Clif Bar Marketing Plan

TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................... 3 Situation Analysis - Background ............................................................................................................... 5 SWOT Analysis .................................................................................................................................. 7 Key Problem to be Solved .................................................................................................................. Key Strategic Campaign Decisions - Objectives ..................................................................................... 10 Target Audience................................................................................................................................ 11 Brand Position................................................................................................................................... 12 Campaign Strategy................................................................................................................................... 3 Media Strategy - Objectives .................................................................................................................... 15 Selection............................................................................................................................................ 16 Media Planning and Buying .................................................................................................................... 17 Message Strategy ..................................................................................................................................... 9 Objectives, Selling Premise .............................................................................................................. 20 Big Idea......................................................................... .................................................................... 21 Other Marcom Tools............................................................................................................................... 21 Campaign Management ........................................................................................................................... 3 Appendix A.............................................................................................................................................. 27 Appendix B .............................................................................................................................................. 28 Appendix C .............................................................................................................................................. 29 Appendix D.............................................................................................................................................. 0 References................................................................................................................................................ 31 1 Executive Summary Clif Bar products are delicious, healthy, organic and convenient sources of nutrition. All of Clif Bar's products are at least 70% organic and free of trans fats, hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup (Clif Bar & Company, 2013). As the natural and organic food market continues to grow in popularity, Clif Bar has a promising opportunity for growth. Another important market in the health food category is smoothies.

This market is expected to reach $9 billion by 2015, and this type of product is increasingly sought after by consumers (Global Smoothies, 2010). In fact, 71% of consumers will purchase a beverage away from home more than twice a week (Technomic, 2012). Healthy and organic foods and beverages have expanded out of health food stores and into mainstream grocery and convenience stores. Clif Bar has proven success in expanding its selection to products other than bars with its line of energy gel shots. Increasing international growth and commitment to the environment and their employees are major strengths for the company.

Growth opportunities are present in the organic market, which is projected to grow 9% (Scott-Thomas, 2012), and the smoothie market, which will see a potential growth of 1. 6% through 2013 (Technomic, 2012). Some of the weaknesses facing the company are its narrow target market in the organic product industry and lack of traditional advertising. Major competition from Odwalla and Naked Juice are threats to growth and the volatile market for fruit and other natural ingredients may cause unpredictable price increases and as well as an unpredictable future.

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Also, shifts in popularity of the trendy organic product movement may cause a decline in future revenues. However, both the smoothie and the organic/health food markets are growing rapidly and Clif Bar can secure a larger share in these markets with the introduction of Simply Clif. 2 Advertising efforts for Clif Bar have traditionally focused on social media and event support. The company aligns itself with promotions and activities that involve being active and supporting the community and the environment.

Social media, magazine advertisements, a billboard, and a responsive website will be the main media used to introduce Simply Clif to the target market of adults in the age range of 18-40 who are concerned about health and are not overly cost conscious. Campaign effectiveness will be determined by brand awareness, sales volume, and the number of unique visitors to the website. A good return on investment (ROI) will determine the overall effectiveness of the initial campaign. The goals of the campaign are to introduce Simply Clif to the target audience and increase overall awareness of the Clif Bar brand.

The key advertising problem that needs to be considered is the fact that Simply Clif is a refrigerated product and will be located in different sections of retail stores than the other Clif products. This problem will be addressed, in part, by promoting Simply Clif on existing bar product packaging. The marketing strategy will also increase awareness of the new brand and its location. The marketing strategy consists of print media (billboards and magazine ads), social media (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest,

YouTube), and other marcom tools to reach the target audience and create brand awareness for Simply Clif. 3 Situation Analysis Company Background The idea for Clif Bar & Company started with a bike journey by owner and founder Gary Erickson. After eating several of the competitor’s bars along the ride, he thought “I can make a better energy bar than this” (Schmidt, 2005). This is famously known as his epiphany and after two years of experimenting in his mother’s kitchen, Gary finally created a bar that is now the driving force behind a largely successful American company, Clif Bar.

Clif Bar, named after Gary’s father Clifford, was first introduced in September 1991 at a bike show in California. The original Clif Bar was produced in three different flavors and the company enjoyed a first year success of $700,000. By 1997 Clif Bar surpassed the $20 million dollar mark. The company continues to lead the market in organic energy bars (Clif Bar & Company, n. d. ). The Clif Bar business model is founded on five aspirations: sustaining the planet, community, people, business, and brands. Today, Clif Bar is produced and sold to a wide variety of target markets including men, women, and children.

Some of The Clif Bar brands include: Clif Bar, Clif Kid, Clif Shot and Luna Bar, which is made for women. Currently, Clif Bar produces eight brands and offers many unique flavors of each (Clif Bar & Company, n. d. ). Market Trends Clif Bar manufactures and markets its products as being at least 70% organic. The organic market is projected to continue its growth through the year 2015. Organic food sales, which represent 4. 2% of all U. S. food sales, are up 4% from 2010. Sales of organic food products increased 9. 4% in 2011 (Scott-Thomas, 2012).

This growth has been driven mainly by increased consumer interest in health and environmental issues. 4 The smoothie market will continue to experience substantial growth in the upcoming years. According to Global Industry Analysts, Inc. (GIA), the smoothie market is projected to reach $9 billion by 2015 (PRWeb, 2010). This is a market that cannot be ignored by companies that manufacture healthy, organic products such as Clif Bar. In a recent survey conducted by Technomic, seven out of ten consumers will purchase a beverage away from home more than twice a week, which is up 66% since 2010 (2012).

Fueled by the success of the Clif Shot energy gel products and proven ability to market items other than organic energy bars, the company has a large opportunity to develop and market a new product that will help further its line of healthy foods and beverages. Regulatory Issues To protect the integrity of the Certified Organic seal, the Organic Standards Protection Act was introduced into legislation in 2012. This act would protect the integrity of the USDA’s National Organic Program seal and filter out any imposter that puts the organic industry and the organic brand at a disadvantage.

This bill, however, was not enacted after its introduction to Congress on June 12, 2012 (News Desk, 2012). Marketing Efforts Although not known for its large marketing budget, Clif Bar has done a fair amount to promote the brand and support the community. In 2011, the company launched the “two-mile challenge” which aimed to replace 100,000 car trips with bike travel between May 12th and October 31st. For this challenge, Clif Bar aligned themselves with such organizations as Alliance for Biking and Walking, Safe Routes to School, and 350. org.

The company has also contributed $100,000 in total to support this cause (Hyde, 2011). 5 Another recent marketing campaign involved Twitter. Users tweeted (with geo-tag) their location to the company and were sent a coupon for the company’s Clif Mojo Go product (Treacy, 2012). Users were also entered into a drawing to win a Garmin GPS watch or other adventure gear (Treacy, 2012). In an effort to keep its product line fresh and contribute to a good cause, the company introduced three different seasonal bars: Spiced Pumpkin Pie, Iced Gingerbread, and Peppermint Stick.

These bars are offered through the end of December. Clif Bar donates 1% of the net sales from these products to the Winter Wildland Alliance (Clif Bar & Company, n. d. ). Although Clif Bar does not spend the majority of its advertising dollars on traditional television and print media, the company does aim their campaigns at giving back to the community and helping the environment. SWOT Analysis Strengths: Gary Erickson founded Clif Bar in September 1991. Since its inception, the company has been committed to creating a healthy and clean environment.

Clif Bar provides its employees with excellent working conditions and was voted the 12th best company to work for by Outside Magazine in 2012 (Megroz, 2012). Starting in February 2012, Clif Bar expanded its international reach by offering its products in Japan. Weaknesses: Clif Bar has faced many challenges since it introduced its products to consumers. Clif Bar is only focused on the production of healthy and organic products. The company has a limited target market of 22-45 year old men who generally have a high disposable income. Clif 6

Bar’s advertising budget is lower than most of its competitors, making it hard to gain brand recognition. Opportunities: There are many key opportunities for Clif Bar to take advantage of in the coming years. First, the company has seen growth internationally with the introduction of its products in Japan. Also, the organic market is projected to see a significant 9% growth in 2013 (Scott-Thomas, 2012). With the introduction of Simply Clif all natural 100% organic smoothies, the company can now take advantage of another profitable market.

The smoothie market is projected to reach $9 billion in 2015 (PTM Consulting, Inc. , 2010). Threats: A threat for Clif Bar is major competition in its market. Odwalla and Naked Juice are major players with large advertising budgets and established brand recognitions that Clif Bar has to pay attention to. Along with increased competition, eating trends amongst consumers are also changing. Consumer eating trends adapt leaving Clif Bar with a new target market. Since Clif Bar has gone global, fuel and shipping costs are on the rise.

The organic market is profitable today and for the projected near future, but it might not always be that way. Competition The market for healthy organic foods continues to grow. Clif Bar is immersed in a very competitive market with well-known Odwalla and Naked Juice (Callahan, 2010). After a decision not to sell the company to Quaker Oats, for a reported $120 million in 2000, Clif Bar has continued to hold their own with the other major companies that it competes with (Wu, 2010). Clif Bar continues to gain market share within the nutrition bar manufacturers, and has recently seen a growth of 1. % in dollar share to an overall 9. 7% increase in 2011 (CSP, 2011). 7 Clif Bar continues to operate today as a privately held company with an estimated 311 employees (Clif Bar & Company, n. d. ). Key Problem to Be Solved Clif Bar generally has a large shelf display within stores like REI, Kroger, and Life Time Fitness. This large display allows the brand to stand out amongst its competitors and alert customers of new products. Those who are loyal to Clif Bar know exactly where to find the product in stores they typically frequent. Simply Clif will be released with a new logo and will be treated as a completely separate entity from the bar. The new product will also target the existing customer base. Organic beverages that need refrigeration are located in a particular area of the store; with a new logo and a new location, Simply Clif will need to find a way to stand out on its own and play on the brand awareness generated from years of success in the bar industry. Directing consumers to multiple areas presents a challenge, but it’s a challenge that Clif Bar aims to overcome through its Simply Clif marketing strategy. Key Strategic Campaign Decisions

Objectives The objective of this campaign is to capture a substantial portion of the fruit and vegetable drink market from companies such as Naked Juice and Odwalla. Simply Clif will focus on providing their key demographic, consumers 18 to 40 years of age, with an innovative new beverage that sets them apart from others in the market. This demographic plays an important role in marketing the product. Simply Clif has the perfect product for the active adult and his/her family. Making consumers aware of the portability of this beverage will allow them to see that this is the ideal product for the gym, work, or school. Clif Bar & Co. eels that limiting initial advertising expenses is necessary to prevent over-extension and unnecessary costs. Simply Clif will use a multitude of marketing media tools to sell the product. By using magazine advertisements, billboards, social media and other product displays Simply Clif will create a strong brand awareness and keep advertising costs at a minimum. As the noise level grows around the brand other, Simply Clif will explore the possibility of larger advertising venues such as television commercials. 9 Simply Clif will institute a one-year review of performance and the effects of advertising on the bottom line.

If market share growth and brand awareness increase at a strong rate, Simply Clif will look to add to the successful portions of the existing strategy and remove those they are not paying dividends. Clif Bar would like to capitalize on the 3%, two-year decline of the 100% fruit juice market. With consumers ditching 100% juice due to the high sugar content, Simply Clif believes capitalizing on vacated market share is attainable (Euromonitor International, 2012). Simply Clif has the perfect product at the perfect time and is looking forward to a successful product launch.

Target Audience Focusing on men and women ages 18-40, Simply Clif’s primary target market is broader than Clif’s current target market of men ages 22-45. Simply Clif’s target audience will consist of people that care about their health and will focus more on quality than price. After the initial oneyear campaign, we, as the ad agency, hope that Simply Clif will be profitable enough to start using television ads along with social media to start reaching a more defined target market. Simply Clif’s secondary target market will be defined as active adult men, women and growing families.

Simply Clif ad campaigns will target the parents who will buy Simply Clif for themselves and share with their children. Simply Clif’s target audience of adults 18 to 40 consists of 112. 8 million people and about 36. 5% of the U. S. population. This target audience also includes 73% of the U. S. population under the age of 18 (Meyer, 2001). Targeting is how a company designs a specific communication strategy to match the audience’s needs and wants and position a product in the best ways to match those needs and wants (Moriarty, Mitchell, & Wells, 2012).

Simply Clif’s initial campaign will consist of product displays in the stores that sell Simply Clif and Clif Bars. Additional advertising will be 10 billboards, magazine ads and social media. As Simply Clif brand recognition grows, so will sales and the capital to go after the more specific target audience of active parents and their active kids through television commercials and social media outlets. The second campaign will focus more directly on the active adults ages 25-40 with active children ages 5-17.

As of 2010, there are 81,345,554 U. S. citizens between the ages of 25 and 40 years of age, which consisted of 26. 4% of the U. S. population. That same year, there were 61,297,467 U. S. citizens between the ages of 5 and 17, which was 20. 4% of the population (Infoplease, 2010). These key groups are becoming more health conscious and are making healthier life choices for themselves and their children. About 24% of the Echo Boomers (ages 18-34) and Generation X (ages 35-46) are limiting their daily intake of sugar and sodium (Bouchard, 2011).

This campaign will focus on men and women between the ages of 18 and 40 by strategically placing commercial advertisements on sporting events, television programs, and social media outlets. Brand Position Simply Clif is being positioned as a health conscious, environmentally friendly company. The company uses recyclable materials and hopes to sponsor sporting events to further position itself as a healthy brand. Simply Clif competitors’ products in the smoothie market are sold in the same stores where Simply Clif will be sold, and as such, intend to take a portion of that market share.

Simply Clif is a nutritious fruit smoothie drink that comes in different flavors that will quench your thirst and appetite at the same time. This new product is not meant to compete with products like weight loss supplements, but instead with fruit and vegetable drinks. Simply Clif will eventually become the healthiest choice on the shelf. 11 Campaign Strategy After analysis of the current state of Clif Bar & Company, we have determined that Clif Bar is in a position to succeed in introducing the Simply Clif brand of organic smoothies.

The SWOT analysis indicates strong growth of both the smoothie market and the organic foods market. Consumer interest in healthy, organic, delicious and environmentally friendly products will continue to rise in the future and the Simply Clif campaign strategies are aimed at securing a portion of the market share from direct competitors such as Odwalla and Naked. Strategy #1: Brand Awareness Providing brand awareness to the target audience will be essential to informing the public that there is another option other than juice and sports drinks.

The smoothie will be a little more like a small meal or snack than just a healthy drink. This also provides an opportunity for Simply Clif’s healthy smoothie drinks to obtain their initial brand recognition and grow within Simply Clif’s first year of operation. Print ads will be the primary form of advertising. Strategy #2: Flavor Options One of the goals of the campaign will be to provide awareness of the smoothie flavor options. The target consumers will also need to be educated on the differing nutritious flavors that will eliminate hunger, satisfy thirst, and provide an enjoyable taste.

Print ads, social media and sampling will be used in this effort. Strategy #3: Location of Product There will be a strong concentration on product and advertising placement. Location of products and ads will be in target consumers’ view at eye level in party stores, gyms, gas stations and health food stores. 12 Strategy #4: Expand Target Audience This campaign will expand the target market to both males and females. Clif Bar’s current market are males, ages 22 to 45, with high disposable income. Expanding to a target audience that value the commitment to clean, healthy living environments, which match the lient’s goals will include males and females ages 18-40. This campaign will also educate the target audience of all the benefits Simply Clif Organic smoothies provides to the consumer. Advertising the organic ingredients should appeal to the female audience along with getting the smoothies to their families. Strategy #5: Gain Market Share Simply Clif will take a portion of the market share from companies like Naked Juice and Odwalla while at same time, providing the target consumer with a different type of drink that separates itself from the juice and vegetable market.

Clif Bar plans to be the first energy bar company to introduce a smoothie line, which will provide the client with a competitive advantage. Depending on how much market share the smoothies gain in the USA, the client can aim to launch the smoothie product in Japan in 2014. Japanese culture is more focused on selfimprovement. This should provide high brand awareness with the launch of Clif Bar in 2013. The growing international market share is a great opportunity for the client. Marcom Tools Print media ? Billboards near gyms, sport arenas, cafes, highways near large businesses: viewed by consumer base ?

Sports and health and fitness magazines ads: distribution 13 Social media ? Social media and mobile presence: tech savvy target market, word of mouth through social media – Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube ? Displays with sampling the new smoothies: sporting events, health stores, grocery stores Other Tools ? Coupons: placed in magazines, emails, post cards and other products currently sold by Clif Bar product line ? SQR codes: provides coupons and fun bits of information of how Simply Clif helps benefit consumers’ lives. ? Also, advertising on Clif Bar’s organic smoothie bar already in circulation.

Simply Clif is being positioned as a health conscious, environmentally friendly product. The client uses recyclable materials that will also be used by in the development of other Simply Clif products. Simply Clif also hopes to start a new market for healthy, meal like smoothie drinks that are not a weight loss product. Media Strategy Media Objectives The objective of simply Clif’s media strategy is to reach its target audience that consists of 18-40 year old adults searching for healthy ways to live their lives. This target watches what they eat and they live healthy active lives.

They prefer to eat a balanced healthy diet that includes 14 100% organic foods. Simply Clif will reach a large percentage of its target audience in different ways throughout a one-year p. One way it will reach its target is through health management magazine ads. There will also be Billboard ads on busy freeways such as I-96 and 275. Another way is through Social Media, by hiring Ignite Social Media for one year. Lastly, through a responsive theme website that will help Simply Clif’s audience familiarize themselves with better eating and living habits.

Media Selection The ads in health and fitness magazines will help Simply Clif reach a large portion of the target audience. Simply Clif’s target audience is technologically savvy and use social media outlets and the Internet often. This is how Simply Clif will increase brand awareness and utilize use-word-of-mouth advertising. Ignite Social Media will be hired to help Simply Clif reach their target through social media. When people see a friend mention Simply Clif organic smoothies on their Facebook page, they will pay better attention to it the next time they see Simply Clif’s products.

Ignite Social Media will help Simply Clif by featuring sports competitions and having Facebook and Twitter fans tag themselves allows their friends and families to see the pictures. YouTube would also be a great way to get Simply Clif’s name out there; by creating a contest where customers need to come up with creative ideas that are “simple and organic” once these videos are posted the customers are actually helping Simply Clif spread their brand by posting their own videos on showing their friends and family members.

The winner will win a year’s supply of Simply Clif Organic Smoothies and their video will be posted on the responsive theme website. 15 Another way of reaching Simply Clif’s target audience is by helping to sponsor a marathon in the summer. Taking pictures and posting them throughout Simply Clif’s social media outlets allows the people participating to see their achievements and also to show off their efforts to their friends and family members. The billboards will be placed on roads where they can be easily seen, especially during rush hour.

The billboards will have the catchy phrase “Simply Awesome” that is easy to read and remember. The simplistic design of the billboard reflects the overall appeal of Simply Clif smoothies. Lastly, the responsive themed website will allow Simply Clif’s users to use the website with ease and clarity allowing them to enjoy every part of the website. These marketing strategies will get the Simply Clif name recognized and help reach Simply Clif’s target audience. Media Planning and Buying

Magazines According to Media Broker International (MBI) website, “NATURAL SOLUTIONS Magazine is a USA magazine covering Health. Natural Solutions, formerly entitled Alternative Medicine magazine, is a source of information on alternative therapies and products. It guides and inspires its readers to make informed decisions about their health and well-being in every facet of their lives. Natural Solutions magazine is the most trusted source readers turn to for help in making decisions about their health and wellbeing” (MBI, 2013).

The magazine is issued to ages 18-54 and is issued nine times a year, with a total circulation of 225,000. A black-andwhite advertisement that is two-thirds of a page will cost $10,820. 00 per issue. Simply Clif will distribute advertisements in four issues of Natural Solutions magazine. 16 MBI also states “FITNESS delivers strategies and tools that help women make little changes to achieve big success. With a “you-can-do-it attitude”, our workouts, health and beauty advice, diet plans and success stories motivate readers to get strong in mind, body and spirit.

The magazine empowers women to embrace fitness as a lifestyle — not an age or dress size — and to change the conversation from "skinny" to "healthy"” (MBI, 2013). This magazine is issued ten times per year, to ages ranging from 18 to 64, and circulates 1,500,000. A half-page ad with four colors will cost $98,490 per issue. Simply Clif will distribute advertisements in four issues of Fitness magazine. Lastly, MBI stated, “PARADE'S HEALTHYSTYLE fresh dynamic, approach to the latest health, food,fitness and nutrition information (2013).

It gives you insight into the latest about the healthy recipes and lifestyle you need to adapt to discover a newer you. Parade healthy lifestyle addresses issues like men's & women's health issues; tackling the peculiar problems that they encounter” (MBI, 2013). PARADE’S HEALTHYSYLE reaches an audience from ages 25 to 54; the magazine is issued 11 times per year and circulates 8,000,000. A half-page ad with four colors will cost of $163,200. 00 per issue. Social Media Ignite Social Media will have a great deal of impact on Simply Clif’s social media.

As mentioned before they will have special events that will connect them to Simply Clif and the rest of their target market. Ignite Social Media will also be in charge of all the social network site editing and ensuring the information is up-to-date. Ignite Social Media will be hired for 1 year at a total cost of $15,000. 17 Responsive Themed Website Lastly, the responsive theme website allows the viewer to view Simply Clif’s website at any size on their screens, they can maximize the screen and be able to see the entire website including all the ads.

If the viewer decided to minimize the screen slightly the website will re-adjust itself allowing the viewer to still view the entire website but with minor ads. Message Strategy Key Consumer Insight The brand message of “Simply Awesome” is designed to grab the consumer’s attention and drive the consumer to investigate the bold statement. The strategy of the campaign is to be simple and clean, but also deliver a bold message. The message is designed to reach a target audience of 18-40 year old health conscious men and woman by stating that Simply Clif is simple and healthy.

The brand message is designed to be a teaser that will create curiosity and drive the target audience to investigate why Simply Clif is “Simply Awesome” (Moriarty et al. , 2012). The target audience is looking for new products that have simple, organic ingredients that help them maintain their already healthy lifestyle. The target audience will be motivated to purchase Simply Clif because they are looking for healthy, organic foods that taste good. The Simply Clif campaign will feature three different product flavors that will appeal to the target audience.

These three different flavor options will reinforce the premise that healthy foods can taste good and encourage the consumer to pursue healthier eating habits. The Simply Clif campaign is designed around the way our target audience attempts to live their lives, simple and clean. The campaign will “speak” to the target audience by introducing a product that contains only five natural ingredients, is gluten free, and is low in calories. 18 Main Objectives The main message objective is to successfully launch the new Simply Clif organic smoothie into the growing organic market by offering the target audience a healthy, organic beverage.

The campaign will capitalize on an increased interest in organic products sold in the marketplace. The overall sale of organic food and beverages in the United States has grown from $1 billion in 1990 to $26. 7 billion in 2010. The sale of organic foods and beverages has increased by 7. 7% from 2009 to 2010. Also, the highest increase in sales during 2010, were organic fruits and vegetables, up 11. 8% through 2009 (Organic Trade Association, 2011). These dramatic increases in organic food sales indicate a growing interest in consumers wanting to live a healthier lifestyle.

Secondary objectives of the campaign are to increase overall awareness of the product, highlight the fact that the Simply Clif Organic Smoothie is made of all natural ingredients, suggest the idea that the Simply Clif Organic Smoothie is a healthy meal replacement alternative, and to enforce that our product is a higher quality alternative to Naked and Odwalla juices. The overall message of the campaign is to highlight the product as the highest quality, all organic smoothies on the market.

Selling Premise The selling premise of the Simply Clif Organic Smoothie is to highlight the simple ingredients and healthiness of our product. The campaign will focus on “clean living” and the benefits of choosing an organic product over other non-organic products on the market. The Simply Clif Organic Smoothie is not only a healthy snack, but can be used as a meal replacement to help maintain a proper body weight or as a recovery drink after strenuous exercise. The campaign will enforce the benefit of choosing the Simply Clif product by explaining how the 19 roduct can help an individual live a healthier lifestyle by consuming organic products. Big Idea The Big Idea of the campaign is to introduce the new organic smoothie into the marketplace as a simple, healthy, organic and clean smoothie drink alternative to high-sugar and high-calorie drinks currently on the market. The campaign itself is clean and simple and designed to mimic the product. The goal of the campaign is to have the target audience connect with Simply Clif organic smoothies as a way to help them continue to maintain their active healthy lifestyle.

Other Marcom Tools In addition to the planned billboards, social media promotions and print media advertisements placed in magazines, Clif Bar will also employ other marketing communication tools to enhance the campaign. Public relations activities, direct marketing, personal selling, sponsorships, point-of-purchase displays and special packaging features will also be used to engage potential customers and increase brand recognition. Public Relations Clif Bar will submit a press release to introduce Simply Clif to the public.

This press release will be announced at the beginning of the next quarter and will contain information about the new flavors and the benefits of drinking Simply Clif smoothies. Simply Clif will continue the Clif Bar tradition of supporting healthy lifestyles by encouraging outdoor activities and helping the environment. The company will continue to work with organizations like the Alliance for Biking and Walking, Safe Routes to Schools, and 350. org. 20 Direct Marketing The direct marketing tools will include SQR codes and social media.

These SQR codes will be strategically placed on the magazine advertisements, smoothie packaging and on other merchandise offered by Simply Clif. SQR codes will provide coupons and information about how Simply Clif can help benefit consumers’ lives. Also, direct marketing will occur through the presence of social media. Simply Clif has created Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube accounts. These accounts will help in providing information and special offers to the target audience. These accounts will provide more personal and engaging interactions with consumers.

YouTube will be used to announce offers and show mini-commercials of athletes drinking the smoothie and others having fun in the outdoors. Social media outlets will also increase word-of-mouth advertising and the brand recognition of the new smoothies. Personal Selling Because Simply Clif is a new product, personnel will be hired to hand out free samples of the new smoothies. The free sampling will occur at sporting events, college campuses, in health stores, and grocery stores. Also free lanyards will be given out to consumers willing to try all three flavors.

Sponsorships As part of the announcement of Simply Clif, it plans to sponsor a triathlon in midsummer along with swimming, BMX and Skateboard competitions. This will introduce the product to many athletes and consumers wanting an active lifestyle. These sponsorships will also hand out free merchandise, such as wrist bands, t-shirts, lanyards, and water bottles. 21 Point of Purchase Displays Large displays will be placed in locations where other Clif Bar products are currently sold. These displays will show the logo and provide the great benefits of the new smoothies.

The displays will direct consumers to the refrigerated isle where the smoothies are sold. It will also provide a large SQR code to link the interested consumer to the Simply Clif website to gather more information and other offers. Unique or Special Packaging Coupons will be placed with advertisements in magazines, sent to consumers through email, sent on personalized postcards to consumers of Clif products. Also, peel off coupons will be placed on other products currently sold in the Clif Bar product line.

Another sales tool that will be used is introductory pricing. This is a new product, so a discounted price will be used to entice consumers to try the product. Campaign Management Key Players Three roles will head up the media department: the art director, graphic designer and copywriter. The graphic designer is in charge of designing the magazine ads that will be distributed (American Association of Advertising Agencies, n. d. ). The copywriter is in charge of creating and supervising the Simply Clif website.

While working on their tasks, both the graphic designer and copywriter will give weekly reports to the art director to keep him/her informed of how the two areas are progressing. These reports will then be shared with the head of the marketing department. 22 Campaign Budget Media costs will consist of one-page ads in the following magazines: Natural Solutions, Parade's Healthstyle, and Fitness. Other media costs include a billboard, social media services provided by Ignite Social Media, and the newly developed Simply Clif website. Media Costs /3 page ad in NATURAL SOLUTIONS Magazine (4 issues @ $10,820 / issue) 1/2 page ad in FITNESS magazine = (4 issues @ $98,490 / issue) 1/2 page ad in PARADE'S HEALTHSTYLE = magazine (3 issues @ $163,200 / issue) Billboard on I-96 & 275 Hiring Ignite Social Media for 1 year Responsive Theme Website Total Expenses = = = = $5,000 $15,000 $25,000 $971,840 $489,600 $393,960 = $43,280 For our services in creating this ad campaign, our agency will charge $95 per hour, making an eight-hour days’ worth of work cost $760. Also, since we will be purchasing and 3 orchestrating the various types of media for our client, Clif Bar, we will also be charging a 15% media commission fee totaling to $145,776 to be made payable to the agency (Janet Fazio Advertising, n. d. ). Evaluation of Effectiveness Evaluations will be conducted based on the target market that Simply Clif shares with other products of its kind. The target demographic of men and women 18 to 40 years of age was chosen because those people in that age group are more likely to engage in life-changing events such as eating healthier or having kids.

Not only will Simply Clif satisfy the health food cravings of that age group, but it will also help in developing strong and healthy children. By segmenting down into this life-stage sect of the population, Simply Clif will not only appeal to the main target audience, but also secure product loyalty among future generations (Moriarty et al. , 2012). Other smoothie brands used to weigh the effectiveness of the campaign will be Naked and Odwalla. Both brands appeal to youth and will serve as acceptable benchmarks to measure the ad campaign’s effectiveness.

Naked products are the more expensively priced of the two brands, with one 15. 2 ounce bottle retailing between $3. 19 and $3. 49 (The Nibble, n. d. ). One box of Odwalla’s smoothie product retails at $1. 49 (Beverage Industry, 2012). The size of the bottles affects the prices of the products, however, as Naked’s bottles are more than double the size of Odwalla’s bottles. Simply Clif bottles are 12 ounces and the retail price will be between $1. 49 and $3. 19 to provide the greatest value. Because the Clif Bar brand has not dealt in the smoothie industry yet, comparing the success of the campaign will be relatively simple.

Evaluation of the campaign’s effectiveness will begin three months after the campaign has been introduced to the public. Effectiveness progress will be monitored every three months until the campaign has ended. At that time, a full 24 evaluation report will be conducted to judge the success of the entire campaign. If Simply Clif is successful in taking a portion of the smoothie market share from Naked and Odwalla, the campaign will be deemed successful. The types of metrics used to judge whether or not the campaign was effective

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