As originally published in Synergyzer Issue 5, 2017 – ‘The Show Must Go On’
In today’s world, where brands are numerous and consumers are spoilt for choice, it can be challenging to make an impactful breakthrough. However, building on strong insight and research, Agro Processors & Atmospheric Gases (APAG) is shaking things up with its innovative and trending SMART range of products. APAG is a trusted brand known for using quality ingredients and producing consistently excellent products. Better known for its brands Soya Supreme, SMART and Malta, the company has been in the FMCG market for several decades.
APAG launched SMART as a brand to meet the needs of modern lifestyles, starting with the introduction of SMART Canola Cooking Oil in collaboration with Sunora Foods, Canada in 2007, which caters to health-conscious customers. April 2017 saw the addition of two new products to the range, diversified –towards mayonnaise and ketchup.
Positioning SMART Fruity Catch-Up
While most competitor ketchup brands position themselves as using ‘100% pure tomatoes’, the company picked up on a gap in the market – there was no ‘healthy’ ketchup available to customers. They came up with a key insight – children today prefer eating fast food and enjoy ketchup with their meals. Thus, SMART Fruity Catch-Up was introduced which is a special ketchup that combines tomatoes with apple and is enriched with fiber and Vitamins A & D, to help consumers get their daily required nutrition while making meals delicious. Apple adds iron and nutritious value to the ketchup formulation, a unique feature not available in other brands.
Keeping these attributes in mind, the brand was positioned as ‘The Healthiest Choice,’ which also makes ‘SMART’ synonymous with health. Connecting on both emotional and functional fronts with its target market, it helps caring moms make smart choices for their kids in terms of food which provides health benefits and nutrition, just as much as it ensures delicious flavor so kids enjoy their meals. From this positioning, APAG created its campaign line ‘SMART Matlab Healthy’, which it delivers in a multitude of ways via the product range.
The SMART Fruity Catch-Up campaign, conceptualized by agency Spectrum Y&R, built on key insights, such as children preferring to snack rather than eating meals at fixed times, ketchup helping make most foods more palatable for children, and moms looking for innovative ways to provide nutritional snacks for their child’s health. Emphasizing the key benefits of Vitamins A & D and Apple added to the ketchup, the campaign strengthened the product’s positioning as a unique healthy and nutritious product, catering to key areas which other brands have not explored.
Promoting Fruity Catch-Up
The TV commercial used an emotional yet witty approach, showcasing the endearing relationship between a father and daughter to represent the care a parent has for his child. The exchange between them brings forward the functional benefits of Vitamins A & D in an engaging way, driving home the message that ‘Smart’ is truly healthy. The TVC also highlights the innovation behind the product – thus touching on the insight that parents truly want the best for their children and will go the extra mile to provide the same. The chosen information vehicles to market the TVC included satellite channels, cable ads, and digital videos, with brand and content integration which took place on Samaa, Geo, Masala TV with Shireen Anwar, and in the Ramzan transmission on ARY Digital based on the Sehr and Iftar Dastarkhwan.
The marketing and advertising strategy worked hand in hand to create an impact with press ads and POS materials, as well as in-store, on-ground and outdoor activities. All campaign collaterals were designed to portray the brand’s RTB, using sophisticated branding and crisp visuals to represent authentic quality organic produce – only the finest ingredients, for only the finest ketchup.
On-ground, SMART Fruity Catch-Up was marketed through apartment sampling, door-to-door selling, various cooking classes at vocational institutions and colleges, and a bakery stall activity in Ramzan. In-store, stalls were held at general trade stores, and brand presence was strengthened with shelf branding and branded gondolas, and a program comprising of brand ambassadors was also carried out in Modern Trade stores. Outdoor and brand activation included an inflated balloon to attract customer attention and increase brand awareness and recall. On the digital platform, several videos have been put up to encourage trial and use of the unique ketchup product.
SMART Fruity Catch-Up met its launch objective and achieved sizeable market share and is being appreciated by consumers. With bold fonts and bright colors on clean, sophisticated packaging, the brand really stands out amongst its competition on the shelves. The launch was seasonal, timed to coincide with Ramadan and Eid, as ketchup is popularly consumed with snacks and barbeque meals and is loved by all.
APAG continues to aim for building loved and trusted brands for consumers across the globe. Through beautifully crafted Halal products that are symbols of lifestyle, convenience and health; the products transform simple meals into memorable feasts!
