Consumer Research Driving Brand Decisions

In a sea of salad how do you educate the consumer and keep the retailer happy at the same time? And what does aluminum foil have to do with salad? These are some of the points our client CarrieAnn Arias of Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc. spoke about at the January Cincy AMA lunch.

Arias provided insight into the process Dole took to "reinvent" their packaged salads, with the ultimate goal of growing the category and providing high-quality, high-flavor salads.

It all started with more than a year of extensive consumer research that found several consumer behaviors that would ultimately guide their direction. One finding was that consumers spent more time shopping the aisle with aluminum foil than they did deciding what type of packaged salad they wanted to purchase. Another insight was that consumers often prepare salads in the same way each time they eat it and don’t often experiment with adding new ingredients or trying new blends.

With these research results in hand, Dole set out to change the product, the message, and the marketing, resulting in all 32 of Dole’s salads and nine salad kits being re-designed. Part of their marketing plan included huge efforts to educate the consumer and the retailers on the different varieties of lettuces and their taste and textures, similar to how consumers have been educated on wine and beer varieties. Part of the effort to educate the consumer was done through social media marketing on both Twitter (@DOLESaladGuide) and Facebook.

After the packaging was complete Dole worked with RGI to create the in-store marketing plan that would promote the salad and continue the consumer education process with all their retail partners.

The end result was an increase in sales of Dole bagged salad and the time consumers spent in the category. According to follow-up research 24% of consumers interacted with POS in-store and the new DOLE Salad Guide, versus 12% prior to the new package.

A great example of how consumer research can positively impact a brand and the bottom line.