A Chat With Last Year's Best Tween Marketing Winner

Selling to Kids, Jan 24, 2001

Last year, Hi-C Blast walked away with the Selling to Kids Tag Award (now called the Purple Ribbon Award) for Best Tween Marketing campaign. Hi-C Blast, a pouch drink that is different from a juice box in name and packaging, was created for older kids who wanted something more sophisticated than a juice box - and were often turning to Capri Sun. Selling to Kids recently caught up with Rick Zuroweste, director of new products for the Minute Maid Co., and

spoke with him about the company's marketing plans for 2001.

S2K: When Hi-C Blast was recognized, it had only been launched in the Southwest. Where does Hi-C Blast stand now?

Zuroweste: We actually have two pouch brands. Hi-C Blast and Minute Maid Coolers. They are in the same type of pouch structurally, but they do have a bit of a different marketing approach to them. Both of these brands have been in the regional markets. Hi-C Blast is now in the Midwest and the Southwest and our target will be to go into the West and the South next. The target is national by the end of 2001 on Blast... [We're] rolling Coolers national first, [and it should be] complete by the first quarter of this year.

S2K: What sort of marketing strategy are you employing now?

Zuroweste: Minute Maid Coolers is a brand that moms and kids can both feel good about. Hi-C, while it has acceptable nutritional content and it's fortified with Vitamin C, really is positioned more about fun for kids. ...So we segmented on a consumer profile more than an age demographic profile. [Our strategy] is really based on segmentation of consumer psychographics...

When you look at it as a strategy, you can flank Capri Sun on both sides. Capri Sun does not have the nutritional benefits and halo of Minute Maid Coolers, and it's not as kid-friendly and fun as Hi-C and Hi-C Blast. With those two different brands, we are literally able to block Capri Sun in. So we have a two-brand strategy to go after their one brand...

S2K: What sort of budget are you looking at?

Zuroweste: We really aren't able to release budgets, but they are at par with the category leader. So, a multimillion dollar marketing budget.

S2K: What results are you seeing?

Zuroweste: Our market share is on target with exactly where we said it would be. In some instances, it is exceeding it. Hi-C Blast ended the year with over a 9% share of fruit drinks in the Midwest and the Southwest. Minute Maid Coolers was overall about a 7% share across the current, existing regions, along with our new regions. We actually achieved a record 10% share in the West in December for Minute Maid Coolers.

S2K: Have you measured your gains on Capri Sun at all?

Zuroweste: It's hard to measure the gains because both brands are growing and the category has grown. The activity that Capri Sun has put into place combined with these new brands from us has driven nearly 20% category growth. So, both brands are really benefiting from us being in the market. Overall, Minute Maid's portfolio has gained market share at a faster rate than Capri Sun because of these two brands.