ data, Fage users skew strongly female, especially in the age ranges of 25-­‐34 (Index: 132) and 55-­‐64 (Index: 145.) •
Consumers tend to follow health and fitness trends. •
MRI+ data indicates that usage of Fage is especially high among affluent women with high levels of education at the graduate (Index: 206) or post-­‐graduate levels (Index: 253.) The popularity of the Greek yogurt relies upon its creamy thick texture, nutritional value, and high protein content (Schultz 2011). Consumers perceive these qualities as evidence of a superior product, which enables the premium pricing of most Greek yogurts on the shelf today (Elliot 2011). Greek Yogurt costs twice as much as its competitors (Bainbridge 2011). The most enthusiastic customers have generally been affluent women -­‐-­‐ just the type of person who might react to John Stamos telling her that Yoplait’s yogurt is "the best in the world” (Schultz 2011) “Eating Greek Yogurt may give them a sense of superb cosmopolitanism,” and the combination of their health-­‐conscious lifestyle and comfortable income level has swept up this demographic in Greek yogurt fever (Schultz 2011). Greek yogurt users are also vocal about their love for the product, leading to strong brand loyalty among many users. According to primary research, 80% of Greek yogurt users have recommended the product to a friend. They take to their Twitter accounts and exhort their favorites, a force which Chobani has channelled in their most recent campaign. The Culture · The Greek Yogurt trend across the U.S: U.S sales of Greek Yogurt grew 2500 percent in just half a decade. · Greek Yogurt is popular for its health benefits: nutritious combination of high protein and low sodium, carbohydrates, and sugar. · Greek yogurt has also boomed in popularity because it fulfills both the American desire for rich and creamy foods, and maintains a reputation for its healthy nutrition. · The Greek yogurt market continues to boom due to larger food trends in the U.S-­‐-­‐Food that seems ethnic or exotic is increasingly popular. In the past five years, U.S. sales of Greek-­‐style yogurt, which is strained of excess water to become thick, flavorful and high in protein, have increased sharply from a category valued at $60 million in 2008 to a projected value of $1.5 billion in 2011 (Christiansen 2011). That means that in just half a decade, one of the worst economic periods of the 20th century, sales of Greek yogurt grew 2500 percent. According to one Mintel study, yogurt consumption by Americans specifically has doubled over the past decade with 21 percent growth in just the past five years (Bainbridge 2011). In fact, yogurt has been dubbed the ‘food of the decade’ by the NBD Group, a market research firm (Brouwer 2011), and a report by UBS indicated the sales were doubling every year, calling it "one of the hottest-­‐growing food categories of all time" (2011). This trend of increased consumption has brought brands small and large to the table, each offering a unique take on what is considered a healthy snack (Wong 2011). The Greek yogurt trend follows years of talk about probiotic health benefits and the subsequent perception of probiotics as immune-­‐boosting (Parham 2011). Additionally, Greek yogurt has received great press due to the nutritious combination of high protein and low sodium, carbohydrates, and sugar (Elliott 2011). Americans are increasingly conscious of their dietary and lifestyle choices as obesity, and complications thereof, become even more evident and widespread. The rise of Greek yogurt in the U.S. reflects a resulting change in the American culinary consciousness: a desire for foods that are considered purer, simpler, and more natural -­‐ in other words, not yogurts purporting to taste like key lime pie or strawberry cheesecake (Slattery 2011). Reduced sugar, sodium, and carbohydrates make Greek Yogurt more healthful than the American variety, while the product sacrifices neither the healthful nutrition associated with yogurt nor the decadent flavor desired by Americans. In this way, Greek yogurt addresses both the American desire for rich and creamy foods, without the negative dietary consequences of foods that normally provide for this craving, like ice cream or sour cream (Wong 2011). Additionally, Greek yogurt is a convenient snack, and versatile ingredient in cooking and baking as an alternative to mayonnaise (Wong 2011). The Greek yogurt market continues to boom due to larger food trends in the United States, as well. Food that seems ethnic or exotic is increasingly popular among Millenials, who like the exposure to different cultures, have adventurous tastes, and are open to reaching outside their familiarity to try products that are perceived as popular, healthful, or tasty. Though they may be open to trying new ethnic foods, the Greek yogurt offerings saturating the market are distinctly American: the goat milk sometimes included in traditional Greek yogurt is neither as accessible or as popular in the United States as in Greece (Wong 2011). The Competition •
Top competitor Chobani maintains “America’s #1 Greek yogurt brand” status, with 48% of the Greek yogurt market share. •
Dannon, a traditionally strong player in the yogurt category is only number three in the Greek yogurt market with 14% market share. •
Other competitors include The Greek Gods, Athenos, Alpena, and private label brands. This segment controls a combined 10% of the Greek yogurt market share. •
Competitors are also launching national television commercial campaigns that position their products based on nutritional value and taste. Chobani: Founded in 2005 by Hamdi Ulukaya, a Turkish immigrant to the United States, Chobani is now “America’s #1 Greek yogurt brand” (Chobani Website 2011). In 2008, the brand held 5 percent of the Greek yogurt market share; as of 2011, it now holds 48 percent market share and has contributed approximately 55 percent to the growth of the overall Greek yogurt category (Badkar 2011). With $196 million in sales in 2010, it is the largest Greek yogurt brand in America by a wide margin (Stanford 2010). The Chobani name is based on the Greek word for shepherd, “chopani,” which serves as symbol of safety and good (Chobani Website 2011). Ulukaya’s vision for his yogurt was one of “bringing great-­‐tasting, high-­‐quality products, made only with natural ingredients, to the U.S” (Chobani Website 2011). Chobani’s product line is broad, including Non-­‐fat, Multi-­‐serve, Low-­‐fat, and the Chobani Champions children’s line (Chobani Website 2011). Each variety contains five types of live and active bacteria cultures, as well as three strains of probiotics (Chobani Website 2011). Chobani products have been featured in Men’s Fitness Magazine and on the Today Show for its health and nutritional benefits (Chobani Website 2011). Chobani relies heavily on social media influences to reach its target market. This “grassroots” feel to their branding has continued in their first-­‐ever national television campaign, featuring real Chobani fans telling their “Real Love Stories” about the products (Chobani Website 2011). Their “Nothing but Good” slogan places particular emphasis on the company’s charity events and local events to engage consumers. Dannon: It was Dannon that introduced Americans to yogurt on a mass scale in 1942, fueling growth with innovations such as "fruit on the bottom" and later, Activia, which touts the digestive benefits of probiotic cultures (Schultz 2011). However, when it comes to the new Greek yogurt trend, Dannon is not as popular as always. So far, Chobani and the Fage are leading the pack of best-­‐
selling Greek yogurt brands, and category giants, like Dannon, are now trying to play catch-­‐up (Wong 2011). Dannon and its subbrand, Stonyfield, have worked together to introduce Dannon Oikos Greek yogurt, previously branded as Dannon Greek. Dannon Oikos is keeping the previous recipe and has added new flavors (Dannon’s Website 2011). In its newly launched ads, Dannon uses Greek-­‐American actor John Stamos to tempt women with the yogurt, but the eye-­‐opener comes at the end when Dannon Oikos claims it "beats Chobani two-­‐to-­‐one in a national taste test" (Schultz 2011). Oikos is Greek for "house," and it's not coincidental that Dannon paired its Greek-­‐style yogurt with a Greek brand name it already controlled under Stonyfield (Schultz 2011). At the same time, Dannon is pushing a second Greek version under its new Activia "Selects" lineup, positioned to combine digestive benefits with the taste of Greek yogurt. The lineup also includes a fruit-­‐filled, French-­‐style yogurt (Schultz 2011). Dannon not only wants to catch up with the trend, but also aims to be at the fore of a new trend. Dannon’s category entrances adjust their Greek yogurts to meet the perceived needs of their loyal consumer market. Others: Other competitors include The Greek Gods, Athenos, Alpena, and private-­‐label brands by markets such as Trader Joe’s. According to the UBS report, others account for 22 percent of the overall yogurt category and 10 percent of the Greek yogurt category (UBS Report 2011). The Greek Gods, although not a Greek company, has adopted an image that refers to the ancient Greek Gods and base their marketing efforts on the Greek cultural identity (Greek Gods Website 2011). Alternately, major category player Kraft foods completely abandoned yogurt in 2004; Chobani's CEO Hamdi Ulukaya bought its plant in 2005, creating the leading Greek yogurt brand. As of September 2011, Kraft reentered the category, introducing the Athenos brand in the yogurt arena, with compartmental packaging similar to that of Fage (Stanford, 2011). Alpena, though not entering the Greek yogurt market, offers a different variety of competition: it is targeting the same audience. Its marketing activities revolve around the idea of "creamy indulgence," positioning their yogurt as nutritional, thick, and creamy (Schultz, 2011). Finally, private-­‐label brands like Wegman's and Trader Joe's have introduced Greek yogurts with lower prices while still promising the same quality and texture as the original Greek yogurt. The Communication •
Due to the rapid category demand and subsequent market saturation, category leaders and smaller market entries have been creative in their messages and use of media. •
Success of smaller, niche-­‐serving companies Chobani and Fage enabled advertising spending in smaller markets, such as niche magazine print advertising, social media campaigns, •
With increased growth, category leaders Fage and Chobani both have stepped out with bold, award-­‐winning campaigns. Communication within the Greek yogurt category is consistently edgy and creative as a result of the rapid saturation of the market and the equally quick increase in popularity and market share within other, larger categories, such as breakfast foods, convenience foods, and general yogurt. Brands have had a tendency to try to make preemptive claims in order to stake out their market share, with some overlap. Campaigns within the category have focused their messages on such qualities as the texture (Fage and Liberte,) the trendiness (Chobani,) the ethnic authenticity (Fage,) or the high protein content (Yoplait and Dannon.) Campaign communications likewise flow out of these key qualities. Chobani, for example, has built an entire campaign around their popularity and standing as the Greek yogurt brand with the largest market share (Elliott 2011). They accomplished this through heavy usage of social media and bringing social media to out-­‐of-­‐home advertisements (2011). Fage developed an award-­‐winning companion advertisement print campaign that showed the imprint of the product in the opposite page within the surface of the yogurt, a visually striking way to convey the thick, rich quality of Fage yogurt (Mullen Agency Website). Dannon has been outspoken about their strategy to avoid traditionally ‘Greek’ imagery at all costs, in order to eliminate negative association that would suggest that the brand is anything but modern (Schultz 8). A widespread category strategy relies on recommendations and sampling, which has been used by most of the strong market competitors (Wong 2011). Other unique placements for communication include heavy advertising by way of blogs to precisely target smaller populationss that read health, diet, lifestyle, or so-­‐called ‘mommy blogs’ (Elliott 2011). All brands consistently make similar claims about the health benefits of Greek yogurt, including that it is immunity boosting, digestive regulating, or a healthy snack (Schultz 2011). Claims about the indulgent, thick, rich or creamy quality of the flavor are similarly common between brands SWOT Analysis Client: Fage Strengths •
Fage’s 85+ years of history has established strong company traditions in quality, nutrition, and accountability. •
The Fage recipe remains unchanged since its origination in Athens, Greece in 1926. The product is an authentically Greek yogurt and an authentically Greek experience. •
Extremely consistent branding and packing since 1975, resulting in easy recognition (Fage website) •
Bacterial strains unique to the company create a flavor distinct only to Fage. •
Fage’s users are exceptionally brand loyal. Once they try Fage, they “never go back” to other brands of yogurt (Lo Wang 2011). Weaknesses •
Fage is the most expensive Greek yogurt on the market (Badkar 2011). •
While many consumers are aware of the Greek yogurt category, Fage has relatively low levels of awareness (45%), especially in comparison to competitor Chobani (73%) (Bisa, Carpenter, Worthey, Yu Survey). •
The product is limited in available varieties and flavors, which consumers prefer in their yogurt products. 33% of consumers polled ranked flavor or variety as the most important factor in their Greek yogurt purchases, but only 7% of consumers prefer the flavors available with Fage (Bisa, Carpenter, Worthey, Yu Survey). •
Fage makes very little use of social media or interactive online marketing strategies, focusing most of their advertising in magazine publications (Stanford 2010). This results in low consumer engagements and interactivity. Opportunities •
With the Greek yogurt market still growing, Fage has room to regain the market share it has lost in recent years. •
Word-­‐of-­‐mouth, recommendation-­‐based, grassroots, and point of purchase communication is an area ripe with potential to increase consumer purchases of Fage. 81% of consumers polled said they would purchase Fage if they received a sample, coupon, or recommendation from a friend (Bisa, Carpenter, Worthey, Yu Survey). •
Possibility to convert consumers who are not loyal to any particular Greek yogurt brand into the typical devoted Fage users. •
There is much room for Fage to grow into new markets, including men (MRI index of 55) and the South and West regions of the United States (MRI indeces of 44 and 47, respectively). Threats •
Chobani’s overwhelming awareness and popularity eclipses Fage in the Greek yogurt category. Of consumers polled, 73% were aware of Chobani, 71% had tried Chobani, and 48% preferred Chobani, compared to 73%, 46%, and 27% respectively for Fage (Bisa, Carpenter, Worthey, Yu Survey). •
With the entrance of even more Greek yogurt brands into the market, including The Greek Gods, Athenos, Alpena, and Dannon Oikos, the Greek yogurt market is approaching a saturation point, making it difficult to capture consumer attention. •
64% of consumers polled who had never eaten Greek yogurt refuse to do so because of “negative perceptions of taste” (Bisa, Carpenter, Worthey, Yu Survey). This is a large stumbling block to gaining new and loyal brand users. •
Consumers tend to buy whichever brand is on sale when they go shopping, inhibiting brand loyalty. 56% of consumers polled could be motivated to try a brand based on free samples, sales, or coupons alone (Bisa, Carpenter, Worthey, Yu Survey). Target Audience Analysis and Definition Client: Fage Fage's current target audience comprises women (MRI+: 121) between the ages of 25-­‐34, and 55-­‐64, with MRI+ indices of 132 and 145, respectively. These women are highly educated, with many having acquired graduate (206) or post graduate degrees (253.) They are white (117) and work in white collar jobs in the business private sector (146.) They are affluent with a household income of more than $75,000 (131,) with especially high usage among those with household incomes greater than $150,000 (323.) The women in this population are married (119) with young families, with especially high usage among those with children younger than 12 months of age (143.) Their establishment is reflected in their high home values in the Northeast (240) and West (131) regions of the United States: MRI+ indicates high usage among owners of homes worth more than $500,000 (282). We call this population the “Movers and Shakers.” These women are the "Movers and Shakers" because they are constantly on the move due to their young age, active lifestyles, and demanding careers and family lives. They are alert and crave for variety, adventure and exploration. They have an immense desire for knowledge and strive for complete well-­‐being in their lives. Their intelligence, sophistication and curiosity are mirrored by their media choices. They read The New York Times (597) and Bloomberg Business Week (253) to get informed on politics and economics. They are curious and adventurous, so they read Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel (247) and the Conde Nast Traveler (426). They are also tech-­‐
savvy and use the internet as a main source of information gathering (172). Their various interests are reflected in their television and magazine choices as well; lifestyle (e.g. Coastal Living, 219,) cooking (e.g. Bon Appetit, 226,) and athletic magazines (e.g. Bicycling, 378,) are among the most popular genres. For the present campaign, we aim to preserve the current loyal target audience, while simultaneously expanding our targeted audience to a larger population. The new targeted population comprises women between the ages of 35 and 54 in the Northeast and Western geographic regions. The slight shift in targeted age results from strong potential for growth in both age ranges: For primary shoppers ages 35-­‐44 and 45-­‐54, indices are currently 91 and 100, respectively. These targeted women are established in the workforce with education at or beyond the Bachelor’s degree level. They are homeowners whose household incomes exceed $60,000 annually and many own homes, though many have not yet married or had children. The main difference between the former and current target audiences is psychographic. Though characterized by their appreciation for creativity and healthy lifestyles, these women are decidedly less adventurous than the Movers and Shakers previously targeted. This is reflected in their more traditional media consumption habits, preferring print newspapers and television news to social media or internet news aggregators. Though family-­‐oriented, they are more introverted and spend more time at home that the Movers and Shakers. We call this future target audience “The Bashfuls.” The Bashfuls value reassurance and recommendation in order to evaluate alternatives to what they know, and therefore often need an extra push in order to take the next step when trying something new. By designing a more approachable campaign strategy that makes Fage seem familiar and kind, rather than distant or aloof, the Bashfuls will feel empowered to initiate trial of Fage products based on their interest in health and well-­‐being. Key Insight Client: Fage The problem to be solved is that Fage is losing market share to competitors, especially Chobani, not due to a reduction in brand users, but rather due to a low trial rate among current category users. The key insight we uncovered is that current category users are not trying Fage because they feel distant from the brand, especially in comparison to top competitor, Chobani. Fage is comparatively less accessible and more intimidating, and has trouble making an initial emotional connection with brand non-­‐users. Brand Vision Statement: Fage Core Identity Brand Soul High-­‐quality yogurt company rooted in deep Greek tradition that shares its culture with warmth and pride. Brand Values Authenticity, accessibility, high-­‐quality, health, family, integrity, reliability, connection Point of Difference Providing Greek yogurt consumers with the only 100% authentic Greek yogurt. Fage is committed to preserving a genuine Greek experience by using only the simplest and highest-­‐quality ingredients in a traditional recipe from 1926. This is good because the Greek yogurt market is already saturated with americanized versions of “Greek-­‐style” yogurt, not the traditional Greek food. Extended Identity Personality Fage is Ileni, a grandmother who lives with her adult child’s family in a village in northern Greece. She is active and hardworking, taking the lead in cooking and housekeeping duties. She is well-­‐
known in the community for her homemade cheese pie and nurturing demeanor towards the village children. Brand Positioning The Greek yogurt from Greece. Consumer Relationship Functional Benefits The consumer likes the high-­‐quality and all-­‐natural ingredients, which lend to the healthy and nutritious nature of the product, as well as the superior taste and quality. Emotional Benefits The consumer feels that using the product contributes to a feeling of ‘good living’: a healthy lifestyle and emotional well-­‐being beyond simple diet and exercise. The product lends itself to overall feelings of both health and happiness, while encouraging feelings of connection and cultural fulfillment. Consumer/Brand Relationship The favorite grandmother who leads the family’s traditions. Advertising Objective Client: Fage Advertising will convince the Bashfuls that Fage is approachable and familiar. Support will be the longstanding history of the company and its wholesome values of family, honesty, quality, and accountability. Fage strives to do the right thing to support your health and well-­‐being. Advertising will follow a ‘feel-­‐good’ theme to encourage the Bashfuls. The tone will be caring, approachable, and kind. Creative Brief Client: Fage Business Challenge: Fage has a loyal brand following but struggles to initiate trial among brand non-­‐users, even if they are already in the category. This has contributed to a sharp decline in market share over the last several years, from 80% in 2008 to 22% in 2011 (Badkar 2011). Communications Objectives: Consumers feel that the brand is aloof and distant, contributing to a challenge in initial trial among brand non-­‐users. Communications will be designed to improve brand perceptions to increase feelings of accessibility and connection. Brand Essence: Rational: Fage provides Greek yogurt consumers with a genuine Greek product and experience through high-­‐quality ingredients and a commitment to the original 1926 recipe. Emotional: Users feel like they’ve done the right thing when they use Fage, which evokes emotions of confidence and satisfaction in their choices and lifestyle. Target Audience: Known as “The Bashfuls,” our target audience is women, aged 35-­‐54 that tend to live in the Northeast and West. They are college educated, with at least bachelor’s degree and household incomes of $60,000 or greater. These women are established with both careers and families with values important to both of these aspects of their lives. They are family oriented and believe in the important of healthy living and “good living,” or a lifestyle full of both health and happiness. They are health conscious about food and fitness. Other values include creativity and cultural sophistication, taking pride and enjoyment on being highly informed. The Bashfuls are curious and open to new experiences, but typically need a little push in the right direction. They are not the most adventurous of consumers and will therefore not grab an altogether new product on their own. However, these women will frequently try new things if encouraged or recommended to do so by their friends or family. Key Insight: Brand perceptions of Fage indicate that the brand feels distant or inaccessible and, therefore, intimidating. Developing a more approachable image would improve perceptions by evoking feelings of familiarity, comfort, and well-­‐being. The Big Idea: Fage is the Yogurt-­‐Next-­‐Door Motivating Support Points: Fage is committed to creating products they would feed their family. Their company values encourage well-­‐being and connection. Their company culture is the “good living way,” which promotes healthy lifestyles and wholesome happiness. Current Response: The Bashfuls feel intimidated by Fage. Desired Response: The Bashfuls feel encouraged by Fage.x Executional Considerations: Fage is wholesome and family-­‐oriented. Fage is proud of their authentic recipe and true Greek heritage. Don’t forget that Fage is the Greek yogurt. Fage is recognized for having a distinct and delicious flavor, but non-­‐users need more sampling opportunities to enter the category.