Kid Healthy Branding.

Steve Poppe — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:51:00 +0000

General Mills and the Campbell Soup Company are doing some really good work to change the poor eating and drinking habits of kids. General Mills, which already increased the whole grain content in its children’s cereal, has now agreed to reduce sugar in cereals advertised to kids. Campbell’s has created a line of heart healthy sugar and fructose syrup-free V-8 Fusion fruit drinks and marketing them to schools.

Kids love cereal and they love soda and juice, so if the right products are available, affordable and actually taste good, kids will go for them – reducing obesity and diabetes down the road.

I have always loved the marketing ploy of Campbell’s: one V-8 is like multiple servings of vegetables. That idea carries over to its V-8 Fusion and V-8 Splash drinks. It’s a great, focused branding idea — pregnant with healthy consumer imagery (salt aside). General Mills is trying to make whole grain a differentiating branding idea, but it’s juggling that with a new effort to reduce sugar. It’s doing the right thing, but dividing its message to conquer. Were I General Mills, I’d work on the whole grain idea and leave the sugar-free as a side bar. Sugar free is a bandwagon issue, whole grain is big. Peace!

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Conant the non-barbarian.

Steve Poppe — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:51:00 +0000

If you have the fortitude to read this blog now and again you’ll know I often go on about rearview mirror brand planners – those who spend a great deal of time looking behind, looking to the past, to them plot brand strategy. Well today I’d like to introduce Douglas Conant, CEO of Campbell Soup Co. He’s a real forward looker. Here he is (from the Wall Street Journal, May 30^th,) on his next billion dollar brand. Perhaps the world’s next billion dollar brand.

“American’s don’t eat enough vegetables. Our scientists were able to come up with a fruit and vegetable blend, which doesn’t have any of the taste of vegetables but delivers a full-serving of vegetables in every eight-ounce serving. Wellness is the No. 1 trend, by far, in consumer foods right now and this is the sweet spot. V8 will be our next billion dollar brand.”

This leader tells the truth. He takes responsibility for his missteps and he sees the future. He’s going places.

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Brand Marketing Tips by Steve Poppe » campbell soup company

Kid Healthy Branding.

Conant the non-barbarian.