Meiji Promo, Case study AMAZING FOODSTUFF COMBINATION by Tokyu Agency

Category: Consumer Goods, including FMCG and Household Products

Advertiser: MEIJI

Product/Service: SMART CHEESE

Agency: TOKYU AGENCY

PR Planner/Director: Satoshi Innami (Tokyu Agency)

Plannner/Producer: Kenjiro Sese (Tokyu Agency)

Account Exective: Masahiro Soejima (Tokyu Agency)

Planner: Raitaro Hayashi (Puzzle)

PR Planner: Masaki Tanimoto (TPR)

PR Planner: Tomoyo Ogasawara (TPR)

Art Director: Takeo Chiboshi (Cement Produce Design)

Hotographer: Tsukao (Secession)

Computer Artist: Shunjiro Miyauchi (Nagi)

Sound: Yukihiro Atsumi (Origami)

Sound: Masaji Kinoshita (Shirofuchi)

Planner: Katsuhiro Niwa (Puzzle)

PR Planner: Machiko Sakata (Deux-Myeu)

PR Planner: Yuko Aoki (Deux-Myeu)

Planner: Kousuke Kumamoto (Tokyu Agency)

Media placement: Consumer PR - www.advertimes.com - 29 September 2011

Media placement: Consumer PR - Tv Asahi - 14 October 2011

Media placement: Consumer PR - Tv Asahi - 11 November 2011

Media placement: Consumer PR - TBS - 6 December 2011

Media placement: Consumer PR - TBS - 1 January 2012

Media placement: Consumer PR - SANKEI SHIMBUN - 14 October 201

Media placement: Consumer PR - Mainichi Shimbun - 22 December 2011

Media placement: Consumer PR - www.yahoo.co.jp - 14 October 2011

Media placement: Consumer PR - allabout.co.jp/r_kurashi/ - 1 December 2011

Summary of the Campaign

The project was launched for the purpose of getting those who do not have much knowledge about cheese to buy some.

Making good use of the characteristics of 'Meiji Hokkaido Tokachi Smart Cheese', which is rich in savouriness, we developed recipes for foodstuff combinations that evoke the taste of 3 of the world's greatest delicacies.

In addition, we also developed surprising foodstuff combinations using local foodstuffs from 47 prefectures. The strategy was making the target want to try a recipe combination. How these combinations taste better was visualised by introducing scientific evidence provided by the test research organisation 'ＡＩＳＳＹ'. In order to get the target interested in these combinations, we thought it effective to tell them about it as 'the combination in the news' with the article written independently to consumers, and performed PR activities to media. These 2 combinations of taste were introduced on the original website.

The day before the opening of the site, a taste trial reception was held for the media as a PR event. As a result, the project was taken up by television, the web, and newspapers and magazines, and made many people who saw those reports purchase items.

The Situation

Japanese food culture such as fermented food and soup stock is based on savouriness and Japanese people love savoury foods. The major characteristic of 'Meiji Hokkaido Tokachi Smart Cheese' is that it contains a lot of savouriness. However, the domestic processed cheese market has increased very little, and needed to attract new customers.

Moreover, each domestic cheese is alike and so there is little opportunity to encourage consumers to purchase it. Moreover, it is difficult for those who are uninterested to know what makes this particular cheese stand out.

The Goal

Let the woman of the housewife in her 30s and 40s who seldom has the knowledge about cheese do a trial as a new customer.

Since the media which the target is often looking at were television, we aimed at this project being taken up by 3 or more TV programs.

Moreover, when the investigation in which we get 105 housewives to eat and compare cheese was conducted in March, 2011, Smart Cheese was most chosen above others. When we had target eat Smart Cheese once, it was proved that sales were expandable.

The Strategy

Mr. Suzuki, who is a scientist and the president of AISSY, was selected to become the centre of attention for media. Therefore, PR activities were carried out introducing the recipes for foodstuff combinations to media, utilising Mr. Suzuki. In order first to build a platform in the media for Mr. Suzuki to speak directly, we decided to perform a PR event.

Moreover, since television media in Japan useｓ newspaper articles as sources of information, first of all, we published a report in a newspaper in October, and made it extend on television from there. In Japan, since November 11 is set as a day of cheese and the subject about cheese was easy to be taken up, we aimed at the project being exposed on TV on that day.

Execution

Foodstuff combinations were developed over 2 months by Mr. Suzuki supervision. PR activities were performed from September, 2011 to January, 2012.

First, we carried out a PR event on September 28, and got media to try the foodstuff combinations, and Mr. Suzuki explained the mechanism. Taking advantage of PR event, we approached newspaper companies and gained Mr. Suzuki's interview report on October 14. The report was taken up on television on the same day. As foodstuff combinations of this project spread, the restaurant offered foodstuff combinations that evoke the taste of 3 of the world's greatest delicacies as menus appeared, and that store was taken up on television on November 11.

Moreover, foodstuff combinations evoking 3 of the world's greatest delicacies attracted attention from a variety program, which verifies that the rumour has become the centre of attention. Coverage of Mr. Suzuki was broadcast on December 6.

Documented Results

We were able to get the exposure by 4 TV programs which the PR activity aimed for from October, 2011 to January, 2012.

The sales of the goods in December, 2011, increased 42% from the previous month.

Television aside, as a result of PR activities, exposure was gained by 13 newspapers and 5 magazines and 64 web media.

When it combines with television media and converts into advertising expenses, it is 130m yen or more.

The investment effect was about 10 times.