Saputo Targets Families With ‘Incredibles’ Campaign

Frigo Cheese Heads leverages Disney Pixar film before release and during back-to-school seasonLincolnshire, Ill. — Families both heroic and ordinary are the target of a six-month, two-part campaign that began in mid-May and pairs Saputo Inc.’s Frigo Cheese Heads brand with Disney Pixar’s “Incredibles 2,” which hit theaters a month later.Saputo sought the tie-in because “we knew ‘The Incredibles’ were a family everyone could identify with based on our shared brand values of entertainment, family focus and quality,” says Brad Panarese, marketing manager, retail dairy, Saputo Cheese USA.The manufacturer also knew that 98% of the U.S. population, 97% of parents and 92% of children ages 7-12 had heard of the original movie, “The Incredibles,” even though the latter group was not even born when the first movie came out in 2005. In addition, 81% of the population, 83% of parents and 85% of children consider themselves fans, and more than 50% have watched the film in the past year, and it is still in the top 100 in all-time U.S. box office revenues. Lastly, Walmart and Target had already signed on for major promotions.As an “all-family snack,” Frigo Cheese Heads paired well, Panarese says. “The ‘Incredibles’ franchise is about a very loving but very busy and certainly on-the-go family who just happen to be heroes. In a sense, that’s what our shopper is, too – moms and dads who care and want to nourish their on-the-go family but need their own break, too.”The fully integrated marketing campaign was scheduled to roll out in two waves: from May 16 through July 21, and then Aug. 15 and Nov. 15 starting with the back-to-school season. Frigo was a sponsor of the global movie premiere in Hollywood, where attendees could sample string cheese and have photos taken with the movie characters.Out-of-store elements have included Saputo’s CheeseHeadsInstantWin.com promotional website, which hosts the “Frigo Cheese Heads Incredible Game;” email blasts; social media initiatives across Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest; and multiple digital efforts including the “super fan loyalty club” at CheeseHeadsUnite.com.The first wave of the promotion dangled $30,000 in prizes via the instant-win game, including Best Buy and Fandango digital gift codes, while the second wave will drive consumers to retail and offer $15,000 in prizes, including branded Disney backpacks and tumblers. The digital touchpoints include a “Store Locator” link to nearby retailers as well as coupons to drive traffic.In stores, Saputo used shelf talkers and floor graphics from News America Marketing “to make the campaign feel like retail theater within the usually restrictive dairy aisle,” Panarese says. “Beloved and popular ‘Incredibles 2’ characters enabled the brand to bring Hollywood excitement to retailers across the country.” The floor clings “really create stopping power,” he says.During the back-to-school portion of the promotion, Panarese says, “The ‘Incredibles 2’ family will not just appear on point-of-sale, but they will also be on wrappers of our most popular products. In this way, moms and dads will be able to pack heroes right into kids’ lunchboxes – once again making them heroes, too.”The 12 million promotional Frigo Cheese Heads packages carry on-pack stickers with an instant-win game piece and coupon as well as inner packaging that features the characters of “Incredibles 2.”Saputo worked with Ahold Delhaize to expand and supplement the effort by developing a floor cling for Food Lion stores. “The design spoke to making snacking incredible and featured a large ‘Incredibles 2’ family pose, as well as Frigo Cheese Heads packaging and logo,” Panarese says. “Many accounts received customized banner ads with coupons for Frigo Cheese Heads product.” Additional elements included custom signage, social media support and cross promotion.“Our partnership with Frigo Cheese Heads has provided great opportunities to support their business through the implementation of targeted digital elements,” says Giant Eagle’s Jamie Ennis, manager, marketing, grocery/dairy/frozen/GM. “The incremental digital media that was activated around the ‘Incredibles 2’ summer program successfully targeted Giant Eagle shoppers and has helped to include our customers in the action. A willingness to support exclusive offers and more targeted digital programming are a few of the collaborative activations that make our partnership with Frigo Cheese Heads effective.”Saputo will measure the success of the campaign by examining how the partnership deepens engagement with shoppers and ultimately drives sales during the promotional timeframes. It will track digital media results like impressions, engagements and registrations for the instant-win contests, and also consider how the effort builds closer ties with key retailers.In addition to News America, Saputo worked with Hangar-12 Marketing Group, Chicago, to manage and execute most aspects of the campaign, including digital media, social media content development, in-store design, games creation and management, packaging design, and vendor and partner management. Hangar-12 partnered with Centro, Inc., Chicago, for digital media and PrizeLogic, Chicago, for game development.Saputo has used a significantly larger budget than usual for this campaign “in order to deliver a total 360 integrated program – meant to impact consumers nationally as well as more targeted local programs for key customers,” Panarese says. “The (super) power of this collaboration … will help to elevate Frigo Cheese Heads as a brand, by way of association, with family fun and family snacking.”

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