Marketing communication: principles and practice

LAUNCHING CHICETTAS AS A DAYTIME SNACK
Derwent Valley Foods became a major provider of spicy exotic snacks with their Phileas
Fogg brand range. In order to appeal to a wider range of tastes, a new corn-based
snack in milder flavours was designed.
The marketing communication task at launch in the spring of 1995 was to establish
a clear product identity among consumers and trade intermediaries (wholesalers,
retailers, pubs, etc.) without alienating customers for the other products. A primary
objective was to create widespread sampling of the snack. 
A number of high-profile events were attended and cultural sponsorships organized
so that samples could be handed out to the ‘educated taste leaders’ (25–44 year olds
who dine out and travel) identified by previous market research. The advertising
campaign was launched at a series of lunchtime concerts and performance artists were
‘exhibited’ at a specially organized ‘art gallery’ event. 
The sponsorship of fringe arts events raised much publicity on regional TV and in
national newspapers and magazines. Some 150,000 sample snacks were given to
people. Around 350,000 other people heard about the product through literature about
the sponsored events. Sales of Chicettas reached 10 per cent of total Phileas Fogg brand
sales in the summer launch period. Next time, sampling will be even broader and not
just limited to the sponsored events.

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C O M M U N I C A T I O N S T R A T E G I E S A N D O B J E C T I V E S
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direct positive contact with members
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enhancing emotional ties to VHI
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providing added value, especially for those members who do not claim
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attracting positive media attention
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meeting VHI’s commitment to invest a portion of profits in promoting healthy living
Following an extensive review of sponsorship opportunities, a VHI-initiated and wholly
owned project was designed, with the following strategic communication objectives:
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to establish VHI as Ireland’s champion of healthy living
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to provide new positive communication opportunities that offer practical advice on healthy
lifestyles, particularly to the 18–40 age group, families, and corporate customers
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to present VHI as innovative, efficient, and member oriented
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to provide a significant national profile for VHI
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to build emotional ties with VHI
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to support brand, sales, marketing, advertising and public relations strategies
In the first year, the project has been concentrated on lifestyle education for 5–10-year-old
children. In subsequent years of the five-year project, programmes will be tailored to each
life stage segment (niche group) by selecting the relevant lifestyle research findings and
appropriate media for communication. For example, the Healthy Children programme has
mailed 80,000 posters to those VHI members with young children, and a further 195,000
posters were circulated by the RTE Guide, and to schools, GPs, and other requests via a
freephone line. More than 3,500 people responded to VHI Says Go For It competitions in
the local and national press. A Go For It page was added to the VHI website. Following a
comprehensive circulation of press releases, the programme was covered in almost all of
the national and regional press and radio, with a twenty-minute feature on TV3. A promotional
video was produced for use in VHI presentations.
The new brand is being used to rebrand VHI’s healthy living activities and to initiate some
new activities, including:
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Go For It Magazine
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Go For It public seminars
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Go For It on the Web, including joint-marketing ventures
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Go For It Health Columns in local newspapers
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Go For It magazine-style programmes for syndication to local radio stations and as audio
content on the website
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Irish Times Business 2000
case study as part of this multi media education pack
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supporting outdoor advertising at sports events and on 48-sheet billboards, and on prime-
time TV
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sponsorship of the time checks on national and local radio
The impact of the project will be measured annually by independent omnibus research
and the VHI customer satisfaction survey. Annual budgets will be reviewed when content
and implementation of the life stage programmes is decided.
The marketing budget is not always deployed only for promotional purposes. At VHI,

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