Kellogg’s marketing chief John Broome: we’ll take more risks next year, the FMCG category has got too conservative
John Broome: six months in
The marketing director of Kellogg’s has said that he wants to take more risks next year – and with increased advertising spend – as the cereal maker eyes faster growth.
John Broome, who is six months into his role as Kellogg’s ANZ marketing director, said that while media spend from FMCG brands in Australia has “gone backwards”, Kellogg’s intends to increase spend by 13% in 2013.
“FMCG media spend has gone backwards by 11%, year on year. Spend on TV is down by 15%. Digital is up 14% – but it is up 23% across all categories,” he said.
This comes over quite Frostie and I think you’d be a Fruit Loop to buy into this All Bran-ding.
I look forward to the day when an enlightened FMCG takes a risk, and also one that has an integrated multi-channel strategy that pre-dates its decision to ‘increase spend in digital’. I’m also looking forward to a brand strategy for Kellogg’s kids cereal and snack portfolios that moves beyond the obvious ‘Busy mums with kids 5-12 looking for a win-win’, and for Special K to deliver snacks that are truly diet-friendly, and not packed with carbs and sugar!
Having worked on Kellogs in both London and here in Australia I’ve found that Kelloggs agencies are more than capable of producing much more creative work but it’s the client who won’t approve it and they end up getting the same old conservative, predictable crap the client demands. I won’t be holding my breath to see if this is going to change despite what Mr. Broome says here.
My advice would be to sharpen up those influencing skills, Alan.
Sometimes agencies do get caught up in the creative idea & the role of brand becomes secondary.
how predictable Alan
Am sure that’s just the thinking that landed 2FM where they are now.