Cereal promos are family affair

I am writing in response to your article about cereal promotions (MW October 24). From a marketing and promotions aspect, the adult market is interesting, and providing a well-perceived and low-cost product to such a market with very different interests and requirements will always be a challenge. This is also a well-experienced market which has a tendency to be sceptical about promotional offers.

Whatever the product or aim of the campaign, it is important to remember two things: never exclude anyone within the target group, and never spread yourself too thinly. This is a fine balance, as the best campaigns are always those that are highly targeted. Consumers know when they are not the focus but just part of a mass-marketing spree without any real aim, and this will immediately detract from the product. (Online banner advertising is a perfect example of this.)

Once the audience has been defined, it is crucial that consumers get additional highly perceived value and not just a discounted product. The company will benefit from this as discounted goods can sometimes lead to reduced brand value.

Cereal promotions are an ideal example of a product around which an all-encompassing promotions campaign can be conducted. Cereal is one of those products aimed at all family members without excluding any demographic group. The product is consumed at a time when all members are present and exposed to the offering on the pack. A wide range of promotions can therefore be offered to capture all family members. It is also a high-volume and fast-moving product that can benefit from a spectacular offer headline and aspirational imagery to help sales.

These family-oriented promotions can be everything from cinema tickets and health club memberships, to travel and theme park entrances. The point is to offer a promotion which may be consumed by all household members – just the way cereals are.

Nick True

TLC Promotions & Incentives

London W1