Twinkies Engagement Strategy

Twinkies; the Social Snack

Table of Contents

03. A Letter to Campbell Mithun 04. A Letter to the Proud New Owners

– Research 06. Competitive Frame 07. Strategy Canvas 08. Messaging Timeline 09. Brand Archetype Matrix 10. S.W.O.T. Analysis

– My Strategic Recommendation 11. Differential Targeting Analysis 12. Brand Position Genesis 13. Key Driver Analysis 14. Summary 15. Brand Message Architecture 16. Channel Strategy 17. A Few Ideas

18. Resume

2

Thank you in advance for perusing my submission, and for your honest feedback.

Sincerely,

Josh Cramer Graduate Student, Cohort 8

Professional Masters in Strategic Communication SJMC, University of Minnesota

Dear Campbell Mithun,

I am a strategic thinker. My studies thus far at the U of M (Professional M.A., Strategic Communication) have disposed me to an integrated approach to communications. In fact, one of the main reasons I am applying here is that I admire the “Everything Talks” mindset. In a world of seemingly unlimited channels and data, this philosophy makes a lot of sense to me. I also play a mean game of chess.

I live in the real world. Far from the post-graduate culture shock many experience at my age, I am already part of the working class. I began delivering newspapers at age eleven, became a waiter at fifteen, and supported myself financially through high school and undergraduate by selling shoes on commission. I currently work as a Personal Banker at Wells Fargo. I know what it’s like to work under pressure, to please people who may not like you, and to produce tangible results for an honest wage.

I know what I don’t want. My days of vague aspirations as to the direction of my life are behind me. I spent a lot of time as an undergraduate trying to answer that nagging question: “What will I DO with my life?” I chose to pursue my current degree because I now know the answer. I plan to live my professional career as an agency Account Manager; and I’d love to begin that life at Campbell Mithun.

I play well with others. I’m a nice guy. And I don’t fake it. My biggest assets in sales have been my genuine interest in people, and my internal motivation to do what is right on their behalf. I take full responsibility for the client’s needs because it’s in my nature to do so. I am my own scapegoat.

Hire me because:

3

Congratulations! You are now the proud owner of an exciting and iconic American brand. You haven’t just purchased a piece of history by acquiring Twinkie; you now hold the keys to a cultural goldmine.

Allow me to explain: Over these past 80 years, Twinkie has demonstrated an almost unnatural resiliency. Despite Hostess’ misguided attempts to cast Twinkie as “Heroic” or “Wholesome,” Americans have taken to the cream-filled golden sponge cake all the same, and allowed Twinkie to become their snack-cake-of-choice. However, hard times find us all. And, while Twinkie is still part of our daily lexicon, it is known more today for its widely accepted indomitability than its delicious cream. While everyone regards it as the most reliable food source in case of a Zombie Apocalypse, few people still appreciate its more basic utility as a simple, shelf stable, relatively low-calorie lunch snack. What’s more, absolutely nothing has been done to engage -well- anyone since the turn of the century. Millennials now rule the roost, and a fresh engagement strategy with a strong social presence is necessary to

survive in a market that has moved on.

So what now? A few things. First of all, check for signs of a Zombie Apocalypse. If none exist, consider causing one. If this seems infeasible, please continue on to my next suggestion. Twinkie, at present, is at a very important crossroads. It is emerging from a desert of obscurity into a lush tropic of opportunity. If handled correctly, Twinkie could return to its heyday. If mishandled; Twinkie Armageddon 2. Two chief opportunities bear mentioning here: 1) The re-launch in Summer 2013 will generate

enormous buzz 2) This buzz can be harnessed to engage Millennials

Any Specific Engagement Ideas? I’m glad you asked. First, it is important to understand that Millennials love to participate socially in their entertainment and consumption. One need look no further than Instagram to see that.

Dear Apollo Global Management and Metropoulos & Company,

4

Second, the popular belief that Twinkies contain a bizarre admixture of used car tires and formaldehyde must not go unchecked. The latter issue can be resolved with honest and frank communication as to what actually goes into a Twinkie. After all, the same preservatives used in Twinkies are used in many other packaged consumables that do not suffer such criticism. Additionally, you may want to consider adding some key vitamins and minerals just for good measure. The former issue will best be addressed by a little widget I call Twinkie Note. The concept for Twinkie Note is relatively simple. Anyone with a web connection (be it on the website, or through the iPhone/Android app) will have the ability to send a personalized message with a real Twinkie attached to anyone in the world, anywhere. It’s a simple concept that will take some infrastructure to accomplish, but the effect is twofold: 1. More Twinkies are sold because of the novelty of the

app 2. Twinkie is brought into the world of social sharing;

inhabited mainly by Millennials The buzz surrounding your new ownership this summer will provide the necessary spark to get Twinkie Note off the

ground. Once established, it will work as a self- reinforcer, drawing additional buzz to the brand.

In short:

Combat “Unhealthy/Unnatural” belief by:

a) Enriching the product b) Factual comparisons on packaging

- And -

Encourage sharing with: a) Social Media activity b) Online and Print c) Heavy dose of TV/Radio

- All Driving To -

Twinkie Note

To see my complete thought process, please see the following slides

5

Competitive Frame

*Courtesy of Google Trends

I chose to focus on the type of sweet snacks that might compete for space in a lunch box or brief case. All of these are portable, and relatively available. As you can see, cup cakes and cake pops in general have appreciated in popularity, but Twinkie has clearly earned iconic status. Despite its lack of advertising for the past decade, Twinkie is still our favorite brand of snack cake by a mile. Point B marks the Hostess bankruptcy announcement.

6

As you can see, Twinkie has some key competitive advantages. Surprisingly enough, it comes in at a modest 150 calories per serving; the second lowest in its class. It also gets high marks for shelf stability, prep time, and availability. Although it’s well known, it isn’t as popular as cup cakes or cake pops right now. That is about to change.

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Calories Per Serving Shelf Stability Prep Time Availability Popularity

Twinkie

Zebra Cake

Snack Pack

cup cake

cake pop

In reverse order, i.e. the lowest calorie snack ranks the highest 7

So, what is a Twinkie? It depends on when you ask…

50’s 70’s 80’s 90’s – Early 00’s

“You get a big delight in every bite”

“When I say yes- it’s Hostess”

“Where’s the cream filling?”

Endorsement & Sponsorship

“Freshness never tasted so good”

“Hostess and kids, they go together”

“Tasting is believing”

“The care you take goes into all we bake”

“The snacks with a snack in the middle”

Targets: Kids Parents Both

Looking through all these old brand messages is a lot like seeing how your dad used to dress before he met your mother. You accept what you see, but you still don’t understand…

8

The ever-elusive Twinkie archetype… Stability

Change

Belonging Independence The Caregiver

The Creator

The Lover

The Jester

The Hero

The Innocent

Twinkie has done some soul-searching, but this feels right

Twinkie competes as much with open categories such as “cupcakes” and “cake pops” as it does with other branded products like Zebra Cakes and Snack Packs. As you remember from the Messaging Timeline, Twinkie has been a lot of things. “Where’s the Cream Filling?” moved it back into the Jester archetype, which I think makes a lot of sense.

9

Everybody knows about Twinkie and its long history, yet up until the bankruptcy announcement, buzz has been low. It’s understandable when nothing has been done to garner any attention for almost ten years. The takeaway: Twinkie needs to use the attention from its acquisition to refresh its image for the booming millennial category.

Strengths •Brand Awareness •History •Cultural Penetration

Movie/TV references Competitive Mindshare Indomitability Myth

Weaknesses

Stale Brand +

No Engagement Strategy =

Anemic Sales

Opportunities •Buzz from acquisition and re-launch •Untapped Millennials

Threats •Packaged snack foods increasingly vilified (banned in many schools) •Popularity of “health food” and “functional eating” •Competition from Little Debbie’s & other lunch snack options

10

Segment Social Snackers Lunch Packers Convenience Indulgers

Value

Highly communicative brand zealots, influenced by trends in social media; big

potential for growth in snack cake category. Largely Millennials, will

compose the taste-making class for the next decade or so.

Busy, probably multiple children. Will appreciate anything that saves time. If something works, likely to continue for simplicity's sake. High loyalty for that

reason.

In search of a treat or reward, but lacks the

time/money/energy/expertise to make something or go off the beaten path to find it. Shallow

decisions. Impulsiveness makes them easy to predict.

Barriers

“I haven’t had a Twinkie in, like, forever. I was sad to see them go under, though.

Don’t they have embalming fluid in them or something?”

“I want a quick and simple dessert for my child that won’t fill their bodies with

weird chemicals, or draw the ire of fellow parents. Aren’t Twinkies

impervious to a nuclear holocaust?”

”I don’t want to stray farther than the length of my arms from my daily routine in order to satisfy my sweet

tooth. “

Communications Objective

Emphasize the potential for sharing, position Twinkie as “cool.” Convert

“unnatural” to “timeless.”

Overcome stigma of being unhealthy, emphasize time-saving and refer to

value of teaching kids to share.

Make sure people know where to find Twinkies, position as a simple

indulgence that they deserve.

These are three popular consumer segments that are relevant to the snack cake business. I chose to focus on “Social Snackers” specifically because of their abundance and growing social influence. Communication needs to: 1. Overcome the “Unnatural” stigma and 2. Focus on the concept of sharing

11

Product Insight Cultural Insight

Competitive Insight Brand Insight Twinkie is still beloved; albeit from afar

People really do think Twinkies are synthetic Twinkies’ versatility is underappreciated

They are shelf-stable, and not temperature sensitive; resilient when tossed in a lunch pale, packed in a brief case, or sent cross-country. Despite all of this, they are relatively healthy (compared to some other snack foods).

The Twinkies mindshare is that of time capsule insertions, Armageddon preparations, and bizarre scientific experiments. This wouldn’t be so bad if we were talking about something other than food.

Twinkie has enjoyed a steady residual interest due to its ubiquity. It may not be top-of-mind, but it’s in there somewhere. With the right activation, Twinkie could come roaring back.

Twinkie-the-Kid makes a great Jester

A product called “Twinkie” must not be accused of taking itself too seriously. I think Mr. “the-Kid” is due for a comeback.

For the Social Snacker, it’s the simple treat you can pack and share.

12

Industry norm

Campaign Drivers for Social Snackers

Awareness Emotional Bond News Activation Loyalty Experience Buzz

High High Low Low

Medium Medium Medium

Category Relevance (High, Medium, Low)

Brand Performance (VG, Good, OK, Poor)

VG OK OK

Poor OK OK

Good

Keep it up HELP! HELP!

Look for this to spike in the weeks immediately prior to the re-launch

The initial spike in buzz this summer will help to kick-start use of Twinkie Note, which, in turn, will help reinforce the biggest area for improvement ; emotional bond.

13

In Summary… •Twinkie has stiff competition, but clear competitive advantages in History and Awareness •Twinkie has tried some different things over the years, but the Jester archetype fits best •“Social Snackers” should be Twinkies’ key target growth area •These “Social Snackers” can be reached with communication that is funny, honest (maybe even edgy), and encouraging to active participation •Twinkie needs to strengthen its emotional bond by promoting the concept of sharing •Twinkie cannot afford to miss this “built-in buzz-maker” that is its acquisition

Combat “Unhealthy/Unnatural” belief by:

a) Enriching the product b) Factual comparisons on packaging

- And -

Encourage sharing with: a) Social Media activity b) Online and Print c) Heavy dose of TV/Radio

- All Driving To -

Twinkie Note

14

So what will we say?

Social Snackers Lunch Packers Convenience Indulgers

The Jester

The Social Snack

Twinkies are the simple treat that kids love to share.

• Enriched with calcium, iron, and B vitamins • Fewer calories per serving than a cup cake • Less fat than a Snack Pack

This isn’t true- yet.

Share something sweet with the ones you love.

•Send a *Twinkie Note from anywhere to anyone with our Twinkie Note widget (html, iPhone, Android) •Personalize the message and enter our Twinkie Pun contest

*Twinkie Note is a simple mobile service that will enable its user to send a real Twinkie with an attached personal message to anyone in the world.

Reward yourself with one of life’s simple pleasures

•Individually-wrapped Twinkies conveniently located at checkout •Built in portion control at only 150 calories per serving •Buy a box, and keep a stash. You deserve it!

15

All Channels Drive to Twinkie Note!

TV Social Twinkie Note

Print Online

•Top 40 •Sports •NPR

Radio

Packaging/In-store

•Spotify •YouTube •Pandora •Iwastesomuctime •Hulu

•Cracked •Buzzfeed •HappyPlace •The Oatmeal •Huffington Post •Sports Illustrated

•Maxim •ESPN •Cosmopolitan •Rolling Stone

•Twitter •Facebook •Instagram •Pinterest The Social Snack

•Adult Swim •NBC •Comedy Central •FOX

16

A Few Ideas Social •“Most Pretentious Twinkie Photo” contest •Twinkie The Kid takes 22 photos of himself in the bathroom mirror, all from slightly different angles in color, black and white, inverted, and sepia tones •Twinkie Recipe Contest • Online quiz game: “Twinkie or Split Top Wheat Bread?” Packaging/In-Store •Displays that tout Twinkie’s nutritional benefits relative to other snack cakes (consider enriching product with vitamins and minerals [taking a cue from Wonderbread…]) TV •Series of spots that create and build on a Twinkie creation myth •Depict Twinkie The Kid solving major crises throughout history by sharing the sweetness of Twinkies (Companion Radio)

To be continued…

17

Summary • Currently in pursuit of a Master’s in Strategic Communication

• Copywriting experience in radio news and college newspaper • Strategic thinker with a diverse professional background

• A strong interest in Account Management

Experience Community Banking Specialist 2/12 - Present Wells Fargo Bank, Minneapolis, MN

• Build healthy and beneficial relationships with companies and individual clients • Market and sell customized packages to meet our clients’ financial needs • Manage accounts for customers up to $2M in annual revenue

• Lead seminars to promote financial literacy in the community News Intern- KTLK fm News Talk 5/10-8/10

Clear Channel Communications, Minneapolis, MN

• Established and interviewed media contacts • Wrote/Edited copy for broadcast • Voiced /Edited sound for broadcast

Staff Columnist- The Storm Chaser 5/10-8/10

Crown College, St. Bonifacius, MN

• Covered events of local relevancy

• Contributed advice columns, critiques, and fictional narrative

Sales Consultant 4/04 - 8/11

Schuler Shoes, Roseville, MN

• Consistently among top performers in daily sales • Participated in merchandising and staging decisions with management • Negotiated exchanges with some of the most selective customers in retail • Led the sales team in product knowledge and customer satisfaction

Skills/Honors • Proficient in: Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Audition, Finale, Various financial database systems • Learning: SPSS, Spanish Fluency

• National Society of Collegiate Scholars; Dean’s list • Experience in: Improv and drama; high school and college football • Tarleton Strategic Communication Fellowship, 2013

Education Master of Arts, Strategic Communication

School of Journalism and Mass Communication

University of Minnesota

(anticipated 5/14) GPA: 3.83

Bachelor of Arts, Vocal Performance

Crown College

St. Bonifacius, Minnesota 5/11 GPA: 3.36

Josh Cramer 4046 Upton Ave N. Minneapolis, MN 55412 (763) 516-4209 [email protected]

www.linkedin.com/pub/josh-cramer/34/2aa/848

18