Lotus

Kabeer MalhotraTatiana SeabraMayank Trivedi

Brand Strategy

Brand Management

Brand Activation

Brand Measurement

Agenda:

BRAND STRATEGY

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY:

The following material provides key insights and brand strategy for General Mills to succeed in the bottled water market:

Majority of the market is concentrated in still, non-flavored water

205 new product launches in 2013 including different flavors and vitamins,

adding value to the category

Consumption increased 29% since 2002

Currently there are no brands in the “mid” high-end section of the market

Consumers are willing to pay for premium brands and packaging

GENERAL MILLS:

Mission: “Our mission is to make lives healthier, easier and richer. General Mills is Nourishing Lives”

Nourishing Lives

Nourishing Communities

Nourishing the Future

Source: General Mills Annual Report -2013

147 year old company

Present in more than 100 Countries and 6

continents

$17.8 billion net sales

100+ consumer brands

60% increase in R&D

$153 million in community contributions

MARKET OVERVIEW:

Source: Mintel Study 2013

80% of category is still, non-flavored water Nestle, Coca-Cola and Private Label lead the bottled water market in the U.S. Supermarkets are the leading distribution channel 205 new product launches in 2013 including different flavors and vitamins, adding

value to the category 29% increased in consumption since 2002

MARKET OVERVIEW

Source: Statista

PRIVATE LABEL

DASANI NESTLE AQUAFINA POLAND SPRING

SMART WATER

VITAMIN WATER

DEER PARK OZARKA FIJI

1.9

0.92 0.91 0.86

0.58 0.56 0.530.41

0.320.25

Still water

SPARKLING IC

E

PRIVATE LA

BEL

PERRIER

SAN PELEGRIN

O

LA CROIX

FRUTIWATER

TOPO CHICO

CASCADE ICE

POLAND SPRIN

G

ARROWHEAD

0.33

0.27

0.160.14

0.080.05

0.03 0.02 0.02 0.02

Sparkling water

2014 Top Leading Brands Sales (Billion):

COMPETITORS PRICE POINT:

Mainstream High End

Lotus will offer a high end product however positioned within the mainstream and very high end current selling products

Lotus price points will be higher to mainstream water brands because of its swing top glass seasonal bottle design and water source

$1.30 - $1.50 $2.80 - $3.0 $11 or +$3.50 -$4.0 $5-6 $7-10

BRAND STORY

A long time ago a young prince lived in a kingdom nestled high up in the Himalayan Mountain, in an area we now know as Bhutan. On the prince’s 18th birthday he set off alone on a hunting expedition, hoping to bring home a wild sheep to prove he was a worthy successor of the throne. After several hours the prince finally saw the shadow lurking in the distance and approached the beast with his spear coiled for attack. Much to his dismay the creature revealed itself to be a snow leopard. Alarmed the prince sprinted as fast as he could and soon found himself lost in a forest as the sun began to set. Wandering aimlessly in desperation the prince was about to lose all hope when he saw something shimmering in the distance. He approached the beautiful sight and discovered a small stream of celestial blue water. Tired and thirsty the prince immediately cupped his hand and took a sip from the stream, his eyes immediately widening. The water was the most pure taste he had ever experienced, and the prince knew that had discovered a prize far more worthy than any animal he could have hunted. When the sun rose in the morning he found his way home and told his father about the stream.  For hundreds of years the water source remained a secret known solely to royalty, passed down from generation to generation. That is until now. We present you Lotus: the most exquisite water on earth named for the purity, prosperity, and elegant beauty of the lotus flower.

“Royal Himalayan Water: An Ancient Secret for Serenity”

Our brand idea positions Lotus based on the source of the product, the Himalayan mountains, which gives the water its purity and nourishing quality. The idea also reflects our brand story, which reveals that the

water was an ancient secret kept amongst royalty in a remote kingdom. Lastly the idea includes the notion of serenity, which is the benefit that Lotus provides and is an emotional state that our target

audience is seeking.

BRAND IDEA:

Proof Points-Backed by General Mills-Purity of water source-Endorsement by high-end distributors (hotels, airlines, etc)

Benefits-Serenity-Legacy-Exclusive

Personality-Authentic-Exotic-Regal

Attributes-Himalayan-Seasonal bottle designs-Ancient history-Premium quality

BRAND POSITIONING:

BRAND PERSONAJames, 35

• Based out of San Francisco• Just made VP at a successfully

company in the tech industry• Travels business class once a month

for work and three times a year for pleasure

• Stays at high-end hotels and resorts• Belongs to a country club where he

plays golf and squash• Appreciates high-quality products with

an eye for design• Drink of choice is Johnny Walker Blue

on the rocks• Favorite television show is Mad Men

• The original of the water, the Himalayan mountains, gives it a sense of authenticity and purity

• The brand story, set in the old mountain kingdom of Bhutan, associates the brand with ancient royalty

• The customers are high earners who are seeking a serenity during moments such as a business trip, while shopping at a high-end store, or while relaxing on vacation/engaging in a leisure activity

VOICE GUIDELINES

Purity of water Ancient Royalty

High earners seeking serenity

Marketing and other communications about Lotus should keep three concepts in mind:

SAMPLE MARKETING IMAGERY

BRAND MANAGEMENT

In order to maintain a clearly defined and consistent visual representation of the Lotus brand, we have outlined the following guidelines for the company logo:

LOGO GOVERNANCE

• Logo consists of locked image of brand name placed below

lotus image. Both must always appear in gold

• Brand name must always appear in Ayuthaya font

• Logo can not be altered in any way and must appear on all

product as well as marketing/media

• Color palette consists of white and gold. In marketing and PR

communications black text may also appear

• Seasonal imagery on bottles and in marketing materials may

not interfere with logo Lotus

BOTTLE DESIGN

• Bottle is made of glass, designed to be shaped elegantly• Opaque white represents purity and serenity, differentiates Lotus

from commoditized brands with transparent plastic bottle• Name and logo appear in standard gold, and gold lotus image also

appears on bottle cap• Instead of a plastic screw-on top we will use a cork top with a white

base so the logo can appear clearly• Each season bottle is redesigned to include subtle, minimalist

imagery representing that season. It is imperative the the seasonal imagery is not too elaborate to preserve the sleek, pure feeling that the white bottle and logo give off

• Bottle size will be smaller than standard mid-to-low priced brands (i.e. closer to 8.4 oz of Perrier than 16.9 oz of Poland Spring)

Bottle top

Lotus

SAMPLE SEASONAL IMAGERY

SAMPLE MESSAGING

“An ancient secret for those seeking serenity”

“Escape from your day with a taste of ancient royalty”

Lotus Lotus

BRAND ACTIVATION

TOUCH POINTS:

Internet

Airplane

Cultural Centers & B2B Events

Charity

UpscaleRestaurants

Upscale Hotel

Chains

Seasonal Events Men & Women from generation X - Age 35-44, HHI

$110 - 150K

Are more likely to travel business class on vacation or work

Professional: executives or entrepreneurs that have stable business

Consider themselves sophisticated

Prefer high end products and are likely influenced by the brand reputation and by their groups of friends

Buy based quality and price

Buy based on brands that reflect personal style

Willing to pay more for a product when made by a trusted company

KEY TOUCH POINTS:

Internet

Airplane

Cultural Centers & B2B Events

Charity

UpscaleRestaurants

Upscale Hotels

Seasonal Events

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1) Trigger: Desire for Lotus triggered when potential customer encounters touch point (i.e. business class of airline, charity event, shopping in a store like Bloomingdales)

2) Information seeking: Researches water source, reads brand story

3) Active shopping: Compares with other brands of water, or other non-water beverages

5) Purchases water or tries free sample given at promotional event

Customer not converted: Thinks taste is not worth premium price, does not relate to brand story and positioning

4) Acceptance: Enjoys Lotus water and/or is engaged in brand story and imagery

6) Decides to purchase Lotus again, begins to seek product out and chooses it over other water and non-water beverages

7) Decides to not purchase product in the future, passes on negative word-of-mouth about Lotus

8) Becomes brand loyalist or brand ambassador; looks forward to each new seasonal bottle

BRAND ALIGNMENT

TACTICAL EXAMPLE- BRAND WEBSITE:

Interactive Homepage Experience Season images experience will change according to each season Preview of the next season design and artists profile Brand Story Sponsorships/Events Where to buy

TACTICAL EXAMPLE- AIRPLANE & RESTAURANT:

(*)Target: restaurants the bottle used in the tables

TACTICAL EXAMPLE- SOCIAL MEDIA:

Social Media Campaign Instagram– “#MySerenity”

Use Instagram to promote Lotus main campaign “#MySerenity” where consumers share their serenity moments. The best 3 images will win a trip for two to Himalaya during the summer to relax and enjoy the Bhutan’s serenity

TACTICAL EXAMPLE- CHARITY:

As one of the companies focus is “Nourishing the Community” Lotus will promote Charity events or Gala in main cities with donations or sponsoring the water for the event, increasing the brand awareness and bringing new users.

BRAND MEASUREMENT

• Market Share – Value vs. Volume

• Marketing Spend• Return on

Investment• Sales Channel

effectiveness• Sales over the

year

• Brand Awareness• Brand Reputation• Brand Association• Brand Strength and

Stability

• Understanding of the brand

• Success of brand training

• Reflection of brand image

• Brand positioning integration

• Brand Education

• Brand Recognition• Preference of brand• Brand relatedness• Social effectiveness• Campaign

effectiveness

Financial Benchmarking

InternalCustomer

Brand Measurement

BRAND EQUITY REPORT

THANK YOU!

APPENDIX

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