« Co branding is interpreted as a brand extension in order » to leverage the value of the brand… to take the brand into a new market » (Blackett, Boad, p133). Company wants to make consumers more aware of their brands by doing some co-branding. The appreciation of the co-branded product relies on the previous knowledge of both brands and their products. This is the reason why brand try to create co branded product when both brand can us the image and notoriety of the other brand.
If we take the example of Milka, people love this chocolate, the main brand value is « sharing a tenderness moment ». Philadelphia is an industrial brand of cream cheese. Both belong to the Mondelez International Group but they have different strategy marketing. The group decided to regroup this two brands in order to create a chocolate spread in order to develop theirs awareness and directly attack the leading Nutella the French Market.
Mondelez want to create originals products by using Milka brand because it has a notoriety of 99% in France. Actually, more than 1 family out of 3 eats Milka chocolate every day. »
Another example should be Côte d’Or. Indeed, due to its strong brand Côte d’Or represents the pleasure to eat a dark chocolate; this is why Yoplait, Eo and Lu try to do some co-branding. The product did not last long either due to a lack on marketing consistency or not wanted by the consumer but the purpose was clear… use the notoriety of one brand to make their consumer know and try the other brand. They tried to be present on new segment and create or develop the demand.
Unfortunately sometimes products don’t last and brands have to be creative to attract and retain new consumer.
Easter, with the Christmas holiday, is the best time of year to eat chocolate. As a child, my friends and I would organise egg hunts in our gardens and spend the afternoon trying to find the precious chocolate, and this is one of the best memories I can associate with chocolate.
In 2013, the Buzzman agency, who works on Milka’s communication, extended the concept of an egg hunt, combining advertising and online gaming. The campaign was a frank success and was renewed this year.
Milka’s advergaming (neologism coming from advertising and gaming) campaign, ‘Oeufs cachés‘ (meaning Hidden Eggs), offered its French consumers the chance to participate in a digital hunt updated in real time, with a garden that was the size of France.
To participate, it was very simple, you only had to log on the website, and from the moment you entered the hunt, you could see how many participants you were playing against, and had 5 minutes to scratch the herb and try to find as many eggs as possible.
This hunt was not for entertainment purposes only;, if you found an egg, you would get a price: either vouchers, or gifts such as phones, iPads, etc.
The game is free, fun, entertaining, easy to play even for non-gamers: everyone has a chance to win, and enjoy a nice time.
The constraint is that you can only play for 5 minutes a day. When scratching the eggs, you can find bonuses that give you extra time to play the game.
How is this advergame positive for Milka?
Advergaming enables the brand, namely Milka, to build a relationship with the customer in a fun, entertaining way, without being too intrusive. The game format allows the consumer to interact with the brand in a positive way, and a memorable one: even if the game lasts only 5 minutes in general, having 5 minutes of time in a consumer’s life only dedicated to your brand is a challenge nowadays, when people are permanently solicited by ads.
In Milka’s ‘Oeufs cachés’, all the players do the hunt simultaneously on the same garden at any given time, which involves them in the game, and reinforces their positive image of the brand. Indeed, the competition and the rewards, apart from improving the consumers’ intention of sales towards Milka; makes the consumer feel the shiver of playing a game with real stakes.
This kind of advertising proves to be a very good way to involve the consumer in the brand, something in which Milka is becoming an expert.
“This is the set of the brand’s physical features, which are evoked in people’s minds when the brand name is mentioned. Kapferer states that this aspect has to be considered the basis of the brand. Key questions regarding this aspect are: what does the brand look like? What can a consumer do with it in terms of functionality? And how can it be recognized? It is also important to have a clear flagship product representing the brand’s overall qualities.”
The physiques of Cote d’Or are its particular colors: mostly black and red, used on the packaging and every campaign but also the elephant used as a symbol of the brand. Ii represents the strength, the memory and the character of the chocolate. Another element is the preserved intense taste of the cocoa that Cote d’Or wants to communicate on.
PERSONALITY:
The brand’s character. By communicating with consumers in a certain way, these can be given the feeling that all brand-related communication actually constitutes a person with specific character traits speaking to them. This can be realized by using a specific style of writing, using specific design features, and using specific colours schemes, for example. Endorsements in the shape of persons recommending a brand can literally give flesh to a brand’s character.
The personality of Cote D’or is represented by its values such as authenticity and intensity. Both are really present in its communication campaign especially the intensity since Cote d’Or wants to insisted on the good premium raw chocolate due to its engagement with locals producers
The colors of the packaging as well as those from the logo reinforce those values. Cote ‘Or wants to break the code of the classical chocolate tablet by creating one that will only focus on the 5 senses and the chocolate itself, a tablet on a special baking tin without any square.
CULTURE:
The system of values and basic principles on which a brand has to base its behavior (products and communication). Culture is the direct link between brand and organization.
Cote d’Or’s culture is identified by the pleasure of tasting the product, the intensity of the cocoa and the engagement with local producer.
RELATIONSHIP:
A brand can symbolize a certain relationship between people. This aspect requires a brand manager to express the relationship his/her brand stands for. The relationship facet a number of implications for the way the brand acts, delivers and relates to its customers.
Cote d’Or wants to be seen as an expert of the chocolate thus it focus on providing a chocolate with character to create a relationship with people devoted to the pleasure of tasting chocolate. To develop this relationship the brand send different message on its campaign and product. For instance when they create the buzz with “a world without chocolate” they wanted to insist on the importance of the chocolate in our life.
REFLECTION:
This aspect makes reference to the stereotypical user of the brand, and is the source for identification (NB: this idea does not necessarily coincide with the characteristics of the target group). It is how the consumer wishes to be seen and perceived as a result of using the brand.
Cote d’Or’s consumers want to be seen as chocolate expert or at least person knowing what is good. They want to be recognize as person with great taste with a strong ability to differentiate qualitative product one from another. They share a common passion for the chocolate and especially the fact to taste it and its various subtlety and trait/feature.
SELF IMAGE:
The mirror the target group holds up to itself. When developing a brand identity, brand managers should take this dimension into account. Insight into the underlying intrinsic drivers of consumers can give a brand a real boost. If these insights are present, advertising can draw on them. It is the target consumers’ own internal mirror.
Cote d’Or’s inner relationship with the target consumer makes the target consumer feel pleased, and rewarded with a good qualitative chocolate
“This is the set of the brand’s physical features, which are evoked in people’s minds when the brand name is mentioned. Kapferer states that this aspect has to be considered the basis of the brand. Key questions regarding this aspect are: what does the brand look like? What can a consumer do with it in terms of functionality? And how can it be recognized? It is also important to have a clear flagship product representing the brand’s overall qualities.”
The physiques of Milka are its particular colors: Purple and white, used on the packaging and every campaign but also the Milka’s cow used as a symbol of the brand. Another element is the unique and sweet taste of Milka’s, this one of the raisons which they did some cobranding with others brand like Oreo or LU.
PERSONALITY:
The brand’s character. By communicating with consumers in a certain way, these can be given the feeling that all brand-related communication actually constitutes a person with specific character traits speaking to them. This can be realized by using a specific style of writing, using specific design features, and using specific colours schemes, for example. Endorsements in the shape of persons recommending a brand can literally give flesh to a brand’s character.
The personality of Milka is represented by its values such as tenderness, authenticity, friendliness, joy and humour. The colors as well as the cow emphasis on those values. For instance in some campaign or commercials, the values are brought to the consumer by the use of the cow. She represents the tenderness and joy the chocolate can give to the consumer.
CULTURE:
The system of values and basic principles on which a brand has to base its behavior (products and communication). Culture is the direct link between brand and organization.
Milka’s culture is represented by tenderness, authenticity, and know-how. Milka’s culture is represented by tenderness, authenticity, and know-how. It is also based on the natural aspects with the cow and the Alps. RELATIONSHIP:
A brand can symbolize a certain relationship between people. This aspect requires a brand manager to express the relationship his/her brand stands for. The relationship facet a number of implications for the way the brand acts, delivers and relates to its customers.
Milka wants to be seen as an authentic brand, that is why it focus is relationship on nature (with the Alps mountain and the animals), tenderness (with the character of the cow) happiness and joy. To build this relationship it offers a broad range of product and focus on what the brand has to offer on the commercials. Moreover with some specific marketing, such as the missing piece, it creates interaction among the brand and customers themselves.
REFLECTION:
This aspect makes reference to the stereotypical user of the brand, and is the source for identification (NB: this idea does not necessarily coincide with the characteristics of the target group). It is how the consumer wishes to be seen and perceived as a result of using the brand.
Milka’s consumers want to be seen as happy, tender people who care about each others, who share authentic and special experience. To think about the caring mother giving chocolate bar to their children so they share happy moments together. To please their customers with new moment, the brand developed new product (co branding) like the Philadelphia chocolate cream cheese, and the chocolate tablet with TUC.
SELF IMAGE:
The mirror the target group holds up to itself. When developing a brand identity, brand managers should take this dimension into account. Insight into the underlying intrinsic drivers of consumers can give a brand a real boost. If these insights are present, advertising can draw on them. It is the target consumers’ own internal mirror.
Milka’s inner relationship with the target consumer makes the target consumer feel relax, joyful, tender and peaceful. To share authentic and tender moments with their loved ones.
Côte d’Or is all about a qualitative chocolate with an intense taste of cacao. It brings pleasure while eating it. The values conveyed by the brand are authenticity and intensity. Both are directly related to the chocolate itself, authenticity by the engagement of the brand with local producers and intensity through a strong taste of cacao.
The Côte d’Or identity is truly specific, it evokes an intense chocolate taste, a good quality, a selected cocoa as well as a centennial know-how. Even if the brand has a broad category of products, the identity stays in the tasting universe.
Positioning:
On the mass market premium segment for adult. A sustainable and responsible chocolate. At the moment, in France and Belgium the black chocolate tablet (more than 70% cocoa) contain at least 30% of cocoa coming from verified Rainforest Alliance™ exploitation. Over time, the final objective is to only use that kind of chocolate for the complete range of product.
Target:
The targets are the adult who wants to savor a tasty piece of chocolate. An adult who want to succumb to the temptation of a delicious piece of chocolate.
Packaging:
With a sober (through warm and dark colors) yet effective packaging, Côte d’Or wants to give the image of a qualitative and premium brand. Usually the consumers does not really know what he wants to buy so it will be an impulse buy that is why the color, the logo and the ingredients (with pictures) are really important to attract the consumer.
Over the years the packaging and logo evolved, at the beginning there was one palmer and 3 pyramids as well as the elephant to evoke the exoticism of the Ghana, but later on they to refine the logo to only keep the elephant, the symbol of strength, stability, memory and longevity.
Distribution:
Nowadays, the brand is sold in about twenty countries among them Germany, Greece, Portugal, Russia, Sweden, Italy, Lebanon, Japan, South Africa, US… but the best sellers are Belgium, Holland and France.
The selling points are the following:
80% in supermarket
15% chocolate’s artisant
5% restaurateurs, internet
Communication:
Côte d’Or is present everywhere, the purpose for the brand is to known as the expert of the chocolate for the mass market. Over the years they create different kinds of TV adds because they wanted the consumer to remembered them as a strong, sustainable and with a specific intense taste of cocoa. They also create a buzz last year with a street marketing campaign: «Afrodisiaque, le vrai pouvoir du chocolat» and a media campaign: “a world without chocolate” they wanted to emphasize on the importance of the chocolate in everybody life and the values of brand instead of the product. In supermarket, where you can find the products, they implement some specific action to attract the consumer like some corners or display.
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Main competitors:
Of course, even if Côte d’Or is well known among the mass market, it also has a lot of great competitors. For instance, we can identify 2 main competitors that are direct competitors with almost the same target and positioning:
Nestlé:
Nestlé
Lindt:
Lindt
In addition, we can find other competitors that are not directly addressing exactly to the same target but are offering an alternative like private label, Ivoria.
SWOT Analysis
Strenghs
Premium brand
Broad range of product
Affordable price for the quality (and compare to competitors)
Old valuable brand
Seen as responsible and sustainable brand
Intense cocoa taste
Easy to find (eye catching packaging)
Assisted awareness: 99% (Ipsos 2011)
Weaknesses
Not the leader on the category
Not enough communication
Failed of co-branding
Opportunities
Consumers attached to nature and sustainable development
Create a strong relationship with the customer doing interactive game or poll, to make them play with Milka and keep the chocolate brand in all minds.
Target:
The brand appeals to the childish imagination and is focused on the fairytale for adults.
The core target is adults and young adults from 20 to 45 years old with no differentiation by gender or CSP. Milka affects particularly gourmands who search quality and pleasure. It’s a tender experience to find pleasure and softness in everyday life moments.
The fundamental image of Milka derives from the theme ‘most tender chocolate which melts in the mouth and which is also ‘tender to the soul’. Milka’s brand values and outlook are also based on innocence, feeling young at heart, being able to look at the world through the eyes of a child, using imagination to enlighten the world, and being optimistic, mischievous and cheerful. It is these characteristics of Milka that soften the hearts of consumers, making them feel young at heart and putting a smile on their faces.
Positioning:
Milka positioning is first of all associated with its history.
Milka was the first to introduce milk chocolate on the French market. The brand does not hesitate to highlight the benefits and quality of its milk based on an authentic food processing.
The specificity of Milka is characterized by its original purple color, which is easily recognizable.
In 1984 it was rather focused on temptation with the slogan ”Milka, la plus tendre des tentations depuis que le chocolat est né”. This positioning reflected the characteristics of a tender product and different consumer expectations. Indeed, the consumer eats chocolate as a desired product for which he can succumbs only from time to time, creating the concept of frustration.
While in 1991, positioning focuses on tenderness, humor and mystery. The ads highlight the secrets of making chocolate Milka, giving it a magical aspect, supplying the imaginary consumer need. The slogan is now “Milka, tendrement chocolat” “, taking the characteristic product, always playing on the emotion aroused.
Today, the brand relies on more than just greed and tenderness with slogans: “Milka dare extra greedy” and “Milka, osez la tendresse.” The concept of frustration has disappeared. The brand is now targeting its proximity to consumers and seeks sharing. You might have heard of this pub telling the story of this “purple cow which was very good at bringing people together, and each time she was there, she was just a little softer.”
Values:
Through the mountain landscape and the purple cow, Milka wants to emphasis on the value of nature and authenticity. Those values also implies simplicity, family, childhood, gentleness, friendliness, reflect humor and tenderness of the anthropomorphic publicity.
Evolution of values:
At the beginning, Milka promises a traditional, authentic and high quality product to the consumer. These concepts are reinforced by the use of the cow, the presence of the Alps (Swiss chocolate).
2.Then, Milka promises tenderness and love to its consumers. The cow, representing a symbol of the foster mother and animals carefully preparing products, reinforces those values. Through its last slogan, Milka invites consumers to “Osez la tendresse.” The brand invites consumers on platform to send sweet words to their friends, lovers, acquaintances etc.., through the Milka cow.
3.Finally, when you eat a chocolate Milka you eat a bit of mystery. You probably saw the advertisement in which we can hear: “Why milk chocolate Milka is so tender?” And a woman’s voice answers: “It’s a little intrusive” Or in another add, we can see animals making chocolate.
Packaging:
Milka has understood this principle and launched its ” Milka Cow ” in 1901 on packaging.
The cow represents the alpine’s world and milk. As for the color purple, the company is based on the diction ” familiarize yourself with what is foreign, become foreign for the familiar ” to draw attention to his chocolate while evoking the sweetness, and tenderness. It is clear that the purpose is to unite people around the brand, to bring consumers to a product even inspiring friendliness, family and sports spirit.
Created in 1883, Côte d’Or refers to the actual Ghana where some of the cacao beans were selected. Originally the logo was composed of an elephant, a palm tree and three pyramids. Nowadays only the elephant remain on a red background. This brand belongs to Mondelez International.
The brand owns a lot of products from biscuits to tablet. On this blog will mostly speak about the tablet since it is the broader range and the one we can compare to Milka.
Côte d’Or is a degustation product for all the food lovers, amateur in chocolate and well-being who wants to satisfy a physiological and pleasure need.
Côte d’Or is known for the quality of its product. Even if it has developed onto a wide range of chocolate, it is recognized as a strong tasty chocolate bringing an intense taste of cacao. Usually mixed with noble ingredients such as pistachio, mint, coco… The brand aims to be at the opposite side of Milka.
Since 2005, Côte d’Or act with Rainforest Alliance with cacao farmer to develop three fundamentals cornerstone: social, economy, and environment. We will develop Côte d’Or implication later on our blog.
You will soon discover that Côte d’Or has a strong communication plan and try to break with the tradition.
chocol4te lovers 
