PG Web Extra: Versatility Rules in Dips, Dressings
As might be expected, manufacturers of refrigerated dips and dressings often play up their many uses when marketing the products to consumers.
“All of our promotions showcase the many uses of our dressings and dips and provide consumers with recipes to make serving, entertaining and eating our products fun and delicious,” says Stacey Miller, senior brand manager at Sandpoint, Idaho-based Litehouse Foods. “In addition to our recipes, we also showcase product pairings to provide a visual and easy way for consumers to entertain and serve our products.”
Continues Miller: “We will also be launching our new Litehouse website, which not only features some of our family-owners, but crowd-pleasing recipes from our bloggers and team as well. Our recent Game Day promotion is a perfect example of cross-merchandising (wings) and offering consumers fun and inventive ways to make party entertaining easy. The campaign featured all of the Litehouse favorite blues – Chunky Blue Cheese, Original Blue Cheese, Bacon Blue Cheese, Garlic Blue Cheese – and included extensive in-store point-of-sale materials with secondary locations merchandising the wings with blue cheese dressing, as well as on-pack coupons. To create consumer buzz, the Litehouse team launched a social campaign with a voting poll and prizes, an FSI, a satellite media tour with celebrity chef George Duran, and sharing delicious recipes.”
“Since our products are incredibly versatile, we’re always exploring new ways to educate the consumer on flavorful ways that our products can surprise them,” notes Stephanie Robbins, director of brand development at Union City, Calif.-based La Terra Fina. “We now put recipes and pairing suggestions under the top lid label. These are always easy to follow and use regular pantry items for quick, last-minute food prep. We work with bloggers and other tastemakers online and in-store, when available, for recipes and usage ideas. Our website and social media channels are regularly updated with new recipes, which include everything from jalapeño poppers to pizza. These recipes are meant to inspire and show consumers the alternative uses for our dips and spreads.”
According to Lynn Stachnick, brand manager at Taunton, Mass.-based Tribe, “Being located in/around the deli counter works to our benefit, as consumers are inspired by the many surrounding products that could pair well with [the company’s] hummus,” which, she points out, “can be used as a sandwich condiment, appetizer, snack, etc.”