To create a stronger relationship with new parent households that result in better understanding of baby feeding needs - H.J. Heinz Co.'s [HNZ] Australian division recognized it needed to show in-depth expertise in all aspects of feeding and nutrition (not just prepared food). It also sought to increase trust in the quality and suitability of Heinz products.
To meet those goals, a $1.2 million consumer education campaign was developed in 1994 by Heinz, whose Australian division is based in Hobart, to provide baby-feeding information and services for new parents.
Marketers at Heinz were able to tap into more than 100 hospital databases and contact new mothers to sign them up for a series of five information-packed handbooks, delivered at the right time for each stage of baby's feeding and nutritional needs, said Lauchlan Brown, a Heinz account manager in Hobart.
"It was amazing, we were able to access so many women through these databases and they seemed very open to receiving the materials," said Brown. "In general, new mothers are excited about the whole process and are willing to accept new ideas for care."
In addition, Heinz established free gifts, samples, special offers, mail order catalogs and a 1-800 Baby Feeding Helpline.
The consumer target audience consists of new mothers, both first time and those who have been through the experience before.
"Many of these consumers had an overall perception that it is better to feed their babies home-prepared food than give their babies canned food," said Brown. "It was our job to change those perceptions."
The program was introduced to the mothers while in the hospital through a "Bounty Bag" filled with books, magazines and Heinz gifts.
The company also created Baby Times, a magazine that promoted messages from the company, its programs, products and also had general consumer maternal health stories.
For quantitative purposes, it was created to increase interest and sales of products by 10 percent, generate awareness of the baby lines as measured by phone calls and registration.
The magazine was designed to appear not as advertising but as editorial information in orer to enhance the credibility of Heinz.
In the first three months, more than 6,000 coupons in the magazine were redeemed and more than 1,000 women have become regular subscribers to the magazine.
Heinz needed to built up a wealth of information and expertise in the area of infant feeding and nutrition because of changes in the marketplace.
A market poll of more than 1,000 consumers showed that almost 50 percent of Australian mothers felt baby food should be homemade.
"In general most mothers are very particular about what they feed their babies and we felt that although they feed themselves with Heinz products they were hesitant to feed their babies," said Nigel Adams, group account director.
Some of the market obstacles to achieving these objectives included:
- Leveling of birth rate in Australia;
- Decreasing per capita consumption of prepared food;
- Combatting the misconception about prepared baby food and food in general;
- Competing as a new company in the market against Gerber.
Creating Incentives
Heinz's strategy was to concentrate marketing dollars on the one in seven households in Australia with babies by using gifts and services to build a relationship with mothers; providing samples and incentives to stimulate trial and ongoing purchases.
Along with the hospital marketing campaign, the company also launched a series of ads that would increase awareness of Heinz baby products, increase mother referrals and enhance the company's overall image as measured by food preferences and familiarity of products.
The ads showed babies preferring Heinz baby food over homemade foods. The full color ads which ran on several local regional channels also made the connection between good health and Heinz.
"The campaign focused on well-baby care and personal empowerment, not just baby food," said Adams. "Pre-and post -surveys showed a significant increase in public awareness of the key messages."
With over 75,000 members enrolled in the first year --1994, the Heinz Baby Program is already reaching about one in four babies in Australia.
Member response to the various offers range from 6.5 to ll percent, generating hundreds of calls each week to the Baby Feeding Helpline.
Member feedback has been extremely positive and longer term impact on brand position, attitude and usage is under evaluation, said Brown.
(Heinz Australia, Lauchlan Brown and Nigel Adams, 61-02-248044)