Cheez Mania Strikes Planters Snacks - RJR Nabisco Inc., marketing - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

Brandweek, Nov 9, 1998 by Stephanie Thompson, Sloane Lucas

In an effort to buoy declining sales of its Planters cheese snacks and chip away at Frito-Lay's growing Chee-tos franchise, Nabisco will put more than $4 million in media behind the relaunch and flavor extensions of its line of Planters Cheez Balls and Cheez Curls this January under a new Cheez Mania umbrella.

The revamped Cheez Mania line will sport more contemporary packaging as well as the addition of White Cheddar, Cheddar & Sour Cream and Jalepeno Cheese varieties. The line will be supported in March with trial-size shippers featuring a jazzy Mr. Peanut, plus $4 million in TV support beginning in May via one of the two roster agencies that will also likely feature the Planters icon.

Nabisco has invested little in marketing Planters cheese snacks in the last few years, evidenced by a double digit slip in sales and the lack of agency assignment for the brand, now being bid on by Planters' agencies Foote, Cone & Belding, N.Y., and North Castle Partners, Stamford, Conn.

Packaging for Cheez Mania, though not finalized, will be "updated to become more fun and eye-catching" and will extend the existing equity of Mr. Peanut, said Joe Bybel, senior product manager for Planters Snacks. Sources said the Cheez Mania line will likely be extended into Nabisco's single-serve lineup in June or July.

"We thought it was time to refresh the Planters snacks line, since there has been no news in many years, and Cheez Mania gives us the opportunity to grow the business and get it back on track," Bybel said.

The overall cheese snacks category rose 1.6% to $439.4 million for the year ending Oct. 11, per IRI, but Planters was down 11.3% to $41.3 million. Frito's Chee-tos brand was up 7.3% to $221.5 million and even private label cheese snacks soared ahead of Nabisco's entries, with sales rising 4.7% to $45.8 million.