Applying the Elaboration Likelihood Model to Clif Bar

Duncan also discusses the Elaboration Likelihood Model (2005, p 144-5), and notes there are two possible routes to elaboration: central and peripheral. Clif Bar is a low involvement product choice, and so the peripheral elaboration route would be the mechanism explaining communication processing. He also cautions that most decision making involves both paths, but in the case of Clif Bar I would think it is primarily peripheral.

The peripheral route is more often passive messages that are responses to lifestyles. I think organic and environmental fits into a person’s lifestyle and so appeals to them for a low involvement product would be better as image messages with association cues, associating Clif Bar with health, social causes, and the environment.

References
Baskin, Merry (April 2001). What is Account Planning? Retrieved on September 10, 2008 from http://freespace.virgin.net/andrew.steventon/Content/Downloads/WhatIsAcPlanning2001.htm.

Duncan, Tom (2005). Principles of Advertising and IMC. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

Integrated Marketing Communications Plan for Clif Bar

The Clif Bar & Company (their Web site) frames its mission statement as the 5 Aspirations and these are published on their World Wide Web site. There is also a capsule summary on its product packaging: Better tasting energy bar; take care of our people, our community and our environment. The 5 Aspirations are:

• Sustain our planet: Have a small impact on the environment, even with growth
• Sustain our community: Be good neighbors – give back
• Sustain our people: Empowering work environment so employees live life to its fullest
• Sustain our business: Take time to grow properly to attain a longer corporate life span
• Sustain our Brands: Make what people need and never compromise quality

Products

Clif Bar produces 100% natural, 70% to 100% organic, high quality energy foods. These include both bars and drinks. They are designed by a competitive athlete to avoid the poor quality he had experienced with energy bars available in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Bad taste and sugar spiking were problems and still are with many competitive products.

The complete line of energy bars and drinks can be found at the following location (see Lineup ). Some of the more popular products are the Clif Bar, Luna Bar, zBar, and CLIF SHOT Electrolyte Replacement Drink.

Integrated Marketing Communication Plan

I firmly believe that expanding operations into the Hispanic market will provide tremendous growth for Clif Bar, and that is the premise of this marketing plan proposal. Advancing into new marketing territory in this case the U. S. Hispanic segment is consistent with Clif Bar & Company, ground breaking and a calculated risk.

The goal is to drive awareness and trial in an affulential segment of the Hispanic community. The following three overall communication objectives will provide the framework for all subsidiary marketing function goals.

Objective One: Cognitive path

To increase Clif Bar recognition to 90% of targeted affluential Hispanic segment

Objective Two: Affective Path

To create a brand personality for Clif Bar that is appealing to the targeted affluential Hispanic segment, one that is as upscale, high quality, healthy, and part of their lifestyle.

Objective Three: Behavioral path

To inspire 10,000 trials in the targeted Hispanic segment. Increase purchases of Clif Bar products by the targeted segment.

The grand strategy is to coordinate our Public Relations activities with Advertising, Sales and Trade Promotions, Direct Marketing and Media Planning so that they compliment and reinforce each other to create awareness. They will drive site visits to the Clif Bar interactive web presence for comprehensive relationship building with the customer. The proposal recommends utilizing print and Internet one-way media to create awareness and drive site visits to the interactive web site.

Finally, a master schedule ensures that all tasks are synchronized and that they do not interfere with or counteract one another.

More details on our strategies are provided in the complete proposal for an Integrated Marketing Communications Plan at Clif Bar Proposal.

Age Compression

Clif Bar has successfully targeted children, the market for their zBar product. Why would kids be interested in a healthful energy bar. There is also a psychographic trend in play.

CLIF BAR has hit upon age compression effectively. Kaplan (2001, p 1) says “The other trend is psychographics and is known in the entertainment and toy industry as age compression. This, more specifically, is a very strong trend where young children want to grow up faster than ever before.”

They may also be in the psychographic segment that Duncan (2005, p 228) calls skippies – School Kids with Income or Purchasing Power.

References
Duncan, Tom (2005). Principles of Advertising and IMC. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

Kaplan, Henry (July 9, 2001). Company Interview Excerpt
HENRY KAPLAN - NEWKIDCO INTERNATIONAL INC. The Wall Street Transcipt. Retrieved on May 24, 2008 at http://www.twst.com/notes/articles/map615.html