CLAUSSENPICKLES:

creative brief

PICKLES

Dill genuine, kosher, polish, german Sweet bread and butter, no-salt, sweet/hotSour + Half-Sour

Pickled Peppers jalapenos, pepperoncinis, banana peppersSpecialty Products asparagus, cocktail onions, sauerkraut

WholeMidgetGherkinHalves SlicesSpearsChipsStripsChunksSalad cubesRelish

RECIPES

STYLES

Entrees:

blue ribbon fair specials

TECHNIQUEJust Fork It

Paper Towel Wrap

Flick It

Shake It

RefrigeratedFresh Packed Processed

Sandwich: on or off.. . you choose

Stand Alone: craving killer

Cocktails: poor man’s way to be classy... the pickle juice martini HISTORY

WORD PLAY

Americans have been eating pickles since Christopher Columbus’ arrival

America was named for a pickle peddler -- Amerigo Vespucci

Nicholas Appert constructed the first pickle plant in America in 1820.

A common figurative sense for the word pickle is "troublesome situation"—as in "you’ve gotten us into a pretty pickle."

Pickled cucumbers were used to prevent scurvy among crew members.

Many cultures have historically fermented foods by burying them underground, producing a rotted, yet edible delicacy.

"In a pickle" was first introduced by Shakespeare in his play, The Tempest.

"How cam'st thou in this pickle?" "I have been in such a pickle"

Pickling is one of the oldest forms of food preservation, discovered at the dawn of civilization, thousands of years ago in Mesopotamia

During WWII the U.S. Government tagged 40 percent of all pickle production for the ration kits of the armed forces.

Cucumber = Cuce

“I got a pickle, I got a pickle, I got a pickle HEY HEY HEY HEY!” -The Little Rascals

THE CLAUSSEN HISTORY MYSTERY

A man by the name of E.L. Griffeth purchases pickles from C.F. Claussen and Sons to sell door to door to Chicago housewives. The pickle peddler’s business came crashing down the day before Thanksgiving in 1895 when he awoke to find that he had fallen asleep at the “horse.” With his arm and leg broken, carriage shattered and horse dead, the first ever Claussen brand representative says goodbye.

www.griffithlaboratories.com

Oscar-Mayer expands into the pickle industry in 1970 and acquires C.F. Claussen and Sons as a subsidiary brand.

www.novelguide.com

1880s

1970s

WHAT HAPPENED TO C.F. CLAUSSEN + SONS BEFORE 1970??

In 1978 Dr. Q Cumbus Claussen is introduced in television and print with his crunch measurement machine reminding that the crunchiest pickles are found in the refrigerated section.

“YOU’LL LOVE ‘EMONCE YOU FIND ‘EM”

ALLITERATION OF THE ‘C’ SOUND IS USED TO REMIND CONSUMERS THAT THE ‘CLAUSSEN’ NAME GOES WITH ‘COLD’

THE CLAUSSEN HISTORY MYSTERY

“YOU’LL LOVE ‘EMONCE YOU FIND ‘EM”

1980s1981: Oscar Mayer is acquired by General Foods

1985: General Foods is acquired by Philip Morris Companies

1988: Philip Morris acquires Kraft USA

1989: Morris merges two divi-sions to form Kraft General Foods

www.novelguide.com

1985 Print ad suggests that pickle quality varies and must be test-driven the same way you would with an automobile. Not all pickles are the same.

CRUNCHIER, SNAPPIER PICKLES ARE KEPT FRESH AND COLD

1990sCLAUSSENUNLEASHESVICIOUS ATTACK ADS TOWARDSCOMPETITOR VLASIC

OLD SCHOOL AWARD WINNER

CLAUSSEN GETS SEXUAL

“A commercial for Claussen Pickles fabricates a hoity-toity image for its closest competitor by representing it as a frog. Not a talking Budweiser frog, mind you, but a prototypical greasy Frenchman, complete with a beret, a skinny black mustache, puckered lips--and a very limp pickle. Assuming that a pickle is a pickle is a pickle in most consumers' minds, Claussen resorts to attacking its competition for having a foreign-sounding name like Vlasic.”

-Paul Bacon, former employee of J. Walter Thompson Advertising, and Hill and Knowlton Public Relations

1990

2000 Print ad commands “Snap my spear” and questions “Can a pickle be too bold?”

Kraft General FoodsKraft Foods

1995

1992

1993

1994

Claussen bends pickles on television spots, taking market share from Vlasic.Vlasic complains to NAD and Claussen is pressed to remove “limp” from ad.

Vlasic complains to NAD again about Claussen’s claim to being crunchier, NAD sides with Claussen.

“WE’RE MORE OF AN ADULT-DRIVEN PICKLE AND ARE NOT INTO BABYISH HUMOR.” -TIM COFERCLAUSSEN BRAND MANAGER

David’s Pickle Page!!

The Unofficial Claussen Website: first attempt at a blog? Maybe. Maybe not.

Vlasic launches “The Perfect Pickle,” reintroducing the Vlasic Stork to appeal to youngsters and nostalgic baby boomer generation.

2009

2009 Kraft brand website for Claussen Pickles features:

VINE TO JAR IN 8 DAYS

THE WORLD’S MOST EXCELLENT PICKLE

IT’S PICKLE TIMESEE THE DIFFERENCE

DIFFERENCE YOU CAN TASTE

http://brands.kraftfoods.com/claussen

2008 Print ad. “If you prefer things stiffly erect and throbbing with fullness rather than things that are flaccidly limp and not up for anything fun then, according to this ad, Claussen is your brand of pickle. Why mess with a tired, spent pickle when you can have one that’s ready to forcefully explode in your mouth with an orgasm of juicy flavor quenching your desire for spunky girth?” -Ad Rants

2009 Viral YouTube video Time: 2:30Views: 8,897Comments: 15Scientifically measures the Claussen crunch with humorous narration.

NASCAR IS TACKYAND VERY AMERICAN

THE STORK IS ANNOYING BUT, PEOPLE RECOGNIZE IT

VLASIC UNDERSTANDS SANDWICHES

THIS IS A LIEBAD BRAND POSITIONINGAND DOESN’T COMPETE

“BABYISH” UNDERSTANDSKID CULTURE

VLASIC: NATIONAL LEADING COMPETITOR

CHEAPER BRAND NAME PRICE POINT ($ .10 OZ)COMPETITIVE SANDWICH PRODUCTS

“LOWER-END” BRAND NAME FEELELITIST REPUTATION

STRONG BRAND NAME, WELL KNOWN

GEDNEY: REGIONAL LEADING COMPETITOR

PICKLE HATSMALL TOWN AMERICA

WEIRD KID CULTURERELATES FUN

BLUE RIBBONMIDDLE AMERICA APPEAL

USER GENERATED CONTENT

REGIONAL? ORDER ONLINE

SAME RED AND GREENBUT USED POORLY

COMPETITIVE PRICE POINT ($ .19 OZ)COMPETITIVE REFRIGERATOR BRAND

SECOND RESULT IN GOOGLE SEARCH: CLAUSSEN PICKLES

OFFERS ORGANIC

CLAUSSEN: compete with class

Claussen is a far superior pickle to its competitors, but not a top seller. It’s different because it’s refrigerated and fresh; however, because it is refrigerated, it is often forgotten. Claussen’s advertising has always strived to remind consumers that the “crunchier,” “colder” pickles are refrigerated.

Advertising and marketing are essential to pickle brands because pickles are considered an impulse item. Sales tend to fluctuate during the winter and summer holidays proving that pickles aren’t part of the core diet. Typically, pickles are served as a lunch item with or on a sandwich or burger. Pickle Packers International (PPI) reports that 48 billion sandwiches are eaten by Americans every year, but only 3 out of every 100 sandwiches has a pickle on the inside, because they are typically served on the side.

Claussen is at a much higher price point than its competitors ($ .15-.19 oz). The pickles are fresher because they are refrigerated, but parish quickly. Claussen is left out of its competitors’ section in the grocery store, leading consumers to associate “the refrigerated” pickles as the “more expensive” pickles.

How Claussen advertises its brand is extremely important. In more recent years, Claussen has advertised with the use of sexual innuendos and adult humor. These ads are highly criticized and miss the mark entirely. Pickles are food for the family and need to be treated with child gloves. Claussen can still be the adult pickle, but they can do it with class.

Claussen seems to be the forgotten Kraft brand. In 1970 C.F. Claussen and Sons were acquired by Oscar Mayer who was later acquired by Philip Morris, later becoming Kraft Foods. The Claussen story prior to 1970 has been nearly lost and its history is left out of the Kraft brand time line. Is this a good thing or bad thing? Perhaps it’s an opportunity to tell the story that Claussen has forgotten for so long.

Recently, Claussen attempted to launch a video on YouTube with hopes of viral success. This kind of thinking is on the right track in the sense that they have stepped back from traditional media. They also do a good job of keeping their website basic and clean. How detailed does a pickle website need to be?

Pickles are about eating and eating should be an experience. Claussen must find a way to connect to consumers in the moment- at the grocery store, where they are most forgotten.

Claussen must make a name for itself as the classy pickle of choice.

TREND OPPORTUNITIES: TECHNOLOGYKraft recently launched the iFood app for the iPhone which allows users to search recipes and manage grocery lists.

PHILANTHROPYEach year Kraft donates over $100 million dollars in food, cash donations and volunteer support to hundreds of non-profit organizations.

NUTRITION Health and nutrition are a growing concern for Americans, especially American children. In the United States 1 in 3 children are considered overweight. School lunch programs lack healthy options and parents are getting more and more involved in packing homemade lunches.

LOCAL/ORGANIC Local and organic movements are becoming increasingly popular. Regional and local brands are becoming the preferred choice to national brand leaders. Growing national brands are increasing their social responsibility and food quality for consumers.

Over the years, Claussen has positioned itself as the “grown up” brand of pickles, but have alienated a very important demographic: children. Claussen must find a way to relate with children while avoiding cheesy or babyish humor. Kids are the best kind of consumer because they are picky. They know what they like and don’t like and can encourage a loyal brand relationship to their parents. Once kids find something they like, they ask for it often and on a regular basis. Claussen should appeal to children, but should categorize them as a secondary target.

Claussen is a quality, family food and their primary appeal needs to be sophisticated and remain attractive to adults and parents. Claussen’s ideal consumer is willing to pay a little more for quality food items. They shop at higher end grocery stores such as Whole Foods as well as regional and local high-end grocers. They are the kind of shoppers who make frequent visits to the store and often leave the list at home. They shop for the moment. Pickles aren’t a typical list item anyway and so Claussen needs to make an impression at the point of purchase.

This is a demographic who cares about corporate and social responsibility. They don’t eat Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, they eat Annie’s. They don’t mind paying extra for organic produce and dairy. They are comfortable in life, regardless of their age.

PARENTS + CHILDRENSACK LUNCHES + SANDWICHES ASPIRING FOODIES + WHOLE FOODS

TARGET CONSUMER

CLAUSSEN BRAND

TRUTHS

ABSENT FROM THE PICKLE AISLE

A QUALITY PREFERENCE

RESTAURANT STYLE SANDWICH DILL

NOT PROCESSED: VINE TO JAR IN 8 DAYS

NEGATIVE ADVERTISING PAST

SCIENTIFICALLY LOUDER CRUNCH THAN COMPETITORS

PEOPLE NEED TO BE REMINDED TO BUY THEM SNACK ALTERNATIVE, LOW CALORIE, CRAVING CURE

NOT ORGANIC, HIGH SODIUM

BRIGHTER, GREENER, FRESHER PICKLE

SOLD NATIONALLY + DISTRIBUTED BY KRAFT FOODS

CLAUSSEN SHOULD STAY IN THE GROCERY STOREDOMINATE

SHOPPING CART ADS

BRAND HOMEMADE LUNCH

advertise where it’s natural

stay classy claussenpickles are food for the family

CREATE BRANDEDEMPTY SHELF IN PICKLE AISLE

BRAND PAPER GROCERY BAGS

CLAUSSEN SHOULD STAY IN THE GROCERY STORE

advertise where it’s natural

pickles are food for the family