Maxwell links coffee with friendship

Maxwell House had been in China for some 10 years but it had not been able to gain a significant foothold in the market during that time. A change in strategy was, therefore, in order and the company assigned MindShare to set out a marketing plan that aimed to establish a coffee-drinking culture. But because China has traditionally been a tea-drinking society, the marketing push was initially focused on Shanghai. The Communication Strategy The communication objective was to position Maxwell House coffee as a product that stimulates enjoyable conversations with friends. The branding idea was to own 'what's on', which covered topics and news in the entertainment world. The target audience that was selected was young urban adults, aged between 20 and 35, who were described as 'creative' and 'funseekers', yearning for a new experience. They were also described as sociable, liked to share good times with friends, were more open to new ideas and tended to be early adopters. The Creative Strategy The core strategy was to provide a catalyst that would induce a stimulating conversation piece. The approach of being slightly irreverent, sometimes slightly on the edge, fitted well with the target consumers. The Media Strategy The media mix campaign that was developed by MindShare included: - TV programme sponsorship of Music Motion on Shanghai TV - Sponsored weekly events listing column in Shanghai Times - Radio announcements during pop music hour on Joy FM - Sponsored Internet page featuring entertainment events on Shanghai Online The Internet was a key component of the mix as it enhanced the positioning of Maxwell House as a brand that creates stimulating conversations - in this case, via the chat room. The Outcome With a multimedia campaign that reached the target audience at various but relevant contact points, Maxwell House was able to build a holistic image of the brand and the association with 'what's on' in Shanghai. There was also a visible increase in sales. Additionally, the campaign achieved one of the highest click-through rates in China at more than six per cent for the Internet sponsorship. (The average click-through rate in the country is 0.5 per cent).

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