Lucky Charms Campaign Book by Rachel Burns

Make Every Meal Magical Make Every Meal Magical

Research Director: Rachel Burns Account Director: Mitchel Wrobel Creative Director: Madison Amboian Creative Director: Sydney McGinnis communications Media Director: Stephanie Qadir PR and Promotions Director: Mary Mulcahy

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Table of Contents About Us............................. Situation Analysis............... Campaign Strategy............ Creative Plan....................... Media Plan.......................... PR & Promotions Plan........ Appendix.............................

3 4 18 26 41 49 58

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About Two Lakes Communications Two Lakes Communications was founded in 2016 in Madison, Wisconsin by a team of UW-Madison students. Its name comes from its location, as Madison is an isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona. Two Lakes is an integrated marketing communications agency committed to providing unique branding campaigns for a wide variety of companies.

Research Director Account Director Creative Director Creative Director Rachel Sydney Madison Mitchel Burns McGinnis Amboian Wrobel

Meida Director Stephanie Qadir

PR/Promotions Director Mary Mulcahy

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Situation Analysis Rachel Burns

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History of General Mills A Healthier General Mills

Fun Facts: • Consumer foods company, founded in 1866 in Minneapolis, MN • A top participant in the cereal industry, second only to Kellogg’s • The company is taking steps to align itself with growing consumer interest in wellness by making health improvements in many of its product lines as well as launching new products • General Mills is dedicating itself to phasing out all artificial colors and flavors of their cereals by 2017

“We’ve continued to listen to consumers who want to see more recognizable and familiar ingredients on the labels and challenged ourselves to remove barriers that prevents adults and children from enjoying out cereals.” – Jim Murphy president of General Mills cereal division

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History of Lucky Charms 1963: Lucky Charms debuted with oat pieces in shapes of bells, fish, arrowheads, clovers and X’s and marshmallows pieces (called “marbits”) shaped as green clovers, pink hearts, orange stars and yellow moons. John Holahan developed the original prototype based on cheerios pieces and chopped up pieces of his favorite candy. Fun Fact: of the original “marbits,” only the pink heart remains 1964: Lucky the Leprechaun debuted with one of the most expensive advertising roll-outs to that date. The campaign featured full color ads in Sunday comics and comic books plus animated ads featuring the charming leprechaun. 1967: A kiss of sugar frosting was added to the oat pieces. 1975: Lucky was briefly replaced as the cereal mascot by Waldo the Wizard. 1996: Lucky featured special edition coins to commemorate the Atlanta Olympic games. 2014: Lucky Charms turns 50. 2016: Lucky Charms are now gluten-free with 10 grams of sugar and 11 grams of whole wheat per serving. General Mills is working to remove all artificial colors and flavors by next year.

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Industry Trends The breakfast cereal industry in the United States is the most lucrative cereal market in the world, according to a MarketLine Industry Profile from 2012. Cereal has long been the backbone of breakfast in the United States, accounting for 88.8% of the market’s total value. However, the industry is beginning to decline as there is an increase in awareness and concern about the nutritional value of cereals, with consumers opting for healthier, on-the-go breakfast choices, such as granola bars and yogurt. In recent years, companies have been making health improvements to their cereals as a result of increasing interest in wellness among consumers. Based on recent trends, nearly half of Millennials (49%) say products with “free-from” claims are worth paying more for, and 36% of consumers would like more foods free of artificial colors.

Industry Statistics • The United States accounts for 42.4% of the global breakfast cereals market value • By 2019, the market value of the cereal industry is forecasted to increase by 3.9% since 2014, while the market volume is expected to decrease 3.5% in the same time period • United States industry-specific revenue is estimated to grow at an annualized rate of 1.9% to $2.5 billion by 2016 • In a survey of 1,210 internet users over the age of 18, 42% said they bought granola bars as a meal replacement for breakfast

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Competitive Environment The top players in the cereal industry are Kellogg and General Mills, both making up over 55% of the market. Since the 1930s, there have been very few entrants to the cereal industry, despite extraordinary profits and low start up and labor costs. The cereals that have been on the market for decades have to continually develop their strategy in order to increase sales. Although cereal is traditionally seen as a breakfast meal, cereals like Lucky Charms that have a taste people love can serve as a healthier alternative to these snack bars. It will not be viewed as the healthiest option on the market, but Lucky Charms does offer more health benefits than other sugary cereals. Instead of competing with options that have a more health-centered image, we are focusing on cereals that are more similar to Lucky Charms.

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Competitor Nutrition Comparison Lucky Charms

Fruit Loops

Frosted Flakes

Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Nutritional Facts

Saturated Fat: 0g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 170mg Total Carbohydrates: 22g Dietary Fiber: 2g Sugars: 10g Protein: 2g

Saturated Fat: 0.5g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 150mg Total Carbohydrates: 25g Dietary Fiber: 3g Sugars: 10g Protein: 1g

Saturated Fat: 0g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 150mg Total Carbohydrates: 26g Dietary Fiber: <1g Sugars: 10g Protein: 1g

Saturated Fat: 0.5g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium:180 mg Total Carbohydrates: 25g Dietary Fiber: 2g Sugars: 9g Protein: 1g

Ingredients

Whole Grain Oats, Sugar, Oat Flour, Corn Syrup, Modified Corn Starch, Corn Starch, Dextrose, Salt, Gelatin, Trisodium Phosphate, Artificial Colors, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Vitamin E

Sugar, Corn Flour Blend, Wheat Flour, Whole Grain Oat Flour, Oat Fiber, Modified Food Starch, Soluble Corn Fiber, Natural Flavor, Red 40, Tumeric Extract Color, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Annatto Extract Color, BHT

Milled Corn, Sugar, Malt Flavor, BHT, Iron, Niacinamide, Folic Acid, Vitamins C, B6, B2, A Palmitale, D, B12

Strengths & Weaknesses

• General Mills • Recognizable mascot and slogan • Removing artificial colors and flavors • Gluten-free

• Kellogg’s • Bright, colorful packaging • Popular cereal brand • Promotes being active to kids

• Kellogg’s • Recognizable mascot and slogan • Promotes being active to kids

Whole Grain Wheat, Sugar, Rice Flour, Rice Bran and/or Canola Oil, Fructose, Maltodectric, Dextrose, Salt, Cinnamon, Trisodium Phosphate, Soy Lecithin, Caramel Color, BHT, Calcium Carbonate, Zinc and Iron, Vitamins C, A, B, B2, B1, B12, D3

• General Mills • Recognizable packaging • More whole grain than any other ingredient

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Consumer Analysis Based on findings from Simmons data regarding the consumption of Lucky Charms in households, we know that consumers concerned with healthy, all natural foods are not choosing Lucky Charms. Instead, our current consumers live a fast-paced lifestyle, are less concerned with the nutritional value of their cereal and could be swayed to try other cereals based on price and available coupons. Those who have Lucky Charms in their household agreed with the following statements:

Those who do not have Lucky Charms in their households agreed with the following statements:

“Often I can be swayed by coupons to try new food products.”

“I prefer to eat foods without artificial additives.”

“I frequently eat sweets.”

“When shopping for food, I especially look for organic or natural foods”

“Fast food fits my busy lifestyle.”

“Nutritional value is the most important factor in what food I eat”

Further insights 1. 55.42% of respondents ages 18 to 25 ate cereal as a kid. Of that percentage, 20.48% still eat Lucky Charms today. 2. 62.65% of cereal consumers eat cereal for breakfast, while 31.33% eat cereal as a snack.

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Current Consumers Primary Consumer: Busy/ Working Parents, Ages 34-44 • Age Range: 34-44; Income: $75,000-$149,000 • Data shows that our primary consumer base includes busy families that do not have time to sit down for meals together, and instead opt for quicker and easier choices

Secondary Consumer: Young Adults, Ages 18-24 • Age Range: 18-24; Income: 15,000-19,999 / $25,000-$29,000 • There is a strong nostalgic appeal among Millennials, with 68% saying the brand they loved as a kid is still their favorite. General Mills has appealed to the nostalgic Millennial audience through its “retro boxes” tradition, which included redesigning its packaging with original artwork.

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Brand Analysis For over 50 years, Lucky Charms cereal has been a childhood favorite with its recognizable image driven by the brand’s popular mascot, Lucky the Leprechaun, and catchy slogan, “They’re magically delicious!” With the increasing number of health-conscious consumers today, the brand is seeing shifting public opinion and a decrease in sales as it cannot provide kids with the same nutritional value that other healthier options can. In an attempt to create a healthier public image for Lucky Charms and the company as a whole, General Mills has decreased the cereal’s sugar content, made it gluten-free, and is in the process of removing artificial colors and flavors. Our team conducted a survey to measure opinions on the brand. When asked to reveal words or phrases that came to mind when they hear “Lucky Charms,” we received a variety of responses.

Survery Responses • • • • • • • •

Leprechaun Marshmallows Rainbow Colorful Sugar Delicious Childhood Happy

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Media Usage Analysis Lucky Charms uses multiple media platforms to promote its brand in general as well as specific promotional campaigns. Social media accounts for the brand are helpful for not only promoting the cereal’s brand, but also for establishing direct connections with the cereal’s consumers

#MagicallyDelicious – Social Media Engagement: Facebook

• • • •

Posts once per week, quickly responding directly to customer comments, concerns and questions Frequently shares followers’ posts that feature Lucky Charms Cereal “Start the School Year with a Bowl of Luck,” featured at the end of August Uses this as a platform for cross-promotions. For example, in July 2016, Lucky Charms gave out figurines based on characters from The Secret Life of Pets movie in select boxes.

Twitter

• Posts content every 2-3 days • Responds to suggestions: “We will pass this on to our team” • Asks users with complaints to direct message the account for further information on their issues and how correct and respond them • On September 25, they tweeted at select Twitter users “good luck” for “the luckiest day of the year”

Instagram

•

Posts about two times per week, not just their own pictures, but consumers’ pictures too, engaging consumer involvement with the brand

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Creative Analysis Lucky Charms has kept a fairly consistent creative image throughout the cereal’s 50 years on the market (other than a brief mascot change in 1975). The colorful red and yellow box grabs people’s attention and promotes hunger. In addition, Lucky the Leprechaun and his slogan, “They’re magically delicious!” that have been around for decades creates a cheerful, memorable impression among both children and adults. Advertising campaigns have customarily targeted children, peaking their interest with playful commercials starring Lucky the Leprechaun and keeping them interested with their games and activities on the boxes. In addition, Lucky Charms is ahead of the curve when it comes to thinking of an adult audience. Some promotional advertising tactics have included limited-edition boxes, such as “retro-boxes” and unique packages designed specifically for holidays, seasons and significant events, such as the Olympics and the moon landing. In order to keep up with a growing consumer interest in health and wellness, Lucky Charms has begun to highlight its specific health improvements. These health improvements include reducing its sugar content, increasing its whole grain content, and removing artificial colors and flavors. Continuing to focus on adult consumers and the improving nutritional values of Lucky Charms will contribute to the continued success of the brand.

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Public Opinion Analysis In today’s busy society, people want more convenient and on-the-go breakfasts, but they also want healthier, protein-rich options that keep them fuller for longer. Lucky Charms is facing declining sales and public opinions because of the unhealthy, sugar-filled image it has. The cereal’s youthful advertising captures children’s attention, but it does not convince parents with buying power to purchase a cereal that does not have enough nutritional value for their kids. As a result, Lucky Charms has been moving toward a healthier brand image and improving the cereal’s nutritional value. Lucky Charms uses its social media accounts to respond to customer complaints, either by responding directly to critical comments or asking the user to direct message them for a more personal conversation about concerns. The last time Lucky Charms was covered by major news outlets was in 2015 with the brand’s announcement of working towards the removal of artificial colors and flavors by the end of 2017. In September of 2016, scientists announced that they are struggling to reproduce the bright colors of the marshmallows with natural colors. Blues and greens pose a particularly difficult challenge, as scientists have yet to produce the colors without changing the taste. General Mills worries about changing the colors of the cereal and losing its nostalgic touch. The brand is continuing efforts to create a healthier image for the cereal to align with consumer needs.

Stakeholders Employees: General Mills has approximately 39,000 part and full-time employees around the world Retailers: General Mills has $2.3 billion in retail cereal sales. Lucky Charms has become a staple, expected item in numerous grocery stores, hotels and even hospitals. Schools: Schools receive funding from Box Top for Education, which are featured on General Mills products (including Lucky Charms). Each school can earn up to $20,000 through Box Top clippings. Consumers: While many consumers love the familiar look and playful nature of the cereal, others are concerned with its nutritional value and certain ingredients. Lucky Charms would have a difficult time addressing these concerns without altering the production or product itself.

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SWOT Analysis Strengths

Weaknesses

• Very recognizable brand mascot with Lucky the Leprechaun and the slogan, “They’re magically delicious!”

• Cereal sales in general are declining and people are choosing more on-the-go breakfast options

• Has a very nostalgic appeal to young adults/adults

• People don’t view Lucky Charms as a healthy choice (It is not kosher, vegetarian or dairy-free)

• Lucky Charms is ahead of the curve when it comes to thinking about an adult audience; most of the competition is just marketing to kids • Move towards a healthier image by becoming gluten-free and removing artificial colors and flavors

• Scientists having trouble finding success at removing artificial colors and flavors without altering the taste

• General Mills has the second largest market share (27.2%) in the industry • Box tops align with positive consumer views

Opportunities

Threats

• Lucky Charms is a quick meal that kids and parents can enjoy together, similar to Cheerios’ family centered appeal to consumers

• On-the-go breakfast choices taking away from cereal consumers and cereal sales are declining

• This cereal is not just about breakfast, but a snack to enjoy throughout the day • Compared to similar cereals, Lucky Charms provides at least a slight health advantage to some competitors in the market

• In today’s fast paced society, people may be skipping breakfast altogether • Health-conscious consumers are increasingly choosing high-protein, healthy breakfast options

• Can take advantage of the cereal’s recognizable brand and expand on that to maintain a consistent brand voice

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Key Issues and Implications 1. In todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fast-paced society, people are choosing quick, on-the-go breakfast options to accommodate their hectic schedules. Although there are faster options for consumers to take with them, Lucky Charms is still a quick option that families can enjoy together. 2. Consumers are becoming increasingly health conscious and want to be eating more organic and natural foods, but Lucky Charms does not have a significantly positive health image. General Mills is adapting the cereal to reduce sugar and remove artificial colors and flavors, but it is still not seen as the healthiest option available. Making health benefits the central focus of the campaign would not be successful. 3. Lucky Charms is not always about breakfast; it can be consumed at any time of the day. Kids like that they can view it as a treat, while parents like that it has some health benefits compared to other sugary options. In addition to the cerealâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health benefits, it is also a stealthy way to get children to have milk. It is a better treat for kids to have rather than having chips or candy bars.

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Campaign Strategy Mitchel Wrobel

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Campaign Objectives

Two Lakes Communications is excited to reveal the “Make Every Meal Magical” Campaign for Lucky Charms. The ultimate goal of our “Make Every Meal Magical” campaign is to expand on the view of Lucky Charms as solely a breakfast cereal. While Lucky Charms is part of a convenient, balanced breakfast, it is more than that. It can be used as a snack at all times of day that all ages can enjoy. While it is unlikely that Lucky Charms will ever be seen as a health food, it has numerous nutritional advantages in comparison to other products in its category. Lucky Charms has zero fat and cholesterol and just 10 grams of sugar. In addition, it is most often eaten with milk, so consumers are getting an added source of protein and calcium.

Consumer Targets

As one of the country’s most popular cereals with $290 million in sales in 2014 , Lucky Charms already has a broad consumer base to build off. In order to reach the largest consumer base, we have chosen both a primary and secondary consumer target for our “Make Every Meal Magical” campaign strategy.

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Primary Target: The Bakers Our primary target is the current consumer of Lucky Charms. Characterized by their on-the-go lifestyle and large household size, our primary consumer is in constant need of a versatile snack that is a healthier alternative to other common snack foods such as cookies or candy bars. As middle-aged 30 to 49-year-olds, they are familiar with the Lucky Charms brand and likely ate it as a child, adding nostalgic value to the brand name. Additionally, the percentage of Lucky Charms consumers who are adults has risen to 45 percent. Our primary consumers like to live life on-the-go. Their large families and full-time work keep them busy. They wake up early in the morning, get their children ready for school, then go to work for the entire day. After getting home, they are often tired out and just want a quick snack for their children. They often probably relax by watching cable and primetime television with their family, have a quick dinner and then go to bed to start their hectic lifestyle over again.

Key Insights: • The majority of people eat cereal at times other than breakfast, which means Lucky Charms can be eaten at times other than breakfast as well • Our primary consumers live a fast-paced lifestyle that requires a versatile, healthy and good-tasting snack for the whole family that can accommodate to their lifestyle – Lucky Charms is the perfect snack for this

The Bakers Age Family Status Location

30-49 4+, married Midwest

Household Income

$100,000 - $150,000

Media Mix

Mostly Cable TV

Lifestyle Eating Habits

Fast-paced, on-the-go Rarely sit down for meals at home, slightly concerned with health but not a top priority

• While these fast-paced families often do not have time to sit down for a family meal, the family-oriented and nostalgic value of the Lucky Charms brand allows for families to take a break from their hectic schedule to enjoy time together

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Secondary Target: Mitch Our secondary target consumer is the younger version of the primary consumer. The secondary consumer will one day grow into our primary consumer. Since 68 percent of Millennials say the brand they loved as a kid is still their favorite, it is important to stress Lucky Charms to this consumer group. Our secondary consumers are aged 18 to 29, single and live in urban areas. They are highly digitalized and spend much of their time on social media, which will be a major means of reaching them through our campaign. Similar to our primary consumer, secondary consumers live a fast-paced lifestyle where quick and easy snacks are a necessity.

Key Insights: • Similar to our primary target, the majority of people eat cereal at times other than breakfast – Lucky Charms can position itself as a versatile every-day snack that can be eaten any time • The fast-paced and hard-working lifestyle of our secondary consumer means that they don’t have time to cook for themselves. Lucky Charms provides a healthier alternative to fast food or other unhealthy snacks that this group would otherwise be eating

Mitch Age Family Status Location

18-29 Single, unmarried Urban areas, big cities

Household Income

$50,000 or less

Media Mix

Mostly online, social media

Lifestyle Eating Habits

Fast-paced, on-the-go, “young professional”

Quick snacks, unlikely to cook, eat out often

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Tertiary Targets We realize that consumers are not the only people who buy Lucky Charms. In addition to our primary and secondary consumer targets, we will also include business-to-business targets. As important distributors of Lucky Charms, grocery stores and wholesale retailers will be included in our tertiary target group. Additionally, cooking brands and chef thought-leaders will be included in our target market to help position Lucky Charms as a versatile and healthy alternative snack food.

Competitive Advantage While many cereals on the market resonate well with either parents or children, very few attract all ages as well as Lucky Charms. The bright colors, tasty marshmallows and appeal of the Lucky the Leprechaun mascot attract children, while the healthy and nostalgic nature of the product attract parents. Thus, Lucky Charms can be seen as a treat to children and an easy meal or snack option for parents.

Unique Selling Proposition

Lucky Charms stands apart from other sugary cereal competitors in a number of ways. The colorful marshmallows that distinguish Lucky Charms are something that is not found in any other product. Also, Lucky Charms easily positions itself as more than a breakfast food â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it is something that can be consumed at all times of the day. While other cereals may be able to claim this as well, Lucky Charmsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; unique flavor and fun marshmallows make it a snack that does not get boring. Additionally, Lucky Charms is comparably healthier than its sugar cereal competitors and other common snack foods that individuals eat throughout the day.

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Brand Positioning Lucky Charms’ current brand position is as a kids’ breakfast cereal that many associate with bright colors, high levels of sugar and nostalgia. Throughout the “Make Every Meal Magical” campaign, Lucky Charms will be branded as a family-oriented, convenient and adaptable snack that can be enjoyed by all members of the family at all times of day. Eating Lucky Charms provides the perfect opportunity for large families to enjoy a much-needed escape from their hectic lifestyle; even if only for a 5-minute snack. Lucky Charms is already ahead of its competition in marketing to an adult audience. In 2014, Lucky Charms experienced a 3 percent jump in sales after an advertising campaign directed at young adults. While it has had some difficulties maintaining a consistent brand image across campaigns, this new strategy can position the brand as a snack or quick meal option against competitors that will appeal to consumers of all ages. Lucky Charms currently has a very favorable brand personality, and that is something that we want to build off. Its bright colors, playful attitude and imaginative mascot are attractive to all ages. In addition to this, we want to invoke nostalgia and family values through our campaign. When consumers eat Lucky Charms, they should feel sentimental, reminiscent, family-oriented, playful and happy. Through the “Make Every Meal Magical” campaign, we want to reinforce the brand’s family values, such as enjoying a simple meal together that everyone can easily fit in their busy schedules. Additionally, Lucky Charms is a healthier option than many other popular cereals and snack foods. For example, it is made with whole grains, has 10 grams of sugar per serving and has numerous vitamins and minerals. Currently, many consumers still associate Lucky Charms with bright, artificial colors and high sugar content. According to 2014 Simmons data, non-consumers of Lucky Charms avoid sugar and prefer natural ingredients. Lucky Charms will be removing its artificial colors by 2017 and has a lower sugar content per serving than Fruit Loops and Frosted Flakes. Kids will still feel as if they are eating a treat for a snack, but parents will know it is a healthier option than many snack foods, such as chips or cookies.

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Scope and Reach Due to the broad reach of our target consumers and Lucky Charms brand, our integrated campaign will focus on a number of areas. By using our campaign name, “Make Every Meal Magical,” along with the slogan, “any time of the day can be magical,” advertisements will stress family values and taking a break from the fast-paced lifestyle to enjoy Lucky Charms together. Media placements on cable television will be focused around the spring and summer time, after school when children are home. Advertising pushes on social media and television will also take place around the holiday seasons, when families often spend time together. Campaigns will be focused in urban areas and in the Midwest and South. These are the regions where most of our target market is concentrated.

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Creative Brief Currently, Lucky Charms finds itself at a strange point between trying to keep up with a growing health-conscious trend in people’s diet and maintaining its image as a popular sugar cereal. Lucky Charms is embracing this health debate by trying to cut out artificial food coloring, by offering gluten-free options and by reducing sugar content. While the healthful benefits that Lucky Charms offers are a great addition to the delicious cereal, Two Lakes Communications would instead like to focus on the idea of Lucky Charms more than a breakfast food. According to Simmons data, cereals such as Lucky Charms are often eaten throughout the day. We can expand on this to make Lucky Charms a snack that can be eaten at all times of the day. In one word, Lucky Charms can be described as versatile. Lucky Charms fits into the on-the-go lifestyle of our primary and secondary target consumers by offering a quick, healthy and appealing snack or meal to all ages. With General Mills’ trusted image as a leader in the cereal industry at 31 percent market share, consumers will find the campaign trustworthy and motivating. A number of results are desired from the “Make Every Meal Magical” campaign. First, consumers should see Lucky Charms as more than just a breakfast meal and as an essential snack food that does not get boring and can be enjoyed at all times of the day. After interacting with this campaign, consumers should feel satisfied and content with their decision to eat Lucky Charms. They should also feel family-oriented, as the Lucky Charms brand evokes memories and nostalgia. The “Make Every Meal Magical” campaign will use the family-oriented, soft-sell and emotional appeal in all its advertisements across different mediums. The campaign stresses taking a break from the fast-paced lifestyle, even if just for a few minutes. We will look to touch on family values and feel-good persuasion messages. Through emotional, soft-sell advertisements, consumers will be urged to reminisce on their own memories with Lucky Charms and look to create new ones as well.

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Creative Plan Sydney McGinnis Madison Amboian

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Creative Concept

For this campaign, we want to focus our attention on families being able to enjoy Lucky Charms at any time of the day. Our campaign is meant to show that Lucky Charms is truly a versatile cereal. We want to show our target consumers that they can enjoy this cereal not only during breakfast time, but also as a quick and healthy snack regardless of age. The plan grows off of the situation analysis and campaign strategy because we will design the content around the primary and secondary consumers’ lifestyles. These groups depict busy adults who are always on-the-go. The primary audience is the current consumer, busy adults with children. They have grown up with the cereal and have brand awareness, so they will understand subtle identifiers, such as the marshmallows and Lucky the Leprechaun. We will take advantage of these traits by creating simplistic print and billboard ads that take minimal energy to understand. We believe the simplicity will allow the ads to stand out through the clutter of advertisements seen daily. Because the primary consumers already eat cereal at times other than breakfast, the ads will be a quick reminder. We will also target the 18 to 29 age bracket as our secondary consumers because studies show that Millennials prefer the brand they enjoyed as a kid. These secondary consumers will grow up to become our primary consumers.

Unifying Elements Theme: Family values, eating at any time of the day Tagline: “Any time of the day can be magical” Slogan: “Make every meal magical” Jingle: Current jingle, but using our new slogan Continuity Devices: Keeping the mascot and logo as it currently is

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Unique Properties

Using fun colors that give the ads a magical feel emphasizes the unique properties of the brand. We will emphasize the idea that Lucky Charms is not limited to breakfast. The creative alters the brand personality and overall branding by appealing to both children and adults. We want Lucky Charms to be an experience that can be enjoyed together as a family at any time of day.

Audience Impact

Our intention is to have the audience feel that they can indulge in a bowl of Lucky Charms at any time of the day. Our primary consumers include middle class adults with larger families. Research has shown that both children and adults like Lucky Charms cereal. Therefore, Lucky Charms wants to be a snack that families can enjoy together at any time of the day.

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Campaign Advantages and Appeal Our campaign theme is that you can eat Lucky Charms at any time of the day. We will keep the logo and mascot the same as it currently stands. We think that this is an iconic character, and the fact that it is instantly recognizable will be a benefit to our campaign. Consumers already know and love Lucky the Leprechaun because they were exposed to the character growing up. Keeping the logo will be beneficial because our consumers already recognize it. For this campaign, we are keeping the same tune of the Lucky Charms’ jingle. We will, however, make an acoustic version for the jingle and change the words to our slogan, “make every meal magical.” This way, people will still identify with Lucky Charms’ past branding, but will hear something new. We are changing the slogan from “They’re magically delicious!” to “Make every meal magical.” Our tagline will be “any time of the day can be magical,” building upon our slogan. Lucky Charms is not a cereal that must be eaten at conventional breakfast times. In fact, Simmons data has shown that most people eat Lucky Charms as a snack between meals. We will leave the website mostly untouched, but we will incorporate new elements and legitimize the campaign. The elements that we are unifying throughout this campaign are family values and eating Lucky Charms at any time of the day. We want Lucky Charms to be a cereal that brings joy to a family in a fun, magical and imaginative way. We will capitalize on the fact that not all families have sufficient time to sit down for a traditional meal. Our campaign encourages families to enjoy a bowl of Lucky Charms together, even when they come home from work or school. We hope to see a transformation in brand identity and awareness as our Lucky Charms campaign progresses. The position of the product relative to the competition is that it is a brand that resonates with more than just young children. The current brand image identifies this trait, but still separates commercials and ads by using a variety of cartoons and human characters. By unifying Lucky Charms under one universal idea, our audience will better understand us as a brand.

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Brand Goals 1. Appeal to both children and adults Our primary target includes parents with larger families. Lucky Charms is a great alternative for on-the-go families that do not have time for a conventional breakfast. It is a cereal that will provide the family with a delicious breakfast that can be enjoyed when our consumers have time. 2. Enjoy Lucky Charms at any time of the day Our campaign will strongly enforce the idea that Lucky Charms can be enjoyed at any time of the day, and is a great choice for not only breakfast, but also as a snack. Our secondary target includes young adults from the ages 18 to 29. These young adults have just entered the work force and are constantly on the move. They may not have time to sit down for a meal, but that is no worry for them. Lucky Charms can be enjoyed at any time of the day, and these young adults can indulge in a bowl of Lucky Charms whenever they are seeking a delicious snack. 3. Share with family and friends We want to emphasize that Lucky Charms is meant to be shared and convenient. It is accessible to almost anyone and should be enjoyed with good company. Lucky Charms has a combination of the delicious marshmallows to add just the right amount of sweetness to your day. Our slogan stating that â&#x20AC;&#x153;any time of the day can be magicalâ&#x20AC;? is shown through eating Lucky Charms whenever, wherever and with whomever you please.

Commercial One

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Sentimental music is playing throughout the entire commercial. The music should invoke emotions of a warm family dynamic and togetherness. Every part of the commercial should feel light-hearted, care-free and extremely family oriented. We will push Lucky Charms as being convenient and adaptable. This food is not just a breakfast cereal. There are no words spoken throughout the ad, but the emotions will be portrayed by the music and light-hearted family behavior. Lucky Charms is partnering with Disney as promotional tactic.

1. A family consisting of young kids and parents are pictured spending the day at Disney World. They are clearly happy and enjoying their time together while doing different activities.

2. The family goes on rides together, the young kids get their faces painted, and the family takes pictures with the disney characters. (Implement realistic sounds, like laughing, fun screaming, the rides moving, mixing in with the music.)

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Commercial One (Cont.) 3. The family comes back from Disney World wearing Mickey ears. They are happy and the energy is light-hearted. They are excited to have experienced the park together.

4. At night, when they get back after a great day, the young kid grabs a box of Lucky Charms cereal. The mom grabs bowls and spoons and the dad gets the milk from the fridge. The whole family sits down together, they are socializing, laughing and mouthing words because the music is still the main audio. make it clear that it is not breakfast time

5. Each family member pours their bowl of cereal. The commercial will show that they are completely satisfied and happy with their first bites.

Commercial ends by panning out and seeing the whole family enjoying the cereal together as the jingle is played. A voiceover will say â&#x20AC;&#x153;keep the magic going even after the trip.â&#x20AC;? The Lucky Charms logo and slogan shows up in the middle of the screen just a few seconds before the end of the commercial.

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Commercial Two There are no words in this ad. There will be comforting, family-oriented music playing in the background. 1. A little boy about four years old runs off from the school bus, into his kitchen and grabs the box of Lucky

2. He runs up to his mom who is sitting at the kitchen counter after his first day of school. He has just put his backpack away and is really excited to enjoy this Lucky Charms with his mom. Since he is just coming home from school, it clearly shows that he is eating the Lucky Charms as a snack in the afternoon. She grabs the Lucky Charms from him and pours the cereal into two bowls as they sit down and enjoy eating together. close up of the cereal being poured, then pan out to them sitting together eating. Close up of each of them smiling while eating

3. The same boy is now in high school and comes back from sports practice in the evening. As he did in the first scene, he goes to the cabinets to grab the Lucky Charms and this time he pours two bowls for himself and his mom. It is nighttime and they both sit there smiling while eating their Lucky Charms. pan to both of their faces individually smiling, same as scene before

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Commercial Two (Cont.) 4. Again, the same boy comes back as a father with his daughter, who is just about four years old. It is a nice Sunday morning, as the grandma hears a knock on the door. She checks her watch. The time says 11:30 am. She smiles with delight, as they are right on time. The father and his daughter walk in holding hands, and she runs to the counter where she sees the Lucky Charms sitting out. She grabs it, because she has grown up eating it, and it is extremely convenient for her. She puts it on the table with a huge smile on her face. Her father and his mother look at each other smiling, and the dad hands the box of Lucky Charms to his mother as he gets up to grab them bowls to eat the Lucky Charms. The grandmother is looking at them, so delighted, and enjoys a snack with her granddaughter. Pan to father smiling, and then show the grandma and her granddaughter eating and enjoying the bowl of cereal at night because it has become more than just a breakfast cereal for them

Commercial ends by panning out and seeing all three of them enjoying the cereal together as the jingle is played. The Lucky Charms logo shows up in the middle of the screen, then the words â&#x20AC;&#x153;anytime of the day can be magical,â&#x20AC;? just a few seconds before the end of the commercial.

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Billboard

Rationale We will place the billboard along popular highways and on busy streets throughout the duration of the campaign because our primary and secondary consumer is typically on-the-go. They are likely the people who are spending a significant amount of time in the car, whether going to work or taking kids to their activities. We will maintain the fun and magical feel by exchanging the numbers on a typical clock for the Lucky Charms marshmallows. The bright colors should draw attention and the simplicity should allow the consumers to understand what the message is trying to convey.

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Print Advertisements

Rationale

These ads will also be parallel to the previous ad. They will be placed in InStyle Magazine and Everyday with Rachael Ray throughout the duration of the campaign. Because choosing cereal is a low involvement product, it is important that the consumer knows quickly what the ad is and what it is trying to get them to do. We will use fun colors, but we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want our consumer to work hard to understand the advertisement. We will use different variations of the same message in order to maintain engagement. If the consumer is repeatedly exposed to the same material, they will probably get sick of it after a while.

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Radio Script This radio script is a narrator speaking to the driver. It is meant to make the listener hungry, and make them think of Lucky Charms. We want to clearly convey the message that Lucky Charms does not have to be eaten at breakfast time, but in fact can be eaten as a snack throughout the day. “You hear that?” **stomach grumbling sound** Someone sounds hungry! Do you wish you had the perfect snack to satisfy that hunger? Don’t turn into that McDonald’s that you’re passing by or the Subway around the corner. Indulge in a bowl of Lucky Charms. Because any time of the day can be magical.” Jingle **make every meal magical**

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Website

Small amount of campaign implemented

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Interactive One We will promote this color-changing banner on Facebook. We want the background of the image to change color from daytime to nighttime colors. This constant cycle of color change will promote the idea that Lucky Charms can be eaten at any time of day. We are maintaining the simplicity characteristic for our ads to make them more reader friendly and hopefully break through the clutter. The banner will take the users to the Lucky Charms Facebook page where they will hopefully like and follow the account.

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Interactive Two We will show this banner on Facebook and Hulu. This ad aligns with our marshmallow design contest (explained in the PR/Promotions Plan section). We want to get users involved with Lucky Charms. By giving consumers the opportunity to put their own personal touch on Lucky Charms, people will actually focus their attention on the brand itself. We hope this will bring more brand awareness and liking. Again, we used fun, light-hearted and magical colors to reinforce our brand image. We also kept the message simple to encourage readers to actually engage and click on the ad. This banner will take users to the website where we will have a temporary page created. Here they will be able to submit their marshmallow design.

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Media Plan Stephanie Qadir

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Target Many of our media vehicles were chosen because they are viewed or utilized by a large portion of our primary and secondary audiences. Our strategy is to target our audience across a variety of different types of media on different platforms so that they can be continually exposed to the campaign while maximizing our $12 million budget. Our target demographic, married adults in the age range of 30 to 49 living in the Midwest with a family size of four or more people, consumes various types of media on which we hope to connect them to our campaign, as well as their children. As Simmons data does not take into consideration the lifestyles of those under the age of 18, an age group that could include the children of our primary target, we selected media that could also have the potential to be viewed by our target marketâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s children as well to incorporate the idea of families wanting to eat Lucky Charms together. Another target our firm hopes to reach is the current consumer of Lucky Charms, young working professionals who live in urban areas. By targeting multiple audiences in media placement, our firm aims to expand knowledge, likability and consumption of Lucky Charms across a wide variety of groups.

Regionality

There will be an emphasis on advertising in the Midwest while still advertising in different areas around the country.

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Timing

Our strategy will use a pulsing technique wherein advertisements are continually run throughout the year but emphasized over the summer months (June to August) and around the holiday season (November to January). The two time periods are when children and families are able to spend time together because school is not necessarily in session. The campaign will start in June to kick off more intense media promotion for the duration of the summer. It will gradually decrease to a steady promotion, while becoming increasingly aggressive around the holiday season, and conclude after a full calendar year the following June. The daily timing of the individual advertisements were selected to be, for the most part, at nighttime. For example, during primetime TV hours when most family members are home after school and work, as well as some daytime and early evening coverage.

Contingency We will set aside $500,000 of the total budget in case of emergencies that could require some funding to ameliorate.

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Impact Media

We chose the Grammy Awards for a spot to air an advertisement for Lucky Charms because of its large reach. Of the Grammyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s viewers, 32.9 percent fall into the 30 to 49 age range. Since 40.9 percent of VMA viewers fall into our target age category, we decided to buy an advertisement during the MTV Video Music Awards. We also considered that because these two events are major awards shows, families may watch them together and thus children can also be exposed to our campaign. Two separate advertisements were purchased for airing during the NBA playoffs, one each in May and June. Although they are somewhat costly, they have 37.7 percent viewership in our target demographic age range. The playoffs proved to be a cheaper alternative to potentially wider-reaching but drastically more expensive events such as the Super Bowl. An active social media presence will also be established for the brand using Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to engage one-on-one with followers to encourage the use of hashtags and direct messaging the page administrators with any concerns in an effort to foster good customer relations. A budget does not need to be allocated for this virtually free publicity. The coverage during our emphasis seasons during the summer and subsequently in the winter holiday season on different unique impact media forms such as Pandora and Hulu will increase the exposure of our target to Lucky Charms because we are using such a wide variety of outlets. Additionally, a one-time fee of $25,000 will be paid to account for the management of Search Engine Optimization so that information about Lucky Charms can easily be found on search engines. For one year, a rich media ad will be placed on Facebook each month. Facebook has billions of users, therefore allowing a large potential reach. Rich media will be more effective and is necessary because of the interactive features that will be present within the ads to draw potential consumers into the brand. A Pandora ad costing $15,000 per month will run from October to January to give additional awareness to Pandora listeners, as 45.3 percent of Pandora listeners are in our primary target age range. Also, a monthly advertisement costing $35,000 per month will run on Hulu from the months June to August because a large portion of Hulu users (42.5 percent) are within the primary target age range. An active social media presence will also be established for the brand using Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to engage one-on-one with followers. This will encourage the use of hashtags and direct messaging the page administrators with any concerns in an effort to foster good customer relations. A budget does not need to be allocated for this virtually free publicity. The coverage during our emphasized seasons of the summer and the winter holiday season on different unique impact media forms, such as Pandora and Hulu, will increase the exposure of our target to Lucky Charms because we are using such a wide variety of outlets.

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Traditional Media Television We will utilize different forms of traditional media to ensure that coverage and brand awareness will ensue. We will also dedicate 40 percent of the remaining budget after contingencies and impact media spending are subtracted to cable television primetime and late night/fringe national television (20 percent each). These channels were chosen because they are the primary media that our target consumes and tunes into on a regular basis. Cable TV primetime fits the schedule of busy working parents who do not have time watch TV during the day and can watch the evening news after work gets out. Additionally, our young, professional secondary consumer is an avid watcher of late-night programs including Adult Swim (a sub-channel on Cartoon Network that plays more mature shows after 8:00 p.m.) and Nick at Nite. In one study, those who viewed the channel Adult Swim were 86 percent more likely than others to have eaten Lucky Charms in the past seven days. Fifteen percent of the budget will be dedicated to daytime spot television. When our consumers have limited time during the day to watch TV, we want to ensure coverage throughout the day on channels such as Food Network and the E! Network. Ten percent will be put towards spot late night and fringe television, while 10 percent will be given to early evening and fringe national television to cater towards this secondary target.

Google keywords, 1/month 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Lucky Charms Leprechaun Magically Delicious Magical Easy Recipes Best Breakfast Cereal Convenient snack Anytime On-the-Go

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Radio

Radio will also be used because of its wide reach and impressive cost effectiveness. Fifteen percent of the remaining budget will be put towards national radio drive times so that consumers may hear about Lucky Charms while on the commute to or from their jobs.

Ten percent of the budget will be given to national womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s magazines because of the large readership by Lucky Charms. The magazines we chose to advertise in are Everyday with Rachael Ray (with an index of 146) and InStyle (with an index of 139). Lucky Charms would like to be visible within these magazines not only because of their readership, but because of the durability and longevity of having a physical advertisement.

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Media Charts Non-Impact Media

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Total

Cable TV Primetime National TV

National TV

National Radio Drive Times Spot TV Daytime Spot TV Late Night/Fringe National Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Magazine Sum Total

403

Late Night/Fringe Early Evening/Fringe

Impact Media

12 98

26 110 110 110 26

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Grammy Awards

1 1

NBA Playoff Keywords

SEO Facebook Ads Pandora Ad

1 1

Hulu 4

Total

1 1

MTV VMAs

Sum Total

3 3

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Media Charts (Cont.) Media Planning Spreadsheet Total Budget

Total on Impact

Contingency

Remainder

$12 million

$3,674,606.00

$500,000.00

$7,825,394.00

Impact Media

Unit Alloc.

Cost Per Unit

$ Allocation

Grammy Awards

$39,610

MTV VMAs

$28,888

$346,656

NBA Playoff

$25,674

$1,283,700

Keywords

$50,000

$600,000

SEO

$25,000

Facebook Ads

$22,000

$264,000

Pandora Ad

$15,000

$60,000

Hulu

$35,000

$105,000

Sum Total

$990,250

$3,674,606

Conventional Media Media Categories % Allocation Cable TV 20% Primetime National TV 0% Primetime National TV 20% Late Night/Fringe

CPP Total $19,227

$Allocation $1,565,078.80

GRPS 81

$0.00 $24,776

$1,565,078.80

National TV

10%

$16,871

$782,539.40

National Radio Drive Times Spot TV Daytime

15%

$2,913

$1,173,809.10

403

15%

$12,071

$1,173,809.10

Spot TV Late Night/Fringe National Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Magazine

10%

$14,688

$782,539.40

10%

$21,240

$782,539.40

Early Evening/Fringe

Sum Total

$7,825,394.00

Total Media Spending Impact Media Spending Cable TV Primetime National TV Primetime

$ Alloccation

% Allocation

$3,674,606

34.29%

$1,565,078.80

14.60%

$0.00

0.00%

National TV

$1,565,078.80

25.56%

National Radio Drive Times Spot TV Daytime

$1,173,809.10

9.78%

$1,173,809.10

10.95%

Spot TV Late Night/Fringe

$782,539.40

7.30%

National Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Magazine

$782,539.40

7.30%

Total Spending

$12,000,000

Late Night/Fringe

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PR and Promotions Mary Mulcahy

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Introduction Lucky Charms believes in family values and spending time with loved ones, just as its consumers do. Many families would like to sit down for meals together, but conflicting busy schedules donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t permit quality time together. Because of the on-the-go lifestyles Lucky Charms consumers live, they may not have time to prepare extravagant healthy meals or snacks. Family time and foods with nutritional value are still important to these consumers. Lucky Charms is an easy snack that families can enjoy together at any time of the day, whether it be enjoying a bowl after soccer practice or a late-night snack. Lucky Charms reflects these values in the promotions, organizations and initiatives.

PR Schedule Jan

Feb

Social Media Theme

Promotions

Public Relations

Mar

Apr

Marshmallow Design Contest New Years

V-Day

Marshmallow Design Contest

St. Patricks

May

Jun

July

Aug

Sep

The Color Run Posts Summer

Oct

Nov

Dec

Disney Sweepstakes Back to Hallow- Thankseen giving School

Marshmallow Design Contest winner in boxes The Color Run samples & Coupons

Winter

Disney Sweepstakes

Make-A-Wish Partnership and Support

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Media Relations Lucky Charms is a nationally recognized brand among all ages. Media takes note when Lucky Charms modifies its product to meet consumer needs and expectations. For example, when General Mills committed to removing artificial ingredients, news outlets such as Fox News, Time, USA Today and many more covered the story. Going forward, Lucky Charms plans to maintain relationships with these national outlets while focusing on local media in regions that our target consumers reside. Lucky Charms especially wants to highlight its efforts towards corporate responsibility that are reflected in its sweepstakes, events, announcements, but most importantly its partnerships and philanthropic contributions. Lucky Charms also wants to reach out to local stations and news outlets in an effort to get communities more engaged with the brand. For example, Lucky Charms is a popular brand in Cleveland, Ohio so Lucky Charms news could be important to its residents. General Mills headquarters are located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Because of the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proximity and relevance in this area, Lucky Charmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s will commit to reaching out to those media outlets. Lucky Charms will continue to grow its media contact list with more local outlets nationally, particularly in the Midwest.

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Sweepstakes (Promotion, Social Media)

Consumers know Lucky Charms as “Magically Delicious.” Similarly, Disney’s Magic Kingdom is known as “The Most Magical Place on Earth.” The two share the values of taking time to enjoy family and make memorable shared experiences. The partnership between Lucky Charms and Disney theme parks will include a sweepstakes offering families the opportunity to win a five-day, four-night vacation for four to Disney World. The trip will include airfare, lodging at an Orlando area hotel and day passes for Disney World. Entrants must simply take a photo or selfie enjoying Lucky Charms cereal with their loved ones and post the image on social media with the hashtag #MakeEveryMealMagical. From these entrants, a winner will be randomly selected and contacted via social media. The contest will take place in November and December when families are likely to be spending time together. The winner will then will be offered a trip during March, one of Disney World’s less busy times and when children are likely to be on Spring break.

Promotion of Both Brands The partnership would be mutually beneficial to both Lucky Charms and Disney. To increase both companies search engine optimization, links to the other company’s website will be featured on its own. Both will encourage followers to participate in the contest on social media and will tag the other’s page along with the relevant hashtags. The Disney trip will be featured in some Lucky Charms advertisements during the sweepstakes and other promotional content, such as social media posts. The trip will be paid for by Disney, and will not be a direct expense to Lucky Charms. The partnership encourages families to plan large shared experiences, such as vacations, as well as enjoying everyday moments, such as talking about each other’s days over a bowl of cereal.

Lucky Charms Playful Family-oriented Nostalgic Magical

Disney

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Promotion

(Public Relations, Philanthropy)

Additionally, Lucky Charms and Disney will conduct a jointpartnership with Make-A-Wish-America. Make-A-Wish America is committed to granting children with life-threatening medical diagnoses a â&#x20AC;&#x153;wish.â&#x20AC;? Lucky Charms, Disney and Make-A-Wish are all associated with magic. Lucky Charms will be donating $1 million directly to Make-A-Wish America. Disney has previously given to Make-A-Wish America and has sponsored trips for ill children, and Lucky Charms is proud to partner with a franchise that shares the themes of magic, family and giving back. Every child who chooses Disney as their wish will also receive an exclusive box of marshmallow-only Lucky Charms (retail value of $50).

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The Color Run Partnership

(Public Relations, Promotion and Social Media)

Lucky Charms also wants to encourage family values and healthy options through its partnership with The Color Run. Similar to Lucky Charms, The Color Run is associated with fun, family and of course color. “The Happiest 5k on the Planet” is not about winning or setting records, but rather enjoying time with family and friends while participating in a healthy activity. After the end of the race, Lucky Charms representatives would hand out samples and set up a backdrop for runners to take photos with. The samples will also include a manufacturer’s coupon for 20 percent off a box of Lucky Charms cereal. The small samples will also represent the campaign strategy, showing that Lucky Charms can be eaten as an on-the-go snack, instead of just a breakfast cereal. Runners can then take pictures in front of the backdrop and share them on social media with the hashtags #MakeEveryMealMagical and #Happiest5k. When runners share these photos, an association will be made with the brightly colored chalk and the infamous bright marshmallows. This partnership will happen while Color Runs are happening across the country during the summer months of June, July and August. Color Run participants share similar demographics with the Lucky Charms target market. Seventy-five percent of Color Run participants are considered Millenials, age 18 to 35. It has millions of followers on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and SnapChat. Because Color Runs are held in 60 different countries, there is potential to take the initiative internationally.

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Marshmallow Design Contest (Promotion, Social Media)

In the past, Lucky Charms has had immense success with limited time marshmallows featured in its cereal. Lucky Charms wants to continue this success by allowing consumers to get involved. It will invite consumers to design their own Lucky Charms marshmallow, with the winnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s marshmallow being featured in boxes for a limited time. Consumers can submit their designs on the Lucky Charms website. The Lucky Charms corporate team will select five finalists and share them with the public. Consumers will then be able to vote on the new marshmallow they would like to see featured in the cereal. Users could vote online at the Lucky Charms website, or they can participate in polls generated on Twitter. This will pose as an incentive for consumers to follow Lucky Charms on social media and visit the website. Lucky Charms hopes to generate buzz by consumers designing their own marshmallows followed by consumers voting on the finalists. This contest will run in the spring, as Lucky Charms does not have any planned promotions during this time span.

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Additional Public Relations Tactics Because Lucky Charms will be encouraging consumers to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Make Every Meal Magical,â&#x20AC;? Lucky Charms will share recipes for desserts including the cereal on social media and its website. Baking often is associated with family and home, so Lucky Charms will encourage consumers to bake and enjoy treats as a family. The treats will also be featured in social media posts, showing them as a convenient way to enjoy Lucky Charms on-the-go. Lucky Charms will also continue to craft its social media posts around relevant holidays and encourage family time.

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Public Relations Expenditure This graph does not include the $1 million donation to Make-A-Wish America.

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Press Release

Lucky Charms For Immediate Release: TODAY: Wednesday, December 14, at 7 p.m. Lucky Charms and Disney Partner with Make-A-Wish America MINNEAPOLIS, Minn- Lucky Charms and Disney announced this morning that they will partner with Make-A-Wish America to grant wishes to children diagnosed with lifethreatening conditions and to instill positivity during their hard times. Lucky Charms, a brand of cereal owned by General Mills, will donate $1 million directly to the organization, while Disney will sponsor trips for those children who wish to take a trip to a Disney theme park. Make-A-Wish will be featured on Lucky Charms boxes to raise awareness for the organization. “We’re ecstatic about the generous support Lucky Charms and Disney are providing. The money and trips don’t just support our organization- they make these kids’ dreams come true,” said David Williams, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish America. Lucky Charms and Disney already have a partnership together, and decided that MakeA-Wish America represented the two brands’ values. The three are working to create a “magical” experience for sick children. “Lucky Charms and Disney are both known for being magical. Make-A-Wish creates magic for kids who really need it. We’re thrilled to help provide kids and their families an escape from their hardships, even if it’s just for a few days,” said Ken Powell, CEO of General Mills. Lucky Charms will begin featuring Make-A-Wish on its boxes next week, while Disney will begin making accommodations with Make-A-Wish referrals as soon as possible. For more information on this initiative, visit www.generalmills.com or www.disneyparks. disney.go.com. ###

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Media Contact List Category

Name

Contact Name

E-mail

Phone

Twitter

Food Critic

NY Times

Pete Wells

petewells.nytimes.com

@Pete_Wells

Food Writer

Food Network

Alton Brown

altonbrown.com

@AltonBrown

Magazine

Consumer Reports

Douglas Love

dlove@consumer.org

914-378-2029

News Outlet

Star Tribune

Steve Yaeger

steve.yaeger@startribune.com

612-673-4256

@StarTribune

News Outlet

CNN

Meredith Artley

404-926-6483

@CNN

News Outlet

Fox News

Irena Briganti

Irena.Briganti@FOXNEWS.com

@FoxNews

News Outlet

USA Today

Craig Kaplan

ckaplan@usetoday.com

@USATODAY

News Outlet

Kare 11

Lance Matthews

lmatthews@kare11.com

763-797-7306

@Kare11

News Outlet

WKYC

Cory Jackson

cajackson@wkyc.com

216-344-3416

@wkyc

Newspaper

The Plain Dealer

editor@cleveland.com

216-999-3900 @clevelanddotcom

Online News

BuzzFeed News

pr@buzzfeed.com

@BuzzFeed

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Works Cited

IBISWorld, Cereal Production in the U.S. Web. http://clients1.ibisworld.com.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/reports/us/industry/default.aspx?entid=226 MarketLine Industry Profile, Breakfast Cereals in the United States. Web. https://globalbb-onesource-com.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/Web/Reports/ReportMainIndustry.aspx?SicCodeID=94000292&Report=ALLMARKETRESEARCHREPORTS&Process=IP&Type=GetReport&FileFormat=PDF&ReportID=60292&FileName=0072-0021-2014.pdf&VendorName=Datamonitor General Mills Annual Report (2011). Web. https://globalbb-onesource-com.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/Web/Reports/AnnualReport.aspx?ReportID=GRC_9932258022&process=CP&file=file.pdf General Mills Website. https://www.generalmills.com The Ultimate Guide to Lucky Charms. Web. http://www.blog.generalmills.com/2014/03/lucky-charms/?_ga=1.42343078.2014923956.1474419009 Mintel Academic database. Web. http://academic.mintel.com.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/display/745936/?highlight#hit1 http://academic.mintel.com.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/display/699415/?highlight#hit1 http://academic.mintel.com.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/display/772431/?highlight Frosted Flakes Nutritional Information. https://www.kelloggs.com/en_US/products/kellogg-s-frosted-flakes-cereal-product.html#nutrition-modal Clif Bar Nutritional Information. http://www.clifbar.com/products/clif-bar/clifbar/chocolate-chip Lubin, Gus. Scientists still can’t figure out how to replace artificial ingredients in Lucky Charms. Business Insider. 09/23/2016. Web. http://www.businessinsider.com/lucky-charms-still-have-artificial-ingredients-2016-9 Schultz, E.J. See the Spot: Lucky Charms Finds Gold with Adult Fans. Advertising Age. 11/29/2012. Web. http://adage.com/article/news/lucky-charms-findsgold-adult-fans/238551/ Images: General Mills Instagram (@generalmills) / Lucky Charms Instagram (@luckycharms) “Timeline to a Healthier General Mills”: https://www.generalmills.com/en/Brands/Cereals/genmills-cereals http://fortune.com/2014/07/09/lucky-charms-adults/ http://adage.com/article/news/lucky-charms-finds-gold-adult-fans/238551/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/03/18/the-most-popular-breakfast-cereals-in-america-today/ https://www.google.com/search?q=lucky+charms&espv=2&biw=1304&bih=732&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjCrt7ZqeHQAhXqlFQKHdirAusQ_AUIBigB#imgrc=6hhR44KIyoTy9M%3A https://www.google.com/search?q=billboard+night&tbm=isch&tbs=sur:fmc,rimg:CYM1xe7XxD8dIjgphm0E-nHC90MaNQdTRuL8d_18A5gKmLRBtge_1Aqmy0dbkmilrrjBVe-t2gCz1QALhgWzzqh7gHMSoSCSmGbQT6ccL3EXMcbMOLk9tKKhIJQxo1B1NG4vwRcrTL5faE3aAqEgl3_1wDmAqYtEBGpLFoRySfKDSoSCW2B78CqbLR1EZ8aQIxye6DKKhIJuSaKWuuMFV4RAxgxsiBUOskqEgn63aALPVAAuBGKnz72j90bwioSCWBbPOqHuAcxERWy7s9deRgd&tbo=u#tbs=sur:fmc&tbm=isch&q=billboard&imgrc=4p4WdTM9zCIK9M%3A https://www.google.com/search?q=boy+grabbing+box+of+lucky+charms&espv=2&biw=966&bih=715&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj31uHn2tPQAhWp5IMKHXFbDLEQ_AUIBigB#tbm=isch&q=kid+with+cereal+box&imgrc=LodXLiDcg9TboM%3A http://www.clipartpanda.com/categories/digital-clock-clipart http://www.allyou.com/family/family-activities/kids-schedule http://www.mysouthborough.com/2010/11/01/high-school-sports-this-week-6/ http://christianitymalaysia.com/wp/influence-teen/ https://www.google.com/search?q=high+school+sports&espv=2&biw=966&bih=715&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiUxbS43NPQAhVl5oMKHa8JBa4Q_AUIBygC#tbm=isch&q=lucky+charms+bowl&imgrc=gOPZ5ZwTcZG1hM%3A http://www.123rf.com/stock-photo/breakfast_cereal.html?mediapopup=42308737 http://www.candy-junction.com/portfolio/lucky-charms/ http://carboncostume.com/lucky-the-leprechaun/ Links for media pictures: Midwest map: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/Map_of_USA_Midwest.svg/350px-Map_of_USA_Midwest.svg.png Facebook logo: http://cdn.mysitemyway.com/icons-watermarks/simple-black/bfa/bfa_brands-facebook-square/bfa_brands-facebook-square_simple-black_512x512.png Twitter logo: https://www.seeklogo.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/twitter-square-logo.png Instagram logo: https://image.freepik.com/free-icon/instagram-logo_318-53344.jpg Pandora logo: http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/IROL/25/251764/Pandora_P_Icon_Color_Shadow.jpg Hulu logo: https://assetshuluimcom-a.akamaihd.net/kitty-staging/uploads/logo_download/file/7/Hulu_Logo_Option_A.png E!Network logo: http://logok.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/E-Logo_Black.png MTV logo: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0f/MTV_Logo_2010.svg/2000px-MTV_Logo_2010.svg.png Cartoon Network logo: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/80/Cartoon_Network_2010_logo.svg/2000px-Cartoon_Network_2010_logo.svg.png InStyle logo: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/Logo_InStyle.png Everyday with Rachael Ray logo: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1195/1114/files/rachael-ray-logo4C.gif?7855326882687100528 “Partnership-The Color Run” The Color Run. N.p. 2016. Web. 18 Nov. 2016. http://oklahoma.wish.org/~/media/063-000/Modules/KFWK/AinsleyKFWK.ashx?la=en http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mAP0rVrAQ5A/T0_M0ZrUQBI/AAAAAAAAENk/u6X9RX8u-ao/s1600/Homemade+Lucky+Charms+02.jpg http://www.jobnimbus.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Bowl-of-Lucky-Charms-600x343.jpg https://jesseseverson.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/lucky-charms.jpg http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/f54cf49db0ee9b9955bc9fe988ac1d1d5f815cde/c=108-0-1035-1653&r=583&c=0-0-580-1031/local/-/media/USATODAY/popcandy/2014/01/29//1391008297000-lucky.jpg http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F3szL8hfJbw/UzsH1Wg27hI/AAAAAAAABSU/T2w-c9zWTcs/s1600/Luckycharms.png