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Case Study | Launching Kellogg’s Cornflakes in India

Case Study | Launching Kellogg’s Cornflakes in India 10 min read

“ Mothers know what they want and when; we can’t push our offering to them without giving them a reason they value, ” the Head of Marketing at Kellogg’s India clarified. The Kellogg’s cornflakes marketing team was struggling to find an appropriate positioning platform for the brand to increase sales and ensure brand growth. The brand was globally accepted but its journey in India has been bumpy. They had struggled to find a suitable place in consumer’s heart and mind, and again they were rethinking the growth strategy. Let’s delve into the classic case study of Kellogg’s launch in India and the valuable lessons it departs.

Table of Contents

Breakfast Market in India

The breakfast cereal market in India was pegged at Rs. 12 billion in 2014, an almost 15% growth from Rs. 10.4 billion in 2013, and was expected to grow at a CAGR of 13% over the five-year period. Due to increased health consciousness among consumers, hot cereals and muesli were the fastest growing product categories. Among hot cereals, oats had gained the highest popularity registering a 33% growth in 2014.

Cereal was not a popular breakfast item for Indians, and hence, the market was dominated by international brands from Kellogg’s and Pepsico. Bagry’s India Ltd and Mohan Meakin were the only two Indian players in the market. Kellogg’s India Ltd had the first-mover advantage and was the undisputed market leader with 37% value share in 2014.2 Regional players had a competitive edge over bigger brands because of their robust distribution network. Competition also stemmed from other FMCG chains that did not necessarily have packaged breakfast as their core product offering, for example, ready-to-eat players like MTR and Britannia with its range of ready-to-cook upma, porridge, and poha. These products provided consumers with healthy options that were not just quick but also healthy.

Consumer Behavior Towards Breakfast

India did not have the culture of breakfast. A typical, average middle-class Indian family did not have breakfast on a regular basis like their western counterparts. Breakfast was always combined with lunch—“Brunch” as it was popularly called. Breakfast habits (brunch) in India, for the most part, were inclined towards hot, cooked regional items, like flattened rice flakes (chivda/poha) in western and central India, whole wheat grits (dalia) and parathas in northern India along with traditional regional staples such as idli or dosa in the south. In the earlier days, women prepared fresh breakfast for the family. Serving ready-to-eat meals were not part of the cultural norm and such options were also not widely available.

However with urbanization, dual-working households, and lifestyle changes, there was a greater need for convenience. This was also coupled with increasing disposable income and health consciousness. Increasing awareness of health and susceptibility of Indians towards lifestyle ailments like heart disease and diabetes yielded a greater demand for value-added healthy breakfast options.

Hence, consumers, especially in urban areas, preferred a quick-fix breakfast and cereals would fit the bill. The influence of Western lifestyles and “eating out” trends also played a significant role in opening the gateway for experimenting with different tastes and varying eating preferences. This transition from traditional to modern breakfast took place among young Indians (24–35 years), mostly from dual income families. Choice of breakfast options was induced by personal factors like time constraint, work timings, social groups, and family members.

Kellogg’s Entry in India

In the late 1980s, ready-to-eat cereal giant and market leader, Kellogg’s had reached peak sales occupying a 40% market share in the US. The company had its presence in 18 countries and over 20 plants worldwide with annual sales of over $ 6 billion. However, in the 1990s, competition got tougher and Kellogg’s began to struggle when its nearest rival when General Mills introduced Cheerios brand. There was little room for growth in core markets; therefore, the company started looking beyond its traditional American and European countries as a potential cereal-consuming market.

India was a lucrative target market with population of over 950 million, out of which 250 million were middle class and untapped. In 1991, India went through an economic liberalization and removed the barriers to international trade. Three years later, Kellogg’s decided to invest $ 65 million towards launching its number one brand, Corn Flakes, in India. “ Even if Kellogg’s had 2% market share at 18 million consumers they would have a larger market than US itself , ” said Bhagirat B Merchant, Director of Bombay Stock Exchange in 1994.

Positioning at Launch

Globally, Kellogg’s cornflakes were positioned on the “fun and taste” platform, and they emphasized on the crispiness of its flakes. When Kellogg’s entered the Indian market in 1994, it positioned itself to families/households on the health platform, thus emphasizing on the nutritional benefits of the cereal. They tried to communicate to consumers that traditional Indian breakfast options were not as healthy, and hence, cornflakes were a good choice. This was done based on the insight that Indians consumers were not habituated to cereals as a breakfast item and needed to be educated to create acceptance and liking for not just the brand but cereal as a category.

Kellogg’s kicked off its India entry with three variants of breakfast cereal: Corn Flakes, Wheat Flakes, and Rice Flakes, packaged with an emphasis on the crispiness of its flakes compared to local cereals. These cereals were best served with cold milk without adding sugar. The tagline to reinforce the positioning was- “ Jaago jaise bhi, lo Kellogg’s hi ” (“No matter how you start your day, start it with Kellogg’s”). However, the proposition did not find much credibility with households. Average Indian did not pay much importance to iron/vitamin intake.10 The nutritional benefit was not a differentiated and strong enough proposition for Indians to change their habits and move away from traditional items as they considered their food to be equally or more nutritious.

The initial sales were impressive but Kellogg’s knew that this was a result of one-off purchases. Cereals were a new item for the Indian consumer and after the initial excitement wore off, repeat purchases were few. Another barrier to repeat purchase was the high price. A 500 grams box of corn flakes was almost 30% costlier than its nearest competitor. Indians did not find value in spending so much for an expensive breakfast and often the leftovers from the previous day were cooked or served differently for breakfast next day. In certain households, corn flakes were reserved as a Sunday or special occasions treat.

Also, the emphasis on crispy flakes failed in India as consumers were used to hot milk which made cornflakes soggy. This further diluted the Kellogg’s brand promise. On the heels of continuous unimpressive sales, Kellogg’s realized that their breakfast option was diametrically opposite to what generations of Indians have been eating. The typical Indian breakfast was still hot, home-made, heavy-as-a-meal, and savory rather than sweet. What Kellogg’s was offering was ready-to-eat, best served with cold milk, and bland unless you add a sweetener.

In early 1996, defending the company’s products, Managing Director, Avronsart said, “ Kellogg’s India is not here to change breakfast eating habits. What the company proposes is to offer consumers around the world a healthy, nutritious, convenient, and easy-to-prepare alternative in the breakfast eating habit. It was not just a question of providing a better alternative to traditional breakfast eating habits but also developing a taste for grain-based foods in the morning ”.

Indian consumers did not perceive the Kellogg’s differentiators relevant. They were not looking for thicker and crispier flakes with iron and vitamin. They sought basic health and taste which their traditional food and other competitor brands were also fulfilling.

Repositioning and Product Extensions

Kellogg’s saw that Indian households were difficult to target and moved their focus to kids with the launch of two of its highly successful international brands, Chocos in September 1996 and Frosties in April 1997. Chocos were wheat scoops coated with chocolate, while Frosties had sugar frosting on individual flakes. Frosties addressed the shortcomings of plain cereals because they were ready sweetened which sweeten the milk when it is added to the bowl. Both these variants were not positioned as breakfast items but as snack items on the proposition of fun and taste combined with health. Now the mother was urged to give Chocos as a mid-meal snack to fulfil nutrition requirement.

These variants found feet in the market and targeting kids helped. However, in 1998, Kellogg’s again tried targeting families and households by “Indianizing” its cereal range with the “Mazza” brand. Mazza cereals were available in fusion of local flavours like mango-elaichi, coconut-kesar and rose. The variant did not work. Mazza was more to do with the taste of the product and many consumers thought these were too outlandish.

In 1999, Kellogg’s began offering fortified cereals. The “Iron Shakti” cornflakes positioned on the nutrient value of cornflakes and addressed iron deficiency in children. The nutrition platform was more focused and relevant here as no other brand or product spoke of iron supplement. This became the differentiator and sales increased by 17%. Making the brand and proposition sound Indian by using words like “Iron Shakti” and “Calcium Shakti” gave it a local feel. This approach was more successful than the brand’s previous attempt to imply that the traditional Indian breakfast was not nutritious—messaging which made the Indian housewife rather indignant. The proposition this time was a nutritious and fun breakfast for kids coupled with goodness of iron (which mothers worry about).

Besides positioning, Kellogg’s also changed the communication. It removed the rooster which had an integral association with Kellogg’s globally from all its advertisements in India. The promotions focused on inducing product trial by targeting schools across the country. In March 1996, the company gave out specially designed 50 gm packs to shoppers at select retail stores, and door-to-door sampling exercise offering one-serve sachets to housewives in the city.

However, the company knew that very few Indians had breakfast and they could grow only by growing the category. In 1997, they launched the “Kellogg Breakfast Week” in Mumbai, Delhi, and Chennai, a community-oriented initiative to create and increase awareness. The campaign focused on making people aware about the prevention of anemia, an iron deficiency disorder, and conducted a series of nutrition workshops to educate individuals and families.

As the brand had sub-segmented the market and offered specific customized variants to each with the relevant proposition, its agency, JWT, wanted to identify the triggers that enabled customers to move towards this category. Their research suggested that though Kellogg’s was positioned to kids, they were consumed by the entire family. They also found that healthy afternoon snacking was a large consumer need. Lastly, women in India were becoming more health conscious and desperately wanted to get into shape.

Using these insights, Kellogg’s launched Kellogg’s multi-grain, fortified cornflakes targeted to adult taste buds. Advertisements also began showing adults eating the cereal, rather than focusing on children alone. The assault on the afternoon-snack segment was led by Chocos. This brand was already popular with children, who were their key consumers for “4 pm munches”. The launch communication offered the Chocos variant as a nutritious substitute for chips and other junk food.

Special K: Get into Shape

In 2008, Kellogg’s launched their $1.5 billion “Special K” brand as a weight management cereal targeted at women (25–44 years) who wanted to keep in shape. It was positioned as a low-calorie weight control meal. This was again not categorized as breakfast item but a complete meal. Consultants pointed out that Kellogg’s’ brand extension strategy helped to increase its relevance across categories. It was a player in the Rs 500-crore weight management market and the Rs 750- crore convenience foods market, apart from the Rs 250-crore breakfast cereal market (which, in turn, was part of the Rs 2,000-crore health foods segment).

The marketing team knew that as against other markets, Kellogg’s not only adapted its portfolio to match Indian needs but also made changes to their global positioning to appeal to Indian consumers. Indian market is diverse and unique, and expects the offerings to fit their life pattern. The marketing head at Kellogg’s had recently read an article that incorrect positioning was the reason behind 80% brand failures. Kellogg’s have been relooking at their 5-year strategy as they have always wanted to be confident on the delivering the promise they have made to its consumers.

Also Read: Case Study | Launching And Establishing Oreo in India

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How Snap, Crackle, and Pop Helped Kellogg’s Grow

It’s a lazy Sunday afternoon (Sunday mornings do not exist) and you prepare a bowl of cornflakes for your routine breakfast.

You take the first portion in your mouth, and immediately, your friend from the other room reminds you to add one packet of Kellogg’s Cornflakes Original to the weekly grocery list. We haven’t yet upgraded to the fancier Kellogg’s Cornflakes Real Almond and Honey because we are students living on a budget. Also, the crunchy sound is the same.

Do you see what happened here? The crunchy sound of a cornflake snapping into pieces was so distinct and characteristic that my friend from the other room immediately recognized what I was having for breakfast (at one in the afternoon) and even associated a brand to it.

You might say she knows what I have for breakfast every day (yes, we are not big on diversification of our breakfasts), but you get my point. Kellogg’s cornflakes have a distinctive and unique sound and the brand bet big on it early on.

The Power of Sound

Traditionally, brands have focused on catering to consumers’ sense of sight by ensuring optimal visual satisfaction through their products. This includes gorgeous product designs, conspicuous packaging, and even advertisements exhibiting splendor and a little bit of razzle-dazzle to offer a complete visual package to consumers.

We have all been guilty of getting attracted to brightly-colored packaging on grocery shelves, only to repent later that all that glitters is not gold. The other four senses, namely sound, smell, touch, and taste, have conveniently been sidelined and relegated to the background. Especially the sense of sound.

It’s important to note that we perceive the world through the combination of  all  our five senses. They trigger fond memories, transport us to parallel realms, and tap right into our emotions.

The sense of sound has some powerful physiological, psychological, cognitive, and behavioral effects on humans. It enables us to connect the dots and relate objects, people, experiences — you name it. You know bad luck is in store for you when you hear a callous caw on your balcony.

You know you are in store for a major mood uplift when you hear piano rock. Now, imagine a brand leveraging all these effects to dramatically increase its brand recall value and secure a permanent and memorable place in its consumers’ minds. This is what Kellogg’s set out to achieve as it realized the significance of the sense of sound.

Re-Purposing Audio Marketing

Even though audio marketing has been around for ages, the incumbent “sonic brands” repeatedly failed to conjure up a truly unique sound that left an indelible impact. Most of them artificially created the sounds first and then tried to deliberately bring them to people’s attention, cajoling them into associating those sounds with their brands.

Some of them rented pop culture clippings to soundtrack their commercials. Rather than letting the sound naturally blend in with product usage and slowly become ubiquitous, these brands adopt a hurried and mechanical approach and ended up giving rise to “corporate sounds.”

Some brands got it partially right wherein they created a unique sound DNA and armed themselves with a repertoire of sonic assets. But in this clutter, that one distinctive sound was lost.

Then came along Kellogg’s, and it completely changed the paradigm of audio, and to an extent, sensory marketing. In addition to making the snap, crackle, and pop sound as a means of brand recognition, it also made it a criterion to judge the product quality.

Crunchiness Is Everything

Kellogg’s Rice Krispies that do not snap, crackle, and pop are considered to be stale, even though the taste or smell might not have altered much. In essence, the brand places a heavy emphasis on this crunchy sound which is used as an indicator for almost all other product attributes.

Its initial marketing adverts even featured three characters named Snap, Crackle, and Pop, highlighting the importance of the sound of the grain in their overall marketing strategy as well.

Interestingly, several Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) videos have also been created on this iconic crunchy sound. The  videos  — some of them running up to one hour — feature the sounds associated with a person opening a Kellogg’s cereal packet, pouring the grains in a bowl, mixing them with milk, and then finally eating the cereal.

The brand has created a synergy between texture, taste, and sound where sound acts as an anchor. In short, Kellogg’s considers the crunchiness of the grain as having everything to do with the success of the breakfast product.

Taking audio marketing a notch higher

Gradually, the crunchy sound became so well-known, pleasure-inducing (thanks to ASMR videos), and uniquely identifiable that the brand decided to patent it.

Kellogg’s approached a Danish music lab and requested them to recreate the highly exclusive and distinctive crunch associated with their cornflakes so that anyone helping themselves to a bowl of cereal will instantly recognize the anonymous cereal as a Kellogg’s product, by the mere sound of the crunch.

This strategic move also provided the brand with a lot of positive publicity, with 74% of modern consumers now associating the word crunch with the company.

Closing Thoughts

The power of audio marketing is underrated. Before thinking of investing in mind-blowing graphics for brand commercials or out-of-the-box ideas for product packaging, brands could instead ponder what appeals to human beings on an everyday basis and think of integrating the five senses their overall brand strategy to achieve a greater emotional connection with consumers. Kellogg’s mastered it and has set a great example for future brands to emulate.

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How Kellogg’s Failed, and Then Won, in India

Home » Blog » How Kellogg’s Failed, and Then Won, in India

Kellogg’s initial foray into the Indian market is generally agreed to have been a failure, although it’s now doing well in terms of both market share and sales growth in the subcontinent.

As part of our series of in-depth case studies looking at major brands tackling major new markets, last week we examined how Marks & Spencer are getting along in China .

Whilst local in-store sales have been a touch underwhelming for this British high street brand, it has had success selling dresses online with Tmall (part of the Alibaba group).

One slightly unexpected outcome from the adventures of M&S in Asia is the surprise popularity of teabags and porridge oats with the Chinese consumer. It seems Chinese households are becoming slightly more western in their habits, and breakfast cereals are starting to sneak into their shopping baskets.

But are Indian consumers ready to accept breakfast cereals?

In this article, we’ll examine what went wrong, and discover how Kellogg’s recovered from its initial problems in this challenging market.

An unsuccessful first foray into India

The world’s leading producer of cereals and a major snack foods manufacturer Kellogg’s entered the Indian market way back in 1994.

Kellogg’s is no stranger to international marketing : their products are manufactured in 18 countries and sold in over 180.Despite a high-profile launch and a frenzy of marketing activity, the first breakfast cereals it marketed were an initial failure in India.

There was little appetite for breakfast cereals in India in the early nineties, although milk was a regular part of the Indian diet, so Kellogg’s needed to establish a market for the products if it wanted to win over the Indian consumer.

Following a big media launch effort, initial sales seemed promising but it emerged that consumers were buying the product as a novelty but not repeat purchasing.

Kellogg’s India opened its first manufacturing plant in Mumbai, India in 1994. Image trabantos / Shutterstock.com

Most analysts conclude that the brand was overconfident and overlooked many critical cultural insights that would explain why the market wasn’t ready for the breakfast cereals offered. It also seems that the pricing was far too high to be a regular grocery purchase, explaining the lack of repeat sales.

The Indian palette is considered by many to be a challenging one to crack.

Indians were accustomed to boiling their milk and consuming it hot and sweetened. One key hurdle for Kellogg’s to overcome was persuading the Indian consumer to consume milk cold rather than hot when eating breakfast cereals.

When Kellogg’s initially launched into the Indian market it was with crispy flakes that would go soggy when consumed with hot milk. When Indians tried the unsweetened breakfast flakes with cold milk, they couldn’t get the sugar they added to dissolve properly.

This may explain why Kellogg’s later enjoyed better success with Frosties, which come ready-sweetened with dissolvable sugars which sweeten the milk when it is added to the bowl.

Indian consumers accustomed to gut-busting breakfast staples such as buttery fried parathas  or deep fried vadas found breakfast cereals somewhat insubstantial when eaten as a substitute for India’s more familiar breakfast items.

A bland bowl of cereal flakes also failed to match the variety of foods often eaten at breakfast time, or the habit of eating more flavoursome foods such as chutneys and pickles with various morning staples.

Indian breakfasts tend towards spicy and hot; by offering a dish that was bland, sweet and cold Kellogg’s was proposing the exact opposite of expectations at this time in the day. Essentially Kellogg’s offered a product that failed to match local breakfast habits and expectations – and at twice the price of local competitors.

Other critics of the initial launch also thought that Kellogg’s trod on a few toes with marketing campaigns implying the traditional Indian breakfast was not nutritionally sound.

A revised strategy

Kellogg’s initially launched in India with corn flakes, wheat flakes and basmati rice flakes, none of which were especially successful. When Kellogg’s launched Frosties (sweet, sugar-coated flakes) in 1997, even the company was surprised by their success.

Kellogg’s reduced the price of their products and began to offer a wider range of product sizes to appeal to different customers.

Individual packs were especially popular. Messaging was also changed, to reposition the cereals as a fun choice rather than just a nutritious one.

This approach may have been more successful than the brand’s previous attempt to imply that the traditional Indian breakfast was not nutritious – marketing messaging which may have made the Indian housewife rather indignant. The products were no longer positioned as premium products, in order to make them a regular rather than a one-off buy.

The brand also localised its branding and advertising approach to make it more acceptable.

Gone was the familiar cockerel, and advertising campaigns using local faces such as a yoga instructor and Kathakali dancer attributing their vigour to a Kellogg’s diet. Accompaniments such as curd and pistachio, which suited the local palate, were suggested.

Kellogg’s localised Corn Flakes packaging on Amazon.in. Image credit: trabantos / Shutterstock.com

Kellogg’s took the decision to localise its flavourings, and chose brand names to appeal to the Indian public such as ‘shakti’ (‘power’) when selling products fortified with iron. These days, cornflakes are offered with mango and banana puree to suit local tastes.

Although the brand presently enjoys a colossal 70% market share, it now has to defend from rivals the market it has created. Logistically Kellogg’s is well invested in this territory. All raw materials, including packaging, are sourced in India, and the main plant is located close to the largest market; all of which minimises costs.

Using a network of agents, the brand has established a distribution network including storage facilities. Overheads are minimised by giving distributors large responsibility for sales. In 2010 the market growth was at 20% but following a change in leadership, it is thought to be closer to 30%.

RELATED : How India is Becoming One of the World’s Biggest Markets for Localisation

Kellogg’s remains significantly pricier than local rivals such as Bagrry’s , whose website and logo are breathtakingly similar to Kellogg’s. Larger multinationals including Dr Oetker and PepsiCo are also muscling in on the market. Kellogg’s India is defending its market share by expanding its distribution network by 50%.

It’s arguable that only a massive brand like Kellogg’s was capable of cracking the Indian market, given the amount of market creation and habit changing that was required.

What’s generally agreed is that Kellogg’s was too confident when it entered the market and didn’t do enough research on local tastes and habits before plunging in. Whilst the company has now turned its performance around, it has done so by trying new things but above all by localising its offering and message to suit the market.

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Brand Saga: Kellogg’s India Part 1 - Making cereal mainstream...

International giant, Kellogg’s has been around for 25 years on the Indian shores. The Kellogg’s India advertising journey epitomizes the saga of a firm belief in oneself and the determination to never give up.

India, as they say, is a diverse country where every 1000 kilometers sees a distinct culture, race, traditions, and food. From Chole Bhature in the North to South India’s idli-dosa-vada, undoubtedly, we Indians have been hailed as big foodie. Early India, fancied poha, parathas, and idlis as the go-to- breakfast. In a culture, so particular about its taste and eating habits, how challenging would it be for a foreign brand like Kellogg’s to launch not only a product but a category (cereals)? The answer lies in the Kellogg’s India advertising journey which stood the test of time and made a comeback only to taste success.

Looking at the vast brand journey of Kellogg’s India we roll two parts of its saga. In the first part, we traverse through the entry of Kellogg’s in India, its initial marketing strategy- days of failure, and the comeback plan.

Enter - Kellogg’s

In 1898, J.H. Kellogg and W. K. Kellogg developed first corn flake and started to commercialize cereal products for patients at the Battle Creek Sanatorium, Michigan. In 1906, the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company by the name of ‘Kellogg’s’ was founded by W.K. Kellogg. The US-based multinational food manufacturing firm began expanding its base in foreign countries like Canada as the ready to eat cereal segment gained eyeballs.

By the late 1980s, Kellogg’s brands captured nearly 40% of the total ready-to-eat breakfast market but soon enough started facing stiff competition from other multinationals like General Mills. After seeing that the company lose its share and the stagnant growth of the cereal industry in the US and the UK, Kellogg’s helmers scouted for potential markets to keep the ship sailing.  

India was still an untapped market for the ready-to-eat cereal category and that gave Kellogg’s an opportunity to set foot on the land in 1994 after the Indian government opened the doors for international trade.

Creating an Unwanted Category

While the West was habituated to cereals and preferred lighter food for breakfast, Indians vehemently followed the age-old adage- ‘Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper’.

Kellogg’s very well knew that it was not going to be a cakewalk to debut in India – a land imbibed with varied eating habits and culture. The challenges were many and opportunities less. To make and create demand for healthy cereals in the lives of people who were accustomed to a traditional breakfast was a task in itself.

The challenge lied in not only promoting its products but also creating demand and need for a ready to eat cereal breakfast which did not aim at replacing the usual paratha but gave consumers a healthy option to stay fit.

When it entered the Indian market, the brand invested a whopping of US $ 65 billion followed by a high profile launch. Kellogg’s bought it’s most sought after product ‘cornflakes’ and its variants Basmati flakes, wheat flakes to the Indian consumers.

The Failure

Despite positioning ‘cornflakes’ as the healthy ready-to-eat food complemented by media frenzy, the product distribution wasn’t up to the mark. Poor customization and premium prizes with presence in fewer cities, wasn’t a hit.

Though the initial numbers looked encouraging, Kellogg’s soon realized that people were buying its products out of novelty and curiosity which transpired into an onetime purchase. The company somehow failed in converting the consumers into the regular ones or did little effort in persuading them to buy it the second time. The sales saw a hit in 1995 and it soon became a matter of survival and sustenance for Kellogg’s in India.

According to various reports , the key reason for Kellogg's loss was the fact that the flavor of its products did not match Indian palette & preferences preference.

Also Read: Brand Saga: Appy Fizz, a drink that made you cool

Initial advertising.

The Kellogg’s India advertising journey seemed to be crashing in its early days as the company growth became stagnant. It initially positioned cornflakes as a healthy alternative to heavy Indian breakfasts and communicated that the other traditional food possessed high calories and fats which were unhealthy.

Brand custodians believed that the very first mistake that Kellogg’s was positioning itself as a substitute for Indian breakfast followed by pricing them at higher rates. The urban middle-class Indian population felt the urge to eat more even after consuming a bowl of cornflakes with cold milk as it did not satiate the accustomed appetite.

From consuming spicy and hot Indian breakfast to shifting gears and eating the sweet cornflakes in milk which made them soggy was a huge difference to get transpired into a habit. Kellogg’s had to move beyond it’s ‘healthy’ positioning and re-look at its strategies to sustain in the Indian market.

Indianizing Kellogg’s - The Comeback Strategy

After identifying the need gap and the keyholes, Kellogg’s set out to Indianize its products. It soon started localizing the products and launched Chocos in 1996 and Frosties in 1997.

Going into the product specifics - Kellogg’s Chocos and Frosties caught India’s fancy and sales significantly rise. Chocos were wheat scoops with a coating of chocolate whereas Frosties had sugar frosting on each individual flakes. Both the variants were pegged as kids' favorite, thus convincing parents to indulge their kids in healthy & tasty breakfast.

Kellogg’s further rolled out Mazza (crunchy, almond-shaped corn breakfast cereal) series in August 1998 and positioned it as a tasty, nutritional breakfast cereal in three local flavors of Rose, Mango Elaichi, and Coconut Kesar.

Not stopping here, later in 2000, Iron Shakti from the house of Kellogg’s saw the light of the day followed by Special K plus in 2008, targeting female and was projected as a low-fat breakfast.

Revised Communication

With the new variants working, the company reduced the price of their products and began to offer a wider range of package sizes to appeal to different customers. With revised product packaging, pricing, and placement – going beyond the urban population- Kellogg’s changed its product positioning and messaging where it placed itself as a fun-filled choice rather than a healthy and nutritious one.

Above and below the line methods were adopted to promote the products exploring mediums like print, radio, outdoor and TV.

In 1997, Kellogg’s launched ‘The Kellogg Breakfast Week,' a community-oriented initiative to generate awareness about the importance of breakfast. The program was conducted in Chennai, Delhi, and Mumbai and was focused on the prevention of anemia and conducted a series of nutrition workshops activities for both individuals and families.

With its initial marketing hitting a snag, Kellogg’s soon got on the right tracks after adopting a Glocal (think global but act local) method to customize its products and modify its messaging instead of simply copy-pasting the international promotions.

The famous rooster which signified morning around the world forKellogg’s cornflakes was missing from its Indian counterparts. The new TVC’s and communication across featured Indian families getting together on the table to share the morning breakfast with Kellogg’s.

The new TVCs, banners, and promotional creatives featured Kellogg’s as a fun brand and one that is irresistible with taglines like ‘Jago Jaise bhi, to Kellogg’s hi, `Naye Saal ki Sahi Shuruat, lo’ and more.

It depicted various relations, which are an integral part of Indian culture from the mother child's selfless relationship to the family member’s relationship with each other.

The CHOCOS range was a hit among the kids and adults equally with most of them slurping it with he cold milk. The brand was positioned as ‘The irresistible taste of chocolate’ and promoted heavily.

The mascot of Chocos in India was Chocos the Bear until 2005 when he was replaced by Coco the Monkey, who is also the mascot of Cocoa Krispies. The advertisements conceptualized by JWT India featuring Karishma Kapoor and Juhi Chawla pitched the benefits of a whole grain breakfast to mothers. 

Through TVCs, the brand conveyed that Kellogg’s Chocos made with whole grain is yet another step to encourage kids to start the day with a good breakfast - to prepare them for a great day in school.  

In the second part of the Kellogg’s India Advertising Journey brand saga, we will deep dive into its marketing strategy for a vast range of products including Kellogg’s All-Bran Wheat Flakes, Kellogg’s Special K, four variants of Kellogg’s Muesli, Kellogg’s Honey Loops and Kellogg’s Oats & the brand's take on digital marketing.  

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Kellogg Company’s Brand and Marketing Communication Essay

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Define Kellogg’s brand personality

Discuss kellogg’s brand and product personality, define communication concept, discuss kellogg’s campaign.

According to Keller (1993 p. 3), brand personality is the set of human characteristics a brand possesses in a given market. Brand personality refers to a description of how a brand represents or expresses itself. The symbolic use of a brand is possible because consumers tend to associate brands with certain human personality traits (Keller 1993, p. 4). In its simple definition, brand personality is a description of how a brand ‘behaves’ and ‘speaks’ in a market. To develop a brand personality, marketers have to assign their brands some human personality traits or characteristics to achieve brand uniqueness.

Kellogg’s uses a brand personality that motivates its customers. It encourages consumers to ensure their children take breakfast before going to school. In this way, it has associated the brand with certain human personalities. First, the brand will is associated with good health, quality of life, and children’s ability to learn. Secondly, by sponsoring breakfast clubs in the UK, the public will associate the brand with value, care for the children, and uniqueness (Martins 2000, p. 36). This makes the brand look unique in the eyes of the consumers. Besides, the brand triggers human emotions that make the customers recognize its uniqueness. By supporting and sponsoring breakfast clubs in the country, Kellogg’s will become a brand associated with comprehensiveness according to the opinion of customers. The brand creates a personality that generates its emotional character within the minds of the customers.

Communication concept involves a marketing strategy in which customers are encouraged to test the brand and have a first-hand experience, which in turn creates an image of the brand in their minds. The experience emphasizes the brand image and core message to the target customers. The customers then develop a different perception of the band, where they associate the brand with a certain experience and uniqueness.

Kellogg’s campaign aims at making the customers gain an experience with the brand before purchasing. The campaign creates a direct relationship between the public and the brand. By sponsoring breakfast clubs in schools, Kellogg’s provides the customers with a first-hand experience. Secondly, by sponsoring breakfast clubs, the brand communicates itself as a part of society and a product that is friendly to the children and society. It attempts to communicate itself by creating a public feeling that the brand is out to improve children’s health and future. In turn, this persuades the customers to take the company’s flakes brands as a way of supporting their community.

How does Kellogg’s influence consumer socialization and how will it succeed in persuading the parents to teach their children that Kellogg’s is a must in their breakfast meal?

By definition, consumer socialization refers to a process through which marketers instill some knowledge, skills as well as attitudes to young people. These skills, knowledge, and attitudes must be relevant to the young people’s functioning in the market (John1999, p. 184). Marketers use this strategy to create brand awareness and consumer behavior among young people. The primary aim is to make the young people have experience with a brand. In turn, the experience creates a need for the product.

In the case of Kellogg’s advertisement, the company has focused on consumer socialization by considering the schoolchildren as the main target group in the market. By sponsoring breakfast clubs in local primary schools, the company instills some skills, attitudes, and knowledge about the need to have breakfast before going to school. The strategy also makes the children understand why eating flakes in the morning improves their health and enhance their ability to learn and grow. Also, ensuring that employees interact with the children by enjoying flakes with them, the children develop a perception that a Kellogg’s breakfast is the best thing they can take to improve their health and learning. Moreover, by providing the children with free Kellogg in their breakfast clubs, the company instills the knowledge that the children need to care for their health.

The acquisition of knowledge, skills, and attitudes among the children will be a success to Kellogg’s because the children will have the first-hand information that their health depends on how they eat. The children will not only learn that taking breakfast is good for their health but also gain a perception that eating Kellogg’s is the best thing they can do to improve their health.

By involving the public, the MPs, the parents, media, and schools in its efforts to make the people understand the need for the children to take breakfast in the morning, Kellogg’s will succeed in persuading the parents to feed their children with Kellogg’s every morning. This is possible in various ways: First, the experience the children will gain from the breakfast clubs in their schools will make them realize that they need flakes in the morning (John1999, p. 186). They wild therefore request their parents to include Kellogg’s in their morning diet. Secondly, the parents will gain an experience with the brand when they participate in the various breakfast functions in schools, which will then encourage them to include flakes in every diet served to the children in the morning. Finally, the media and the political leaders included in the advertisement campaign will create a public awareness that informs the people to provide their children with Kellogg’s flakes every morning

List the five advertising appeals. Explain one of them by picking a brand of your choice and how would you promote it.

• Classified advertising
• Emotional words
• Flag-waving

Euphoria is one of the most effective techniques of advertising. It involves the use of events that creates euphoria (John1999, p. 184). It is possible to create euphoria through announcing discounts and free offers during certain events such as holidays. Besides, organizing social events and supporting some social groups creates euphoria and appeal to the buyers. Buyers feel the need to be part of the section of people benefitting from the offers.

In this case, the breakfast club strategy is an example of an advertising technique that creates euphoria. When the company and its employees interact with the children and their parents during breakfast clubs, the children and the parents gain experience with the brand. When the company organizes similar events in several primary schools, social events will attract a large number of participants from the public. This will in turn create euphoria, where every parent will feel the need to be a member of the people benefitting from the events.

John, R, 1999, ‘Consumer socialization of children: A retrospective look at twenty-five years of research’, Journal of Consumer Research , vol. 26 no. 3, pp. 183–213

Keller, D, 1993, ‘Conceptualizing, measuring and managing customer-based brand equity’, Journal of marketing vol. 57, pp. 1-2.

Martins, J 2000, The Emotional Nature of a Brand: Creating images to become world leaders. Cengage learning, Mason, OH

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IvyPanda. (2021, February 12). Kellogg Company’s Brand and Marketing Communication. https://ivypanda.com/essays/kellogg-companys-brand-and-marketing-communication/

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IvyPanda . (2021) 'Kellogg Company’s Brand and Marketing Communication'. 12 February.

IvyPanda . 2021. "Kellogg Company’s Brand and Marketing Communication." February 12, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/kellogg-companys-brand-and-marketing-communication/.

1. IvyPanda . "Kellogg Company’s Brand and Marketing Communication." February 12, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/kellogg-companys-brand-and-marketing-communication/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Kellogg Company’s Brand and Marketing Communication." February 12, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/kellogg-companys-brand-and-marketing-communication/.

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Case 1: Kellogg's in India - Brand Consumption Culture

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Kellogg’s

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FMCG Food – cereals

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WK Kellogg Co (US) and Kellanova (rest of the world)

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Cheerios,  Nestlé , Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Lucky Charms, Weetabix, Quaker

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