Walkers crisps are popular British brand that operates in a
category where quality perceptions had been reframed by
improvements in own label and premium brand launches. Not
surprisingly, a core part of Walkers marketing strategy has been to
launch new flavours' every year, but they have found this approach
less and less effective over recent years.
Walkers recognized that everyone's got a point of view about
what makes a good crisp flavour, so Walkers launched 'Do us a
Flavour', a campaign run in 3 stages that started by asking the
nation to send in their flavour selections. Then an 'expert' panel
selected 6 finalists and Walkers would make those flavours'.
Thirdly, these flavours' would be launched and the nation would
choose a winner. There was a £50k prize incentive along with a
stake in the business - 1% of all future sales of the winning
flavour. The R&D department had just 4 weeks instead of 20 to
create the flavours.
To bring stage 1 to life, the communications approach was to
"Fuel Flavour debate". Walkers invited mums and young men to "Do us
a Flavour" in an extensive TV campaign backed by a search campaign.
Walkers also created a 'Flavour Army with a team dressed as
different flavours taking our flavour message out to the masses at
events.
The campaign is still running, but Walkers received 1,213,853
flavour entries - more than three times the original forecast.
Brand equity measures rose on all accounts by an average 6%,
and more importantly sales rose 14% Y.O.Y.