Dawn Foods
SITUATION
Dawn Foods was perceived by the market as a quality manufacturer and distributor of a wide selection of bakery ingredients, mixes, icings, glazes, fillings and frozen dough sold primarily to independent bakers. But it had not successfully accessed the expansive in-store supermarket chains, club stores, commercial food service, specialty retail and consumer product segments. They recognized that marketing communications would play a key role in their objective to grow by repositioning themselves and increasing recognition and penetration into these non-traditional channels, so they conducted an exhaustive national agency search and chose Travers Collins & Company.
EXECUTION
TC&C developed an integrated marketing approach, founded on qualitative and quantitative market research, to rebrand Dawn as a trusted supplier rather than a product vendor, and to develop their products, services and distribution channels to proactively and aggressively respond to a changing market. The internal and external rebranding strategy included:
- Customer share of voice research, positioning focus groups, competitive analysis and mapping, and attitude and usage studies
- Positioning: Corporate goal development, customer selection criteria, communication strategy, media strategy
- Creative: Logo and tagline, image, corporate brochure, package design, website development and product advertising
- Identify new products and product extensions that better met changing customer needs, including more ready-to-sell and ready-to-finish products to address the declining skill and labor pool
- Strategic, comprehensive sales training to ensure National Account and Market Specialists possessed the industry knowledge to deliver on Dawn's promise of bakery success (Presentation materials: workbooks, PowerPoint and visual aids)
RESULTS
The projected sales opportunity for Dawn when distribution began at the end of the first quarter in 2005 was $36 million. This goal was reached in the 3rd quarter of 2005. In 2006, Dawn projected to exceed 2005 sales by 10%. Actual growth year to year from 2005 to 2006 was 121%, with sales exceeding projections by 66%.
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