Company: National Coffee Assn.
Agency: Wyatt Communications
Timeframe: 2004-2008
Despite fleeting spikes in coffee consumption during the last 50 years, the percentage of U.S. adults who drink coffee on a regular basis has declined steeply from 78% in 1954
to 49% by 2004. According to research conducted by the National Coffee Association, U.S.A., a big reason for this drop has been negative health messages that consumers,
particularly those ages 30 to 59, were receiving about coffee.
To boost coffee consumption, change consumer perception and increase positive press about coffee, NCA launched a three-year science-driven campaign aimed at repositioning it as
a healthful beverage that began in 2004 and ended June 30, 2008.
The first step NCA took before officially launching its "Coffee Delivers!" campaign was to conduct independent market research that pinpointed specific consumption motivators
and barriers. The findings revealed that a large percentage of the public had been influenced by negative news about coffee; results also suggested that consumers might be
receptive to positive health information about drinking more coffee.
To help with the marketing communications and media relations aspects of the campaign, NCA enlisted the support of New York City-based PR firm Wyatt Communications. According
to the firm's president, MJ Wyatt, the agency came on board after responding to an invitation to pitch from NCA.
"They wanted a health-oriented program," Wyatt says. "We came in with a creative platform and had strategies and samples on how they would roll out. We did refine the program--
it wasn't like they bought it as is. They had a lot of changes they wanted to make and were very involved. We had to please a lot of people before it got off the ground."
After Wyatt Communications signed on, the team conducted more research to supplement the original findings. This time, the findings and observations included the following:
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Scientific literature searches showed that many positive studies regarding the effects of coffee hadn't been shared with editors, including ones suggesting that coffee
might reduce the risk of diabetes, certain cancers and Parkinson's disease while increasing physical stamina and alertness;
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To help unearth additional timely, positive coffee/caffeine studies, the NCA's Scientific Advisory Group should be used as a resource; and,
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Reporters/writers were assessed for their receptivity to likely messages based on Wyatt Communications' current relationships with editors. This led to the development of a
tiered media database used in the campaign.
A Cup A Day Keeps The Doctors At Bay?
Following this phase of research, the team decided that the campaign should let the scientific studies speak for themselves rather than rely on paid spokespersons during the
first year. This would enhance credibility among consumers and health professionals.
Plus, at the time that the campaign was first launched--in 2004--there were a lot of reports in the media about the detrimental effects of coffee. NCA sought to alter public
perception and attitudes.
"Coffee is not just caffeine," Wyatt says. "That's only one of the few hundred compounds in it. Coffee has a lot of properties that people don't know about. And, if you have
people who are drinking coffee daily, you can understand they would feel reassured that they have good reasons for drinking coffee."
In addition to creating awareness of coffee's many healthful benefits, another objective of the campaign was to generate at least 150 million positive message impressions in
its first year.
Tactics used to achieve goals included:
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Fortify PR messages with scientific corroboration and third-party experts;
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Find positive studies and package them for editors;
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Build and maintain a steady flow of credible information;
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Attempt to reach health professionals via trade publications, non-peer-reviewed journals and top-notch general media by highlighting studies conducted by renowned
institutions (i.e. Harvard, Vanderbilt, etc.); and,
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Be prepared to combat message fatigue.
Phase 1: Debunking Myths
The execution portion of the campaign was divided into four phases that aligned with the four years of the program. The first year, dubbed "Addressing Skepticism: Java Jive or
Java Truth," ran from July 2004 to June 2005.
The components driving this phase were a Web site (http://www.coffeescience.org);
a tiered editor database; a monthly release of study abstracts and/or news releases;
and a "Coffee and Your Health: Surprising Finding" editor workshop in New York
City. The number of positive message impressions during this period was 181
million.
Phase 2: Let The Good News Percolate
For the second year (July 2005 to June 2006), dubbed "Turning the Tide: More Good News Brewing," the components used to drive the campaign were an editor workshop focusing on
fitness and sports; health organization outreach including an event with the American Association of Physician Assistants; a pilot media tour with chef/author/restaurateur Steve
Petusevsky; and a Web ad campaign to attract visitors. The number of positive message impressions during this period: 260 million.
Phase 3: Coffee Coffee Buzz Buzz Buzz
The third year (July 2006 to June 2007), entitled "Good News on a Roll: Creating a Bigger Buzz," further augmented the strategic elements of the campaign's previous two years.
Highlights for this phase were a nutritionist media tour; an extension of the previous phase's media tour with chef Petusevsky; a Coffee Lover's Food Editor luncheon; and point-
of-purchase materials for specialty coffee retailers. The number of positive message impressions: 320 million.
Phase 4: Keeping The Buzz Alive
Highlights of the final year, which began in June 2007 and was dubbed "Sustaining Momentum: Keep It Hot/Keep It Comin'", included the development of scientific presentations
for researchers; an ultimate barista healthy coffee challenge; and reinforcement of solid relationships with researchers. The figures for positive message impressions for this
period are pending, but as of December 2007, it was 280 million.
Measuring Success
From 2004 to 2007, the campaign has earned more than 1 billion positive message impressions. More important, though, was this metric of success: Throughout the program's
duration, daily coffee consumption increased yearly from an eight-year low of 49% in 2004 to 57% in 2007. More than half of Americans polled in 2007 said they believe coffee has
healthful benefits. Media coverage improved from 48% negative/46% positive in 2004 to 70% positive/14% negative in 2007. For the first time in nearly 20 years, coffee has
surpassed soft drinks in daily market penetration among adults, making it the country's second-most popular beverage, after water.
Key to the program's success was the collaborative relationship between NCA and Wyatt Communications, and the trust that developed from it.
"The first year they were probably what I consider hands-on," says Wyatt.
But as she and her staff learned more from the researchers and scientists who aided them, they found NCA more receptive to their suggestions.
"It was very positive," Wyatt says. "I found that we would bring a lot of creative possibilities to them. They would look at it very objectively and consider what's in line
with their long-term objective, not just what's going to get the most media coverage." PRN
CONTACT:
MJ Wyatt, [email protected]
Java Is For Lovers And B-Roll
One thing MJ Wyatt, president of Wyatt Communications, learned while working on the "Coffee Delivers!" campaign is how easy it was to get B-roll for the media relations
component.
"We are a nation of coffee drinkers. It's positive reinforcement to hear good news about it. It was also really easy to get a TV crew to get good visuals of people drinking
coffee. If you are pitching something that's really esoteric, hard to see or requires animation, that's really going to cut down on your coverage."
Another lesson learned was noting which editors would respond to which particular stories. "You begin to see a pattern and see what is getting the biggest bang from the modest
funds you have," Wyatt says.
Coffee Message Delivery: Lessons Learned
The four-year "Coffee Delivers!" campaign was longer than the average marketing push. Thus, it presented numerous challenges in terms of communications, one of which was
overcoming media skepticism.
"The first obstacle we dealt with was editor disbelief," says MJ Wyatt, president of Wyatt Communications. "Even when I would call editors I was very close to and had worked on
many things with in the past, there would be stunned silence followed by laughter [every time I'd explain the campaign to them]. It was really hard and very frustrating."
Fortunately, what helped breach this barricade of cynicism were the studies on the healthful benefits of coffee conducted by prestigious hospitals. Once Wyatt began giving her
media contacts these studies, such as one that reported the positive effect Java had on improving short-term memory, the guffaws began to subside.
But the challenges didn't stop there: Additional roadblocks included finding new studies and getting them approved and quickly disseminated, while dealing with red tape and the
deadline-driven news cycle. For Wyatt, every study they found that would be ideal to further the campaign's messaging had to be approved and vetted by National Coffee Association
(NCA) and a scientific advisory group. This took time and, unfortunately, news dates quickly nowadays.
"If you get a study that's past publication, then what you're left with is feature coverage," Wyatt says. "This is nothing to be alarmed about, but you've missed the big cycle.
As we got to working with third-party researchers and scientists and they got to see that we were going to keep our word, not break any embargoes and embellish the facts, they
came to trust us. So when they knew a new study was going to come out, they might give us a head's up. Being able to do things quickly without jeopardizing the review these
studies had to go through with NCA and a scientific advisory group was helpful."
Another obstacle: Message fatigue.
"You can't keep going back to the well again and again with the same old stuff," Wyatt says. Wyatt presented different themes to editors, such as aligning coffee with fitness
or working with chefs to create inventive coffee recipes. One strategy, which was executed in the middle of the campaign, focused on safe driving and targeted drowsy drivers. The
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration worked closely with the project team on this.
Trying to change public perception about something as institutional as coffee can be difficult, but grounding efforts with science and facts is the first step to success.
"[Avoid using] conjecture and repetition. Be really persistent and forge strong relationships with scientists and researchers--that helps a lot," Wyatt says. "Tracking ROI, as
well as being very organized about what you do, is important. Also, you should have a sense of speed with things--not to the point where you're reckless--but you need to
understand that the news cycle is really short. If you catch it, that's great. But if you don't, you're going to miss out."