“Rama Goodness of margarine” (GOM)”  

 Hill and Knowlton Baltic team1st of April, 2009

Situation analysis, beggining of year 2008

LOCAL EXECUTION• Country & industry specific

strategies & programmes

- Local relevance

- Taps main country

- Underlines global brand• Measurement

REGIONAL DIRECTION • Pan – Baltic planning

- brand

- reputation• Core programmes • Creative resource• Library / materials• Evaluation

Global company Unilever decided to strengthen its margarine brand Rama in the Baltic Countries by promoting its intrinsic goodness and chose Hill and Knowlton Baltic team to implement the campaign

After the research:– Bad market results – product category was constantly declining

– Perception of margarine tends to be negative as it is seen as unnatural product and “bad” fat

– Margarine seen as unhealthier than butter (according to Snapshot, only 6% in LT and 1% in LV admitted that margarine is healthier than butter)

Strategical and tactical solutions (I)

Goals of the campaign:– Increase the credibility of margarine as healthy product

– Connect the image of Rama with nutritional benefits of margarine

– To slow down the margarine category decline by PR means

Strategy:– Get yellow fats consumers increase margarine (as category) consumption

by presenting that essential fats are necessary element of a healthy diet

– Get moms to use Rama margarine for making sandwiches for the family by proving them that Rama is the best daily source of essential fats

Strategy implemented by following sequence:

Building a good overall image of Building a good overall image of fats fats –– communicating the truth based fact communicating the truth based fact

messages about good and bad fatsmessages about good and bad fats

Introducing the solution Introducing the solution (Rama)(Rama)

Rising the interest Rising the interest about fats, starting the about fats, starting the

discussion in discussion in public/mediapublic/media

Strategical and tactical solutions (II)

Target audience:– Young mothers with kid’s aged 0 – 12

– Women interested in healthy lifestyle

– Consumers

– Institutions (Health and nutrition organizations)

– Doctors

– Nutrition specialists

Target messages:

“Margarine is a natural product made from vegetable oils. Rama is a source of Essential Fatty acids and vitamins A, D and E, which are essential for proper growth for my kids.”

Strategical and tactical solutions (III)

Communication channels:– Media (lifestyle, women, family, national and regional media, internet, TV and

radio) articles preparation and initiation on actual topics to deliver campaign messages;

– Public events (for direct, interactive and attractive communication with target audience, e.g. taking part in International Children’s day activities in Riga, public picnic in the central part of Tallinn);

– Key Opinion formers (KOF) program I: KOFs mothers & other KOFs (cooperation with leading nutritionists to support campaign messages): 1) Media: scientific and popular articles about healthy nutrition, fats and their importance for health; 2) Educative, more scientific lectures, conferences for KOFs and doctors; 3) Educative lectures for mothers;

– Key Opinion formers (KOF) program II: KOF mothers mothers (cooperation to connect Rama brand and messages with target audience and rise credibility): used as Rama “face” in advertising campaign;

– Marketing materials (brochures, flayers, etc.).

Results (I)The campaign was successful for several reasons:

In General:– Slow down of the margarine category decline achieved according to

Nielsen research (no slowdown at Oct-Nov 2008 via -9% in the Baltic's at 2007). Rama margarine sales went up more than 10% comparing to the same period in 2007

– Margarine market stabilization in all the Baltic Countries

– Unilever was #1 margarine producer in all Baltic markets (in Lithuania during the campaign it overcame Lithuanian local producers, the leader of the market in the last few years)

Target audience:– Improved perception of margarine as healthy product (after

Snapshot, end of 2008, 9% in Lithuania and 5% in Latvia admitted: margarine is healthier than butter. In the end of 2007 it was 6% in Lithuania and 1% in Latvia. Similar results In Estonia).

– On Jan-July 2008 Rama articles started discussions in women online portals regarding margarine, discussing margarine healthier than butter. That was visible improvement towards support of margarine instead of butter.

Results (II)Media:

– More than 50 articles, several TV and Radio show’s about fats, healthy nutrition published or initiated in target media in the Baltic States

– Higher visibility of Margarine category (in general) in media. The biggest visibility of Rama brand in specialized magazines and Internet.