food insights Archives | The Irresistible Factor Blog

March 2, 2016October 26, 2017

Healthy Food Marketing: Personalization Is Key

What all consumers, but especially the valuable health-conscious ones want most these days is personalization. They want to feel like marketers understand them, and more importantly listen to and appreciate them. But attaining this aspect of personalization is growing more and more difficult for healthy food marketing as the health food category grows. So, how do you make a product feel personal, while still appealing to the masses? There are some companies that are doing an incredible job, and are really leading by example in showing us where brands are headed.

Two MIT grads, Richard Yau and Joe Laurendi started the company Bright Cellars. It’s a wine club that matches each consumer to a wine they are sure to love, based on answers they give about their taste and lifestyle preferences. The ten-question quiz determines of what kind of wine will be sent each month. The club not only feels exclusive but also feels incredibly personal because Bright Cellars gets to know their consumers very well at the outset of the relationship. So not only does Bright Cellars know what kinds of wine their consumers would like, they have clues into what other kinds of ways they can deepen their connection.

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February 4, 2016October 26, 2017

Healthy Food Marketing: Functional Beverages

Man cannot live on water alone. Or at least man doesn’t seem to want to. So to meet consumer desires for variety, we now have more beverage options than ever before. The constant introduction of a multitude of healthy juices, specialty waters, and protein shakes is a trend in the beverage marketplace (and healthy food marketing) that’s showing no signs of slowing down. What’s different about these new entries versus the Gatorades and Vitamin Waters of the recent past? It’s not their flavor but their function. What specific thing can each drink do to better your health or your energy, or your overall lifestyle?

Here are some of my favorite recent brands. Take a peak at how they are positioning themselves into this fascinating and crowded category.

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January 21, 2016October 26, 2017

Healthy Food Marketing In The Frozen Aisle

Can frozen convenience foods overcome a lifetime of unhealthy perceptions and win over today’s health-conscious consumers? The race is on.

The demand for simpler ingredients continues to gain momentum. And as more consumers search for what they perceive as fresher, more natural food, they do not often find themselves in the frozen food aisle. A problem for some health food marketers.

Partly because of its association with convenience, frozen foods do not get the health halo they often deserve. But there are a handful of smart brands out to change that. Lean Cuisine and Luvo seem to be in a race to connect with the valuable health-conscious consumer who still needs quick dinner solutions.

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December 23, 2015October 26, 2017

Healthy Food Marketing: Health-Concious Millennials Crave Community

Healthy Food Marketing_ Health-Concious Millenials Crave Community

Everyone in healthy food marketing knows that Millennials are health-obsessed and goal-oriented, and being part of a bigger fitness community keeps them inspired and on-track.

Every day it seems that there are more and more ways to do that. The days of secret dieting and personal fitness plans are becoming a thing of the past.

The Whole 30 diet is just one of many examples when it comes to eating plans.

Despite all the super-tough restrictions that are part of this plan, it has an incredible Millennial following. More evidence that they are serious when it comes to their health. Whole 30 has an active social community on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. There’s even a hash tag, #Whole30, where you can see tons of photos of healthy meal inspiration. In addition to this strong social presence, there are Whole 30 events and meet ups, to help keep members focused and excited. And Whole 30 is only one of many food plan communities popular with Millennials.

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December 16, 2015October 26, 2017

Healthy Food Marketing Trend: Functional Snacking

While the growth rate of traditionally indulgent snacks is slowing down, sensibly indulgent products including those with perceived health benefits continue to rise. Just look at what’s available in the least healthy places you can imagine buying snacks, convenience stores and airports, and you’ll know what your consumers are looking for. Healthy food marketing needs to pay attention.

Gone are the days when snacks only needed to be yummy and get you from one meal to the next. Today’s snackers are looking for treats with benefits (think functional beverages).

Will this help me sleep better? Will it be good for my mental health? Can it speed up my metabolism?

These are the questions snack food marketers should be thinking about as they communicate with the newest generation of healthy eaters (although healthy food marketing has already been asking these for years). Formerly a cheat in an otherwise healthy day, snacks are now playing a somewhat unexpected part in a healthy lifestyle (sort of like functional beverages). For example Good Day Chocolate has treats that are designed to do specific things. There’s Chocolate with Calm to help you relax, Chocolate With Energy to keep you going, and Chocolate With Sleep to help you get some zzz’s. The branding is simple and direct, and the product does way more than subside your craving for sweets-a trend that is definitely on the rise.

Why just get a plain old delicious granola bar when you could get a Health Warrior Bar. This brand’s claim to fame is “The world’s most powerful super food” also known as chia. The product is filled with Fiber, protein, omega-3’s, and minerals. They swear that you’ll be running faster, lifting heavier weights, and have extra “natural” energy all day long. That is quite a promise. And one that consumer’s want to believe in. They’re not just selling snacks. They are selling things that are way more compelling-energy and productivity. How much would you pay for that?

And the benefits go beyond sweets. The Watusee Foods Spicy Cayenne Chipeatos have incredible reviews. This particular recipe is loaded with capsaicin, the compound responsible for giving chilies their hot, hot heat. There’s also evidence that capsaicin decreases stomach fat and cools down your appetite. And if that’s not enough, the product boosts thermogenesis—the body’s ability to burn food as energy. Oh, and they just happen to be crunchy. Snacks like these should have regular old potato chips watching their backs.

With options that are delicious and so much more, it’s unlikely that millennials and others will be choosing the “just tastes good” snacks for much longer. Why would they when they could be buying faster metabolisms, increased productivity and more energy. Maybe its time snack food marketers got a wake up call from healthy food marketing. Or a wake up chip.

December 9, 2015October 26, 2017

Marketing healthy foods in today’s fragmented world

If you are a marketer, you know the days of messaging to a homogeneous target and broad/umbrella are gone. In order to break through and make a real connection today, all brands must understand this super-fragmented communication landscape. They need to leverage their available platforms to meet consumers right where they are and pinpoint the right message for that particular medium. That is no easy task, even when marketing healthy food.

We now live in a world where consumers are becoming increasingly complex; gender lines are blurred, stereotypical roles have been turned on their heads…and yet the expectation for a personalized connection from brands continues to grow. In fact, it’s now essential for building a deep, meaningful relationship with consumers.

And if this demand is important for big brands in the food space, it’s even more important for brands in the healthy food space. One size does NOT fit all. For example, all generations may agree that quinoa is the “it” food, but the reasons why Millennials are eating it are totally different than the Baby Boomer generation. So when healthy food brands have a true understanding of WHY consumers choose the foods they do, they will make better, more authentic connections.

So where does a brand begin?

Truly get to know all your targets.
This kind of niche targeting was inefficient, especially in the world of TV and print. But with so many options to connect in digital, social and mobile, the more targeted and specific a brand is, the better the connection. That means getting a better understanding up front about the nuances of each of your targets. Why specifically do they purchase and consume what they do? What values do they gravitate to? Making a kind of personal connection means brands demand even better strategic planning in the up front.
Be where your consumers are.
This isn’t just for some brands anymore. It’s what’s expected. Brands need to be where consumers are. 24/7. Consumers want to be part of the on-going conversation. They should be bumping into your brand in places they frequent. And they need to be heard, not talked at.
Don’t be generic with your message.
Digital, social and mobile have many incredible benefits. You can see and be seen much more efficiently, but there’s definitely a right way and a wrong way. Right now, many brands are marketing healthy food the wrong way. Cutting and pasting the same messaging across platforms is wasting your consumer’s time and your money. But by tackling the up front, strategic and creative work can give an opportunity to make strong connections. Really smart brands can get their consumers working on their behalf by turning them into influencers and brand ambassadors.

Getting personal with consumers will help you create the right content in the right places. It may seem like a daunting task, but the potential reward will be enormous to your brand.

Check out my twitter for more tips on marketing healthy food in this fragmented world.

December 2, 2015October 26, 2017

Healthy Food Marketing Trends: There’s a more exciting way to find out what’s next

Marketers can spend a fortune on research when they are trying to uncover what health minded consumers will want next, or perhaps just take a quick trip to a city that’s always a few steps ahead.

For example: Portland, Oregon. Simply taking a walk in this trend zone might make research more robust and more exciting than merely looking at the latest statistics. Healthy food marketing research just became more fun.

Coffee

Portland takes their coffee really seriously (so not the place for those in a hurry!), and they know that high quality coffee is what consumers want. Portland’s finest coffee shops are all about giving you the very best…whether that’s locally sourced beans from places like Stumptown Coffee or globally sourced beans from places like Coava Coffee, who boasts of “travel[ing] the world in pursuit of coffees with the highest quality, complexity and balance.” What every coffeehouse in Portland has in common is a real passion for coffee, from the tradition to the incredibly precise process that gives each place character and authenticity. This level of devotion and commitment to the love of coffee is definitely making its way around the country. Healthy food marketing better pay attention.

Half and half vs. Low fat milk alternatives

Another fascinating trend that’s actually happening in these coffee shops is half and half as the only dairy milk option. It’s definitely more delicious and adds to the richness of coffee. And perhaps the recent findings contradicting the benefits of skim and low-fat milk are showing up here. When it comes to weight gain, (the reason skim was even an option) some researchers argue that nonfat milk actually puts you at a higher risk of obesity. Plus fat in some things like half and half provides more nutrients (as long as it’s consumed in small qualities). Interesting information for brands that advertise nonfat dairy.

Juice Bars

Juice bars are starting to pop up everywhere, but they’ve been part of the Portland landscape for quite some time. Here, they aren’t just making your standard green or fruit juices. You’ll find all kinds of interesting concoctions with ingredients like jalapenos and blue algae. They know that consumers are demanding more health and energy in their food and juice so they are already beyond juice for purposes of weight loss only. So, thinking about the benefits that go beyond calorie counting and weight loss like energy, vitamins and minerals will definitely help connect with health-conscious consumers.

Ice Cream

Even ice cream is going fresh, organic and high quality in Portland, especially at places like Salt & Straw. When healthy people are going to indulge, we know they will only do it with the very highest quality stuff. So if you’re an ice cream or indulgence brand wanting to market to a broader outreach of healthy food consumers, think local, think homemade, think different, think fresh.

Consumers are expecting more and more of their food everyday, and Portland is one already all over this growing trend. And there are lots of other trend-setting cities that are just waiting to give marketers clues. Austin, San Francisco, Williamsburg, Seattle and Denver are just a few examples of places that are setting the stage for what’s to come. So, you could study what’s happening on a bar graph or you could act like a millennial and go immerse yourself. The next thing could be right around the corner. Keep up with healthy food marketing trends right here.

November 11, 2015May 25, 2017

Indulgences Like Chocolate Don’t Have To Take a Back Seat When Marketing Healthy Food

If you’re a brand that is often considered unhealthy in this increasingly health-conscious, calorie counting population, you may feel a little stressed. But the truth is, no matter what consumers intend, it’s unrealistic to assume that they will eat completely healthy 100% of the time. According to the “80/20 rule”, if you’re healthy 80% of the time and not so healthy 20% of the time, you are on the exactly right path (unless of course you are on a very restrictive diet). So if your brand falls in that 20%, not so healthy place, you still have a chance to connect with this growing group of health-conscious consumers. There are plenty of studies that suggest there are both mental and physical benefits to a little indulgence – especially a high-end indulgence. Tips for marketing healthy food are not a one trick pony.

To see an example of this, we only need look to the world of chocolate. In recent years, sales of premium chocolate like Godiva and Lindt have soared. The primary reasons for the growth of this historically un-health food are the health benefits, both physical and mental, associated with premium chocolate. This is particularly true for dark chocolate, which has helped boost chocolate sales immensely because of its antioxidants and healthy fats that that are now being touted to be beneficial to your heart and cholesterol levels (woohoo). And health-conscious consumers are getting wise to the fact that the higher the actual cacao levels in chocolate, the healthier the brand is. That’s why you’ll probably see many premium dark chocolate companies boldly advertising the cacao percentages on their packaging. A labeling tactic that many use in marketing healthy food brands all over.

Beyond physical health benefits, the health-conscious consumer knows that indulging every once in a while can improve your mood. Psychologists say knowing you can have an indulgence once in a while makes it easier to stay focused on being healthy most of the time. Healthy eating author Joel Marion says that a little cheat actually helps leptin levels increase, sending your body the signal that you are not overly hungry so that you continue releasing fat. And as all of us dieters know, routine indulgences and a little flexibility in a diet prevent feelings of deprivation, which often lead to binging and weight gain.

Instead of trying to be an every day brand, indulgence brands might want to just be true to what they are-a treat. And if they’re good at convincing consumers that they are a really good treat, and maybe even have some health benefits that consumers weren’t aware of, they might just become a go-to treat and become part of a long, meaningful relationship. And isn’t that the kind of relationship we’re all looking for? It is in marketing healthy food.

October 28, 2015October 26, 2017

When it comes to marketing healthy foods, brands might want to take a look at Italy.

Our obsession with healthy, natural foods has consumers asking all the right questions. Where exactly does it come from? What exactly is in it? And for the right answers, food brands marketing healthy food need only to look to the country that’s mastered it.

I just returned from a trip to Italy, three days of which were spent in Bologna, Italy’s self-proclaimed food mecca. One thing I can say with absolute certainty-The Italians really know how to get people excited about food. And they are not just selling taste.

On my favorite day of the trip, I had the pleasure of going on a “foodie tour” with a company called Italian Days Food Experience, with a tour guide like no other. Alessandro Martini is passionate about the food of Italy. And his passion was contagious. He gave 18 of us an incredible lesson on passion and respect for food.

We started the day at 7am at a factory where they make Parmegiano Reggiano. The workers (I would call them artisans) go through the same precise process every single morning, seven days a week and mostly by hand, to make what many (including me), call the King of Cheese. It is more of an art form than a process and has to be done exactly right, so that each wheel of cheese passes a rigorous inspection and can earn the certification DOP, Denominazione d’ Origine Protetta, (or to us protected designation of origin). And if it doesn’t pass it doesn’t get a stamp on the rind and it is marked so consumers always know exactly what they are getting.

Second stop was a prosciutto factory. Again, the most incredible love, care and respect for the food. Alessandro says the most delicious prosciutto comes from happy pigs that are treated well and given room to roam in the countryside of Italy. I’m mostly a vegetarian, but last week, I indulged. And it was worth it. I think he is right about the happy pigs.

Last stop, a little tiny house in Modena where a family makes balsamic vinegar. It takes 12 years of transferring little bits of vinegar from barrel to barrel, by hand to get it exactly right. Twelve years for one batch! That’s love and respect on a whole other level. And one tiny spoonful was all it took to understand why it matters.

The end of the tour was at an Italian farmhouse where 18 strangers lingered for two hours over homemade pasta (rolled right there), vegetables and wine (also made right there). One of the most striking things about the day was that all of the people had so much pride and passion around what they were making. And As Alessandro promised, we all felt like family at the end of the day. It’s hard to imagine that having happened over boxed macaroni and cheese. Marketing healthy food deserves that level of dedication.

Happily, American brands are catching up when it comes to good-for-you food. What I believe could really make them stand out is a little passion.

Follow my ideas on marketing healthy food on my twitter.

February 23, 2015October 26, 2017

Marketing Healthy Food: Don’t forget taste!

If you’re a marketer trying to talk “healthy”, remember that people have deep-seated beliefs and perceptions around eating and what it takes to eat and ‘be healthy’. It could take years of therapy (and your budget) to change it. So work with your consumer and meet them where they’re at. And please, don’t forget taste appeal!

Consumers read into health messaging more deeply and emotionally than marketers do. It’s not clean cut. There’s a tug of war in their subconscious. Years of the diet industry have wreaked havoc on the average American. People don’t know what’s “good” or “bad” anymore. Is a baked potato considered healthy these days? They’re as mixed up and skeptical as ever.

Marketers, on the other hand, must know what side of the fence their brand/product is on.

Are you the healthier cookie or the yummier yogurt? Are you trying to offer a better, guilt-free treat (heavy on the “health”) or are you selling a more pleasurable ‘healthy food’ (heavy on the “taste”). These are two different consumer mindsets and thus challenges for you to face. Either way, be positive! Nobody wants to summon the latent guilt or negative associations.

In order to do that, we have to acknowledge that there’s a strong inherent tension between Health and Taste. There’s a general consensus that healthy food tastes bad. Let’s explore.

First think about the imagery and feelings conjured up in your mind when I mention the word “taste”. Taste is mostly what makes eating pleasurable. Science shows us that without our sense of taste, many of us lose our appetites and drive to eat altogether. It becomes a chore (I couldn’t imagine that!).

Taste (the ability to recognize flavor) is also what helps us make connections with people – the better the flavor, the better the food and the longer people linger and talk. Taste can invoke memories, define an event/moment, and inspire people to create.

Now lets think about ‘health’. On one side, “health” offers an unlimited list of benefits that span far beyond the moment of eating something delicious. It’s a wise choice, few would disagree. And the old adage, ‘health is wealth’ couldn’t be more true. Especially as people start families and head toward middle age and retirement years, health is a central part of their lives and values.

However even if one fully subscribes to a healthy lifestyle, it’s not always pleasurable. We’re living in a culture that’s surrounded by overabundance and quick fixes. It takes work to be healthy. Conscious shopping, aware consuming, restrictive diets and exercising far more than one would like. Regardless of viewpoints, it’s not the easy path.

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Tag: food insights