Social and Digital Media Changing Food Culture

© 2012 MSLGROUP P1

SOCIAL & DIGITAL MEDIA: CHANGING FOOD CULTURE

Selected Opportunities for Food & Beverage Marketers

© 2012 MSLGROUP P2

MSLGROUP Americas:

FOOD & BEVERAGE SPECIALTY

Food and beverage marketing and PR

• Category leader in digital food and nutrition communications

Clients nationwide from farm to fork, consumer and industry focused

Registered Dietitians on staff; in-house culinary and nutrition center

Offices nationwide

Part of MSLGROUP, a top-five global PR and events marketing firm

Under the Publicis umbrella

© 2012 MSLGROUP P3

FOOD & NUTRITION TRENDS 2012 Our Annual Food Trends Forecast

© 2012 MSLGROUP P4

• Principal provider of global research on consumer culture, behaviors, trends and demand and a leading advisor on market strategy to the world’s best-known brands

• The Hartman Group is internationally recognized for breakthrough perspectives on emerging and evolving consumer behaviors in health and wellness, sustainability and food culture

THE HARTMAN GROUP

© 2012 MSLGROUP P5

FEATURING DATA AND INSIGHTS FROM CLICKS & CRAVINGS A Hartman Group and MSLGROUP AMERICAS Syndicated Study

CLICKS & CRAVINGS: CLICKS & CRAVINGS: The Impact of Social Technology on Food Culture The Impact of Social Technology on Food Culture

In tandem with smart communications counsel, the Clicks & Cravings report is a powerful tool to help brands strategize their approach to social and digital media.

© 2012 MSLGROUP P6

QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE STUDY

Ethnographic, in-home studies • 25 studies in Seattle and Chicago

• Diverse sample (generation, children, SM and food engagement)

• $60,000+ HHI (excepting younger Millennials)

• Visit followed social media fast and feast

National online survey • December 2011; 1641 U.S. online adults, 18-64,

nationally representative

• Both users and non-users of social media

What it isn’t • Analysis of web traffic and usage data

• Review of best practices among food & beverage marketers

© 2012 MSLGROUP P7

INDEX

TRANSFORMING FOOD CULTURE

An antidote to isolation

“Someone like me”

An architecture of influence

The dominant source of food info

Food discovery

The path to and from purchase

Influence and “real people”

Deals and recipes

© 2012 MSLGROUP P8

NEW MODES OF FOOD CULTURE ACQUISITION

TRADITIONS (meal planning)

Media, travel, retailers, restaurants and brands introduce us to new tastes, cuisines & possibilities

TRANSACTIONS (shopping)

Online “research,” shopping and sharing is part of pre-shop to post-shop experience

TECHNIQUES (preparing)

Video, recipe sites, blogs and our foodie friends are replacing mom and cookbooks

TABLE (eating)

Virtually break bread through computers and phones (often without a table)

© 2012 MSLGROUP P9

ALMOST HALF

Of consumers learn about food via social networking sites, such as Twitter and Facebook

• Used to discover new foods, share food experiences, and get advice about food

40% Learn about food via websites, apps or blogs

NEW MODES OF FOOD CULTURE ACQUISITION

© 2012 MSLGROUP P10

Consumers formerly rely most heavily on mom and family traditions for meal planning

Now search online for what to cook, without ever tasting or smelling

CROWDSOURCING DISPLACING MOMSOURCING


A DIGITAL EXPERIENCE OF FOOD

• Digital food selection is less of a sensory experience

• More of a visual and rational process

“What’s on the label?”

“What’s in the recipe?”

“Show me the picture!”


• Rethink every assumption about food marketing • Don’t assume continuity

of food traditions

• The big changes we’re seeing can drive big shifts in market share – take risks now to exploit them

• Plan for a remade market led by Millennials and the Connected Generation

OPPORTUNITIES FOR BRANDS


INDEX

AN ANTIDOTE TO ISOLATION

Transforming food culture




Food discovery



Deals and recipes


INTIMACY IN ABSENTIA

Contemporary life often finds us far from family and friends

Social media turns isolation into creation • Loneliness motivates people to connect

Food is a natural connector • Humans are inherently social eaters which

makes social media and food a perfect pair


Social media is becoming our standby mealtime companion

“There’s no dining table … We all eat on the couch with the TV, tablets, phones. We hang out all the time so it’s not like we have to talk and eat.”

EATING ALONE, BUT TOGETHER

When we eat alone, we can still be together

45% of all adult meals are alone

45%

39% of consumers

engage in social media while eating, often during lunch

39%


CONNECTED EATING: FOIL TO ISOLATION

Texted with a friend or family member

Used a social networking site/app AT HOME

Used a social networking site/app AWAY FROM HOME

DOMINANT REASONS: To stay in touch with friends and family & to relieve boredom

36%

29%

18%


A CURE FOR THE ISOLATION OF MOTHERHOOD

Social media engagement rises significantly with motherhood • A second wave of this study will

cover moms only



Dive deep and understand if there is a place for your brand at the table • Can mealtime present a chance to talk

with your brand’s representatives?

Offer consumers company at mealtime

Invite consumers to share their meal experiences with communities


INDEX

“SOMEONE LIKE ME”





Food discovery



Deals and recipes


KATIE

• Gluten-free

• Avid baker

• Loves to entertain

WHAT DO PEOPLE LIKE ME THINK AND DO?

Consumers are tapping into each other’s expertise • Blogs, recipe forums and review sites appeal because they represent the knowledge

and experiences of people “like me”


Expertise and reliability are created through:

PEOPLE “LIKE ME”

RATINGS: When people approve of you

MAX

FOLLOWERS: When people listen to you

MENTIONS: When people talk about you

384 friends


TWO TYPES OF REAL

The home-grown expert blogger

The personable celebrity

My foodiest friend My mom

Opinions of the individual as a “real person”


TWO TYPES OF REAL

Opinions of the masses as “real people”



Recognize what you are not • Brands are not people

• At best, they are connected to people or the brainchild of people

• Find your people

Like a real person, don’t just invite people to your house • Get involved in communities – like recipe sites where brands are welcome

Give up some power and invite consumers to discuss your products • Sharing what they like and don’t like


An architecture of influence Has emerged

INDEX

AN ARCHITECTURE OF INFLUENCE





Food discovery



Deals and recipes


THREE PROTOTYPES & THEIR ROLES

Spectator

384 friends

Dreamer

1,100 friends

Doer

7,000 friends

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http://bakeanddestroy.net/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/cropped.jpg


THE SPECTATOR

The Spectator

Social media is life as lived today • Consumes content • Socializes

Julie is like most people Julie is a consumer of useful information, news, entertainment and good deals

384 friends

PASSIVE

ACTIVE


The Dreamer

Active social media user • Consumes people • Curates content

Lisa is very social Lisa curates and pushes content to her social network that reflects her style & sensibilities

THE DREAMER

1,100 friends

PASSIVE

ACTIVE

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The Doer

Core in both food & social media • Creates content • Inspires followers

THE DOER

Natalie is a brand Natalie is well positioned to be the voice of other brands, if she really likes them

7,000 friends

PASSIVE

ACTIVE

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CONSUMER

BRAND

INFLUENCER

REVIEW

Segment communications by type but address the whole ecosystem of “referral”

To be social on social media, know the actors, follow the netiquette, and step into the flow of conversations


Online media now the dominant source of food information

An architecture of influence Has emerged INDEX

THE DOMINANT SOURCE OF FOOD INFO





Food discovery



Deals and recipes


Spend more time engaged online about food

Equally engaged with online and print about food

Spend more time engaged with print about food

46%

31%

23%

TIME READING AND LEARNING ABOUT FOOD


MULTIPLE MEDIA REMAIN RELEVANT

31%

29%

28%

25%

25%

24%

17%

15%

13%

13%

12%

9%

7%

Food Resources Used in Past Year

Food shows I watch on TV

Cookbooks

Coupons printed in newspapers or magazine

Recipe websites or phone apps

Printed magazines or newspapers

Coupons found online (not including deals from Groupon, Living Social)

Restaurant review websites or phone apps

Daily deals from Internet sites or apps like Groupon or Living Social

Food or beverage manufacturer websites or apps

Grocer websites or apps

Food blogs or online food-oriented websites or feeds

Staff, in-store demonstrations or printed materials from a grocery

Instructional videos online


FUTURE: Among Millennials, online recipe resources now more valuable than cookbooks or food shows on TV; print in stark decline


Don’t bet on any one medium at this point

Gear strategy to generation, especially when it comes to print

Track emergent channels like in-store apps • Do consumers want to talk with you while in store?



Social media is a FOOD discovery medium

An architecture of influence Has emerged INDEX

FOOD DISCOVERY








Deals and recipes


SOCIAL MEDIA DISCOVERS

New restaurants to try

Restaurants to avoid

Meal planning (e.g., new recipes to make)

New types of foods or beverages to try (such as

ingredients, cuisines)

New brands of foods or beverages to try

Nutrition and ingredients

Foods or beverages to avoid

Alerts about food safety (e.g., product recall)

37%

Food topics most interested in when using social networking sites

22%

21%

25%

26%

17%

14%

20%


Join the consumer journey and share your discoveries

Reveal a steady stream of welcome information

Tie your brand to restaurant discoveries


Beware and prepare for product safety scares in social media


Social media transforms the path to and from purchase

Social media is a FOOD discovery medium An architecture of influence Has emerged INDEX

THE PATH TO AND FROM PURCHASE






Food discovery


Deals and recipes


A NEW PATH TO PURCHASE

Forrester model

Purchase Funnel gives way to Connected Circle


“RESEARCH” BEFORE TRYING OR BUYING

We use social media to mitigate risk • To get the best value and make the most informed decisions

• We assess opinions from review websites, online forums, and personal networks

• Decisions based on the number of stars, reviews and caliber of comments


We add our experiences and opinions to the user-generated review process • Usually when we’re really upset or really impressed

RANT OR RAVE AFTER WE’VE EATEN & SHOPPED

“I love this juice!”

“The worst!”


EXAMPLE: LEIGH BUYS A GRILL

• Pre-shop experience:

• Broadly queried Facebook friends about grills

• Read reviews on multiple retail websites

• Joined 20,000+ followers of Weber on Twitter

• Became a member of an online grill forum



• Leigh chooses a Weber Summit Series grill



• Post-shop experience: • Posted pictures of the grill on

Facebook

• Posted pictures of the grill’s first meal from her husband’s birthday party

Leigh loves the new grill and her new salmon recipe and now her 500+ Facebook friends know about it too!

Salmon from AllRecipes.com; it had 5 stars and over 100,000 people saved it. So, obviously it was really good!

Leigh Scott


Think about more closely integrating shopper marketing with social media functions • Consumers have closer ties to stores

• Could better account for the full circle of purchase engagement

Win points with the extraordinary • Dependable and predictable doesn’t win raves

Manage negative issues within microseconds • Should big brands now manage issues with 24/7 situation rooms?

OPPORTUNITIES


Influence is accorded TO “Real People”

Social media is a FOOD discovery medium An architecture of influence Has emerged INDEX

INFLUENCE AND “REAL PEOPLE”






Food discovery


Deals and recipes


INFLUENCE STARTS WITH A PERSON

Consumers prefer to hear from people who eat food, not entities who sell it

Social Media makes consumers savvy • They don’t tolerate artificiality

in voice or motive


Consumers follow people on Twitter, become friends on Facebook and read blogs of people with:

• Authentic voices

• Sincere posts

• Meaningful content


36%

INFLUENCE TRACKS TO INTIMACY

F18a. Which of these would be likely to lead you to consider purchasing a new brand of food or beverage you haven't tried before in the following situations? n=1,641

Most influential on purchasing a new brand of food or beverage

30%

20%

17%

14%

13%

11%

7%

19%

A close friend recommended it online

A friend other than a close friend recommended it

It got high ratings from lots of people like me including people I am on a social network with

It got high ratings from lots of people like me online, but nobody I know

A food writer or commentator recommended it

A food manufacturer that makes things that I like recommended it

A food retailer that sells things that I like recommended it

No one I know recommended it, but trying it would give me a great story to share

None of these


WHAT IS REAL?

Real is Relevant (quality) • Exceptional product that delivers on its promise consistent

with company’s mission

Has a Face (narrative) • Distinct personality or actual person(s) with a coherent message

Has Friends (opinions) • Other real people, like you, talk for you and recommend you


WHAT IS REAL?

Real Shares (knowledge) • Offers information, humor, beauty, soulfulness and generosity

Is Like-able (shared values) • Reflects shared values, interests, health concerns and aspirations

Reveals Itself (transparency) • Stories of struggles, mishaps and revelations show character and

demonstrate integrity


Strictly Transactional (lowest price substitutable)

Personal Relationship (real people loyalty)

“Like” in order to receive coupons and deals

“Like” & “Friend” to build real relationships with real people

An effective social media strategy

DEALS & THE REAL DEAL

• Transactional relationships promote trial and re-trial

• Personal relationships are more durable and valuable


Benefits of coupons & deals

• Consumers want to save money

• Easy way for people to take notice

• Opportunity for low-risk sampling

• Stimulates trial and re-trial

• Engenders appreciation and curiosity

Drawbacks

• Savings don’t necessarily equal loyalty

• Deals hold more appeal than product

• No guarantee people will pay full price later

• Creates fickle and conditional consumers

TRANSACTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS


PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS

Benefits of building real relationships

• Builds a personal and emotional relationship with your brand

• Brand becomes a marker of identity and self-expression, which translates into real loyalty

Drawbacks

• Needs a Real Person or People to be the face of the brand

• Can’t control the conversation


OPPORTUNITIES

Stay relevant by listening to what consumers want and giving it to them

Use an engaging and consistent voice and tone

Engender trust and credibility with reviews

Enrich consumers lives and give them value beyond product and savings

Aspire to be a likeable brand that’s a talisman of identity and aspiration – but don’t kid yourself

Use personal stories to help establish intimacy and trust with consumers


Consumers welcome two things from companies: Deals and recipes

Influence is accorded TO “Real People” Social media is a FOOD discovery medium An architecture of influence Has emerged

DEALS AND RECIPES






Food discovery



INDEX


52%

ARE BRANDS WINNING FRIENDS ONLINE?

• If a deal is really good, consumers will use social media to share it

• Consumers want to maximum value with minimal marketing clutter • They will quickly sever relationships that fail to deliver

Of Facebook users “like” a food or beverage company or brand to get discounts or coupons


PEOPLE HAVE “FRIENDS”

WHO

Most consumers Individual Brands/Bloggers

# FRIENDS

200-300 1000+

WHO ARE THE FRIENDS?

• Friends & family • Acquaintances

• Friends & family • Acquaintances • Loyal followers • Fans

PURPOSE

• Intimacy • Keeping current

• Intimacy • Keeping current • Brand building • Relevance • Shared Values


BUSINESSES HAVE “LIKES”

What # Likes Who are the likes? Purpose & Meaning

Big Brand Person Mark Bittman 36,016 • Home cooks • Food involved fans

• Knowledge • Shared Values


Small/Local Brand Molly Moon 5,376 Blue Bottle Coffee 11,045

• Customers • Supporters

• Updates on flavors/products • Shared Values • Personally identity


Retailer Starbucks 26,589,185 Whole Foods 767,000 Target 7,933,025

• Customers

• Recipes and tips • Store events and savings • Consumers share experiences


CPG Brand Cheerios 589,422 Heinz Ketchup 890,000 Coca Cola 36,6000,000

• Consumers

• Coupons and saving • Recipes



Find ways to emulate small and local brands • Origin stories

• Internal champions and experts with a face and a voice

Satisfy and feed the giveaway beast but engage consumers while inducing them

Occasionally offer extraordinary deals that are highly sharable

Balance deals with recipes – the latter is a more intimate basis for a relationship

Don’t act like an FSI in social circles!


CONTACTS

Steve Bryant Director, Food and Beverage MSLGROUP Americas

[email protected]

206.313.1588

Blaine Becker Senior Director, Marketing & Business Relations, the Hartman Group

[email protected]

425.452.0818 ex. 124

mailto:[email protected]


