Kellogg launches “healthy” Coco Pops

Kellogg has revealed a new low-salt, low-sugar Coco Pops cereal as part of its efforts to reformulate its products to meet FSA regulations, but still won’t advertise the product to kids.

The Coco Pops Choc ‘n’ Roll lunch will be supported with a £3m advertising camapaign targeting mums.

Peter Harrison Kellogg’s interim head of marketing, says that while the product’s nutrient credentials mean Kellogg could advertise it to children, Kellogg has taken the decision to maintain its strategy of advertising to mums.

The campaign will include a 30-second TV ad, press and outdoor advertising, created by Leo Burnett, as well as an information led website designed for parents.

The fortified cereal, which is available now, meets the FSA nutrient profile and is classified as green traffic light food because it is made with wholegrain, is high in fibre, low in saturated fat and is a source of iron, calcium, B Vitamins and vitamin D.

Kellogg claims that Coco Pops Choc ‘n’ Roll contains less sugar than rival cereals such as Nestlé’s Coco Shreddies and Nesquik and Honey Monster Foods’ Sugar Puffs and less salt than Nestlé’s Cheerios and Shreddies and will be sold at a lower price than rivals and other Coco Pops variants.

Advertising will maintain “recognisable elements” of Coco Pops’ brand marketing and will feature Coco the Coco Pops monkey character, rather than just focussing on the nutritional benefits.

Henderson says: “Coco Pops is a fun brand and we’re not suddenly going to push a  straight nutritional message.”

Greg Peterson, Kellogg UK Managing director, adds: “We are informing parents about the options and letting them make the choice.”

Kellogg also says it plans to relaunch a reformulated version of Coco Pops Moons and Stars that meets the FSA profile next year and it will reduce the sugar in the entire Coco Pops range by mid-2011.

Harrison adds that Choc ‘n’ Roll reflects the direction Kellogg is taking the rest of the Coco Pop product range in the next few years.

Kellogg was criticised last year for advertising Coco Pops directly to children outside schools but Henderson says that the company has put processes in place to ensure that it no longer places advertising in inappropriate locations targeting children.

It follows an ongoing salt reduction programme that ahs seen Kellogg reduce the salt in its cereals by 50% over the past year.