Successes

7UP Plus

Overview

As the beverage landscape and consumers’ preference became more health-focused, Dr Pepper Snapple Group needed to develop a product that kept carbonated soft drinks (CSDs) in mom’s consideration set. The goal was to leverage the strength of their portfolio of brands to explore and dimensionalize a “better for you” CSD platform.

Approach

To achieve this goal, the core team developed a multi-phase innovation approach that immersed the participants in the market, consumer and professional (i.e., nutritionists and bottlers) landscapes to understand perceptions and uncover insights to guide the ideation session. During a 2-day ideation session, tailored verbal and visual exercises led us to the development of a range of compelling new products that met the “better for you” need state and spoke to the “all family” target. On-site graphic designers brought the concepts to life visually to aid in consumer clarity for both qualitative and quantitative research.

Result

7Up Plus, a low-calorie, caffeine-free, CSD fortified with fruit juice, calcium and Vitamin C was introduced to rave reviews as evidence by the fact that it surpassed 3-month projections in just 6 weeks! Two additional flavors were later introduced and the Plus moniker became the category and even cross-category identifier of fortification. The 7Up brand led the way in giving moms a fun, flavorful carbonated beverage choice for their family that they could feel good about!

We have helped many clients turn ordinary insights into extraordinary ideas. Want to learn more? Let’s chat!

Kleenex Anti-Viral Tissues

Overview

Kimberly-Clark had substantial research showing that Kleenex sales peaked during cold and flu season (lots of germs floating around!) and that 74% of consumers re-use tissues throughout the day (eww!). They wanted to grow the Kleenex franchise by introducing a product that was positioned as more than just a disposable handkerchief that “catches” germs.

Approach

The KC Innovation Team contacted Sandstorm inc. to explore an initial hypothesis: If consumers are keeping tissues in their pockets and purses and re-using them during the day, then germs are continuing to “float around” and possibly be passed along. What if we developed a tissue that stopped the spread of germs by “catching and containing” them in a way no other tissue had ever done before?  Sandstorm inc. went to work creating 8-10 written concepts for qualitative research that altered people’s perceptions of what a Kleenex facial tissue could do. We also attended the research to revise and strengthen the leading concepts based on consumer feedback in preparation for volumetric testing.

Result

Kleenex Anti-Viral Tissues were launched and in 2 years captured a 4 percent share of the market and $140 million in global sales in 22 countries. Now that’s nothing to sneeze at!