No Nuts Moms Group

THE N O N UTS MOMS GRO U P

CREATIVE BRIEF

Emilee Kraus, Jenna Finer, Kelsey Norman, Udit Sinha

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S Executive Summary

1

Introduction

2

Part I

3

Demographics

3

Psychographics

5

Media Use

7

Consumer Personas

8

Part II

10

Brand Description

10

Competitive Set

11

Positioning Matrix

12

SWOT Analysis

Benefits of the Brand

13

Brand Personification

13

Brand Positioning Statement

14

6-Word Story

14

12

Part III

15

Purpose of the Campaign

15

Campaign Message

16

Campaign Measurement

18

Conclusion

19

References

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The No Nuts Moms group is a leading non-profit organization dedicated to promoting education and awareness to families affected by peanut allergies. They are a national group with over 50 locations across the United States. Many of these branches are very active, but several are inactive and still listed on their site. The No Nuts Moms group is a niche community that seeks branding and unity across all branches. They are a perfect candidate for cross-promotion and will benefit from relationships between other communities and brands with similar goals.

A small percentage of the population is affected by peanut allergies, but that percentage has a strong need for community. No Nuts Moms group provides that sense of community and brings together people from all over the country. Since this group’s goal is to educate and inform, a campaign devised to promote awareness and also give back to its community will be crucial for expansion for the No Nuts Moms group.

The FreeNut Box campaign is crafted to provide an incentive for members as well as add recognition for the work the No Nuts Moms group does. For a small subscription fee, members and non-members will have the option to subscribe to the FreeNut box, a small package delivered quarterly to each household that contains samples of peanut-free products. This will benefit the current members as well as entice new members because they will be receiving a tangible product. Also this campaign will increase the group’s recognition by involving other food brands with a following. For example, when a member receives the box full of new samples each quarter they will be inclined to purchase a new product they enjoy. The hope for this campaign is to produce buzz about the No Nuts Moms group by advertising peanut-free products by marketing to parents and children affected by the allergy.

The campaign will be evaluated after one year through interviews with partnered brands, surveys of participants, and social media analysis. The symbiotic relationship between consumers of peanut-free brands with members of a peanut-free community will help increase awareness of this allergy and bring affected families together. This campaign will also unite the No Nuts Moms group by branding all branches through the promotional FreeNut box. Members will talk, tweet, and learn about new products and become more invested in their communities as they feel more motivated to organize events and blog about the allergy.

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INTRODUCTION Peanut allergy is a type of food allergy that affects almost 1% of the population of the United States. It is caused by exposure to peanuts and peanut derivatives. In extreme cases, peanut allergy can lead to rashes, swelling, shortness of breath, low blood pressure, cardiac arrest and even death if not treated promptly. Trace amounts of peanuts can cause a severe reaction. Being allergic to peanuts is a lifelong affliction with no cure. According to a survey conducted in 2009 (Gupta R, et al.), peanut is the most common allergen among children (infant to 18 years). Another study (Sicherer SH, et al. 2010) revealed that the number of children suffering from peanut allergy tripled between the years 1997 and 2008.

No Nuts Moms Group is a nationwide group providing support to parents with children who suffer a peanut allergy. Ranging from online blogs and active chat rooms to group meetings, the organization yields a wide variety of information to help families cope with the life-long problems that can arise from peanut allergy. A key component of this organization is their level of accessibility; No Nuts Moms Group is on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, and currently has 52 communities across the United States. As a nationwide organization, No Nuts Moms has a diverse range of members from various regions with very different lifestyles.

This provides a unique opportunity to study how people deal with peanut allergy in different ways. A study by Mintel shows a great potential in ‘free-from’ products in both supermarkets and restaurants. Since mothers are usually the ones purchasing food for the whole family, No Nuts Moms can diversify their services to include recipe contests, a phone app to rate and discuss peanut-free items in restaurants, peanut-free giveaways, and online Q/A sessions with healthcare professionals specializing in food allergies. There is an opportunity here to promote free-from foods to these consumers as a way of introducing a wider variety of ingredients than those in the typical American diet and, therefore, giving the body a wider variety of nutritional benefits.

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I. CONSUMER RESEARCH DEMOGRAPHICS Peanut allergies in the United States are rapidly increasing within children. There is a scarce amount of information available since this allergy is currently on the rise. Therefore, the most valuable information to discover the precise current demographics comes from a survey that was distributed nationally to parents of children with peanut allergies. Through both primary and secondary research, the findings show that the majority of parents of kids with peanut allergies are either Caucasian or African American and live in the East North Central region of the United States (Boyce et al., 2010). The East North Central region includes Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin (Primary Research Survey). This information was discovered through the survey with over two hundred participants, several of who parented children with peanut allergies. On the contrary, there were fewer than ten percent of survey participants with peanut allergy kids living in the West North Central, East South Central, West South Central, Pacific and mountain regions. Although there are families all over the country affected by peanut allergies, the East North Central region should become the No Nuts Moms group primary focus to increase membership.

According to a one-on-one interview with the No Nuts Moms group leader, Lisa Rutter, the group is not exclusive to moms. They are open to all parents and adults caring for children with peanut allergies, which widens the demographics. Although they are an open group, the majority of the members are women. Several studies have also been conducted within the past ten years to figure out the race that is most affected by peanut allergies. One study in particular performed by the Center for Disease control found lower reported rates of peanut allergies amongst Hispanic children compared to non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic black children.

Although there may be differences in race amongst children with peanut allergies, there does not appear to be a strong difference between sexes (Branam and Lukacs, 2008). Therefore, the NoNuts Moms Group must target parents of both male and female children. Since peanut allergies are so rapidly on the rise within younger children, it can be assumed that their parents are also younger in age. The No Nuts Moms Group is a prime opportunity to market to these younger parents with children in this demographic.

CONSUMER INSIGHT: Families of children with peanut allergy are more prone to living in the East North Central region, therefore the No Nuts Moms Group should emphasize the creation of new branches in that area.

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DEMOGRAPHICS

Source: CDC/NCHS, National Health Interview Survey

PSYCHOGRAPHICS Peanut allergy can change the lifestyle of a household. Children born with sensitivity to peanuts can develop rashes, breathing difficulties and even die when exposed to the nut. Such a severity is why parents have to be very vigilant and ensure their children’s safety at home, in school and at social gatherings. Lisa Rutter, the founder of No Nuts Moms Group, said she was inspired to create a playgroup for kids with food allergies after she could not find a suitable support group for her son, who suffers from severe peanut allergy. Many other parents who claim that support and resources are hard to find echo this sentiment.

Almost eighty percent of the respondents to our survey stated that their children find it hard to participate in everyday activities such as attending school, going out to eat, or spending time with friends. A quick Google search will reveal the massive increase in peanut allergy cases in the last decade. Mothers are creating ingenious ways to ensure the safety of their children while being as unrestrictive as possible. They host and attend support 4

PSYCHOGRAPHICS groups, and actively contribute to websites and magazines dedicated to allergies to talk about how to deal with a potentially life threatening allergy on a day-to-day basis. Peanut-free recipes are tremendously popular, followed by tips on how to prevent accidental exposure to peanuts at birthday parties and social events. They are also the primary agents for spreading awareness about peanut allergy.

Independent No Nuts Moms Group communities have sprouted up in many cities across the US, yet their Facebook pages still have a high privacy setting. Mrs. Rutter explained that these parents lead a very stressful life, so a closed community gives them a comfortable space to vent and release pent up frustration. A quick look at online blogs by these parents shows the array of difficulties and obstacles they face daily. Many children with peanut allergy report being bullied and alienated by their middle school peers for sitting at the ‘Allergen Free’ table during lunch. Parents of children who do not have allergic reactions to any food are often insensitive to the needs of people with fatal allergies.

The primary grocery shopper, usually the mother, purchases peanut-free products for the whole family. Due to unclear product labeling and lack of choices, many mothers prefer to steer clear of most kinds of food, sticking to the tried and tested ‘safe’ foods that will not harm their children. Respondents to Mintel’s (2010) surveys want a greater variety of peanut-free options at grocery stores. Sixty-two percent of all female respondents agreed that consistent allergy labeling across all brands/product lines would be helpful on packaged food labels (Food Allergies and Intolerance-Opinions about Labeling). Many feel the need for better quality of allergen-free items to entice peanut-sensitive children who often complain they’re missing out on good food. Even though all packaged food containing peanuts must list the word “Peanut” on the label by federal law, advisory labels (i.e. ‘May Contain…”) are optional. Thirty-five percent of the female respondents say that the government should enforce laws to ensure correct labeling (Food Allergies and Intolerance, Mintel 2010). About ninety percent of our survey respondents agreed that peanut-free products are either hard to find or too expensive at grocery stores. We conducted an observation experiment at a local Kroger’s and found that it was very difficult to find allergen-free foods at supermarket chains. While there were peanut butter alternatives available, such as Sunbutter and Peabutter, they are not easily accessible. There is a shortage for healthy and tasty peanut-free alternatives in the market. Parents complain that many restaurants do not take sufficient precautionary measures when preparing allergen-free food.

These elements are just a few of many that parents of children with peanut allergy must consider. Forty one 5

PSYCHOGRAPHICS

percent of our survey respondents said that living with and overseeing a peanut allergy sufferer is very difficult, and seventeen percent said it is extremely difficult. No Nuts Moms Group’s exposure is critical to provide the information necessary to parents, so that their children and themselves can live a safe and healthy lifestyle.

CONSUMER INSIGHT: Arranging activities for the members’ children provides support for physical and mental health, ensuring a happy and healthy lifestyle.

MEDIA USE Parents of affected children utilize the boom of online communication and social media for support and information on how to manage their child’s peanut allergy. Lisa Rutter, founder of No Nuts Moms Group, explained how the Internet has helped the group expand and connect with parents across the country. For example, a mother on Parenting magazine’s blogging forums stated, “while some kids deal mostly with unpleasant symptoms or frequent doctor visits, others live with the fear of having a life-threatening reaction” (“Allergies: Child’s Experience”). Parenting magazine has an on-going “allergy” section with hundreds of articles on allergies, such as the peanut allergy. In 2011, their readership circulation was 2,150,000 (“Advertise in parenting”, 2013).

The No Nuts Moms Group website has their own blog that publishes members’ posts multiple times a month, dating back to 2011. A key factor of this support groups’ success is the high level of interaction that is active between Lisa Rutter and members. This helps foster an even stronger sense of community between parents.

The No Nuts Moms Group also connects with their affiliates via multiple social media platforms. With 7 boards and 98 followers, their Pinterest account generates recipes, inspiring quotes, peanut allergy plans, and medical 6

MEDIA USE information. This consumer’s most popular social media account is on their Facebook page, which has over 3,000 likes. The No Nuts Mom Twitter account has over 950 followers and 13,000 tweets. Their reputability is vast, especially when medical professionals outside of the No Nuts Mom Group follows and shares their information. David Fischer, M.D, tweeted to the No Nuts Moms account about a nut-related death.

Receiving outside information to be shared with their followers makes No Nuts Moms group more trustworthy and respected.

Rutter went into depth about how a lack of peanut allergy education puts children at risk, so acknowledging specialized websites are important for spreading awareness. Allergy Home.org is one of them, having nearly 6,000 likes on Facebook and over 1,000 people “talking” about it online. The website offers food allergy tips specifically for safety in school environments. While there are currently no national magazines solely targeted to parents with children suffering from peanut allergies, there are food allergy magazines that mention the topic.

Despite that the variety of media that our consumer group uses most frequently, social media has definitely been the strongest source for The No Nuts Moms Group to identify with parents of children with peanut allergies.

CONSUMER INSIGHT: Members of the No Nuts Moms Group who have an active presence on one social media outlet should be encouraged to participate on others.

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Vacation Spot: Disney World

Sports Team: The Bengals

CafĂŠ: Coffee Emporium

Restaurant: Applebees

Music: Michael Jackson

Car: Honda Pilot

Job: Brand Manager for Procter and Gamble

Hobbies: Cooking and spinning

Marital Status: Married with 3 kids

Education: Bachelors Degree in Marketing

Location: Cincinnati, OH

Age: 35

Name: Sandy Smith

This nurturing consumer is a perfect archetype for the NoNuts Moms Group because they are a compassionate group of parents who are dedicated to helping their children live in a safe and caring peanut-free environment.

The Caring Consumer

CONSUMER ARCHETYPE: THE NURTURER

CONSUMER PERSONAS

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Vacation Spot: San Fransisco

Sports Team: The Pistons

CafĂŠ: Starbucks

Restaurant: PF Changs

Music: The Beatles

Car: Toyota Camry

Job: City Manager

Hobbies: Book Club and Yoga

Marital Status: Married with 1 kid

Education: Bachelors Degree in Management

Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan

Age: 50

Name: Carol Shore

The hero archetype describes the mom who does it all. Since her son is getting older, she has found ways of managing his peanut allergy and has more time for work at the city hall. Despite her busy schedule, she finds time to blog about her son’s allergy and everything they have accomplished. Her goal is to be an inspiration for young moms who have kids with peanut allergies, so they can find ways to cope. Ultimately, she is a leader in her community and a hero for her son.

Supermom to the rescue!

CONSUMER ARCHETYPE: THE HERO

II. BRAND REPORT BRAND DESCRIPTION The No Nuts Moms Group is a support organization with 52 independent groups across the country, dedicated to educating people with peanut allergy of all ages. In 2011, Lisa Rutter, who could not find a suitable playgroup for her peanut-allergic son, founded No Nuts Moms in Illinois. In a short span of time, No Nuts Moms has become a leading non-profit brand within the allergen-free food industry. They are an invaluable resource for young parents (especially mothers) with children that suffer from peanut allergy; a potentially fatal condition.

Ranging from online correspondence, regular group meetings, and allergen-free playdates, the organization offers several amenities to help families cope with the potential life-long problems caused by the allergy. Recipes, current research, and personal stories are all shared amongst parents. No Nuts Mom Group values their members’ facts and opinions on products. Additionally, the group offers advice concerning peanut allergy so that children and their parents alike can live a safe, fulfilling and healthy lifestyle.

Social media bears a strong presence in No Nuts Moms Group, and is an element of their success. With 7 boards and 98 followers, their Pinterest account contains recipes, inspiring quotes, peanut allergy plans, and medical information. The No Nuts Moms Twitter page has over 950 followers and 13,000 tweets. Healthcare professionals often interact with No Nuts Moms on Twitter and share information on allergies, making the organization more trustworthy and respected. Each independent No Nuts community has their own private Facebook page. The high privacy settings give parents a comfortable space to vent and release pent up frustration.

Apart from providing families with solace regarding peanut allergy, No Nuts Moms Groups also raise awareness about all kinds of food allergies, and the risks involved. They envision a future where people, especially young children, do not need to be constantly cautious of their surroundings and can live without the fear of a fatal allergic reaction.

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COMPETITIVE SET It is important to acknowledge that the No Nuts Moms Group is a nonprofit organization, driven to provide parents of children with peanut allergy information to help them lead healthier lifestyles; and not gain capital in the process. When it comes to allergy, few groups exist that are nonprofit. This is because gathering the research necessary to help these parents can come at a cost. According to The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network of America, all of their participating organizing must be a nonprofit, or the equivalent of one. FARE, standing for “Food Allergy Research and Education”, is one of them.

Prior investigation of the The No Nuts Moms Group brand shows that they have worked with and provided data on FARE. This makes sense, since 83.4% of parents in America who has a child with peanut allergy visit their site (http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/foodallergy.org). Unlike No Nuts Moms Group, which primarily provides research and online blog forums for peanut allergy discussion, FARE helps understand the diagnosis, education and awareness, and the emotional and physical tolls that can arise from peanut allergy. With that said, FARE is a competitor for our brand’s current consumers. The KFA, of Kids with Food Allergies Community, is a competitor for both our brand’s current consumer and our target consumer group. It appeals to the child suffering from peanut allergy, and is directed towards the parents who are sustaining it. 64.7% of parents in America with children who suffer from peanut allergy visit their site (http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/ kidswithfoodallergies.org). Despite peanut allergy affecting a small percent of the population, groups like No Nuts Moms and their competitors are crucial for aiding that percentage.

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POSITIONING MATRIX WEBSITE TRAFFIC HI GH The Nut Free Mom Blog

SO CIAL LOW M E DIA

The Food Allergy Mom Blog

Peanut Allergy Mom Blog

FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education) KFA (Kids with food Allergy Community)

P.O.A.K. (Parents of Allergic Kids Food Allergy Education Network

HIGH

No Nuts Moms Group

Families with Food Allergies LOW

SWOT ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS • Strong social media presence (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest) • Gaining recognition by medical field professionals • Unique in offering safe social activities for families affected by the allergy • Affiliated with large respected organizations

OPPORTUNITIES • Reach out and connect more heavily with medical professionals to gain credibility from consumers • Partner with medical organizations to gain recognition • Expand social media outlets by creating a Youtube channel • Expand communities throughout the United States

WEAKNESSES • Inactive groups are still accounted for • No set guidelines for groups conducting activities and events • Little hands on presence from group leaders

THREATS • The Nut Free Mom Blog • The Peanut Allergy Mom Blog • The Food Allergy Mom Blog • KFA (Kids with Food Allergies Community) • P.O.A.K. (Parents of Allergic Kids) • FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education)

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BENEFITS OF THE BRAND Rational Benefit- While The No Nuts Moms brand does not have a specific tangible product, they do give many resources to consumers via the Internet. Glancing over their website, one can see that they bestow their members with recent news stories about food allergies. YouTube tutorial videos that pertain to the allergy are also present. No Nuts Moms provide links to peanut allergy related websites and books. They offer their consumers a number of social media outlets to yield information about their brand, not just peanut allergy. The brand’s Pinterest account (a content sharing service) supplies a plethora of peanut free recipes, crafts for kids, and eating plans for peanut allergic children. Facebook and Twitter accounts issue current news stories and inspiring quotes to fans.

Emotional Benefit- The No Nuts Moms group exudes the feeling of community to parents. This enables them to discuss the incredibly stressful and concerning circumstances of having a child with a peanut allergy. During an interview with Lisa Rutter, the head of The No Nut Moms organization, she explained the constant worrying she has for her son being exposed to peanuts, and how her whole lifestyle has changed due to his allergy. The mothers have their own mom nights as well, where they can have fun together without the kids. When dealing with the life-threatening allergy plagued to their children, this brand makes these parents feel like they are not alone. The only people who can best relate to and fathom the parents’ distress are other parents who are experiencing the same difficulties with their own kids; and that is the exact outlet that No Nuts Moms gives to their members.

BRAND PERSONIFICATION BRAND ARCHETYPE The Nurturer This nurturing consumer is a perfect archetype for the NoNuts Moms Group because they are a compassionate group of parents who are dedicated to helping their children live in a safe and caring peanut-free environment.

The Hero The hero archetype describes the mom who does it all. She is a multi-tasker and ultimately a leader in her community. Her main goal is to teach other moms about the risks of peanut allergies and provide support to families who are dealing with allergy promoted situations.

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BRAND PERSONIFICATION BRAND AS A VOICE The No Nuts Moms Group uses a casual but comforting language. Their primary focus is community, and they want their members to know that they have a voice. The group’s mission involves encouraging parents of children with peanut allergy to communicate their stories and learn from one another. This is why the casual voice is critical, as it is the tone that will be set when new members start to become interested. Language also takes on another meaning when dealing with a group whose online presence is the strongest. They must be cautious of their tone on social media to make sure they are consistent with each message.

BRAND CHARACTER The No Nuts Moms Group seeks an active parent ready to share their experiences dealing with a peanut allergy in their family. They must be enthusiastic, caring, and involved with their children’s lives. Being a health and fitness enthusiast is also a plus. Knowledge of technology, social media, and blogs is also appreciated. Most importantly, these parents must be passionate about protecting their children from the dangers of peanut allergy, while helping them lead a full and normal life.

BRAND POSITIONING STATEMENT To the parents of children with peanut allergy, The No Nuts Moms Group is an interactive community that provides the most useful information on how to manage the allergy; that’s because The No Nuts Moms Group analysis major research on the allergy, has discussion forums for parents to share their stories, and has a large audience of targeted members.

NONUTS MOMS GROUP 6-WORD STORY

“Preventing Allergies, One Peanut at a Time.”

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I I I . C A M PA I G N S T R AT E G Y WHAT IS THE ADVERTISING/PUBLIC RELATIONS CHALLENGE? The No Nuts Moms Group is looking to expand their group and reactivate inactive branches. As a non-profit organization they strive to educate, teach, and support others through blogging, social media and events. The challenge is to increase interest in the group as well as bring families together to become more involved in spreading awareness of peanut allergies. They are in need of unity within all branches and will greatly benefit from a campaign that joins people affected by peanut allergies together from across the nation. If each branch is unified together through branding or a promotional deliverable, The No Nuts Moms Group will become more widely recognizable and desirable for these target families.

PURPOSE OF THE CAMPAIGN The objective of the campaign is to spread awareness of The No Nuts Moms Group to promote support to families of children affected by peanut or treenut allergies. The campaign involves an optional subscription fee that will provide members with a “FreeNut Box� every 3 months. This box will welcome the member into The No Nuts Moms group and will provide samples of peanut-free products to entice the member and introduce them to new products they could potentially make part of their grocery list. This brand partnership will not only help increase the membership for the group, but it will also help nationally promote The No Nuts Moms Group and reach other audiences that they were unable to target before. Now members of the group will be more inclined to get involved when they have a tangible box of sample products that will benefit their families and help reinforce their well being of a peanut-free lifestyle.

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CAMPAIGN MESSAGE Consumer Group: According to the online survey for parents with children suffering from peanut allergy, 56% of the respondents were 35-44 years old, closely followed by 25-34 year old parents at 31%. The No Nuts Moms Group caters mainly to young mothers, but fathers are proactive as well.

Message: The No Nuts Moms Group is an invaluable and necessary resource for anyone who has been diagnosed with peanut allergy. The organization not only provides excellent information on peanut allergy, but it is also a great platform for people to share their stories and insecurities. This client is a community-based administration; it puts the people’s needs first.

Tone: The No Nuts Moms Group is a perfect fit for the brand archetype ‘The Nurturer’. It uses a casual but comforting language. Their primary focus is community, and they want their members to know that they have a voice. The group’s mission involves encouraging parents of children with peanut allergy to communicate their stories and learn from one another. The No Nuts Moms Group seeks an active parent ready to share their experiences dealing with a peanut allergy in their family. They must be enthusiastic, caring, and involved with their children’s lives. These parents must be passionate about protecting their children from the dangers of peanut allergy, while helping them lead a full and normal life.

Importance: The prevalence of peanut allergy in the United States is approximately 0.6% of the entire population (Boyce et al., 2010). Since peanut allergy affects such a small part of the population, appropriate resources and peanut-free food options are scarce. Nonetheless, children are the biggest age groups affected.

According to a survey conducted in 2009 (Gupta R, et al.), peanut is the most common allergen among children (infant to 18 years). Though services for these children may not be available everywhere, they are necessary. No Nuts Moms has an extensive network across the country that ameliorates families affected by peanut allergy.

It is a one-stop resource for everything related to peanut allergy. The No Nuts Moms community also offers emotional support to parents by giving them a platform to speak out, organizing allergen-free playdates and parties for kids and outings for the parents.

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CAMPAIGN MESSAGE How will the message be delivered?: The message will be delivered through the ‘FreeNut Box’, which will begin January 1st, 2014. The campaign will be tested over one year’s time. Members and non-members of our client can sign up for the FreeNut Box for a nominal delivery charge. The FreeNut Box will be delivered quarterly by subscription, and can be cancelled at any time. It is a sample of various peanut-free foods for the families dealing with peanut-allergy. We will target products with both a large and small following. By strategically cross-promoting these manufacturers and No Nuts Moms Group, new members will be recruited and sales for the sample products will rise. SunButter, Dean’s Sweets and Allergaroo will be incorporated into the initial FreeNut box. These brands were chosen specifically to please our consumer. Dean’s Sweets and Allergaroo are independent companies, founded in less populated regions of the United States. Smaller towns like Athens, OH tend to value the idea of local businesses, so having their products included in the FreeNut Box will trigger positive response. Peanut-free products are very hard to find. This is a great incentive for people to try out new products and to get to know the brands that make them.

Recipients of the Freenut Box should be encouraged to share pictures and reviews of the samples online thus not only creating brand loyalty, but also generating awareness through word-of-mouth.

The No Nuts Moms Group has a very strong social media presence and it remains fairly active throughout the year. This well established online network could be used to gain greater popularity and awareness. During May, the Food Allergy Awareness Month, a twitter contest will encourage families to send in pictures of their favorite allergen-free recipes. A winner will be picked every week and awarded a supersized free-nut box. On Facebook, members will be asked to share a picture of their family along with a short blurb. One lucky family will be picked every week to be featured on the No Nuts Moms Facebook page and website. This will foster a sense of unity amongst the geographically diverse groups. These contests can be used to generate buzz during Food Allergy Awareness month to build up momentum for the rest of the year.

When and where will you deliver the campaign?: The Freenut Box will be shipped to subscribed consumers four times a year. Additional promotions will be run during May (Food Allergy Awareness Month).

Ideally, No Nuts Moms Group will coordinate with SunButter, Dean’s Sweets and Allergaroo to advertise our campaign. The FreeNut box is beneficial for both our client and the manufacturers we are partnering with, because it will allow their product to be widely distributed and ultimately raise sales.

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CAMPAIGN MESSAGE Since peanut allergy can strike anyone, anywhere, the campaign cannot be location sensitive. The FreeNut Box must be accessible in small towns, rural areas and places where there are no No Nuts Moms communities or stores that sell peanut-free items. As very few and highly dispersed persons are affected by it, any medium other than the Internet appears to be cost prohibitive.

CAMPAIGN MEASUREMENT Executed this campaign is monumental for The No Nuts Moms Group’s presence in the health and food industry. It is important for the FreeNut Box’s service and the products involved to both work. The customers at hand have expectations and requirements of the goods that will be given to their children through this campaign.

The FreeNut Box is targeting a change in attitude for parents of children who suffer peanut allergy. The prevalent attitude of our consumer group is pessimistic; parents are living in fear of their children’s well being, and feel ignored by the lack of seriousness towards peanut allergy. We will prove the physical ability and capability to provide service to families across the country who thought they were unable to receive it. The No Nuts Moms Group is an equal opportunity organization, working around typically troublesome variables such as location or family income. Behavior is another component of this campaign that will be subject to change. Theoretically, the people who subscribe to the FreeNut Box will appreciate getting peanut-free products that are otherwise unavailable to them, and continue their subscriptions to No Nuts Moms Group. The specific action that would be performed by the consumer is established loyalty to our client and dependence on the FreeNut box. It is a financially favorable for us, and comforting to the parents of children will peanut allergy.

The FreeNut box campaign will run for a full year starting January 1st, 2014. Specifically, the goal is for The No Nuts Moms Group to gain one hundred new members by December 31st, 2014. This will be tracked through a number of different research techniques.

A survey will be conducted quarterly (to match the timeliness of the FreeNut Box’s distribution) amongst No Nuts Moms Group leaders to see if it is popular with their local members. Meetings can be held with the heads of marketing for SunButter, Dean’s Sweets and Allergaroo to analyze their growth in sales, after this campaign introduces their products to a new market. The No Nuts Moms Group will monitor the supply and demand of FreeNut Boxes being produced, based on the number of subscribers that develop throughout the year.

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CAMPAIGN MEASUREMENT Data collection for these forms of evaluation will be collected after each of the four quarters during the year.

Allowing three months intervals of FreeNut Box consumption allows the social media and “word of mouth” to spread the knowledge of its existence. The list of subscribers will grow during this time, and create a larger demand for the next’s quarters production of boxes. Dean’s Sweets, Allergaroo and SunButter will also utilize this time to survey their growth in sales for the specific peanut-free products being sampled across the country. This campaign measurement allows for accuracy and affective calculation on the success of the FreeNut Box, for The No Nuts Moms Group and the manufacturers associated with it.

CONCLUSION Apart from the constant risk of rashes, swelling, severe anaphylaxis and even death, children with peanut allergies and their parents also deal with a type of social alienation. Spiteful comments, life-threatening ‘pranks’ involving peanuts and unsuspecting 7-year-olds, and the many events that have to be sacrificed for selfpreservation weigh heavily on the minds of young children. Parents must be hyper-vigilant round the clock to protect their children as well as deal with their social issues. The No Nuts Moms Group has successfully created a network of support and understanding within their own community, and is also actively involved in the research and development of cures for all kinds of food allergies. There is very little awareness among people who do not suffer from allergies. This is evident from numerous frustrated blog posts and Facebook updates by parents who have allergy-prone children. The No Nuts Moms group exudes the feeling of community to parents. This enables them to discuss the incredibly stressful and concerning circumstances of having a child with a peanut allergy.

Since most peanut-free products are expensive and hard to find, an affordable assortment of samples such as the FreeNut Box would be very popular, especially in smaller towns and rural areas. Our survey indicates that the majority of families with peanut allergy prone members, usually with young parents with small children, reside in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. Targeting these families in the aforementioned states should yield favorable results. No Nuts Moms has a strong online presence and social media can play a large role in advertising the FreeNut Box. We hope to reach out to and connect with every family affected by peanut allergy and help them live active and wholesome lives.

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REFERENCES One on One Interview Lisa Rutter. October 17. 6:00 PM. Scripps Hall

Web Survey http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/F739RT6.

We distributed the survey through sharing on social media sites: Facebook and Twitter. Lisa Rutter, the NoNuts Moms Group leader also distributed through social media to her members.

Final number of respondents: 100 Number of respondents that match consumer group: 87

Participant Observation We acted as shoppers in Kroger looking for peanut-free products. October 24. Kroger, East State Street, Athens, OH.

Other Sources Allergy in the United States: American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, 10-15.

Boyce, J.A., Asaa’d, A.A., Burks, A.W., Jones, S.M., Sampson, H.A.,Wood, R.A.,

Fenton, M.J. (2010). Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food

Allergy in the United States: American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, 10-15.

Branam, A.M., & Lukacs, S.L.,United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(2008).

Food Allergy Among U.S. Children: Trends and Prevalences in Hospitalization.

Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db10.pdf.

Fenton, M.J. (2010). Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/foodallergy.org http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/kidswithfoodallergies.org 20

Food Allergies and Intolerance, Mintel (2010).

Gupta, R, et al. The Prevalence, Severity and Distribution of Childhood Food Allergy in the United States.

Pediatrics 2011; 10.1542/ped.2011-0204.

http://nonutsmomsgroup.weebly.com/1/post/2013/09/the-unfriendly-skiesand-food-allergies.html

Author: Lianne Mandelbaum. Date: 9/25/2013

http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/find_groups.php?location2=usa&location=showall. Alexa.com. (n.d.).

How popular is kidswithfoodsallergies.org. Retrieved from

http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/kidswithfoodallergies.org

Alexa.com. (n.d.). How popular is food allergy.org?.

Retrieved from http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/foodallergy.org

Sicherer SH, Munoz-Furlong A, Godbold JH, Sampson HA. US prevalence of self-reported peanut, tree nut,

and sesame allergy: 11-year follow-up. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2010.

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