Get the Balance Right

One needs aims and objectives in business to turn desires into reality. We will read how Kellogg prepared a successful strategy by setting aims and objectives keeping it's uniqueness intact.

What is a BRAND?

An organization or a business is a brand when the consumer recognizes the product and extracts it's information from the brand (name of the business/organization) itself. Product positioning which comes in is a process where the various attributes and qualities of a brand are emphasized to consumers. We will see how Kellogg used it's aims and objectives to make it a unique brand in the minds of it's consumers.

What's the AIM?

Post the survey, Kellogg's knew it held a premium position within the market.
Reasearch undertaken for Kellogg, growing public awareness helped the decision takers to understand the main concern people had. More than ever before people have been conscious of having a lifestyle in which the food they eat and the activities they took part in kept them healthy.

The decision takers wanted to demostrate Corporate Responsibility which meant that they wanted to develop the business responsibly and in a way that was sensitive to all of Kellogg's consumers' needs, particularly with regard to health issues. This led the business to develop a direction in form of a broad statement of intent or aim, which everyone in the organization can follow. An aim helps the people outside the organization to understand the beliefs and principles of the business. Here, Kellogg's aim was to reinforce the importance of a balanced lifestyle so it's consumers can understand how a balanced diet and exercise can improve their lives.

Followed by Business Objectives

Business Objectives must be

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Time bound

Each of the objectives set by Kellogg helped it pave a direction that would take the business to where it wanted to be three years into the future.

Aims --> STRATEGY <-- Objectives

Having created an aim and set objectives , Kellogg put in place a process of planning to develop a strategy and a series of action.

Series of actions

• Supporting improved food labelling - Kellogg introduced GDA (Guideline Daily Amount) which allowed consumers to comprehend what amount of the recommended daily level of nutrients is in a serving of Kellogg's food. Working with a group of other major manufacturers these GDAs have been adopted by other manufacutrers and retailers too.
• Supporting swimming programes - The company started working with the Amateur Swimming Association(ASA). Kellogg became the main sponsor of swimming in Britain. It also sponsored the ASA Awards Scheme with more awards presented to swimmers each year. This helped Kellogg contribute in a recognizable way to how individuals achieve an active healthy balanced lifestyle. This reinforces its brand position.
• Promoting exercise - Working with the ASA helped Kellogg set up links with a number of other bodies. For example, Sustrans which is the UK's leading sustainable transport organization. It looks at the different ways in which individuals can meet their transport needs in a way that reduces environmental impact. It is the coordinator of National Cycle network. To meet it's business objective of encouraging and supporting physical activity Kellogg developed a promotion of a free Cyclometer.
• Kellogg in the community - As a contribution towards community, in 1998 Kellogg invested to help national learning charity ContinYou to develop nationwide breakfast club initiatives.

Effective Communication is vital for any strategy to be successful. Kellogg's success was the result of efficient communication of it's objectives to consumers to help them consider how to 'Get the Balance Right' .

Conclusion

Kellogg is demonstrating good corporate responsibility by promoting the message whenever it can and by investing money in the appropriate activities. This was the broad aim. To achieve this aim, Kellogg set out measurable objectives followed by developing business strategies, that engaged Kellogg in a series of activities and relationships with other organizations. The key was not just to create a message about a balanced lifestyle for its consumers but also to set up activities that helped them achieve this lifestyle.