The Challenge
?In May 2006 the UK chewing gum category was worth £258million (Euro 378million), and Wrigley’s had a 97% market share. The market was also in its second year of decline. Cadbury Trebor Bassett’s research showed that all the Wrigley’s brands emphasised the functionality of chewing gum (such as fresh breath or whiter teeth) and saw an opportunity to enter the market with two different propositions under the Trident name, an established brand in North America and Europe. Both would be positioned with softer associations of fun and pleasure.
The Brief
Gum remains an impulse purchase, so pack design and in-store presence would be crucial. Coley Porter Bell were briefed to create eye-catching packaging for Trident Splash, which offered ‘exciting sensation’, and Trident Soft with ‘long lasting flavour and a soft chew formulation’. With 32 Wrigley products alone on the market, colour would be crucial in switching consumers off autopilot and persuading them to make trial purchases, and with gum traditionally sold in pellet packs, the brief called for an innovative packaging format. The design needed to position Trident as ‘a pleasurable chew’ and encourage wider reappraisal of the enjoyable nature of the category.
The Design
The design proposition ‘Big time entertainment for the mouth’ is expressed through a colourful identity on the pack and extended into point of sale material. Key benefits are clearly communicated; the juicy ‘splat’ of a liquid centre dominates Splash and a spiral representing longer lasting flavour features on Soft. The bigger packs have functionality to complement the products; Splash’s pill format for example, allows for a strong vapour release on opening.
The Results
Cadbury Trebor Bassett invested £160,000 (Euro 235,000) in the design of Trident, which launched in the UK in January 2007. In the four weeks before advertising commenced, sales had grown to £1.3million (Euro1.9million) and market share was at 8.5%. By May 2007 sales had risen to £9.1million (Euro13.37million) and Trident is now the number two brand, with 12.3% value share. Since Trident’s launch, the UK gum category is growing by 20% per month and has increased in value by £11.9million (Euro17.5million).
