Live unprocessed
After identifying a huge growth opportunity in the US dairy aisle and in our pursuit of Good Growth 2020, Arla launched the Live Unprocessed™ campaign across the US. The campaign advocates making cheese the simple way. It is about starting a conversation about what good food is.
By 2020, we are aiming to increase our milk output to approximately 16 billion kg. Our Good Growth 2020 strategy focuses on six key regions in which we need to excel in order to meet these goals. America is one of these key regions, but faces unique challenges in a dairy landscape that is dominated by a few behemoth brands, and where Arla is relatively unknown.
Demand for natural products
Recent studies have found that 40 percent of people look for items with limited or no artificial ingredients, making Arla’s product benefits, a clean label and short ingredient lists, the solution for today’s consumer demands¹. When it comes to food, simplicity matters to consumers. Consumers have become immune to complex label claims and health promises, and what they really want now are products that are simpler and real². Primary research showed that two of the most compelling attributes of Arla products were its ‘no synthetic hormones’ and ‘no preservatives’ features. Consumers appreciate a short ingredient list, without having to compromise on taste, price or convenience. US retailers have the same demand for clean, simple food products. Retailers know they need to offer consumers products that meet these demands. Given this research, Arla’s opportunity in the US was clear: Own the conversation around challenging consumers to ask what is really in the food they eat and feed their families.
Staying true to our heritage
“Arla has an authentic, time-honored farm-to-fridge heritage of producing natural, better-for-you products free from artificial flavors, preservatives and synthetic hormones”, said Don Stohrer Jr., CEO of Arla Foods U.S. Arla has always championed the idea of choosing ingredients that are closer to nature, which makes the campaign tagline Live Unprocessed™ even more impactful.
“Live Unprocessed™ is about more than the food we make. It is about the mindset that speaks to the increasing number of people today looking for ways to ‘unprocess’ their lives”, said Stohrer.
Arla launched Live Unprocessed™ with a fully integrated campaign that includes television advertisements, digital video, banners, print advertisements, social media, a PR event in partnership with No Kid Hungry in New York City and proactive media outreach featuring our celebrity partners.
Making a difference
The many touch points of the Live Unprocessed™ campaign helped Arla’s message resonate with our consumers. We saw our total brand communication awareness more than double in the first two weeks of the campaign, from 17 to 38 percent. Sales of slices increased by over 200 percent and sales of cream cheese increased by over 92 percent compared to the same quarter in 2016.
Additionally, Arla has more than quadrupled its business in the US over the past quarter, catapulting it to being the number six sliced cheese and cream cheese brand in the country. At one leading retailer, data shows that Arla cream cheese increased incremental category purchases by 20 percent.
Looking forward, the Live Unprocessed™ campaign will continue to flex and grow as Arla gains our footing in the US. We plan to continue investing in the Arla brand, focusing on introducing new and innovative products to the US family of products.
¹ Top 10 Global Consumer Trends for 2016. (2016). [online] Euromonitor International, p.28.
² Free-from Food Trends. (2015). Mintel.