'Buzz' finds favour in the UK

by Gemma Charles Marketing 26-Feb-08, 06:30

LONDON - Coca-Cola Enterprises and Kellogg are to experiment with 'buzz marketing'. The approach, also known as word-of-mouth marketing, involves techniques that can range from employing actors to extol the virtues of products in bars, to more structured campaigns.

Kellogg is one of a growing number of brands making its first foray into buzz marketing with a campaign to promote FruitaBu, its range of bagged fruit snacks. Consumers can sign up to be sent samples and product information, with the intention that they will then recommend the brand to their friends.

Kevin Brennan, marketing director of Kellogg, said it was something 'very different' for the company, which has a strong history of traditional media use, but that the strategy offered an ideal way to introduce UK consumers to FruitaBu. Kellogg also hopes to gather research that will provide it with insights into how consumers use the product.

Meanwhile, Andy Thompson, Appletiser brand manager, said it was running a buzz campaign intended to educate consumers about its latest '5-A-Day' brand positioning. He added that buzz marketing had been 'identified as one of the strongest and most credible routes to educating people on key product intrinsics'.

Both campaigns are being run by specialist agency BzzAgent. Established in the UK last year, it has signed up 12 clients. In the US, Bzz-Agent works mainly with food and beverage brands such as Kraft, although Procter & Gamble and Philips are also among its clients.

Dave Balter, the agency's chief executive, said he expected to see 'rapid acceleration' in the use of the medium in the UK.