agency: WOLFF OLINS client: PEPSICO industry: CPG

BACKSTORY 

Long before the low-carb craze and the media’s focus on the widespread and growing obesity problem in America, PepsiCo had been working on a program that would offer US consumers healthier options in beverages and snacking. To this end, they spent two and a half years conducting research and consulting with doctors all in an effort to build a portfolio of ‘better for you’ and ‘good for you’ products that would provide consumers easy access to a healthier lifestyle.

CHALLENGE

To launch their new Health & Wellness initiative, PepsiCo sought a single on-pack visual solution to inspire a change in lifestyle, make it easy for mom to give her family better options, as well as position PepsiCo as the leading provider of healthier product choices.

The scheduled launch of the initiative was swiftly approaching allowing a mere six weeks to audit the products currently available in the marketplace, review available research and trends, interview brand managers and partner agencies, as well as to develop, test, refine, re-test and finalize a solution.

INSIGHT

It was clear that success would require a strategy that could do some heavy lifting, and hold up to three key criteria – big, simple, true. Big enough to be memorable, create desire, reposition PepsiCo in the consumer’s mind and combat a growing health concern. Simple enough to cut through the clutter on supermarket shelves, be easily understood, work on small packs with limited available real estate and have relevance off pack. True enough to work across all their brands without compromising brand equities, feel credible to moms and kids as well as represent the voice of PepsiCo.

Two rounds of focus groups with moms and kids in three key markets along with an online survey of 600 households with kids between the ages of six and twelve led to the Smart Spot visual solution.

But the visual solution proved to be just the tip of the iceberg.

Research also revealed that telling the Smart Spot story would be critical for success. This meant formulating a clear rollout strategy that leveraged existing alternative media channels like the web, print and press to quickly educate consumers and the media about what would become known as the Smart Spot Program.

IN ACTION

Building credibility with moms and kids was also paramount to success. This meant launching with products that moms considered healthy, like Tropicana orange juice and Quaker cereal bars, and products that kids already loved, like Gatorade thirst quencher and Quaker Life cereal, despite the fact that less credible products like Frito Lay baked chips and Diet Pepsi had shorter production timelines.

The Smart Spot Program not only positioned PepsiCo to lead the cause of giving consumers great choices they want – and need – to live healthier lifestyles, it also became the basis for their 2025 sustainability agenda of ‘Performance with Purpose’.

RESULTS