Alexia® Crunchy Snacks Is Going Nationwide
It's crunch time for Alexia's extraordinary new line of Crunchy Snacks, which rolled out in retail stores nationwide in June.
The layers of taste and texture in Savory Seasoned and Jalapeño Onion Strips, two of six strikingly unique SKUs in the natural line of snacks, are what set them apart from the rest. Other varieties include Classic Ranch Waffle Fries, Aged Cheddar Cheese Waffle Fries, Hot Pepper Waffle Fries, and Bold & Spicy BBQ Waffle Fries.
Crunchy Snacks, ConAgra Foods' first foray into the $1.3 billion premium snack foods segment, were introduced to consumers who are no longer looking for "your parents' chip." They want premium quality and distinctively flavored foods,1 and that's where Alexia comes into play.
Bringing Something Extraordinary to the Snacks Category
"We started Alexia because we realized that there was a huge void of high-quality, super-premium products," said Alex Dzieduszycki, vice president, Research, Quality & Innovation (RQI), and founder of the Alexia brand. "Shoppers are looking to eat the best food with the best ingredients at a good price, but there haven't been any products out there. Now there is Alexia."
With its chef-inspired heritage and its close working relationship with ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston, Alexia went to work to develop something extraordinary in the snacks category. "Alexia's brand essence is 'ordinary made extraordinary,' explained Leslie Lee, senior brand manager, Snacks. "And that's exactly what its new line of Crunchy Snacks delivers."
What helps set Crunchy Snacks apart, said Amor Cagampang, manager, Research and Development, is a pair of proprietary technologies that enable Alexia to maintain the product's nutritional value, color and flavor throughout the manufacturing process. That's important because every ingredient in Alexia Crunchy Snacks is natural, something else that differentiates the line from most competitors. "We use only the finest, whole, thick-cut slices of Russet potatoes and Spanish onions," she added. Crunchy Snacks are made with 100 percent real vegetables, natural seasonings, no artificial ingredients or preservatives and zero grams trans fat. Even the cut of the Waffle Fries is unique to Lamb Weston — no one else in the industry may use it. "The resulting textures add a whole new dimension to the crunching experience," Cagampang added.
Big Bets Calls for Big Media
Like Alexia's brand essence, "ordinary made extraordinary," the national media plan to drive awareness and trial of the new Crunchy Snacks is an example of work made extraordinary by a cross-functional team.
Each element of the 360-degree consumer marketing campaign is aimed at reaching the brand's primary target: women ages 35 to 64 who have upscale tastes and are passionate about food, family, entertaining and travel.
"Our strategy is to reach our core consumer wherever she looks to find inspiration and ideas," said Leslie Lee, senior brand manager.
Snacking With Martha Stewart and Bravo TV
Martha Stewart properties are playing an instrumental role in creating awareness of Alexia Crunchy Snacks. To heat things up for the brand, The Martha Stewart Show aired a grilling segment in May where celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse paired a meal with Alexia Onion Strips. Through December, Martha Stewart Living magazine is running two-page ads that feature Alexia Crunchy Snacks on one side and recipe ideas on the other. High-profile events held by the Martha Stewart Living brand throughout the summer will include samplings of Alexia Crunchy Snacks.
Consumers also can catch Alexia Crunchy Snacks on the sixth season of Bravo TV's Top Chef, airing this fall. During the show's "Quickfire" challenge, contestants will be given 45 minutes to pair Alexia Crunchy Snacks with one of their recipes.
Record Print Buy
Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, Saveur and Food & Wine are just some of the more than 22 publications running Alexia ads during the campaign. These types of magazines appeal to the refined interests of the brand's target consumer and help keep her "in the know."
Other campaign elements include: high-impact television ads that launched June 22 on primetime, early morning, premium and variety cable networks; focused Web marketing starting this month; and national free-standing inserts (FSIs) with high-value coupons to hit Sunday newspapers Aug. 9 and Oct. 4.
Throughout the year, shopper marketing events, demos and merchandising activities will continue to be held with key national and regional retailers, such as Costco, SuperValu, Albertsons, Kroger, Publix, Giant Eagle, Giant Carlisle, Meijer and H-E-B.
1 Shopper Fact Sheet, October 2007, the Hartman Group, Inc.
