Plan Book
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Pepsi-Lipton Tea Partnership development of an advertising and
promotion plan has as its primary objective to introduce its first-ever Lipton
Sparkling Green Tea in United Dairy Farmers stores of central Ohio. The
Partnership is a joint venture between Pepsi-Cola North America Beverages
and Unilever. Venture created to expand significantly the
marketing and distribution in selected markets of Unilever's
range of Lipton ready-to-drink (RTD) teas.
The Launch Agency has developed a comprehensive advertising and
promotion plan to position the first-ever Lipton Sparkling Green Tea, a new
ready-to-drink blend of green tea, in the United Dairy Farmers stores of
central Ohio.
“Lipton Sparkling Green Tea brings together the great taste and the goodness of tea that are trademarks of Lipton Ice Tea, with the fun and sparkle of a
soda.”Mary Barnard, VP/GM, Pepsi-Lipton Tea Partnership
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1. SITUATION ANALYSIS
RTD Tea Industry
Green tea is a segment of the RTD tea industry. Reported sales of RTD teas
last year were $ 1,042.4 millions of dollars, having green tea as the most
popular beverage with the heights numbers of new products. The average
families consumption of RTD tea beverage is 3.2 times per week, number that
has been reduced as a result of the deteriorated economy that forces families
to brew tea at home. In 2006, the industry showed the heights growth
percentage, 26.2%, since 2003. However, the industry has experienced a
drastic change in 2008 with a decline growth of -1.8%. For Lipton, this
experience in the industry has not been different. Lipton reported sales of $
236.3 million dollars in 2008 with a decline growth of -3.4% from 2007.
Conversely, according to Lipton, green tea has been the fastest segment of
the RTD tea category, with an average annual growth rate of 16.5% with
Lipton tea as the major driver of this growth and accounts for 42% of category
sales.
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Company & Brand
PepsiCo and Lipton Iced Tea combined to created Pepsi-Lipton International
as a joint venture. This partnership was designed specifically for the North
American market 10 years ago and to be established as the leading RTD tea
provider in America and Canada. The joint venture designates each of their
strengths to develop a major product. Pepsi-Lipton International will sell RTD
tea to franchise bottlers, therefore increasing Pepsi's portfolio of healthy
refreshment beverages.
Lipton is one of Unilever's largest beverage brands with sales that exceed 2.8
billion of Euros and is the world's third largest beverage brand. Patrick
Cescau, director of Unilever Foods Division, said: "We have a strong
presence in the developing and emerging markets yet there is plenty of "white
space" to move into. These markets are the next in our planned rollout and
we see Pepsi as the best partner to help us achieve this."
On the other hand, PepsiCo is one the world's largest food and beverage
companies, with annual revenues of $27 billion dollars. Its principle
businesses include Frito-Lay snacks, Pepsi-Cola beverages, Gatorade sports
drinks, Tropicana juices and Quaker foods. PepsiCo's portfolio includes
fifteen brands and each generates $1 billion dollars in annual sales.
Economic
With a downturn in the current American economy and high unemployment
rates, consumers may be more inclined to spend less than previous years.
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Perhaps, consumers may be forced to brew tea at home instead of buying
RTD tea at the local stores. However, Lipton Sparkling Green Tea feeds an
emotional and health need and its consumers are health conscious young
professionals that will buy the product before switching to a lower quality RTD
tea brand.
2. MARKETING ANALYSIS
Target Market
The launch agency has researched and selected one primary market to be
the focus of the Lipton Sparkling Green Tea advertising campaign. The
primary target market is “All health conscious young adult professionals
between the ages of 21 to 32 living in central Ohio” with an estimated
population of 47,800 people. This target is tightly defined and analyzed by
four general targeting characteristics:
Demographics. – The target audiences’ demographics are:
Young adults part of the generation X and Y
Family and single households
White, Hispanic, Asians, and Black
Between the age of 21 and 32
Middle Class male and females with incomes above 45,000.00
Psychographics. – The psychographic study realized for this campaign
indicates similarities in the consumers’ activities, interest, and values. These
are the following:
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Activity: Workout, Social Events
Interest: Health, Profession
Values: Personal Image, Health
Geographics. – The camping focuses on the Central Ohio-Columbus-Franklin
County.
Behaviographic. – The target audience for this campaign is most likely to
spend a couple dollar more on a product that will help them maintain a good
health and image.
Product
Lipton Sparkling Green Tea, a new Ready-To-Drink blend of green tea, with
sparkling water and fruit flavors, is a refreshing complement to a healthy
lifestyle. Lipton Sparkling Green Tea is made of the finest tealeaves sourced
from all over the world, which provide naturally protective flavonoid
antioxidants. An added benefit to Lipton Sparkling Green tea is the
antioxidants that can help the body to protect itself against free radicals,
molecules that can damage cells. Mary Barnad, VP/GM, Pepsi-Lipton Tea
Partnership stated, “Lipton Sparkling Green Tea brings together the great
taste and the goodness of tea that are trademarks of Lipton Iced Tea,
with the fun and sparkle of a soda. Now consumers really can have it all”. The
drink will be available in regular (green tea), berry, strawberry kiwi, and diet
strawberry kiwi flavors. Packaged in 20-ounce, 1.5 liter, and 16.9 oz-twelve
packs.
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Price
Lipton tea is the worlds leading tea brand and their products are available in
over 150 countries around the world. Consumers tend to prefer Lipton tea
products over other brands because they believe the brand has the ability and
willingness to deliver on its brand promises, which is “experience the
unexpected”. The product ranges in price from $ 1.19 to $ 5.92 as follows:
20oz : $ 1.19
1.5 liters : $ 2.98
16.9oz – twelve packs : $ 5.92
Place
Through the joint venture agreement, PepsiCo would distribute Lipton tea
products, specifically Lipton Ice Tea in more than 60 countries where PepsiCo
has already established its corporate presence. The partnership has two main
goals: to move Lipton Ice tea brand into new distribution channels and
markets. PepsiCo will implement the placing of the product by using their
current logistic tools in central Ohio. The distribution links the product to the
primary market and focus of the Lipton Sparkling Green Tea advertising
campaign. The Lipton Sparkling Green Tea will be placed in United Dairy
Farmers stores located in mid-to upper-class neighborhood of Central Ohio-
Columbus-Franklin County.
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Promotion
Lipton Tea has an extended list of advertising promotion that started back on
January 9th of 1953, where Robert B. Smallwood, former president of
Thomas J Lipton Inc., and Samuel Winokur, president of the Tea
Association of the United States, conducted the first tea promotion campaign
in different markets around the United States. During the beginning of the
year of 2006 Lipton Tea and BikeTown were making it possible for thousands
of Americans to live active lives by giving away bikes. The campaign was
brought to life through an integrated program including a national on-pack
promotion and online sweepstakes to win bikes, biking gear and a 10-market
national tour with team Lipton and BikeTown USA through
Baltimore/Washington, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Detroit, Los
Angeles, Miami, New York and Philadelphia. Team Lipton and BikeTown will
give away one bike a day and a healthy supply of Lipton Tea for 150 days. In
October of 2009, Lipton Iced Tea created an advertising promotion called
“Win a smart car promotion” where consumers could enter it by simply
purchasing any two Lipton Iced Tea participating products from participating
stores and follow the prompts to enter, the last 4 digits from each two
participating product barcodes as well as the receipt number, by internet or
mail. Lipton Tea recognizes partnerships and online promotion campaigns as
a good communication tools and they are the most common form of
promotion done by the brand throughout the years.
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Social Trends
The Lipton Sparkling Green Tea has been formulated for consumption of both
female and male with some degree of health awareness. Over the past
several years, there have been more educational campaigns about health
and nutrition making the American population more alert when purchasing the
day-to-day beverages and food. For the last decade, the health benefits of tea
have gained wide coverage in the media. Studies continue to show the
beneficial properties of teas, with health benefits ranging from lower
cholesterol levels to improve arterial health and decreasing chance of cancer.
This positive press has definitely increased the demand for tea. Both the need
for convenience and positive press on tea, have created an increase in sales
of tea products, specifically ready-to-drink (RTD) teas sold in single-serve
containers.
Competitive Analysis
There are many RTD tea products on the market, but Lipton tea’s most
recognizable competitors are Arizona, Snapple, and Nestea. However,
Arizona and Snapple are marketed to a different consumer segment therefore
they are not going to be included on the competitive evaluation. Lipton tea’s
major competitor is Nestle with its Nestea Ice Tea line of products. Like
Pepsi-Lipton, Nestle Refreshment Company has copied an agreement with
another soda manufacturer, Coca Cola (Pepsi’s biggest competitor), to form
the Coca Cola-Nestle Refreshment Company. Nestle’s alliance with Coca
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Cola has the same purpose as the Pepsi-Lipton Tea Partnership, which is
global distribution. The existence of Coca Cola-Nestle partnership in the
United States and some other countries remains a threat to the goals of
Pepsi-Lipton. Coca Cola-Nestle has two major products: Nestea sweetened
with natural lemon flavor and diet Nestea with natural lemon flavor. Both are
available in 12oz cans and in 16oz wide mouth glass bottles. In addition to the
cans and bottles, Nestea is available in refrigerated cartons. The tea is
preservative free and made from a brewed product taken back down to a tea
powder. While Coca Cola- Nestle continues to develop the packaging and
marketing strategies for Nestea Iced Tea, there are no recent announcements
of impending new products or new flavors of iced tea to be developed soon.
There is a limited flavor of Nestea Iced Tea, which is basically the original
iced tea flavor. The company has not shown interest to capture the emerging
demand for healthy RTD iced tea products. This can be a good opportunity
for Pepsi-Lipton to exploit. Lipton Tea can continue to expand its market
position by capturing the growing market for healthy RTD iced tea.
SWOT Analysis
Opportunities
On-the-go consumers prefer RTD products as their daily beverage.
Capture Pepsi already extended market with the partnership.
The new demand of tea as a result of health awareness.
Strengths
Uniliver is a multinational company and well recognized in the industry.
Strong brand Image and brand awareness.
PepsiCo is a major distributor in the United Stated and Canada.
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4. CONSUMER RESEARCH
Secondary Research
A recent study conducted on 2007 by Essential Insight on Consumer Markets
showed Tea as one of the most underdeveloped beverages in the United
States. Tea barely compares in market size to beverage categories such as
carbonated soft drinks, coffee and water. Currently, the market is worth
around $1.63 billion and it will enjoy double-digit growth over the next five
years according to most projections. With advertising expenditures in excess
of $100 million, it is clear that RTD tea marketers are supporting the category
and driving this projected increase. “Tea fits into the well-established
movement among aging baby boomers to seek out foods and beverages that
promise wellness and anti-aging effects. These aging boomers are not the
major market for RTD iced tea beverages like Snapple, which targets college
students and recent grads, nor are they the prime buyers of established tea
bag and instant tea brands such as Lipton, which skew toward seniors.
Boomers are the drivers of specialty teas, in every way, shape and form.”
Threats
The downturn economy Coca cola-Nestle partnership The preference of natural juices
over green tea for health conscious consumer
Weaknesses
Consider new product. The industry becoming competitive
by the increasing demand of tea products.
Many brands are launching new RTD tea products.
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(Essential Insight on Consumer Markets. 2007). What makes tea, a nutritional
powerhouse, exclusively situated in the beverage category is that tea is
naturally healthful.
Packaged Fact’s new report, “Tea and Ready-to-Drink Tea in the U.S.”, 3rd
Edition, studied tea’s new importance and the impact on the market and the
consumer’s mind. This report examines the U.S. tea market—retail and food
service. Retail sales come from numerous channels such as supermarkets,
drug stores, mass merchandisers, club stores, convenience stores, dollar
stores, and health-natural foods stores. Demand for convenience will continue
to drive the market for RTD tea. The American lifestyle has changed.
Traditions are changing and gone are the days when tea was a delicate and
rigorously prepared beverage. The inception of RTD tea has even led to the
consumption of tea as a casual beverage, just like soft drinks.
Primary Research
The Launch Agency primary research was conducted using a questionnaire
with 10 consumers that purchased RTD green tea beverage from the United
Dairy Farmers, located on Short North-Columbus 43215. Primary research
revealed a better and more thorough understanding of RTD green tea
beverage consumers and their personal experience, associations, and
perception of the brand and the product. According to survey results, Lipton
Sparkling Green Tea has standard consumer satisfaction. Consumers enjoy
the product because of its refreshing and unexpected flavor. Typically a
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consumers introduce Lipton Sparkling Green Tea to him or herself as a result
of a desire and search for an on-the-go low calorie beverage. Consumers find
Lipton Sparkling Green Tea to be refreshing, with a very good flavor, and a
very light and fruity taste. Also, consumers would highly recommend Lipton
Sparkling Green Tea to people who want to try something new, who enjoy
Lipton iced teas already, and anyone who wants a zero-calorie alternative to
soda but still want a delicious taste!
4. ADVERTISING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Marketing Objective
The Launch Agency’s campaign goal is to introduce Lipton Sparkling Green
Tea, a new Ready-To-Drink blend of green tea, in United Dairy Farmers
(UDF) stores in central Ohio-Columbus-Franklin County. United Dairy
Farmers stores are the perfect vehicle for the introduction of Lipton Sparkling
Green Tea because their commitment to quality products, fast-friendly
service, and clean bright stores; with nearly 28 stores throughout Columbus
Ohio. Columbus has an estimated population of 47,800 people that are health
conscious, young adults, professionals between the ages of 21 to 32, which is
the main target market for this advertising and promotion plan.
Lipton Sparkling Green Tea should successfully cover the increasing demand
for RTD healthy beverages and new social trends, trends that are making the
American population more alert when purchasing the day-to-day beverages
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and food. UDF stores will satisfy the consumers need for RTD healthy
beverages and add to the overall reputation of Lipton Iced tea.
The launch agency will increase the brand awareness among the 47,800
people, subject of this campaign, within the 2010 fiscal year.
Communications Objectives
With in one year, this campaign has the following communication objectives:
To inform about the introduction of Lipton Sparkling Green Tea in
United Dairy Farmers central Ohio stores-Columbus part of our test
market area.
To create a 95 percent recall awareness of the Lipton Sparkling Green
Tea among consumers part of our test market area.
To create purchase intention for the Lipton Sparkling Green Tea
among consumers part of our test market area.
To create familiarity with the benefit of consuming Lipton Sparkling
Green Tea among consumers part of our test market area.
5. MEDIA
Media Options and Mix Selection
The Launch Agency suggest the use of the following traditional advertising
medias:
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Outdoor advertising (billboards and mobile advertising)
Local magazines (Columbus Alive and C-bus magazine)
Local Radio (97.1 sport radio and 97.9 WNCI)
Continuity
The Agency recommends capitalizing on their advertising during the
periods that best meet the product sales, spring, summer, and fall, which
will also act as a budget check function between advertising efforts to
save money.
Reach
The Launch agency suggest advertising for the Lipton Sparkling Green
Tea will obtain an average of 90 percent of its Central Ohio-Columbus test
market in the first two month. When the desired reach is met, Lipton
Sparkling Green Tea will sustain optimum brand awareness.
Frequency
An average frequency of 5 will maximize the efforts of the advertisers and
meet the numbers necessary to create a state of action on the consumer’s
part of our test market area.
Media Strategy
The scope for the Lipton Sparkling Green Tea is narrowly defined in terms of
“Demo/Geographics”: health conscious young adults professionals between
the ages of 21 to 32 leaving in central Ohio-Columbus. In theory, the target
market consists of approximately 47,800 people who have been pre-selected
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by the Launch Agency. For a successful campaign, Lipton Sparkling Green
Tea’s goal is to implement the following:
Place Billboards around Central Ohio-Columbus
Design a mobile advertising tool with the product’s logo or brand
Place print advertising on Columbus Alive and C-Bus magazine
Place radio advertising on Sport radio and WNCI
This traditional advertising media have been selected as the best possible
choice to reach the selected target audience. Outdoor, magazine, and radio
advertisements were selected because size of the test market as well as the
cost of exposure. The agency’s decision to omitted the Internet is because
the Psychographic of the target audience.
6. CREATIVE BRIEF
What is the opportunity and/or problem the advertising must address?
What do we want to do as a result of the adverting?
Who are we talking about?
How do target market members think and feel about our product now?
The opportunity in need to be addressed is the health benefits of drinking Lipton Sparkling Green Tea.
Create desire to purchase Lipton Sparkling Green Tea.
To all health conscious young adults professionals between the ages of 21 to 32 leaving in central Ohio-Columbus that purchase on to go RTD green tea product in the UDF stores.
Target members feel good about the product and would highly recommend it to people who want to try something new, and enjoy Lipton iced teas already, and anyone who wants a zero-calorie alternative to soda but still want a delicious taste.
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What is the key response we want?
What information/attributes might help produce this response?
What aspect of brand personality should advertising express?
Are there media or budget considerations?
What other information might affect the creative direction?
7. PROMOTION PLAN
Sales Promotion
In order to introduce the first-ever Lipton Sparkling Green Tea in United Dairy
Farmers stores in central Ohio-Columbus, particularly to the 27,800 people
part of the target market, a sales promotion has been created by the Launch
Agency to attract and influence consumers when buying RTD green tea
products. With this in mind, the agency has set objectives to effectively
introduce the Lipton Sparkling Green Tea in United Dairy Farmers stores in
Brand Loyalty.
Brand Fulfillment: Quality, Liability, and Consistency.
Quality.
No media or budget consideration.
The economy.
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central Ohio-Columbus and increase product distribution. The sales
promotional plan will include the following items:
Product Demonstration
This will include an appearance from Lipton Sparkling Green Tea educator
who will be place into each United Dairy Farms stores to demonstrate the
new product features and benefits to the potential consumers.
Sweepstakes
A sweepstakes entry form is provided on flyers and brochures to be handed
out by the Lipton Sparkling Green Tea Mobile; winners will be announced on
the radio and magazines.
Mobile Advertising
The Lipton Sparkling Green Tea Mobiles, SUVs with a giant version of the
product on the roof, will be around Central Ohio-Columbus providing free
samples, flyers, and brochures.
8. CAMPAIGN EVALUATION
Within the first year of the positioning of the product, the Launch Agency will
measure the success of the campaign by assessing the “buy-in” of the
number the Lipton Sparkling Green Tea sold in the United Dairy Farmers
stores. Other measures include:
Promotional responses and mobile advertising accomplishment.
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Pre and post tests levels of awareness, attitude and purchase intention
objectives, which will be monitored on a monthly basis.
Scanner data for product sales.
CREATIVE DISCRIPTION
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References
Wikipedia. 2009. “Lipton.” Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wki/Lipton
Institutional. 2007. “A Marketing Plan for Lipton Ice Tea Institutional Affiliation Date.” Available at
http://www.advanceessays.com/samples/Marketing_Plan.pdf
Ideal Media. 2009. “State of Industry ’09.” Available athttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/idealmedia/bw0409/index.php?startid=S1#/42
FoodBizDaily. 2009. “New product: Lipton Sparkling Green Tea from Pepsi-Lipton tea partnership.” Available at
http://foodbizdaily.com/articles/28876-product-lipton-sparkling-green-tea-by-pepsi-lipton-tea-partnership.aspx
Media Post. 2009. “Lipton Intros Sparkling Green Tea.” Available athttp://www.mediapost.com/publications/index.cfm?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=104662
Find Articles. 2003. “Unilever and PepsiCo Create 'Pepsi Lipton International' RtD Tea Joint Venture in Selected International Markets.” Available at
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2003_Oct_14/ai_108827922/
Goggle. 2009. “Lipton tea promotion history.” Available athttp://www.google.com/search?q=lipton+tea+promotion+history&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en
Pierre M. UribeMKTG 140 W01
Uniliver. 2009. “Win a smart car promotion” Available athttp://www.unilever.com.au/brands/Promotions/Lipton-Ice-Tea-WinaSmartCarPromotion.aspx
Essential Insight on Consumer Markets. 2007. “Tea and ready-to-drink tea in the U.S.” Available at
http://www.packagedfacts.com/Tea-RTD-1282368/