Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup
Brand Campaign
Assignment
Opportunity: / The average consumer, who is introduced to the brand as a child, typically remains loyal throughout his/her entire life. Unfortunately, fluctuations in relevancy over time* prevent it from being consistently used.
Objective: / Minimize drop-offs in usage by increasing relevancy among adolescent consumers.
Target Fundamentals
Target: / Teenagers (13-19) During this age, the brand becomes forgotten, as “special treats” take a backseat to “snack foods.’ Therefore, the positioning of Hershey’s Syrup as not just for dessert is vital to our objective.
Insights/Learnings: / The rational (0g fat) and emotional (Make it Special) appeals used in current communications fail to resonate strongly with teenagers. In researching the brands and advertisements that are most popular with our target, two trends emerged:
1) Distinct personalities resonate strongly with teenagers. Being more skeptical toward advertising, they gravitate toward brand identities that they relate and/or aspire to. Teens purchase brands in part to link the personality traits of the brand to their own identity.
2) Teenagers favor products that are perceived to add “fun” to their lives. Teens desire more than to have fun; they also want to be perceived as being fun. In today’s world, the secret to popularity has broadened. More than anything, it’s about making the people around you happy.
Key Take Away: / Give the brand some personality.
Brand Fundamentals
Brand Essence: / No other bottle or jar in the fridge is as inherently fun as Hershey’s Syrup. Often sipped straight from the bottle, Hershey’s can be enjoyed by the pickiest of eaters and for way more reasons than traditional condiments. Whether in coffee in the morning or on fruit as a snack, Hershey’s Syrup can put a smile on your face at any time of the day.
Brand Position: / Hershey’s Syrup is the condiment that knows how to have fun.
Executional Considerations
Deliverables: / Non-traditional campaigns (online, SMS, viral, and product placement) will be used to create buzz for the brand’s new personality. However, the majority of the campaign will consist of in-store/POP display, floor stickers, and on-package labels.
Appendix A
*BRAND USAGE OVER TIME
Brand usage reaches a peak at around the age 10, after the consumer has been able to make snacks on his/her own for several years.
At age 16, relevancy plummets. The consumer is now a licensed driver, and is getting their sweet fix more often (with friends) from places like 7-11 and McDonald’s.
In college, the consumer has almost no use for chocolate syrup.
It isn’t until the consumer has children of their own that the brand becomes relevant again. Here, the consumer buys and interacts with the brand for the sake of passing on the proverbial torch.
Usage plummets again, however, when their children grow up and move out.