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Table of Contents Executive Summary ..........................................................................................................................1
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................2
Situational Analysis ..........................................................................................................................2
External Environmental Analysis ......................................................................................................3
Economic .................................................................................................................................................. 3
Technology .............................................................................................................................................. 3
Socio-Cultural .......................................................................................................................................... 3
Competitive Analysis ........................................................................................................................4
SWOT Analysis .................................................................................................................................4
Market Research ...............................................................................................................................7
Primary Research .................................................................................................................................... 7
General Key Findings .............................................................................................................................. 7
Target Markets ............................................................................................................................... 11
Overall Skews ........................................................................................................................................ 12
Strategic Position ........................................................................................................................... 13
Marketing Plan ............................................................................................................................... 14
Timeline .......................................................................................................................................... 17
Metrics ............................................................................................................................................ 20
Budget and Financial Forecast ......................................................................................................... 20
Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 20
Appendix ........................................................................................................................................ 21
Works Cited .................................................................................................................................... 21
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Executive Summary The purpose of the following report is to analyze the breath freshener industry in the U.S. in order to
develop objectives, strategies, and tactics to increase product awareness, trial, and sales of Ice Breakers
Cool Blasts within the targeted market.
Situational Analysis In an effort to increase awareness, trial, and sales, Ice Breakers Cool Blasts will adopt the “Quick Chew.
Cooler You.” campaign. Ice Breakers will utilize its reputation for innovation to take advantage of the
buying power of Millennials and develop a marketing plan recognizing socio-cultural trends such as
Millennials’ demand for instant gratification. The popularity of social media uses the tactic to increase
product awareness and strengthen customer-brand relationships.
Identifying the Target Market Ice Breakers Cool Blasts’ primary target market includes the Millennial generation who makes up
30.35% of the U.S. population. Based upon the frequency of gum and mint consumption, the target
market will be split into a primary target market which consists of Millennials aged 18-24, and a
secondary target market with Millennials aged 25-34. Ice Breakers Cool Blasts will be advertised with a
slight skew towards females, Hispanics, and African Americans due to their high percentage of gum and
mint consumption when compared to other demographics. Being technologically savvy, these targets turn
to social media to share everyday life experiences, seek approval from fellow peers and to stay connected
with what truly matters to their social and personal lives.
The Marketing Plan The “Quick Chew. Cooler You.” campaign will be conducted to increase brand awareness, trial, and sales
for Ice Breakers Cool Blasts. The campaign was created based on the following positioning statement:
For Millennials aged 18-34 who crave immediate results and satisfaction, Ice Breakers Cool Blasts
delivers easy and instant confidence by combining the chew of a gum and the intensity of a mint.
Unlike other breath freshening products, this innovation breaks into a whole new product category
that makes it easier to gain that cooler, confident feeling.
Objectives, strategies, and tactics were derived to form a relationship between Ice Breakers Cool Blasts
and its primary and secondary target markets: Tagline: “Quick Chew. Cooler You.”
Major Promotions: Advertising Campaign, Field Marketing, Restaurant Chain Partnership,
Digital Marketing, Sampling Contest
Distribution Channels: Amazon Online, Convenience Stores, Grocery Stores and Mass
Merchandisers
Ice Breakers Cool Blasts will be able to increase brand awareness, trial, and sales through its use of fun
ads, development of push and pull strategies, utilization of social media, use of new social media
channels, and by engagement of the target markets with contests and promotions.
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Introduction As a powerhouse in the confectionary industry, The Hershey Company refreshed the gum and mint
market by introducing Ice Breakers Cool Blasts chews. The shift away from gum consumption has
created an opportunity for this new product to successfully enter the breath freshening market. Ice
Breakers Cool Blasts has the additional advantage of wide brand recognition and strong sales of the Ice
Breakers brand as a whole.
The Ice Breakers case has requested a comprehensive marketing plan to increase awareness, interest, and
trial of Ice Breakers Cool Blasts. The following report provides a situational analysis and primary market
research that are used to identify the target markets and set objectives for the integrated marketing
campaign. A detailed marketing plan focusing on a marketing plan, channel strategies, metrics, an
estimated budget for implementation, and timeline are provided.
Situational Analysis Ice Breakers Cool Blasts is an innovative product that competes in the breath freshener industry but also
requires an understanding of both the gum and mint industries. This is due to the Cool Blasts having
attributes that could appeal to both gum chewers and mint consumers.
Breath-Fresheners The breath freshener market, which includes breath strips and sprays, mints, gum, and mouthwash,
generates over $658 million in sales a year. Brands such as Tic Tac, Ice Breakers, Altoids, Breathsavers,
and Listerine Pocketpaks compete in this industry. In 2014, Tic Tac was the leading brand in this market
with sales of $171.7 million, followed closely by Ice Breakers with sales of $129.6 million.
Mints Adults account for 89% of all mint consumption. Of these adults, aged 18-44 (31%) and 45-64 (38%)
account for about two-thirds of overall consumption (NCA Sweet Insights Candy U.S.A, candyusa.com).
Mint consumption opportunities occur throughout the day, but 28% of the time they are consumed by
people on-the-go (NCA Sweet Insights Candy U.S.A, candyusa.com). Overall, Ice Breakers Mints leads
the market with $13.7 million in sales, with the closest competitors being Tic Tac, Mentos Mint, Altoids
Peppermint, and Mentos Mixed Fruit.
Gum Sales in the gum industry continues to fall and only the sugarless gum segment shows any growth (Gum
in U.S., 2015). According to Market Share Reporter, five popular brands in the top ten brands of sugarless
gums are: Orbit, Trident, Wrigley’s Extra, Wrigley’s Eclipse, and Ice Breakers Cubes (Top
Sugarfree/Sugarless Gum Brands, 2013). More information on these top five gum brands are shown in
Figure 1. Reports show that adults aged 18-34 account for 41% of the gum market. Within this age range,
African Americans and Hispanics chew gum more frequently than other races (Top Sugarfree/Sugarless
Gum Brands, 2013).
Figure 1: Top 5 Gum Brands
Top 5 Gum
Brands
Gum Market
Share (%) 17.3% 16.9% 16.9% 12.8% 5.1%
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External Environmental Analysis
Economic Past Economic Levels and Future Outlook
After recovering from the late 2000’s recession, Americans have recently seen a stabilized economy.
Analysts believe the U.S. GDP will grow into the second quarter of 2016 at an average rate of 2.75%
(United States Economic Forecasts 2015-2050, tradingeconomics.com). The market for Fast Moving
Consumer Goods, such as gum and mints, are relatively recession proof as most consumers are still
willing to indulge in these impulse treats during difficult economic times (FMCG and the Recession,
euromonitor.com).
Technology Social Media Social media plays a huge role in Millennial’s everyday routine and is a vital source for advertising.
Currently, 63% of people stay updated on brands through social networks (Garst, 2013). People aged 18-
21 are nearly five times more likely than adults in the 45+ age group (38% vs. 8%) to access media online
(Washton, 2012). In addition, it was found that 34% of Young Millennials, born after 1995, prefer to be
reached by brands through social media channels as opposed to other media outlets (Walgrove, 2015). As
far as user engagement content, an average of 20% of Millennials share videos of themselves through
their social media accounts (Brown, 2010).
Mobile Applications Many social media channels are accessed through the use of mobile applications. Millennials consider
mobile first, meaning they reach for their phone rather than a computer to search and access sites. Of all
Millennials, Hispanics have the highest mobile engagement (Banes, 2014). The most popular mobile
social media applications are Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook (Becker, 2014). Effective utilization of
these social media apps calls for connecting with followers, posting relevant content, and engaging in real
conversations (Fromm, Celeste, Decker 2011).
Television/Online Streaming In 2012, there were a reported 114.7 million households with televisions, which constitute 97.1% of
households in the United States. Television is the most used type of media; however, there is a growing
trend of watching TV shows from outlets and devices other than cable television, such as Hulu and
Netflix, especially for the Millennial population (Lynn 2013; Rosman 2013; “TV Basics” 2012). Electronic and In-Store Advertising Although online shopping is a growing service, the use of in-store advertising remains strong. Millennial
women are most influenced by in-store advertising (Retail Food Marketing Trends in the U.S.: Tech,
Mobile, and Social Media). Overall, in-store price and sales promotions influence 56% of shoppers; while
in-store merchandising displays influence roughly one-third of shoppers to buy food and grocery
products. Approximately 52% of shoppers are influenced by weekly paper-based sales flyers (Retail Food
Marketing Trends in the U.S.: Tech., Mobile, and Social Media). A study conducted by Ad Age found
that approximately 29% of purchases are made on impulse and of these purchases, 24% of them were
influenced by an in-store display (Neff, 2008).
Socio-Cultural Millennial Spending Power In recent years, Millennials (21-34) have become the largest population cohort, making up 30.35% of the
U.S. population (MRI). They are projected to have a spending power of more than $200 billion by 2017,
making them the most sought after group by marketers (Gigley, 2015). In addition to the Millennial
target, 18-20 year olds are a part of the adult population and are considered, Young Millennials (Geller,
2015). Although this portion of the cohort has not yet reached the age of 21, their generation contributes
nearly $44 billion to the U.S. economy and stands to contribute more in the future (Relander, 2014).
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Hispanic and African Socio-Cultural Trends
With a 43% population growth for Hispanics and 12.3% growth for African Americans, the United States
continues to become increasingly multicultural (Quintana, 2011). According to Nielsen, multicultural
consumers are more likely to adopt new technologies (Alexander, 2015). African Americans make up
15.38% of 18 to 24 year olds (American Fact Finder, 2015). Fifty percent of Hispanics under the age of
35 are predicted to be responsible for $86 billion in spending by 2018 (MarketResearch.com, 2014).
On The Go/Impulse Consumer
People aged 16-34 snack more than any other group throughout the day (Kelley, 2012). This specific
group also tends to buy impulsively, shop at places known for “instant consumption,” and are less likely
to plan ahead when shopping (Kelley, 2012). Impulse purchases often occur in the checkout area, which
is responsible for approximately seven times the amount of sales per square meter than any other area in
the store (Nieburg, 2013). When it comes to purchases, Millennials want instant gratification and fast
results (Demand for Instant Gratification, 2012).
Competitive Analysis Ice Breakers Cool Blasts’ main competition comes from mints, gum, breath spray and strips, and
mouthwash. Ice Breakers holds nearly 20% of market share in breath freshener industry with its existing
products including its Mints, Frosts, and Duos and a 5% of the gum share with the Cubes product. The
main competing brands in the breath freshener category are Tic Tac, Altoids, Breath Savers, and Listerine
Pocketpaks. In 2014, these four brands accounted for 56% of the market share (Sales of the Leading 5
Breath Freshener Brands, statista.com). While there is a broad range of competitors, mints and gum are
the most likely to be alternatives to Cool Blasts. Main gum competitors are Orbit and Trident, who are
leaders in the industry with market shares of 17.3% and 16.9% respectively. Main mint competitors are
Mentos and Tic-Tac, who are leaders in the industry with market shares of 29.3% and 26% respectively.
In addition to these competitors, other products within the Ice Breakers line may be an alternative to the
Cool Blasts. It will be important to differentiate the Cool Blasts from other Ice Breakers products in order
to avoid cannibalization. A further insight of the competitors can be seen in Appendix A.
SWOT Analysis The following SWOT analysis was developed to better understand the Ice Breakers Cool Blasts as a
product and its strengths and weaknesses within the gum, mint, and breath freshener market in the U.S.
With support from research, the analysis also highlights opportunities for Ice Breakers and examines
external threats that could affect the product line and more specifically, Cool Blasts.
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Strengths
Brand Recognition
In 2015, Hershey’s overall share in the candy, mints, and gum market was 25%; its market share in the
mint industry, including both Ice Breakers and Breath Savers products, was 41%, topping all competitors
(Ice Breakers Cool Blasts Chews Case, 2015). Ice Breakers’ dominance in the market has led to it being
one of the most recognizable brands in the mint and gum industry. From 2012 to 2015, Ice Breakers
experienced a 2.54% growth in its overall brand recognition in the U.S. (Sugar Confectionary, 2015). Distribution Networks
The Hershey Company and Ice Breakers have an efficient distribution network. Hershey has a strong
relationship with its distributors. They utilize channels such as grocery stores, convenience stores, and
wholesale clubs (The Hershey Company - Form 10-K, 2010). Reputation for Innovation
The Hershey Company offers a large product variety because it is constantly manufacturing and
marketing new products (Hershey Co, 2014). Hershey believes product innovation is “vital for creating
excitement in the category, attracting consumer interest, and encouraging impulse buying” (Hershey Co,
2014). By becoming the first to develop a product with “attributes of gum, yet with different benefits,”
Hershey has created an innovative breath freshening product with the Ice Breakers Cool Blasts (Watrous,
2014).
Weaknesses
Risk of Cannibalization
There are probable risks to be taken into account when introducing a new product into the same industry
as the rest of Ice Breakers’ product line. Ice Breakers has been in the breath freshener industry for some
time now and it runs the risk of cannibalizing some of its other products such as Ice Breakers Mints, Ice
Breakers Cubes, and Ice Breakers Frost. Limited Flavor Variety
Ice Breakers Cool Blasts offers a limited variety of flavors. In terms of ‘better taste’ to consumers, flavors
infused with fruit or cinnamon are among the top purchased flavors of gum (Consumer Insights). Fruit
was also the top preferred flavor for mints (primary research) Ice Breakers Cool Blasts does not offer
either flavor yet. Limited Social Media
Ice Breakers’ social media engagement is lower when compared to its competitors. The brand remains
active with consumers on social media through Facebook, but that is currently its only social media
channel. Ice Breakers fails to have its own web page, but rather appears on Hershey’s official website and
often gets lost in the mix with the other Hershey products. This is also the case with YouTube, where Ice
Breakers has a playlist but no separate channel. In 2014, Ice Breakers spent $36,680,200 on
advertisements, with only $14,400 going to online internet advertisements. On the other hand, some of its
competitors such as Mentos and Orbit, spent more than $300,000 on internet advertisements (Ad$pender,
2015).
Opportunities
Online Shopping Trends
By 2019, online grocery shopping is expected to become a $17.2 billion industry with Millennials as the
driving force (Christmann, 2015). As supported by Nielsen, Millennials are most likely to shop online via
e-commerce due to a high comfort level with technology, “making them an important demographic to
reach with innovative e-commerce solutions” (Lindell, 2015). There is an emerging market in online
shopping with new apps and programs such as AmazonFresh, Amazon Dash, Wal-Mart Grocery and
Google Express. Currently, Ice Breakers’ “repeat order rate is 31%, which is more than double the
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average of other Hershey Brands on Amazon.com” (Lindell, 2015). This demonstrates that Ice Breakers
Cool Blasts has potential for success in e-commerce markets. Gum Sales Decline
According to Gum in U.S., gum sales dropped 15% from 2009 to 2014 (Gum in U.S., 2015). Gum’s
negative reputation and association with bad manners has led consumers to alternative products without
that stigma (Choi, 2014). Ice Breakers Cool Blasts has the opportunity to create a new market within the
breath freshener industry and benefit from the increasing negative perception of gum. Millennial Spending Power
Millennials are currently the largest population cohort. Ice Breakers already has a strong following among
Millennials which should benefit Ice Breakers Cool Blasts. This cohort has large numbers and increasing
spending power with a projection to spend more than $200 billion by 2017 and $10 trillion in their
lifetimes (Gigley, 2015). Young Millennials born after 1995, have a spending power of $44 billion dollars
a year. They currently make up about a quarter of the U.S. population, and by 2020 will account for 40%
of all consumers. Millennial Culture Trends
Those in the 18- to 29-year-old age group are more likely than other age groups to say they like to do
unconventional things and to stand out in a crowd, thus, “sharing all aspects of their lives with friends of
all kinds” is highly important to them (Brown, 2010). Risk-taking and impulsive behavior are also traits
that are most common within the previous stated age group (Brown, 2010). As far as traditional
promotions, Experian Simmons NCS found that magazines have highest involvement within Millennials,
with user engagement showing that “54% of 18- to 24-year-olds far above average” (Brown, 2010).
Multicultural media is important within Millennials and Experian Simmons NCS data shows that English-
speaking Hispanic Millennials are comfortable with the media of their heritage as well as English-
language media (Brown, 2010). “More than 50% of English-speaking Latinos in the 18-29 year old age
group listened to Spanish-language radio and watched Spanish-language TV in the past seven days”
(Brown, 2010). Cause Related Marketing
Millennials, more than other age cohorts, are more involved in social responsibilities and feel responsible
to make an impact and get involved in social causes. More than one-third are more likely to purchase a
product if it is associated with a cause (Barton, Fromm, & Egan, 2012). Impulse Checkout Opportunity
Confectionary products account for an estimated 22.2% of sales at the checkout zones and yet “many
retailers still fail to make optimal use of the checkout zones potential” (Nieburg, 2013). As previously
discussed, the on-the-go shopper has become increasingly prevalent. Because of this, the checkout zone
provides an opportunity for Cool Blasts to gain sales from these impulse buyers.
Threats
Intense Rivalry and Substitutes
Although there is not yet a direct competitor with exact same type of product for Ice Breakers Cool
Blasts, the breath freshener industry has many potential, indirect competitors in the form of gum and
mints. The indirect competitors have similar benefits such as the fresh breath feeling. They also provide a
greater variety of flavor choices. Companies such as Wrigley, Mondalez, Ferrero and Perfetti Van Melle
own various gum and mint brands that can provide breath freshening. Ice Breakers is positioned in the
highly competitive breath freshener market. According to an article from Food Marketing.com, if the
product does not “promote the functional benefits of its products” it may end up falling vulnerable to the
current competitors’ products (Food Marketing, 2015). Therefore, it will be important to highlight the
functional benefits of Cool Blasts over other products.
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New Product Adoption
The “Millennial consumer group are more likely than other consumers to change brands often for the sake
of variety or novelty” (Brown). There is a risk of failure for all new products. Specifically with the U.S.
packaged goods, “companies introduce 30,000 products every year, but 70% to 90% of them don’t say on
store shelves for more than 12 months.” (Gourville, 2006) Consumers may choose not to adopt the Ice
Breakers Cool Blasts because it is the first product of its kind. It runs the risk of not being successful in
the breath freshening market because it is not familiar among consumers. It will be important to create
accurate expectations regarding the use of the product.
Market Research Primary Research
Extensive primary research was conducted in order to identify and understand the target market, analyze
trends, and gain strategic insights. Primary research utilized in-depth interviews, focus groups, various
unique taste tests, and a nationwide survey of both men and women aged 18-34.
General Key Findings
The following key findings were consistent between in-depth interviews, focus groups, and the
nationwide survey. ● Altoids was the most popular mint, Orbit was the most popular gum.
● Most participants are not concerned about the use of artificial ingredients in gum and mints.
● Oral hygiene and fresh breath are important to both male and female participants, but more
important to females.
● Participants feel that fresh breath give them confidence.
● Respondents believe that chewing gum is unprofessional.
● Respondents indicated that gum and mints are an impulse purchase.
● Word of mouth was the most popular motivator for new product purchases.
● Respondents indicated that they chew gum and consume mints more frequently than purchasing
either breath freshener. More detail of these findings can be seen in Appendix B.
In addition significant, unique findings are discussed below, as well as an analysis of the various taste
tests that were conducted.
In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 male and female consumers of various ethnicities between
the ages of 20-24. The interviews included discussing the following areas: general breath freshening
perceptions, lifestyle, mint/gum motivations and perceptions, and purchasing behaviors for gum/mints. In
addition, a taste test was administered to gain knowledge about participants’ perception and liking of Ice
Breakers Cool Blasts.
Key Findings of In-Depth Interviews
● Most participants identified breath fresheners as gum and/or mint products, however, some
participants named mouthwash and toothpaste as breath fresheners.
● People take mints and gum when offered by others.
● Most people consume mints when they feel they have bad breath.
● Motivations for chewing gum are primarily to combat bad breath but also include: to focus, to
avoid smoking, and out of habit.
● Most participants feel that chewing gum is very unprofessional, but not so with mints.
● People purchase mints less often than they purchase gum.
● People are generally not aware of the price of their favorite mint/gum.
● Most people decide to buy gum/mints at the cash register.
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● About half of participants indicated that they are not very brand loyal to gum/mint brands, rather
are likely to purchase different products based on an impulse decision.
In-Depth Post Taste Test
● After tasting the product, many described the product as a cool location such as a mountain.
● Three recurring adjectives participants named to describe the Cool Blasts were intense, fresh, and
cool.
● Respondents were asked to describe a situation when they would see themselves consuming Cool
Blasts, many described a situation where they have to interact with customers or a boss, or before
a date.
Focus Groups
Three focus groups were conducted with a total of 32 college students, between the ages of 18-24 of
various ethnicities. Open-ended questions evaluated participants’ perceptions of breath fresheners, gained
insight about the target’s lifestyle, obtained an understanding of attitudes and behaviors towards gum and
mints, completed a competitor analysis, and discussed familiarity and perception of Ice Breakers brand. A
written survey was given to each participant after a taste test was administered to gauge individual liking
of product attributes, and likelihood of purchase and recommendation.
Key Findings from Focus Groups
● Most participants like intense mint and gum flavors.
● Participants chew gum most when they are driving, studying, in class, and after a meal.
● Participants consume mints primarily after meals and sporadically throughout their day.
● Most participants could only name one or two Ice Breaker products but were familiar with many
more when aided; of these products, the Cube gum was the most remembered Ice Breakers
product.
● Several participants described the Ice Breakers brand as innovative.
● Most participants feel that Ice Breakers consumers are young.
● Participants often noted that they notice other people’s bad breath more often than their own.
Focus Group Post Taste Test
● After sampling Cool Blasts, a majority of participants described it as a mint.
● Most participants liked the current packaging of the Cool Blasts.
● Several participants expected that the duration of the chew to be longer than it was, and find the
dissolving of the chew unsettling.
● A majority of respondents liked the intensity and duration of the chew’s freshness, however, a
few found the product overwhelmingly intense and had a strong disliking for the product because
of it.
Taste Tests A taste test was administered to 185 participants. This group consisted of males and females, aged 18-34
of various ethnicities, who had not previously tried Ice Breakers Cool Blasts. Of these participants,
approximately half tried the peppermint chew and the other half tried the spearmint chew, however there
were no significant differences in responses between the two flavors. Participants evaluated features of
Cool Blasts, were asked to rate their likelihood of purchase and recommendation of the product,
perception of product as a gum or mint, and preference between Cool Blasts and leading breath fresheners
including Tic Tacs, Mentos, Listerine PocketPaks, Altoids and Orbit gum. Taste Test Key Findings
● Participants overall indicated that they liked the intensity of both flavors.
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● Approximately 90% of participants liked the freshness they received from Cool Blasts.
● Approximately half of participants either disliked or strongly disliked the texture of the Cool
Blasts.
● A majority of participants (60%), indicated that they either disliked or strongly disliked the
duration of the chew.
● A slight majority of participants indicated that they were unlikely to buy Cool Blasts after having
tasted them.
● Ice Breakers Cool Blasts were perceived as a mint by 74% of participants and as a gum by 26%
of participants.
● Major brands such as Tic Tac, Mentos, Altoids, and Orbit, were preferred over Cool Blasts
Chews.
● Ice Breakers Cool Blasts were preferred over Listerine PocketPaks.
Extended Taste Tests
In-depth interview and focus group discussions indicated that many participants expected the Cool Blasts
to be more like a gum and that to many, the duration of the chew, texture, and intensity of the product was
unexpected. Participants who tried the product again knowing what to expect had a better reaction to the
attributes. Therefore, in order to further look into the effect of repeat usage on the liking of the product an
extended taste test was conducted. The taste test was conducted by asking participants to consume Ice
Breakers Cool Blasts for seven consecutive days. A survey measuring attributes, likelihood of purchase,
and likelihood of recommendation was conducted three times during the week in order to determine if
and/or when product preferences changed.
Extended Taste Test Key Findings
● Approximately 27% of participants increased their liking of the texture or duration of the chew
after repeat consumption.
● After the extended taste test was over, many participants rated that they were more likely to
purchase and recommend Cool Blasts.
● Participants liked the freshness of Ice Breakers Cool Blasts consistently throughout the taste test.
● Approximately half of participants that initially disliked the intensity of the chew, expressed a
greater level of liking for the intensity of the flavor as the test progressed.
● A majority of participants who indicated a change in liking of certain characteristics of Cool
Blasts did so during the second evaluation (three days into the repeat trials) and held that same
level of liking in the final evaluation.
Survey A nationwide survey was conducted with 605 participants with the goal of obtaining a larger and more
diverse look at the following areas: lifestyle, social media usage, gum/mint flavor preferences, mint/gum
purchasing behaviors, motivation of mint/gum consumption, competitor analysis, Ice Breaker familiarity
and preference, perception of popular gum and mint brands, and questions assessing perception regarding
Cool Blasts. The survey was created and distributed using Qualtrics research software (see Appendix C).
The survey results were analyzed using the statistical software program SPSS. The statistical analysis
included calculations of means, frequencies, chi-squared tests, independent t-tests, and ANOVA. Key Findings of Survey
● Participants use social media primarily to see and share photos, music, and videos and to find
information about a company or product. Most respondents check platforms five or more times a
day.
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● Snapchat and YouTube are the most widely used media entertainment, with 18-25 year olds
showing a very high usage of Snapchat (97%) and usage of YouTube skewing towards males
rather than females.
● Participants prefer mint (peppermint, spearmint, and wintergreen) flavored gum and mints over
cinnamon flavored but expressed interest in fruit flavors.
● Most participants engage in social activities 1-3 times a week.
● Although important for males, females find it more important to maintain good personal hygiene,
are more likely to notice when others have bad breath, show greater concern over how people
perceive them, and feel better when they have fresh breath. They also have a higher likelihood of
chewing gum or consuming a mint when they feel they have bad breath.
● Participants 18-25 years old place a higher level of importance on fresh breath than the 26-34 age
group.
● Participants are likely to use breath fresheners after a meal, while studying, and before an
interview or date.
● Most participants chew between one and three pieces of gum in one sitting.
● Participants indicated that they make decisions between mint brands primarily based on the
following reasons: duration of flavor, quality, price, and convenience. Females place a higher
level of importance on flavor and price than males.
● Other important factors when purchasing mints is promotion and familiarity of the brand name.
Participants aged 18-24 find these factors more important than the 26-34 age group and females
find these factors more important than males.
● The primary places where participants purchase gum and mints are convenience stores, discount
stores, and drug stores, respectively.
● Participants aged 18-25 are more familiar with the Ice Breakers brand than the 26-34 year olds
and most participants are at least somewhat familiar with Ice Breakers.
● Only 36% of participants had heard of Ice Breakers Cool Blasts and of those participants, 46%
had tried the product.
● Of the participants that had heard of Cool Blasts, 43% had seen advertisements, 42% of them had
seen them in a store, and 11% of participants had heard of the product through friend
recommendations.
● Of the participants that had tried Ice Breakers Cool Blasts, approximately 50 percent plan to
purchase it again.
● Of the participants that had tried Cool Blasts, about 80 percent agreed that the name was fitting
for the product. Most respondents felt that the name was not too similar to other breath
fresheners.
Perception Scale of Ice Breakers Semantic differential scales with bi-polar adjectives on each side were used to learn how participants’
perceive Ice Breakers and its top competitors. Participants indicated that Ice Breakers is viewed as
energetic, affordable, more popular, of higher quality than average and as a trendsetter (See Figure 2).
When compared to its competitors, there were no significant differences between Ice Breakers and Tic
Tac or Ice Breakers and Orbit. However, there was difference between Ice Breakers and Mentos.
Participants indicated that Mentos is not as energetic, popular, of high quality, or as much of a trendsetter
as Ice Breakers. A further insight of how Ice Breakers compared to its competitors can be seen in
Appendix D.
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Figure 2: Perceptions of Ice Breakers
Key Strategic Outcomes of Primary Research
The following primary research findings were found significant enough to tailor the marketing plan
towards the results.
● Participants indicated that fresh breath makes them feel confident, therefore confidence will be
highlighted in the Cool Blast marketing plan.
● Because females indicated a greater likelihood than males to use a breath fresheners when they
feel they have bad breath, Ice Breakers Cool Blasts will skew targeting towards females.
● Advertising will focus on reminding people that breath is noticed by others. Primary research
showed that participants are more likely to notice others bad breath, than their own. And
particularly, females, care strongly about whether others perceive their breath as bad.
● YouTube and Snapchat had the highest rate of usage among participants out of all social media
outlets, so they will be the best platforms to utilize.
● Participants aged 18-24 year agreed that fresh breath is important more often than 25-34 year
olds, so the primary market will remain 18-24 year olds.
● Extended taste tests indicated that overall liking for Cool Blasts increased after repeat
consumptions, therefore multiple sampling opportunities will be utilized.
Target Markets The overall target market incorporates several skews and is split between primary and secondary target
markets. To better understand the breath freshener landscape, information was used from secondary and
primary research. The U.S. population was analyzed by age, gender, and race/ethnicity to identify the
demographic groups that provide the best opportunity for Cool Blasts. Further analysis shows that the
main motivation for use of a product such as Cool Blasts is the desire for fresh breath and the resulting
feeling of confidence.
Based on instruction from Ice Breakers, this campaign primarily targets Millennial adults aged 18-24.
According to primary research, they care about fresh breath, and achieve it either by using gum or mints.
Nearly half of the primary target market purchases breath freshener products, and they purchase more Ice
Breakers products than any other age group. Based on MRI+ data, 43% of 25-34 year olds purchase
breath freshener products and will make up the secondary target market. While they also show a stronger
likelihood of purchasing gum or mints than other ages, the 25-34 year old age group is not as likely to
purchase Ice Breakers products so they present an opportunity. However, this group still shows similar
characteristics to 18-24 year olds such as high levels of engagement with social media and a strong
concern for what others think. Therefore, the same strategies and promotions used for the primary target
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market will also be effective for the secondary target group. The target market will not include people
after the age of 34 because they become less likely than the general population to use gum, mints, and
breath fresheners (MRI).
Millennials make up 31% of the U.S. population and are projected to have a spending power of $10
trillion in their lifetime (MRI, 2014; Gigley, 2015). Since Millennials have a greater interest in trying new
products, targeting and forming a relationship with them now can help Ice Breakers Cool Blasts capitalize
on the generation’s customer lifetime value. They enjoy going to restaurants, bars, shopping, and live
entertainment when spending time with friends (“What do millennials like to do with their free time?”,
2013). When it comes to brands, Millennials pay more attention to social media, rely on their peers’
product opinions, and expect brands to participate and engage with them. They “value authenticity” and
believe trust is a key factor. They also use “multiple tech devices” daily (Schawbel, 2015).
When it comes to trying new products, 69% of Millennials consider themselves to be adventurous. They
are 2.5 times more likely than any other generational group to be an early adopter of innovative products.
Primary research found that Millennials use breath fresheners before dates, before interviews, or during
work. They look for fresh breath to increase their confidence when around other people. With the Cool
Blasts quick dissolving characteristic and Millennials’ need for instant gratification in and confidence,
this product will provide them with the confidence and the quick results they desire.
Overall Skews
Females, Hispanics, and African Americans Primary research and secondary data shows that although there is a usage difference between gum and
mints, there are no unique characteristics that differentiate heavy usage versus light usage segments. Since
the groups do not differ, there is no need for different marketing efforts towards each usage segment.
While usage rates of gum and mints did not reveal any significant differences, MRI data has shown that
certain demographics purchase gum and mints more than others. There will only be slight skews toward
racial and ethnic demographics due to the increasing multiculturalism of consumers ("The Making of a
Multicultural Super Consumer", 2015).
Millennials ages 18-24 are more likely than any other age group to use gum or mints and approximately
36.5% are enrolled in college (MRI + University Reporter; Marketresearch.com, 2012). The primary
target market prefers using gum over mints, but when it comes to Ice Breakers products, they are more
likely to use an Ice Breakers mint than gum (MRI+). While the 18-24 age group is the most likely to use
gum or mints, Millennials aged 25-34 are still 22% more likely than the general population to purchase
these products. These groups are likely to be influenced by brand names and word of mouth reviews
based on primary data.
When compared to males, females are heavier users of both gum and mints (MRI + University Reporter),
and they consume these breath freshening products when they are aware they have bad breath, according
to primary research. They also value personal hygiene slightly more than men and care about how others
perceive them. Therefore, Ice Breakers will administer a slight skew towards females with the Ice
Breakers Cool Blasts.
There will also be a slight skew towards the Hispanic and African American Millennial populations. The
African American population is 25% more likely than the general population to have used gum or mints
in the past six months (MRI + University Reporter). They also make up 15% of the primary target market
population while the Hispanic/Latino population makes up 20% (American Fact Finder, 2015). In homes
where Spanish is spoken most often, users are 9% more likely to have consumed gum or mints in the past
P a g e | 13
six months (MRI). According to primary research, African Americans place a higher importance on fresh
breath and Hispanics claim to feel better with fresh breath than other racial and ethnic groups. In regards to the Ice Breakers brand, African Americans are 26% more likely to use Ice Breakers mints
and 24% more likely to chew Ice Breakers gum (MRI). People in Spanish speaking homes are 20% more
likely to use Ice Breakers mints and 38% more likely to chew Ice Breakers gum. This shows Ice
Breakers’ strong brand loyalty among both Hispanic and African American consumers.
Strategic Position Strategic Positioning Rationale The strategic position and measurable objectives are the building blocks to promoting the intended
marketing plan. Ice Breakers Cool Blasts will focus on consumers within the target market and empower
them with confidence in any social situation. Cool Blasts strives to deliver with its intense flavor and
cooling effect. The unique dissolving feature gives consumers a convenient and fast way to get fresh
breath and confidence anytime, making it stand apart even from other Ice Breakers products. In addition,
a brand image will be created to highlight the quickness and coolness of the chew. The message “Quick
Chew. Cooler You.” reaches the specified audience easily because for the Millennial generation, faster is
better and they crave instant gratification (“Understanding the Millennial Consumer” 2012). In addition,
standing out from the crowd while feeling like a unique individual is one of the target market’s top
priorities. Ice Breakers Cool Blasts will be positioned as more than just a means for fresh breath, but a
product that gives you self-assurance and a cooler confidence. Since fresh breath and confidence are
always important, this makes any time a good time to have a Cool Blasts.
Positioning Statement
In the initial introduction, Ice Breakers Cool Blasts’ advertising focused on asking whether the product
was a gum or mint, highlighting its newness and novelty. Further into its life, the focus moved to include
its unique dissolving nature, which removes the need for disposal. Now that consumers should be more
aware of what the product is, Ice Breakers Cool Blasts will focus on the value of cool confidence gained
from fresh breath.
The product itself takes benefits and attributes from both gum and mints. Primary research shows that the
unique dissolving feature of Ice Breakers Cool Blasts chews appeals to gum chewing Millennials who
want fresh breath but do not find it appropriate to chew gum in all situations. The slogan is used to
reinforce expectations about the quick chew of the Cool Blasts. It creates realistic expectations that the
product is not the same as a gum but provides quick results. This is important because primary research
found many people did not like the texture or duration of the chew because they expected it to be more
like gum. As for mints, 13% of consumers choose to consume them “because they like the taste,” or it
freshens their breath (NCA Sweet Insights Candy U.S.A., candyusa.com). Primary research shows that
most people like the flavor and intensity of Cool Blasts, therefore it is most likely to be popular among
mint consumers. Value Proposition For individuals who want a quick, convenient, and satisfying breath freshening experience with no
disposal required, Ice Breakers Cool Blasts is the innovation that provides a blast to freshen breath and
provide a cooler confidence to be your best self. Positioning Statement
For Millennials aged 18-34 who crave immediate results and satisfaction, Ice Breakers Cool Blasts
delivers easy and instant confidence by combining the chew of a gum and the intensity of a mint. Unlike
other breath freshening products, this innovation breaks into a whole new product category that makes it
easier to gain that cooler, confident feeling that come from breath fresheners. Objectives
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● To reach an awareness level within the target markets for Ice Breakers Cool Blasts of 25%.
● Increase trial of Ice Breakers Cool Blasts within the target markets by 720,000 people.
● Increase sales revenue of Ice Breakers Cool Blasts by 25% from 2016 to 2017.
Marketing Plan The overall marketing strategy creates a fun and confident image for the innovative brand. The
communication strategy uses humor by portraying positive reactions to situations to highlight Cool
Blasts’ intensity and effectiveness in freshening breath; in addition, shows people having success and
confidence because of Cool Blasts. The slogan “Quick Chew. Cooler You.” demonstrates the Cool Blasts’
attributes of being quick and convenient to ensure instant gratification and fast results, with intensity to
freshen breath leading to confidence. “Quick Chew” in the slogan, helps the consumer understand how
the Cool Blasts is only chewed for a short amount of time. Channels of distribution were strategically
selected based on primary research and historically successful Ice Breakers’ sales to best provide
Millennials and Young Millennials access to the product. The marketing plan focuses on promotions and
uses various mediums to create product awareness and understanding, engage interest, and encourage
trial. There are also suggestions for new line extensions, based on primary research, to meet the target
markets’ needs. “Quick Chew. Cooler You.” Campaign The “Quick Chew. Cooler You.” campaign appeals to Millennials and Young Millennials who crave
instant gratification and fast results. Based on primary data, their motivation to use breath fresheners
revolved around the need to freshen their breath which boosts their confidence. This campaign focuses on
how Ice Breakers Cool Blasts provides the confidence that encourages the target market to be a cooler
version of themselves. The “Quick Chew. Cooler You.” campaign differentiates Cool Blasts from other
Ice Breakers’ products, gums, and mints, by stating how the Cool Blast is quick to chew, offers intense
flavor, and gives the user fresh breath, anytime, anywhere. The campaign will run from April 2016 to
March 2017, providing opportunities for the target market to become aware, sample and purchase Cool
Blasts.
Packaging Based on the primary research, the Cool Blasts packaging will remain the same. It was discovered that
46% of people ‘agree’ that the packaging is appealing, while 78% generally agreed that the packaging
stands out amongst others. An astounding 83% of people said they would try the product solely based on
packaging. With these results, there is enough support to show that the current packaging is appropriate to
gain new customers and influence sales. Many of the focus group participants stated that the package
itself is “innovative” and “different than the rest,” which coincides with Ice Breakers’ innovative brand
personality.
Distribution Mix Trade Allowances Trade allowances will be utilized to help engage retailers to carry Cool Blasts. Discounts will be offered
to stores who purchase larger quantities and repeat purchases of Cool Blasts. Convenient Stores Millennials demand instant gratification and fast results, so when it comes to purchases, they consider
convenience stores a popular stop. Primary research indicates that 77.9% of respondents are likely to
purchase mints at convenience stores. In addition, Cool Blasts perform very well in convenience stores,
with sales totaling $5.1 million in 2015 (Ice Breakers Cool Blasts Case). Mass Merchandisers and Supermarkets
P a g e | 15
According to the case, 41% of the Ice Breakers brand sales came from mass merchandisers in 2014 (Ice
Breakers Cool Blasts Case). Mass merchandisers are stores such as Kmart, Meijer, Target and Wal-Mart.
Primary research found that supermarkets are the most popular place to buy mints with 82.7% of
respondents purchasing mints there.
Amazon Online Since Ice Breakers has a repeat order rate of 31% on Amazon.com, this will be utilized as a major
distribution channel (Lindell, 2015). Amazon’s new offering, the Amazon dash button, gives Cool Blasts
the opportunity for purchases in the home allowing Cool Blasts to take advantage of the high reorder rate
along with Millennials greater tendency to impulse purchase.
Digital Marketing Digital marketing will be used to increase awareness, spark interest, promote trial, and develop
understanding of the product. This will encourage engagement between the Ice Breakers brand and
consumers. The media outlets that will be used are social media, a microsite, and internet advertisements.
Social Media Purpose: Create awareness, interest, understanding, and promote trial. Timing: Entire campaign Description: Several forms of social media will be utilized to reach the Millennial target market. Based
on primary data, the platforms Cool Blasts should use are Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, and
YouTube (see Appendix E). Cool Blasts will use #BeACoolerYou, to reinforce the slogan on social
media. ● Facebook: Continue to post advertisements, keep consumers informed about different products,
and actively engage with customers.
● Twitter: Create a Twitter account and tweet material equivalent to Facebook, Instagram posts and
all other social media postings.
● Snapchat: Cool Blasts will sponsor a filter for the first day of winter on December 21, 2016. The
filter will be for the purpose of taking a video selfie, a trend of capturing a user's own self-portrait
among Millennials. Snapchat currently uses facial recognition technology to transform the user’s
face in real-time to add an interactive filter that adds animation to the user’s face. Cool Blasts will
take advantage of this Snapchat filter so the target market can take a video of themselves, and
when they open their mouth, animated cooling crystals will be displayed. The cooling crystals
will portray the fresh breath a consumer gets from using Cool Blasts.
● Instagram: Create an Instagram account that is linked to Twitter and Facebook. Post content in
line with the marketing message.
● YouTube: Continue to post advertisements on the Ice Breakers playlist on the Hershey's YouTube
channel.
Microsite Purpose: Generate awareness about the product, social media sites, and promotions. Timing: Entire campaign Description: This microsite will be used as a hub of information about the Ice Breakers Cool Blasts
campaign. Included in the menu bar will be tabs that direct visitors to areas of interest. During the
sweepstakes and cause marketing promotion, consumers will make a profile, with the option of using a
social login through Facebook and Twitter, to enter and keep track of their unique codes and stay
connected through social media. The URL will be “www.coolblasts.chews,” using “.chews” as the
domain, to give consumers a quick and easy way to find the site (See Appendix F). Overall, the microsite
will be the main tool to track performance of major promotions and social media impact within the target
markets. Also, the microsite will provide a database of potential customer for Ice Breakers
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Internet Ads Purpose: Encourage awareness and trial. Timing: Throughout entire campaign Description: Pay per click advertising on Amazon.com will be purchased and used through key word
targeted ads (see Appendix G). By taking advantage of the Millennial online shopping trend that is
highlighted in the SWOT, Cool Blasts can take advantage of the high repeat order rate on Amazon. Pay
per click advertising will both increase awareness and encourage the purchase of Cool Blasts. Another
method will be to implement ads within BuzzFeed articles. BuzzFeed attracts 200+ million unique
visitors every month, and 50% of those lie within the targeted markets of 18-34 years olds (BuzzFeed
Advertise, 2015). Promotions In-store promotions will facilitate both the retailer efforts as well as entice the consumer. The promotions
will produce additional sales for the retailer’s benefit which will influence repeat purchases by retailers.
The promotions will also increase consumer awareness and purchase. These promotional efforts will be
discussed below. Coupons Purpose: Increase trial of the product in the distribution channels through promotional pricing Time: November 16-30 and December 17-31, 2016; during increased holiday traffic Description: A coupon for a dollar off when two packs of Cool Blasts are purchased, will encourage trial
and increase repurchases. Millennials will be influenced to buy Cool Blasts with a coupon given that over
90% of Millennials come into a grocery store with using coupons in mind (Griswold, 2015). Paper
coupons will be displayed on the shelves by the Cool Blasts areas in distribution channels, encouraging
impulse purchases. Point-of-Purchase Displays Purpose: Increase awareness and encourage trial. Timing: June 6-12, 2016; October 3-9, 2016; February 1-7, 2017 Description: In-store displays will be used as a point-of-interruption. They will be placed near the
cosmetic aisles to appeal to the female skew. The display provides the target market more opportunities to
see the Cool Blasts. Display will influence and increase product trial since 24% of impulse purchases are
influenced by a display (see Appendix H). The middle of the display will have a frosted mirror at eye
level to relate to the “Cooler You” part of the slogan for Cool Blasts transforming the consumer to be a
cooler, more confident version of themselves. The mirror also takes advantage of Millennials narcissistic
tendencies, allowing the display to draw more attention. The display will be adjusted to advertise
promotional events during the campaign. C.O.O.L. Summer Sweepstakes Purpose: To encourage consumer engagement, product trial, and generate repeat purchases. Timing: May 15 - August 15, 2016 Description: C.O.O.L. Summer Sweepstakes is a contest that requires consumers to repeat purchase
Cool Blasts. “In general, [Millennial] consumers are more likely to respond to offers that involve
participating in contests or competitions” (Brown, 2010). Promoting this sweepstakes will be executed
through Cool Blasts’ digital media and in-store displays.
The challenge of the sweepstakes is to collect all four letters of “C.O.O.L.” There will be a thin sheet of
paper in each package with a letter inside a snowflake, along with a unique ID code. Participants will
create a profile on the product’s microsite to enter their unique ID codes and participate in the
sweepstakes. Once a participant has collected all four letters and entered the ID codes, contestants will be
entered into a drawing pool to win one of the four main prizes which are: Car - 2016 Scion iA, Outdoor
Adventure - Colorado Resort trip, Oculus Rift, and Laptop - Microsoft Surface Book.
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In order to maintain consumer engagement and involvement with the sweepstakes there will also be three
ways to get ‘Instant Wins’ through social media and the microsite. A consumer can be an instant winner
by finding “Cool you, you are an instant winner!” on the sheet of paper instead of a letter, sharing a
picture of the letter on social media using #BeACoolerYou, and by entering codes for all the letters found,
even if they are repeat letters. Instant winners will receive one free package of Cool Blasts and a Cool
Blasts t-shirt or hat. Overall, this contest will encourage consumers to engage with the brand and generate
repeat purchases. In addition it will generate engagement with the social media page through shares and
likes (see Appendix I). Cause Marketing “A Kinder You, is a Cooler You” Purpose: Increase social media traffic and involvement and be involved in a philanthropic relationship to
raise bullying awareness and donations. Time: October 1- October 31, 2016 Description: Cool Blasts wants to help bring awareness to the issue of bullying. Millennials are all too
familiar with bullying; 32% of Millennials know someone who has been bullied on social media. In 2012,
39% and 30% of college aged men and women reported that they ignored someone being bullied on the
internet.
STOMP Out Bullying has been a leader in educating people on the prevention of bullying and
cyberbullying. By partnering with STOMP Out Bullying during National Bullying Prevention Month,
Cool Blasts can take advantage of Millennials tendency to be more likely to purchase a product associated
with a cause. During this month, Cool Blasts packages will include a paper with a unique code.
Consumers will enter in the code under their profile on the Cool Blasts microsite. With each code entered,
Cool Blasts will donate a portion of sales to help the efforts of STOMP Out Bullying (see Appendix J).
Using the hashtags #AKinderYouIsACoolerYou and #STOMPOutBullying365, Cool Blasts will
encourage users to share on Facebook a random act of kindness they have done during that month. Five
random winners who share their random act of kindness, will win a Cool Blasts prize pack including a t-
shirt, Cool Blasts products, and $20,000 will split among them, to donate to a non-profit charity of their
choice. The theme of “A Kinder You, is a Cooler You.” supports the cause and reinforces the
transformation of Cool Blasts for consumers to be a cooler version of themselves. This promotion will
encourage repeat purchases and social media engagement.
Field Marketing Jimmy John’s Partnership Purpose: Create awareness and promote product trial. Timing: June and July 2016, in conjunction with the sweepstakes to push awareness Description: There will be a three month partnership with Jimmy John’s sandwich restaurant chains in
the top 25 DMA’s for Millennials, to increase the opportunity the target market has to sample Ice
Breakers’ new product and create product awareness. According to Business Insider, the number one
restaurant chain for Millennials in the U.S. is Jimmy John’s (Lutz, 2014). Based on the primary research,
it was found that 81% of people are likely to eat a mint after a meal and 81% of people were more likely
to purchase a mint after sampling. Jimmy John’s slogan, “Freaky Fast Delivery,” supports the Cool
Blasts chews’ quick attribute. A sample pack containing two chews will be placed in the plastic sandwich
bag for take-out and delivery. (See Appendix K). Brand Ambassadors, “The Cool Blasters” Purpose: Create awareness and promote product trial. Timing: Entire campaign Description: Cool Blasts will create its own team of brand ambassadors, “The Cool Blasters,” will be on
university campuses in the top 25 DMAs for Millennials, giving out Cool Blasts sample packs (see
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Appendix L) to spread product trial and awareness. The Cool Blasters will be given a backpack shaped
like a Cool Blasts package to carry the product samples. (See Appendix M). In addition, they will be
given Cool Blasts merchandise to wear. The events will include promotional events for the campaign,
other music festivals, conferences, university and local events. The university events will include sorority
recruitment to target the female skew and freshmen orientation to reach the primary target market. Having
the Cool Blasters at different type events reinforces the positioning of Cool Blasts being good anywhere
and anytime.
The Cool Blasters will attend the iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina, which is a Latin music festival targeted
towards the Hispanic skews. The Cool Blasters will attend the event and distribute Cool Blasts sample
packs to the attendees of the festival outside of the event. Pushing product trial at this event, will
specifically target the Hispanic skew which makes up one-fifth of the target market. The Cool Blasters
will also attend The Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival, which is the largest hip-hop festival in New York with
many events along with performances. Attending this event will target the African American skew. South by Southwest Music Festival Purpose: Increase awareness and promote trial. Timing: March 2017 Description: The Cool Blasts Cool Lounge will be at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Music Festival in
Austin, Texas to be the final promotion to the campaign. The lounge will serve as a rest area for festival
goers as they walk between music events. Overall, festival goers are aged 21 to 34 make up 49% of
SXSW attendees, which will give Cool Blasters the opportunity to interact with consumers within the
target market (SXSW, 2015). At the lounge, the Cool Blasters will be handing out “Cooler You Kits”
which include Cool Blasts sample packs, sunglasses, and other essentials to stay cool and refreshed at
events. In addition, a photo booth kiosk will take pictures using animated frosted filters with
#BeACoolerYou printed on the photos. People will have the option to automatically post digital copies on
their personal social media accounts. Once their picture is posted, they will be entered for a chance to win
instant prizes, such as a “Cool Access” pass which allows one lucky winner to have VIP access to a main
performance. Also during the festival, the Cool Blasters will be walking the streets handing out samples
packs and Cool Blasts merchandise, and spreading awareness of the Cool Blasts Cool Lounge.
Traditional Media Television Purpose: Create awareness, interest, and understanding of the product. Timing: April and November 2016, January and February 2017 Description: Commercials will be placed on TV shows based on their popularity among Millennials. The
popular shows where the ads will be placed are The Big Bang Theory, The Voice, and NCIS
(broadcastingcable.com). NCIS is the top show among Millennial females (broadcastingcable.com).
There will be three TV commercials that show humorous, unexpected reactions to a character’s fresh
breath after consuming a Cool Blasts chew. The unexpected reaction is the focus on the character’s fresh
breath rather than the obvious situation that deserves commenting on. The commercials show the quick
consumption of the chew, the intensity, and how the chew is completely dissolved in a short amount of
time (see Appendix N). The commercials are also meant to remind viewers that others notice their breath
all the time and that with Cool Blasts consumers can have fresh breath and confidence anytime any place.
The first commercial consists of a person riding a bull. The rider consumes the Cool Blasts chew on the
bull in the pen and the chew is gone right before the gate opens. This scene shows the quick attribute of
the chew. The rider is bucked off the bull and the bull gets ready to charge. The bull is distracted by the
rider’s fresh breath and decides not to charge.
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The second commercial shows a group of girls at a karaoke bar. One of the girls is pressured by her
friends to go on stage and sing. The girl eventually gives in to her friends’ pressure, puts a Cool Blasts
chew in her mouth, and is done chewing before she gets to the stage; once again, displaying the chews’
quickness. The girl is a good singer and the crowd shows a lot of excitement. When she is done, the
crowd stands up and applauds while her friends run up to her. Instead of telling the girl how great her
performance was, they rave about how fresh her breath is.
The final commercial will consist of a female soccer player that takes a Cool Blast right as she is about to
make the winning-penalty kick. This scene will also show the quickness of the product. The goalie then
gets distracted from the cool intensity of the chew and she scores the goal. Her teammates cheer and run
up to her, but to her surprise they begin complimenting her fresh breath rather than focusing on winning
the game. This, once again, reinforces the product attributes and demonstrates the intensity and result of
consuming a Cool Blast.
Print Media Purpose: Create awareness, interest, and understanding of the product. Timing: July and September 2016, and February 2016 Description: A print ad will be created called “Three Quick Steps For a Cooler First Date,” in
Cosmopolitan, Cosmopolitan en Español, and Ebony magazine showing that Ice Breakers Cool Blasts
can help anyone have a great first date. It will be translated into Spanish for Cosmopolitan en Español.
This ad is targeting the female skew which primary and secondary data shows are heavier users of mints
and gum. Cosmopolitan en Español and Ebony target Hispanic and African American skews respectively.
Primary research shows that they place a higher importance on fresh breath and claim that fresh breath
makes them feel better. MRI data show that readers of the magazines: Cosmopolitan, Ebony, and
Cosmopolitan en Español are more likely to consume mints or chew gum. The ad reinforces the concept
that Cool Blasts give you the confidence to be a cooler you (see Appendix O). Transit Advertisements Purpose: Create awareness of the product. Timing: May - December 2016 Description: Two transit ads will be displayed on the side of buses in the top 25 cities with a high
Millennial population that use public transportation (Copel). A list of these cities can be seen in
Appendix L. The C.O.O.L. Summer Sweepstakes ad will be posted during the three month duration of
the contest to help spread awareness and engagement with the sweepstakes. Still versions of the Bull TV
ad will be run as a transit ad for two months to create awareness and encourage repurchase. (Appendix
P). Due to the influx of Millennials in major cities, public transportation use in the U.S. was the highest in
57 years, so this will be a good avenue to reach the Cool Blasts markets (Homan, 2014).
Line Extension Fruit Blasts Secondary research showed that consumers have a desire for fruit flavored products, mints, and gums.
While Cool Blasts are not in either category, the product does compete in the same market space and
should take advantage of this trend by introducing an extension of Cool Blasts with a Fruit Cool Blasts
line. The Fruit Cool Blasts line could come in several fruity flavors such as strawberry and watermelon.
Fruit Cool Blasts will combine a refreshing fruit blast with a hint of mint flavoring with the same product
attributes as Cool Blasts (see Appendix Q). This product will be introduced a few years after the “Quick
Chew. Cooler You” campaign is over when Cool Blasts is better established Package Size Option Primary and secondary research has found that people like to consume mints and gum on an “on-the-go”
basis, and many like carrying them in small compartments like their pockets or small purses. Due to this,
there is enough support to introduce a package specifically for the purpose to consume and carry the
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chews in an easier, portable manner (see Appendix Q). The package will be a box consisting of 20 of the
current sample packs of Cool Blast with four chews inside each bag.
Timeline The “Quick Chew. Cool You.” campaign will begin on April 1, 2017 with the launch of the Cool Blasts’
microsite and social media sites. The timeline, presented in the appendix, was strategically planned to
properly utilize the selected distribution channels, promotions, field marketing, and media plan with
careful consideration of the target markets. (See Appendix R).
Metrics To maximize potential growth of the Cool Blasts brand, different tactics are implemented in the
marketing plan, a table displays benchmarks for monitoring and measuring the tactics (see Appendix S).
The table outlines how each tactic shall be measured and how often they should be monitored from daily
to monthly, and adjustments can be made as needed.
Budget and Financial Forecast Extrapolating from the data provided by the Ice Breakers Cool Blasts case, Ice Breakers’ annual sales
from April 2015 to the beginning of the campaign in April 2016, is estimated to be approximately $40
million dollars. In order to project sales for the following year, primary data and Census data were used.
Based on taste test results, 12% of consumers who had tried Cool Blasts indicated that they were very
likely to purchase them. Based on that campaign projections there will be two million samplers and
240,000 of these samplers will be likely to purchase the chews. Survey data showed that mint consumers
are estimated to purchase mints seven times a year. Therefore, sampling will create $3,360,000 of
increased revenue. The effectiveness of all other marketing platforms were analyzed using the following
method. The entire U.S. Millennial population totals 75.3 million and 25% of the population will be
estimated to be exposed during the campaign. Of these exposed, 10% are likely to purchase the product.
This increases sales by an additional $3,765,000. Also, of those who are purchasing the product after
exposure, an estimated 12% will be very likely to repurchase seven times a year. This provides an
additional $3,066,000 for a total increase in sales of $10,191,000 during the campaign. The sales revenue
for April 2016 - March 2017 will total $50,191,000. The following four years were estimated using the
same method, accounting for a 35% increase in Millennial exposure in year two, 45% in year three, 55%
in year four, and 60% in year five. Five year forecast can be found in Appendix T. One year budget and
allocations can be found in Appendix U.
Conclusion Ice Breakers Cool Blasts, with its quick blast of favor, will be positioned as a cool new way to get fresh
breath leading to confidence that will appeal to consumers between the ages of 18-34. Implementing the
marketing plan will help Cool Blasts achieve its goals by increasing awareness, understanding, interest,
trial and purchase of the product. The slogan, “Quick Chew. Cooler You.” will appeal to the target
markets’ instant need for gratification and their need to be unique. In addition, the ads will promote the
idea that the products can provide fresh breath anytime, anywhere. Using creative promotions,
sweepstakes, cause marketing, partnerships, brand ambassadors, festivals, advertising, social media, and
microsites will generate buzz and encourage consumers to try this innovative product.
P a g e | 21
Appendix
Appendix A: Competitive Analysis Table
P a g e | 22
Appendix B: Survey Questions
P a g e | 23
Appendix C: Frequency of Chewing/Consuming and Purchasing Gum or Mint
P a g e | 24
Appendix D: Perception of Ice Breakers
P a g e | 25
Appendix E: Social Media - Facebook and Twitter
P a g e | 26
Snapchat
YouTu
be
Appendix E (Continued): Social Media - Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube
P a g e | 27
Appendix F: Microsite
P a g e | 28
Appendix H: In Store Display
Appendix G: Internet Ads for Amazon
P a g e | 29
Appendix I: C.O.OL. Summer Sweepstakes
P a g e | 30
Appendix J: Cause Marketing - “A Kinder You is A Cooler
You.”
P a g e | 31
Appendix L: Top 25 DMA’s Listed in Order From Greatest
to Least 18-24 Year Olds
Appendix K: Jimmy John’s Partnership
Sample Pack
P a g e | 32
Appendix M: Cool Blasters (Brand Ambassadors)
P a g e | 33
Appendix N: Television Commercials
P a g e | 34
Girl reaches for Cool Blasts
as she prepares to walk on
karaoke stage.
Cool Blasts quickly
dissolves and girl begins
to sing.
As song continues, girl
becomes more confident
and her breath is
noticeably fresh.
Once girl finishes, people
from the crowd approach
her and comment, “Wow!
Your breath is so fresh!”
End commercial with Ice
Breaker Cool Blasts
product and tagline
appearing on screen.
The crowd begins to
show excitement.
Appendix N: Television Commercials (Continued)
P a g e | 35
Appendix O: Magazine Advertisement
Appendix P: Transit Advertisements
P a g e | 36
Appendix Q: Line Extensions
P a g e | 37
Appendix R: Timeline
P a g e | 38
Appendix S: Metrics Table
P a g e | 39
Year April 1, 2017 -
March 31, 2018
April 1, 2018-
March 31, 2019
April 1, 2019 -
March 31, 2020
April 1, 2020 -
March 31, 2021
Projected
Sales
$53,058,640 $55,780,000 $58,580,000 $59,920,000
Appendix T: Financial Forecast
Appendix S (Continued): Metrics Table
P a g e | 40
Appendix U: Budget
P a g e | 41
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