Lindt & Sprüngli is recognized as a leader in the market for premium quality chocolate, offering a large selection of products in more than 100 countries around the world. During more than 160 years of Lindt & Sprüngli's existence, it has become known as one of the most innovative and creative companies making premium chocolate, with six production sites in Europe, two in the USA and distribution and sales companies on four continents.
LINDOR – the smoothest chocolate ever created by LINDT’s Maitres Chocolatiers – a perfectly round ball made of the finest chocolate with the most irresistibly smooth chocolate filling.
Lindt & Sprüngli has a start up stage in Russia, with a market share of 2% (Moscow & St.Petersburg). Mainly the sales are concentrated in Russian’s key cities (Moscow and St.Petersburg).
LINDOR is heavily supported brand in Lindt Russia portfolio, with all kind of advertising (ATL and BTL), yet the brand awareness of LINDOR brand is rather low.
LINDOR key sales are driven by internationally proven strategy: combining TV advertising with sampling especially during peak periods (e.g.: Women’s day and New Year).
WHAT IS IT ?
In this step you will find information about the Brand Builder, who is asking you to propose a Solution for the challenge. He introduces himself (as a Brand of course :) The more you understand about the Brand, the more chances you have to create what is wanted.
IMPORTANT: There is a possibility that the Brand Builder prefers not to disclose who he is, usually for confidentiality reasons. Such Briefs will be published in an anonymous way. In this case the Brand Builder will say as much as he feels comfortable saying.
Here are two EXAMPLES
In case there is no problem with disclosing the identity (VISIBLE):
“NMN -No More Nicotine- is a Brand that promises to counteract the damages to the skin that can be caused by smoking. NMN is distributed in pharmacies and drugstores and its price positioning is middle-high; it is mainly promoted through professional endorsement and is not massively advertised.”
In case the Brand doesn’t want to disclose his identity (ANONYMOUS):
“Brand counteracting the damages to skin caused by smoking. Its products are distributed in pharmacies and drugstores with a middle-high price positioning; they are mainly promoted through professional endorsement and are not massively advertised.”
In summary: Who is your client (in a visible or “anonymous” way :)
Background:
Sampling is a key activity for LINDOR, (both in-store / out-of-store) as it enchants consumers once they have tasted.
Usually sampling is done by people impersonating the Maîtres Chocolatier (who creates every LINDOR), an expert in chocolate, the connection between Lindt & Sprüngli and Consumer, a part of every communication.
Objective:
We want to raise the penetration, brand awareness and sales of LINDOR within our target audience by using a creative way of sampling of LINDOR balls.
WHAT IS IT ?
This is the task the Brand Builder asks you to accomplish. If you don’t understand it, you are completely out of luck !
EXAMPLE
“We ask the Creators to develop a print advertising campaign in order to increase Brand’s visibility. It will be used in national magazines this spring.”
In summary: It’s the objective of the client, therefore your objective too !
- Russians
- Women 70% / Men 30% with income high
- High income ( =/> 750 US$ per capita)
WHAT IS IT?
People that the Brand Builder wants you to entertain and persuade to think, feel or do something using your creation. Usually you will read about their age, sex, social level and behaviors. You should always keep that information in mind while creating, as the target audience is the final recipient of what you create.
EXAMPLE
“Smoking girls and women who would like to quit smoking but can’t. Usually health-conscious adults who care about their looks. They feel guilty about smoking because they know it is harmful. They read books about it. This is a real problem for them: it’s like “My brain wants something, but my body acts of its own accord”. They don’t relate to my brand, they are just waiting for a trustworthy “helping hand”.
In summary: Get under their skin !
We want to transfer the uniqueness of LINDOR with every ball sampled; enchant our target audience with the unique LINDOR experience.
WHAT IS IT?
The thing that the Brand Builder wants to make the target audience think/feel/do because of your creation.
Here are some very concrete examples:
∞ Some things people can think/feel:
- There is a new Brand (or product or idea or...) out there
- This Brand is better than the alternatives or than it used to be
- This Brand is worth paying more for
∞ Some things people can do:
- Start buying the Brand’s products
- Buy the Brand more often
- Stock more products of the Brand in their outlets
The above written examples are very concrete whilst often the proposition of the Brief is emotional. That’s even better as it can be more inspiring!
EXAMPLE
“We’d like to encourage smokers to use NMN in order to minimize the damage to their health while they are keeping giving up smoking (especially if they’ve already tried and failed before).”
In summary: Get inside their brain !
Leadership: Lindt & Sprüngli is recognized as the leader in the market for premium quality chocolate in more than 100 countries around the world
Offer: large range of innovative products
Tradition: 160 years of Lindt & Sprüngli's existence & experience
Proximity to consumers: six sophisticated production sites in Europe, two in the USA, distribution and local companies in four continents.
WHAT IS IT?
This is the key to achieving the objective. It is what supports the proposition and makes it believable. Usually it is a rational statement.
EXAMPLE
“Every cigarette you smoke is causing damage to your appearance. A recent study took several pairs of identical twins where one twin was a lifelong smoker and the other had never smoked. The smokers’ skin was a quarter thinner than that of non-smokers, and in some cases there were differences of up to 40%. NMN contains thinning-blocking anti-oxidants which counteract the effect of nicotine on the skin.”
In summary: You are looking for arguments? You’ll find them here!
- Professional – Made by Maîtres Chocolatier
- Qualitative- From Switzerland
- Experienced - Chocolate production from 1845
WHAT IS IT?
It’s who the Brand is. Yes... who!
Treat the Brand as a human being, as it has its own personality. To know the personality of the “client” is fundamental in order to provide a tailor-made job. So, read carefully the listed adjectives...
EXAMPLE
“Scientific, trustworthy, result-oriented, ‘a party’ to achieve your goals.”
In summary: Imagine the live person !
TV advertising support on the level of key competitors in Moscow, St.Petersburg (4 weeks prior 8th of March, 6 weeks prior New Year)
WHAT IS IT?
A list of places (or media, or things) where the target audience will see the outcome of your creation. In this step sometimes the Brand will also acknowledge you how much he plans to invest into production. This information will give you an insight whether to create a BIG project or make it small... :)
EXAMPLE
“This campaign is going to appear in lifestyle- and health-focused women magazines of New Zealand, during the spring of 2009. We plan to invest 500,000 USD, which means approximately buying 100 single pages.”
In summary: Consider the medium !
Sampling idea should be connected with point of sales Lindor (whenever possible).
The “Maitre Chocolatier” should be interacted in sampling campaigns (whenever possible).
Distribution: all supermarkets and hypermarkets (except discounters)
Geography: Moscow and St.Petersburg
Periods of the activity: February–March and November-December 2011
Pricing information:
- Shelf price of LINDOR 200gr: 200 RUB – 250 RUB (= 6.5 US$ - 8.15 US$)
- Key competitor: FERRERO ROCHER 200gr (price 230 – 280 RUR) (= 7.5 US$ - 9.1 US$)
Useful information about sampling activities already fielded:
- In Super-Hypermarkets: the activity is rather expensive in terms of cost per contact due to high listing fees required
- In shopping centers: temporary “shop in shop” concept brings good sales performance and visibility, but the rental price for a stand is rather high)
- During big events: e.g. Performance of Cirque du Soleil – even though it was possible to buy LINDOR after trial, sales were not effective
In other occasions: in offices/theaters/beauty salons - good target audience but distanced from POS
Any additional information: www.lindt.com
If the Brand has preferences or technical requirements that your Solution has to match, you will find them here.
Here are some items that you may find in this section:
∞ Guidelines or mandatory inclusions (do’s and/or don’ts)
∞ Business objectives
∞ Market and competitors overview
∞ Good and bad samples
Depending on the Brief, you may also find some files attached with a logo, pictures of product(s), a template that you should use in order to submit your ideas, or any other file that the Brand wants to share with you. So, study the attachments before starting creating.
In summary: Anything else you need to know (not written in the 7 steps before) !
