Special k campaign summary april 22 2014

Good Morning To The Woman
Special K Multi-Grain Porridge
March 2014

Qualitative Research
Quantitative
• Stylist Community sampling task
• Ad effectiveness test & Sampling
Conclusions
The
Agenda
• The Stylist reader & porridge
• Pre – Post
• Methodology & Response
• Methodology & Response

Qual - Stylist Inner Circle online community
In February 2014 we sent out samples of Special K Red Berry Multigrain Porridge to
46 ‘Instant Porridge Eaters’ on Stylist’s online community (a group of engaged readers).
We gave them a mission to trial the product and share their thoughts and feedback.
This presentation gives an overview of the key insights from this conversation
This includes:
A typical breakfast
time (from the
full community)
1
• Where and when are women having their breakfast?
• What are they choosing to eat and why?
Current Instant
Porridge eating
habits
2
• What brand and format they are eating and why?
• How do they make their bowls?
Special K
Product Trial
3
We then sent out a delivery of samples to find out…
• First impressions as well as what they liked, disliked
• Feedback on the packaging, brand and product itself
• Finally how they would improve the porridge
The first time
I tried it, it was
too hot. The
second time it
was too sweet
but the third time
it was just right!
Sorry bad joke.
- Charlesburg, Stylist woman

Overall, Stylist readers make their breakfast choices because they hit one
or more of the following criteria:
• Convenient and quick
• Healthy or indulgent depending on mood
• Variety
• Wakes them up
• They also want something that keeps them full until lunchtime…
or until the opening of the desk goodies draw at 11am!
I try to start the day
with hot water and
lemon then when I get
to work it’s the
quickest porridge I can
find and fruit to put in
it. I pretty much
always eat at my desk
while starting to check
my emails. - Cathy
HEALTHY: Banana, almond
milk and ground flaxseed
smoothy.
HUNGOVER: Baked eggs
with toasted sourdough.
HUNGRY: Porridge with
banana, almond milk,
ground flaxseed and a
sprinkle of cinnamon.
- Kitty
When I'm at work, I
drink a cup of
horrible instant
coffee to start and
make sure I'm
awake before my
daily 9am meeting
with my boss
- Valentina
Source: Shortlist Media online community February 2014, Base: 46

Porridge is popular with Stylist readers
75% of Stylist readers had porridge in the last 6 months
The most common reasons for eating Instant Porridge as a breakfast are…
Healthy
Porridge is thought to be a healthy
option in general, and the portion
control with instant porridge is an
added benefit for those watching the
calories
Filling
Feeling that porridge keeps you full
up for longer than other breakfast
alternatives
Convenient
The main driver for format choice
with ease of making it anywhere you
are with little effort
Blackall1 eating at her desk.
A lot of the ladies eat breakfast at work!
Although some do eat before
heading out.
Yes
Source: Shortlist Media/RAM reader panel/online community February 2014, Base: 952/46

Drivers for specific choice of porridge are varied
Taste
The ultimate repeat-buy criteria and
one that consumers rely on for a
satisfying breakfast
Nutrition
Given other fattening or sugar
alternatives, consumers will look for
the best nutritional value when
choosing porridge
Offer
Readers did talk about being
tempted by an offer on porridge
and although they tend to have the
same brand, this is more out of
habit than genuine loyalty, although
trust is key
I buy Quaker Oats So Simple. I have tried the super
market own brands in the past but they never seem as
good. The oats don't seem as big somehow.
I buy the sachets of the original because they don't have
as much sugar and I would prefer to add fresh fruit as
opposed to dried. I also buy the sachets as I take them in
to work and they are easier to store than the pots.
I usually make mine with skimmed milk (semi skimmed if I
feel like a treat!).
I would possibly be tempted to try another brand if there
was an offer on.
I have seen Alpen and Special K ones
I might give a go - but will probably end up going back to
Quakers as they fill me up! - Bryony

The three great instant porridge debates…
I make it with milk,
it tastes much
thicker and
creamier.
- Baba
Vs
I make mine with just
water, I find using
milk a bit sickly but
that's just me!
- Bee
Water vs. Milk:
Personal preference wins the day!
1
Sachets vs. Pots:
Sachets pip pots to the post because
of perceived price difference
2
Flavoured vs. Plain:
Very few people have plain so it’s a
health choice or convenience vs.
control (golden syrup is the most
popular flavour!)
3
I usually buy the
box of sachets so
I can take them to
work with me in
my handbag and
leave them in my
desk
- Emma
I eat breakfast at
work and there's no
microwave there, so I
sometimes buy the
MOMA instant pots,
which are super easy
– just add hot water
- Francesca
Vs
You can add sugar,
salt, chocolate,
fruit, jam,
cinnamon, raisins...
The possibilities
are endless!
- Charlotte
I buy the Quakers
Instant Porridge in
sachets (Either
Blueberry & Apple,
Cinnamon, Honey &
Almond or Golden
Syrup)
- Manasi
Vs

I usually buy Quaker Oats, but am definitely not brand loyal to my porridge – if there
was an offer on at the supermarket, it would definitely sway my decision - Susan
Quakers and Mornflake are the most well-known brands but most say
their loyalty could be swayed
I would choose any brand I think – Quaker seems very wholesome and I've stocked
up while it was on BOGOF. I would use supermarket brands I think... although I can
imagine them not being as nice. I tried the Special K one, really liked it but the
portion felt small and once off offer, it was expensive. I tend to go for price and
sugar amount (less the better) – I have just realised I don't actually know the sugar
content of Quaker original sachets. - Sarah
I buy Quakers because it's a brand I know and trust and I associate it with good porridge
(my nan used to make me Quakers porridge when I was little and it holds great memories
for me). I don't know if this is a conscious decision or not but I've never actually noticed
any other brands of porridge in the supermarket, maybe I'm into such a habit buying
Quakers that I just don't even think about it, I don't even check the price anymore as I
know even if it's not on offer it will be reasonable.- Becky

We sent out Special K Red Berries Instant Porridge Sachet samples to 46
regular Instant Porridge eaters
Special K have an opportunity to learn from the category leaders and stand out on the shelf by
capitalising on the strong parent brand and catching their eye with a clear identity and
introductory offers
Their first impressions of the product were
very positive…
• The packaging scores high for stand out and was
thought to be nice, bright and eye-catching
• The fact that it was Special K branded was
intriguing for many who enjoy other Special K
cereals so were eager to try the porridge
• It was very easy to make with clear instructions
However, the size of the box compared to the
contents was seen to be unnecessary
Box too big, but sachets handy

Here is some overall feedback from a couple of the ladies…
Special K have an opportunity to learn from the category leaders and stand out on the shelf
by capitalising on the strong parent brand and catching their eye with a clear identity and
introductory offers
Susan’s first impressions Caroline’s first impressions
Emma’s full review
Kate’s review Sarah’s review

Product attributes
The feedback centred around the taste and texture, and there were mixed reviews: Some of the ladies really
enjoyed the Mixed Berry flavour but quite a number found it unexpectedly bland, and the texture to be too
finely milled leading to a sloppiness that they didn’t find appealing.
Some liked the flavour…
But over half felt that the taste could
be improved and that it was not as
good as other products
Taste, nice and fruity. Not overly sweet,
and surprisingly creamy
- Emma
The texture was strange and it was quite
runny. The idea of the berries was nice, but
after trying them I think I would rather add
fresh berries or not have them at all - Ally
I wasn’t impressed by the taste and was
quite disappointed as I do like Special K a
lot and eat it quite regularly at work. I
normally use Quaker Oats and I felt this
didn't taste as good. - Danielle
Charley really likes the taste Sarah is undecided

The size of the sachets and the nutritional values were also focal points for
discussion
The sachets are noticeably
smaller than competitors,
leading readers to
question value and also if
it will keep them full
Consumers are savvy and
in general are more
focussed on sugar than fat
due to current health
trends
The sachets seemed ridiculously small, I don’t
think anyone can argue that 100 calories is a
breakfast that would set you up for the day!
- Charlotte
I still question this "30% less fat" thing. I am
quite sceptical of brands making exaggerated
claims. Porridge is good for you anyway so I
feel Special K might have demonised normal
porridge a bit disingenuously... It's not a
whole lot different in terms of fat, sugar, etc.
from my normal brand so I would be likely to
stick with it rather than swap to Special K
unless it was on offer. - Sarah
I think keeping an eye on our sugar content is
everywhere in the media at the moment, and
the sneaky ways that companies try and
disguise it in their products, so it's really
important - Carly
There was a strong core of people who would try it
again, but for many the product didn’t persuade them
enough to switch away from what they currently use.
Active comparisons are made that aren’t necessarily
favourable for Special K…

The feedback was very constructive and there are lots of positives
identified, but also a few areas for improvement that would make the
product a winner for the Stylist readers…
Utilise the Special K
parent brand in
marketing
• Continue to cultivate a
relevant brand image
that is contemporary to
the modern professional
woman
• Evolve current
advertising to focus on
the differentiators to
help the porridge stand
out from the
competition
1
Increase the size
• Comparisons are
naturally made between
other similar products
and the size of Special K
is felt to be too small
• Also consider offering
mixed flavour boxes for
variety
2
Improve flavour
• Tweak flavour
combinations to appeal
to either the sweet
tooth or the health-
conscious who wishes to
add their own tastes. A
small amount of
artificial sweetness
strikes an odd balance
for the readers and they
would like to have less
sugar to be healthier
3

Overall, it was a great fit with Stylist as a brand
Suse thinks Special K is a great fit with Stylist
I think the ideas behind the
Special K brand really fit with Stylist
since it's all about being healthy
and feeling good about oneself
- Chiara

Read magazine480
Responses952
Received sample145
Quant – Online reader panel

63%
38%
48%
87%
30%
46%
57%
42%
50%
26% 22%
63%
41%
52%
88%
30%
47%
56%
44%
54%
29% 26%
Ad recall Read
thoroughly
Appeals to me Easy to
understand
Fresh
approach
Interesting New
information
Overall
impression
Positive Look for more
information
Have
bought/will
buy
Saw Stylist ad (all)
Saw Stylist ad (porridge eaters)
Average full page ad
75%
Source: Shortlist Media/RAM reader panel February 2014, Base: 952, Reference: Average UK full page display ad
Ad recall above average
• 63% recalled the ad in Stylist, rising to 75% for those who received a sample. (vs. 59% average recall for full page display ads)
• 87% found the ad easy to understand and over half of porridge eaters found the ad appealing
Improved impact on brand image
• 54% of porridge eaters indicated that the ad made them feel more positive towards Special K
Good intention for further action
• Nearly a third of porridge eaters intended to look for more information and
• 22% intended to buy the porridge as a result of seeing the ad in Stylist
ENGAGEMENT ACTIONAD RECALL
The display ad in February generated high recall, particularly amongst those who also
received a product sample
Rise in ad recall
among those who
received the sample
vs those who didn’t
(57% vs 75%)
32%

Comments on the creative
Great product
placement for this time
of year while it's cold!
Female, 28, London
I bought Special K porridge this weekend to
trial having seen the ads and being made
aware of it (and it was on special offer!)
Female, 34, St Albans
Love
special k!
Female, 28, Ma
nchester
Makes my hungry!
Female, 30, London
Made me feel warm
on a cold day
Female, 41, Hove
Nice, clear, great 'feeling‘
Male, 31, Glasgow
Use of colour good, did grab attention.
Male, 27, Wolverhampton
I don't like porridge but it did
attract my attention.
Female, 30, London
Nice and bright advert with lots
of information
Female, 40, London
Got a free sample at the station so taste is going to be important than the
advert
Female, 44, Essex
Liked it - I bought special k porridge after seeing the ad
Female, 30, London

Comments on the creative
It looks pretty and feminine. I love
porridge but am afraid it has too
many carbs. would be nice to have a
low carb option.
Female, 28, London
Too much sugar comparing to other porridges
Female, 33, London
I think it is deceptive - it says 30% less fat but doesn't give
any real information. It also fails to tell you that it
contains more sugar than other products
Female, 32, London
I reckon it's wrong to promote it as a healthy product when we all know it's rammed full
of sugar. It's misleading for people who are trying to be healthy/lose weight.
Female, 26, London
It is not for me as I think has too
many artificial ingredients
Female, 39, London
Tell Kellogg's that it is all about sugar content now and not fat
content, they should try to keep up...
Female, 35, London
Per 40g of Scott's original porridge there's only 3.2g of fat. So if there's 30% less in Special K porridge then that's only 1g of fat
less & how do I know they haven't taken good fats with nutritional benefits out? Plus there's 13g MORE sugar per 100g in the
Special K original than there Scott's porridge, plus flavouring & emulsifier. I think the ad is misleading & you are better off in your
health & wallet by just eating plain old oats.
Female, 31, London

76%
7%
17%
32%
68%
Why not?
Non-porridge
eaters(48%), pr
efer to make
their
own, prefer less
sugar content
• 32% received the Special K
Multigrain sample
• 76% intended to use
it, increasing to 84% among
porridge eaters
• Top reasons for not using the
sample included recipients not
being porridge eaters, making
home made porridge, as well as
concerns about the ingredients
Source: Shortlist Media/RAM reader panel February 2014, Base: 952
Sampling
Yes – intend to use sample
Don’t know/Unsure
No – Don’t intend to use sample (outer circle)
Not received sample (inner circle)
Received sample

Wouldn't have considered buying this as I usually
think Special K is expensive, but I really loved the
taste of this porridge so I'll be buying it in future.
Female, 43, Glasgow
Was great to try a new product which I may
otherwise not have tried.
Female, 29, London
More free samples, please. They quite often
tempt me to try a new brand.
Female, 39, Brighton
I was excited about the inclusion of
berries but disappointed to see that it
contained sugar.
Female, 37, London
Good sample and money off
voucher - excellent idea.
Female, 46, Renfrew
Comments about the sampling
More sugar, less protein, more carbs, more money, 1g less
fat. You will probably store the extra sugar they put in it as
more than 1g of fat anyway! Processed rubbish!
Female, 31, London
Whilst the free sample makes me feel more positive towards the brand, I inherently feel that
'instant' porridge has been modified in a negative way to allow the ingredients to cook instantly
and therefore compromises the quality and health benefits, therefore I will not be buying it.
Female, 36, London

63% agree
The free sample of Special K
Multigrain Porridge makes me feel
more positive towards Special K
59% agree
The free sample of Special K
Multigrain Porridge makes me more
likely to buy Special K porridge
Sampling
Source: Shortlist Media/RAM reader panel February 2014, Base: 713 porridge eaters

27% 28%
46%
Pre Post - not
read issue
Post - read
issue &
seen ad
Brand awareness
21% 22%
40%
Pre Post - not
read issue
Post - read
issue &
seen ad
Purchase consideration
From pre to post, there were uplifts in both awareness (+70%) and
purchase consideration (+90%) of Special K’s Multigrain porridge

Conservatively, if only half of those intending to purchase (38%) actually did so, this
would equal over £105k in sales*, meaning that for every £ spent, Stylist generated a
ROI of £1.43
27%
21%
36%
28%
12%
54%
38%
21%
Brand awareness Consider purchasing Purchased
Special K Multigrain Porridge
Pre
Post - Not received sample
Post - Received sample
Source: Shortlist Media/RAM reader panel February 2014, *Based on ABC 435,975 x 2 readers per
copy, Special K average price £1.99, Reference: Average European full page cereal ad, Stylist campaign
£73,900
Respondents who received the Special K sample were significantly more likely to both
consider, and to have purchased the Special K Multigrain Porridge
+36%
Sampling – pre - post
+75%
+50%

From pre to post, there were significant uplifts in both awareness (+70%) and
purchase consideration (+90%) of Special K’s Multigrain porridge
Readers thought it was a great fit with Stylist as a brand, and whilst the sampling had
a positive influence on the majority of the respondents, there were strong concerns
regarding certain product attributes such as the size of the sachets and the
nutritional values (the high sugar content in particular)
The sampling also had an influence on ad recall. 63% recalled the ad in Stylist, rising
to 75% for those who had also received a sample. A third intended to look for more
information, and a quarter had already or planned to buy the porridge as a result of
seeing the ad in Stylist
Close to all Stylist readers have eaten breakfast cereals or porridge in the last 6 months
Respondents exposed to the sampling were significantly more likely to both
consider, and to have purchased the Special K Multigrain porridge
Summary
The Special K campaign was highly successful in engaging Stylist’s audience

We asked our Stylist Inner Circle Community about their typical breakfast
Who:
Where:
What:
Women who want variety.
At home or at work
Play it safe with a range of cereal
bases but like to make it their own.
The ‘Topper’
Ladies who want something
easy and hassle-free
Often eat out of home, don’t
have access to full kitchens
Pre-made items or minimum
input breakfasts
The ‘Convenience Queen’
Usually on their way
somewhere in the car or on
the train.
A piece of fruit, breakfast
biscuit or yoghurt.
Busy working Mums and
professionals.
The ‘Grab and go’ or
‘Quick fix’

Some women do put more thought into their breakfasts…
Who:
Where:
What:
Health-conscious women or those
on a diet.
Prepared at home, could be eaten
at work in a Tupperware.
Fruit based with additional
vitamins and health supplements.
The ‘Healthy option’
Women with a sweet tooth or
who are stressed and tired.
At home or a takeaway treat.
Usually to cater to a sweet
tooth or comfort food.
The ‘Pick me up or treat’
At home where they plan for
the week ahead.
A pre-baked delight or pre-
prepped ingredients.
Typically younger, highly
organised women without kids.
The ‘Forward Planner’

Brand awareness – Porridge
Pre Mid
POST
PROMPTED
93% 92%
75%
55%
46%
25%
Quaker Oats
So Simple
Quaker Oats Scott’s
Porage Oats
Alpen
Porridge
Special K
Multigrain Porridge
Mornflake
Superfast Oats
Received sample:
54%
UNPROMPTED
Source: Shortlist Media/RAM reader panel February 2014, Base: 713 porridge eaters

96% 94% 93% 92% 91% 89% 88% 87% 86% 86% 85% 85% 84%
74% 73%
66%
49%
Shop’s
own
label
UNPROMPTED
PROMPTED
Brand awareness – Breakfast cereals

0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Easy to prepare
Is a good quality
product
Is a brand that I
trust
Cares about my
health/wellbeing
Is a brand for
someone like me
Is really tasty
Is a brand I would
recommend to
others
Helps me feel
healthy
Has wholesome
ingredients
Is a brand that
understands my
needs
Is a brand I feel
proud to be
associated with
It contains no
artificial
preserves
It is good value
for money
Is a brand I feel
close to
Kellogg’s Special K
Kellogg’s Corn Flakes
Kellogg’s Bran Flakes
Kellogg’s All Bran Original
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Easy to prepare
Is a good quality
product
Is a brand that I
trust
Cares about my
health/wellbeing
Is a brand for
someone like me
Is really tasty
Is a brand I would
recommend to
othersHelps me feel
healthy
Has wholesome
ingredients
Is a brand that
understands my
needs
Is a brand I feel
proud to be
associated with
It contains no
artificial preserves
It is good value for
money
Is a brand I feel
close to
Nestlé Cheerios
Nestlé Shredded Wheat
Nestlé Shreddies
Quaker Oats So Simple3
Dorset
Scott’s Porage Oats
Jordan's
Alpen
Brand association

Source: Shortlist Media/RAM reader panel February 2014, Base: 952,
*Eaten in the last 6 months (cereals/porridge), Mintel breakfast cereals UK August 2013
Breakfast cereals users*
88%
75%
Porridge users*
Porridge and breakfast cereals are popular with Stylist readers
Yes
No
Yes
No
88% of UK adults eat breakfast
cereals, with half eating them at least
daily/most days. This illustrates the
maturity of this market and the resulting
challenge to drive volume growth in this
segment
DID YOU KNOW?
The hot cereals segment offers greater
opportunities to attract new customers
and/or drive usage among existing users.
Only 49% of UK adults are eating
porridge, peaking among women and
over-45s, and of those 48% eat it once a
week or less
DID YOU KNOW?

52%
42%
Ad recall Engagement
Special K campaign*
Average cereal advertorial
The initial campaign in October, generated an excellent response, with a third claiming the
activity improved their perception of Special K
Source: Shortlist Media RAM Research *Stylist female brands (Stylist, Stylist.co.uk, Emerald Street) Base 820, Reference average cereal advertorial
• The average recall of the Special K campaign was 52% (+16% above average). 43% found the ads
interesting (+5% above average)
• The print activity over-indexed vs the average cereal advertorial. The online and email activity also
over-indexed vs. the average Stylist.co.uk microsite and average 300x600 web ad respectively.
• 74% could easily identify Special K as the advertiser
• There was a positive reaction to campaign. Over a third agreed it has improved their perception of
Special K
60%
Ad recall vs. 53% for average European
magazine cereal advertorials
35%
Ad recall vs. 33% average
Stylist.co.uk microsite
61%
Ad recall vs. 35%
average European
300x600 web ad Reader comment
“I liked the fact it combined a
competition with information
about the product - the fact that
it was to win a spa day appealed
to my interests and made me
want to find out more about the
new porridge”
Reader comment
“I am going to try the special k
porridge when I next shop, it sounds
good and I really like porridge”
Reader comment
“Special K is already a huge
brand. I like the competition. It
was nice to read all of the good
things people have said about
their loved ones”

Special k campaign summary april 22 2014

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Editor's Notes