Week 6 - Final Response

This week we completed everything. And had a big overhall of the flavours.
We spoke to a friend of ours who works at Logan Brown as a food prep about New Zealand flavours/Unique flavours for cookies that would work and he inspired us to redevelop ours flavours into the ones below:
- Nelson Apple and Pear Bake
- Northland Macadamia/White Choc
- Southland Manuka Honey and Oat
and 2 for further development
- Otago Plum and Apricot Crunch
- KeriKeri Kiwifruit

Our final response:

We baked the three main flavours and then spontaneously decided to film an advertisement the day before presentation as we thought it would help envision our brand and captivate people with our pitch.
In the video we covered "what kiwi's want" relating to our macrotrends, then introduced our prodec

Week 4: Design Approach

Now, following from the key points raised in our BIB:

- Macrotrends:
1) People want something New
2) People want fused flavours
- Emphasise NZ-made
- Challenge Farmbake on their homemade ideals

as well as a newly established macrotrend:

1. Simpler Pleasures. Consumers are reassessing their needs and going back to basics, by finding more pleasure in simpler food. There has been a shift towards home cooking, with food bringing family and friends together. Where consumers shop has also been affected, with the so-called "hourglass model" still in effect. This relates to growth on the budget and premium sides, but the center ground being squeezed. Value packaging and "good value" claims on the products themselves and in-store value promotions are prospering.

as well as our now developed Brand Essence:
"Kiwi Kravings is the snacker in all of us, young and old, who want to relive those moments after school at grans, mixed with the iconic New Zealand flavours we know and love."

We have now begun our iterative process to design our response to this research.

This is our first concept:

The elements were all influenced by different sources:

The font is imfluenced by NZ artists Ralph Hotere, Dick Frizelle and Colin McMahon.

We feel that the paper bag idea is cool as it convey's the brown lunch bag-feel from like the 60's, the the housewife mother would prepare as the children ran out the door to the bus.
We also feel like not stretching too far from the Ernest Adams banner as it would become harder to market an almost original brand.


Other concepts were:

BIB [Week 3]

BIB

Rational Features
Variation of Flavours
New Zealand Made Product
Affordable
New Zealand -themed

Rational Benefits
Responds to emerging macro-trends of people wanting 'fused flavours', and 'something new'.
Responds to an issue of consumers purchasing Farmbake due to disclarity of being an overseas product versus Ernest Adams' being NZ-made
Balances health with indulgence, with fruit being included in flavour range
New and Exciting, with a flavour range reflecting our nation, evoking patriotism

Declared Emotive Triggers
Exciting and New
Social
Nostalgia
Patriotism

Undeclared Emotive Triggers
Homely
Remind of childhood
Don't get bored

Unique Difference
'Kiwi Kravings' are bringing the Cookie recipe into the heart of our little nation, evoking Kiwi Pride through our flavour range.

Brand Values
Patriotism - Our product range will evoke a sense of NZ pride through each flavour as though they tell a story about each kiwi that picks one up.
Cheeky - We aim to poke fun at the genericness of the cookie market, in order to entice the buyer to break the social norm and try our range

Timeless Equities
Logo - Handpainted style sinpired by the likes of: Dick Frizelle, Colin Mcahon, Ralph Hotere who are all NZ artists that convey that "not all held together" kiwi "whateverness" in their work.
Contemporary design and colours
Cheeky/Witty slogans/marketing
Unique Patriotic flavours
NZ made product

Brand Essence
Kiwi Kravings is the snacker in all of us, young and old, who want to relive those moments after school at grans, mixed with the iconic New Zealand flavours we know and love.

[Week 3] Critics

Potential Name for Subrand

Brand Name

At this point, we have come up with the sub-brand name of 'Kiwi Kravings'

Color Scheme brainstorm

Ernest Adams is currently:

- Yellow and Red dominant
- Flavour color banner as secondary

Possibly theme flavours of Locations
- Manuka Honey as Wellington?
- Kiwfruit as Auckland?
- Lamington as Christchurch?

Brand Story at Week 3

Brand Development


For developing our new Sub-brand of Ernest Adams' Cookies, we are focusing on these two macrotrends;

'Show Me Something New'
Innovation in the form of unexpected ingredients, mash-ups that combine familiar items in new ways, and the use of traditional flavors at atypical times piques consumers’ interest and demand for variety and new experiences.

Implication: Consumers are responding to the application of breakfast and dessert flavors across the menu; updated nostalgic desserts; and all-day gourmet burgers and sides with a “wow” factor.

'Fusing Flavors'

Consumers are increasingly interested in trying new flavors, often in the form of a fusion of two familiar flavor notes—such as sweet and spicy.

Implication: Flavor pairing is relevant across all dayparts and mealparts, from breakfast to beverages to dessert; consumers say that sweet notes pair well with the greatest variety of flavors.

As well as an issue we've taken note of; 

Ernest Adams' has a huge edge over Farmbake as being New Zealand Produced, but they don't evoke that efficiently.

Hierarchy-wise, these are our top 3 factors driving the rebrand, but we've also considered macrotrends of 'people like to see how it's made' in possibly having transparency in the packaging, and 'consumers balance health with indulgence' where we may consider ingredients that don't take away from the indulgence of cookies and our new flavours, but allow us to label our product with a healthy-edge over the competition.

So at this stage we have brainstormed and researched into popular new zealand delicacies and have come up with these ideas of potential new flavours:

- Manuka Honey

- Lamington - Raspberry Filling + Coconut Texture

- Kiwifruit

- Blueberry (NZ is largest producer of the fruit)

- Feijoa?

At this point, we believe we should adhere to possibly 2 classic/original cookie flavours, and 2 new NZ-like flavours.

Packaging ideas:

- Printed image of full cookie jar on front, with false lid, but opens like regular rectangle box.
- Transparent windows
    - Stapled bag with card slip packaging


Baking

We baked 3 flavours of cookie - Manuka Honey, Golden Kiwifruit and Green Kiwifruit. These were the responses:

Homely
Reminds of childhood
Fresh
Exciting - don't get bored
New

Brand position - market research

Macro trend research

- high technology rising => "slow food" movement to balance out => people take more time to indulge in food, pay more attention to what they are eating => willing to try new, exotic flavours + an increased interest in how their food is made

-Increased interest in food that is fresh and local due to heightened health and globalization issues awareness

- Increased unemployment rate => lack of relaxation => either indulge in food, or choose the minimal to cut cost

- Convenient, easy and accessible food in the rise (fast food, supplement tablets, take-aways)

- Attention to allergies increased => increased demand in food that is allergy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, etc

- Minimalism rising => functional, minimalist design preferred to elaborated, decorative

- Increased demand of control for customization

- Interest in upscale experience at an affordable price

- Interest in ethnicity, the exotic

Farmbake research & analysis

Origin

- Australia
- Owned by Arnott's (most famous for Tim Tam)
- Since 1865 => older than Earnest Adams

Product

- 8 varieties, 350g => less varieties than Earnest Adams

Pricing

- $4.39 a bag => premium price

Packaging

- rustic
- main color: brown
- color palette resembles paper bag => earthly, homemade feeling

Brand image

SWOT Analysis

EARNEST ADAMS

Strengths:

- New Zealand made product: “Proudly Baked in NZ”

- Has a wide range of well established baked products such as slices and ginger kisses, etc.

- Brand has a history making it a more reliable product in the customers’ eyes

- Family of bakers means experience in baking

- Affordable

- Laminated bags to keep freshness

- Ideal for families who want a quick snack or a lunchbox treat

- Middle of the range within bagged biscuit varieties- for customers that don’t want the most expensive option (Arnotts) but also no the cheapest (Home Brand)

- Has potential to be improved





Weaknesses

- Colours and packaging do not reflect New Zealand

- The style is outdated and surpassed by newer, younger product design

- The cookies themselves are smaller than the competition

- The bag is not resealable, limiting freshness “Store in an airtight container”

- Doesn’t have an sufficient website

- Name is not memorable or catchy

- Only one type of biscuit in a bag

- Emphasis on being homemade style but packaging looks very mass produced.





Opportunities:

- There is room for a entirely different approach to enter the bagged biscuit range

- Drastic change in colour palette

- Variety of flavours in each packet

- There are only common flavours, potential for new variations and something more inventive

- Has the potential to relaunch itself while keeping customers who are familiar with the brand



Threats:

- Farmbake biscuits is becoming better known and a more trusted brand by New Zealanders even if it is an Australian brand

- Products need to look more organic and homestyle as they claim

- Macro trend of local products

- More people are becoming healthier and avoiding processed foods

- Customers are more concerned about the origins of ingredients

- There is other competition that isn’t bagged such as TimTams that taste better

- Can the average family afford to buy items like this in their weekly grocery shop?

- Farmbake is far stronger in promotional material

FARMBAKE

Strengths

- Arnott’s is the market leader of the Australasian biscuit industry- large variety of popular products

- More neutral coloured and friendly packaging

- More relevant packaging to brand concept of being on the countryside

- Focuses on forecasting and responding to market trends

- Arnott’s is consistent with 135 years of developmental history, recognized by customers

- Large factories and many employees meaning they have production facilities to produce more than smaller companies

- Higher-middle range of biscuits



Weakness

- Less affordable for people on a budget as prices are higher than other options

- Bag is not resealable

- Emphasis on being homemade when packaging makes it look mass produced

- Packaging is not environmentally sustainable

- Have no variety in flavours



Opportunity

- Could go for a more environmentally friendly approach in regards to packaging and production while still keeping the rustic country style

- Create new and interesting flavours



Threats

- Other brands may continue to lower their prices

- Earnest Adams or Homebrand could make their product slightly more upmarket increasing the completion between the brands

- People may decide to eat healthier and stop buying processed foods

- Start preferring actual homemade cookies to store bought

- Macro trends towards local, New Zealand made products

Brand Research

BRAND RESEARCH

Ernest Adams


General:




From Goodman Fielder


Ernest Adams is New Zealand's leading sweet-baked brand offering consumers a range of delicious baked goods available through grocery outlets.


As New Zealand's favorite bakery brand it provides delicious sweet alternatives to baking with ready made cakes, desserts and Christmas baking. The range includes slices, loaves, cookies, éclairs, brandy snaps, meringues, profiteroles, cakes, sponges, puddings and tarts.


Ernest Adams established a New Zealand baking business in the 1920s. English-born Adams came from a family of bakers who immigrated to Australia and where under his father's name, Herbert Adams is a large Australian food company.


(http://www.goodmanfielder.co.nz/index.php?q=node/50)






History


The company was established in Christchurch by Ernest Alfred Adams, an English-born baker, in the early 1920s. His father, Herbert Adams, was the founder of a large Australian-based food company. The company was originally called Adams Bruce Limited, with Adams in partnership with Christchurch baker Hugh Bruce. The company grew rapidly, with bakeries in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin by the time of Bruce's retirement in 1929. Following Bruce's retirement, the company was split, with Adams Bruce operating in the North Island and a new company, Ernest Adams Ltd., taking over the South Island arm of the business. Despite his official retirement, Bruce continued to work for the company as manager of the Christchurch factory until his death in 1939.

















Design:


- Plastic/Foil-like bag


- Nostalgic imagery: Checkered teatowel, red cooking tin.


- Evokes a sense of Homemade but a tad too try-hard, overselling. Too serious


- NZ Made stamp; too understated, needs to be more pronounced.


- cardboard boxes for other goods, inviting to consumers as can see goods inside.






Macrotrends To Consider:


(These are global trends that are current with today, that consumers naturally begin to adhere to without consciousness)


- Balance Health + Indulgence (1)


- Interest In How it's made (2)


- "Show me something new" (3)


- Fusing Flavours (4)






How Ernest Adams adheres to these macrotrends:






1) Ernest Adams' only possible score in this goal is it's gluten-free alternative cookies






2) The story of Ernest Adams' bakery upbringing may hit home for consumers to have trust in the quality of the baking goods the company produces, and may potentially cause consumers to allow Ernest Adams to be an alternative to home baking






3) + 4) For the last 2, Ernest Adams has stretched it's flavour spectrum. It's current flavours on shelves are;


- Double Chocolate Chip


- Peanut Brownie


- Shortbread


- Chocolate Chip


- Apricot Choc Chip


- Anzac


With obviously Peanut Brownie and Apricot Choc Chip being the most "fusing" of Flavours. However all of these flavours are pretty standard across Cookie brands.






Issues So Far:


- NZ-made not stressed enough


- Not radical enough flavours


- Design too overselling in the same bracket as Farmbake






Potential Changes?:


- Take different route on design? Maybe more playful like Cookie Time/less nostalgic but more imaginative


- Incorporate more NZ iconicness into design


- Think up new flavours, possibly with gooey/creamy centres?






Perceptual Map: