Market Profile Photo of Andrew Martinez
Shelf Talker - Ambient Ad
Shelf Talker - Ambient AD
The following brief was created with an advertising team including three others besides myself:
Brand: Maruchan Ramen Noodles
Key Objectives: To increase sales of Maruchan Ramen Noodles by 5% in the next year, starting in July of this year.
Situation: Maruchan began in 1953 when a young Japanese man named Kazuo Mori started a local fish distribution shop in Tokyo. In 1961 the company branched out into making convenient noodle meals with high-quality noodles that would be affordable for the people of Japan. The business gained a lot of popularity and moved to the United States. Maruchan’s competition would have to be Lipton’s Lots-a-Noodles instant Oriental soup, Bear Creek Country Kitchen, and the dry-soup market. Maruchan has thrived in the dry-soup business by delivering an inexpensive product (about $0.30 per package) and capitalizing on the lower and middle class.
Target Market: Adults 18-24; $30,000+; graduated high school; some still in college, some new college graduates; City Start-Ups PRIZM Segment
• Psychographics – Low to moderate income makes these individuals quick to use bargains. They also find creative ways to use ramen noodles because they don’t have much experience cooking meals from scratch.
• What do they think of the brand now? – They know that the brand is cost-efficient and that they can easily utilize the noodles to create fulfilling dishes. They ate these during their college years to save time and money.
• How do we want them to hold the brand in their mind? We want them to value Maruchan for more than their low cost. We want them to value ramen as a convenient starter to make many different meals. We want them to know they are receiving high-quality noodles that can be used to create many recipes.
IMC elements – This campaign will consist of:
One ambient execution
A social media campaign with five posts.
Brand Personality – Maruchan Ramen Noodles can adapt to any situation. They can find affordable and creative solutions to any problem.
ONE idea – Maruchan is the perfect starter for creating convenient, tasty meals.
BENEFIT – I can easily create fun, new recipes with Maruchan Ramen Noodles.
Feel –" I feel creative for taking a cheap, well-known item and using it to add value to my meals.”
Think – I’m smart for buying Maruchan Ramen Noodles because they’re cheap and can be used to create countless recipes.
Do – Purchase Maruchan Ramen Noodles on their next shopping trip and experiment using them in different recipes.
Call to action – Discover all the recipes you can make with Maruchan Ramen Noodles.
Creative Guidelines – Be informative and spark creativity. Maruchan Ramen Noodles come in 18 flavors. They are also easy to use and affordable, at about $0.30 per package. They can also be used as a tool to create new recipes easily.
SWOT
Strengths:
• High brand recognition
• Top selling dry soup in the US
• Cost-effective (less than $1)
• Long shelf life
• Easy to use
• Portable
• 6 Ramen flavors available, including lower sodium options
• Can be used in many different recipes (Cookbooks exist that solely provide ways to cook with Maruchan Ramen Noodles)
• The brand also sells Bowls, “Instant lunch,” and Yakisoba (noodle products similar to ramen noodles)
• Was the official soup of the ‘84 Olympics in LA
• 3.6 billion packages made per year
Weaknesses:
• Perceived as “unhealthy.”
• Contains over half the sodium intake FDA says you should intake daily
• Contains tertiary-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ) preserving chemicals
• High sodium has been linked to high blood pressure
• Doesn’t contain any actual meat (just meat flavored)
• Low protein to carb/fat ratio
• Bland, dry noodles until water and seasoning packet are added
Opportunities:
• Health perception of ramen
• Heavier social presence
• Higher protein options
• Promote ways Ramen can be used to make other recipes
• Seasoning packets can be substituted for other things to change the flavor
• Higher amounts of sodium only affect individuals with pre-existing high blood pressure
• The company aims to have sustainable palm oil procurement practices by 2020
Threats:
• Restaurants that sell fresh ramen
• Scrutiny over health benefits
• Global health awareness
• Worldwide obesity has nearly doubled since 1980
• Not allergen friendly
• Not considered diet friendly
• Perception of cheap price representing quality
• Other quick meal options (fast food, frozen meals)
SWOT Analysis
Maruchan is a well-known brand credited for its inexpensive and easy-to-cook noodles. Despite these strengths, the brand is criticized for using preservatives and high sodium in meals. Our target, and many consumers outside our target, consider health and wellness to be a priority. Although convenience and ease are also important, perceiving Maruchan as unhealthy may prevent them from purchasing the brand’s noodles.
To address these concerns, we can use advertising to push the versatility of Maruchan’s Ramen Noodles. These noodles can be used as an ingredient in creating new meals or an addition to existing recipes. The user will receive the bold flavor of Maruchan Ramen Noodles and feel creative in finding new ways to use this affordable product. It will become their “secret weapon” for cooking.
Market Profile
Andrew Martinez is a 20-year-old Texas Tech student. He’s studying Finance and aspires to work in Chicago or New York one day. Harry is single and ready to mingle but has a very busy life and finds little time for flirtation. He grew up in a single-parent household with his mother, June, who worked full time and could not cook as often as she’d liked. Harry grew up having to do most things himself and was snacking more often than eating an entire meal. Andrew works part-time at Academy while maintaining his physical fitness by running two to three miles daily. When he breaks from class and work, he often relaxes and plays Fortnite with his friends. With Harry’s limited cooking skills, he often resorts to quick and easy meals that he can cook in his average-sized apartment. He enjoys Ramen noodles and similar items because they’re affordable and easy to make.
Strategy Statement
My client, Maruchan Ramen Noodles, will increase sales by 5% by catering to the "City-Start Ups," low to moderate-income adults.
For our advertising campaign strategy, we want to inspire these young adults to get creative in the kitchen by incorporating ramen noodles into more of their meals. We have chosen to use the "essential extra” strategy. This strategy will show consumers the endless ways Ramen Noodles can be used to create simple and exciting recipes.
Positioning
To City Start-Ups, Maruchan provides an easy way to create new, flavorful recipes through their versatile ramen noodle flavor and cheap price point.
Research & Citations
Link # 1
“Maruchan Ramen Consumer Insights and Demographics.” Infoscout.co, 2015, www.infoscout.co/brand/maruchan_ramen.
Learning Ages & Consumer
Gave me information on Ramen consumers' race, gender, and marital status.
Provided the sex, kid status, and college degrees.
Provided the other products consumers purchase and their competitors.
Link # 2
Wohletz, Jenn. “The Top Five Reasons Why Ramen Noodles Are Tasty Little Death Traps.” Westword, 21 May 2016, www.westword.com/restaurants/the-top-five-reasons-why-ramen-noodles-are-tasty-little-death-traps-5768068.
Helped provide the threats, opportunities, and weaknesses.
Explained the weakness of Maruchan noodles and the health benefits.
Explained why the product was low in nutrients and provided statistics.
Link # 3
Hanks, Gerald. “SWOT Analysis Example for a Noodles Industry.” Chron.com, smallbusiness.chron.com/swot-analysis-example-noodles-industry-72078.html.
Provided more insight on the weaknesses and opportunities.