PRODUCT INNOVATION/PROMOTIONS: Martha Stewart Leverages Ubiquity for New Food Line, Multimedia Chocolate Campaign

Martha Stewart will be all over the grocery store this holiday season. The seemingly ever-present lifestyle doyenne’s company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc., (MSLO), has joined forces with The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. and its affiliate Hain Pure Protein Corp. on the national rollout of a Martha Stewart-branded food line at retail, including poultry from Plainville Farms, baking mixes from Arrowhead Mills and dried pastas from DeBoles, all employing natural ingredients.

First to launch — in time for Thanksgiving — will be the fresh and frozen vegetarian-fed and antibiotic-free Plainville Farms turkeys in limited distribution, with consumers having the option of ordering them online at www.marthastewart.com/turkey. The fowls will come with a booklet providing home chefs with tips from Martha Stewart Living’s “Turkey 101” on how to prepare and cook the turkey, along with stuffing and gravy recipes.

The Arrowhead Mills baking mixes and DeBoles pastas, set to hit store shelves in spring 2010, will feature recipes from Martha Stewart, and the relationship may expand into further categories. Hain Celestial also manufactures Martha Stewart Clean, a branded line of all-natural cleaning solutions that is expected to debut this month. MSLO additionally encompasses the Martha Stewart and Chef Emeril Lagasse brands, as well as such components as magazines, television, radio and a Web site.

“The name Martha Stewart is synonymous with good food, and Hain Celestial is known for helping consumers to lead ‘A Healthy Way of Life,’” noted Irwin D. Simon, president and CEO of Melville, N.Y.-based Hain Celestial. Hain Pure Protein is a New Oxford, Pa.-based joint venture between Pegasus Capital Advisors, L.P., which holds a majority interest, and Hain Celestial.

“Our previous experience in the retail food arena has taught us a great deal about how to develop high-quality, healthy and delicious food for the retail shopper,” said Robin Marino, president and CEO of merchandising of New York-based MSLO. “Our expanded relationship with Hain Celestial is part of our merchandising strategy to partner with the best manufacturers who have vast and robust retail distribution networks.”

Elsewhere in the supermarket, the ubiquitous Stewart is singing the praises of Dove chocolate’s quality, in addition to the cocoa sustainability efforts of Dove’s manufacturer, Hackettstown, N.J.-based Mars Snackfood US. Her support is the result of a new chocolate education promotion from Dove and MSLO. Through December for the holidays and from January to February 2010 for Valentine’s Day, consumers will be able to buy special-edition Dove Promises Chocolate featuring messages from Martha Stewart beneath the signature foil wrapper. Additionally, Dove Silky Smooth Chocolate Hearts will carry 100 unique Valentine’s Day messages from Martha Stewart.

A multimedia marketing campaign employing “The Martha Stewart Show,” the Martha Stewart Living and Everyday Food magazines, Marthastewart.com, DOVEChocolate.com, and in-store promotion is getting word out about the promotion.

On Dec. 9, “The Martha Stewart Show,” a nationally syndicated television program, will run a segment on how Dove Chocolate goes from bean to bar, with highlights from the Mars Center for Cocoa Science in Brazil and the Dove Chocolate Center of Excellence in Elizabethtown, Pa. The segment will aim to raise awareness of the brand’s commitment to producing100 percent real chocolate. On the following day, the show will feature Dove Chocolate Promises in a craft segment about holiday gift giving.

“Our program with Dove Chocolate aligns our brand equity around celebrations and entertaining,” said MSLO’s EVP media sales & marketing, Janet Balis. “Putting Martha Stewart tips for the holidays inside the wrappers is a powerful means to convey the concept of something special being inside. Our ‘Omni’ program takes full advantage of our cross-platform media solutions, delivering a receptive audience to engage with Dove’s distinct message.”
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