Data-driven Insights: Unveiling the Secrets Behind Pop-Tarts Bites' Effective Messaging
Discover how Pop-Tarts Bites leverages data-driven insights and AI to optimize their messaging strategy, focusing on functional messaging for more effective advertising across Meta platforms
Pop-Tarts Bites, the mini version of the popular toaster pastry, is using data-driven solutions to strike a better balance between emotional and functional messaging. In 2018, the brand partnered with VidMob and ran an advertising campaign on Meta's Instagram and Facebook platforms to target three different consumer groups: existing buyers, lapsed customers, and new customers. The goal was to determine the most impactful ads for each group and their stage in the marketing funnel.
Like other traditional consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands, Pop-Tarts Bites is refining its performance marketing approach to better connect online ads with buying behavior. This is particularly important for well-established brands in the category that focus less on brand-building. Additionally, Pop-Tarts Bites is aiming to reach the Gen Z audience by utilizing technology to provide a personalized experience that resonates with this younger demographic.
Nicole Vinson, the vice president of global digital, media, and omni-shopper experience at Kellanova, the snacking company resulting from the split of the Kellogg Company, highlighted the strong awareness and recognition of our numerous brands in our portfolio. Vinson emphasized the importance of striking a balance between short-term and long-term investments and focusing on driving conversions, as the success of our business does not solely rely on brand awareness or purchase alone. She emphasized the existence of a middle ground that needs to be considered.
Staying hygienic
Instead of completely revamping Pop-Tarts Bites' strategy, the collaboration with VidMob aimed to improve their marketing practices and ensure they were in line with the constantly changing platform requirements. This allowed for constant feedback and adjustments to be made, creating a continuous improvement process. The insights gained from the VidMob pilot could then be applied to other products within the Kellanova portfolio, which includes Cheez-It, Eggo, Rice Krispies Treats, and Pringles.
"Every program, campaign, and creative piece should ideally go through a similar process," said Vinson. "We're not aiming for a paint-by-numbers approach, but rather to truly understand which creative elements are most effective in driving business outcomes."
The modifications made to the ads for Pop-Tarts Bites, which were displayed on Instagram Feeds and Stories, as well as Facebook In-Feed placements from April to June, were relatively subtle but had a noticeable impact on results. One ad was tested with an emotional theme, presenting Pop-Tarts Bites as a morning snack with a call to action to "grab your bites." The same image, with a more functional message focusing on flavor and texture, highlighting the product's "soft-baked" quality, and featuring a more compelling "Get snackin' today!" call to action, resulted in higher ad recall, engagement rates, and in-view impressions. The company chose not to share specific results.
"Putting an identified insight back into the ecosystem involves validating it," stated Vinson. "This validation process not only met our expectations but also provided us with additional data to strengthen our hypotheses. The essence of data-driven marketing lies in utilizing data to eliminate subjectivity."
Eye on AI
Pop-Tarts Bites' collaboration with VidMob reflects Kellanova's focus on data, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, which have gained significant momentum since the emergence of ChatGPT and the impending decline of third-party cookies in the coming year. Leveraging AI and ML, the companies were able to effectively analyze various components of the Pop-Tart Bites' ads, including the CTAs, in order to enhance their advertising strategies. Vinson stated that the goal is to create more personalized messaging that resonates with consumers on an individual level, rather than treating them as a single, homogeneous group. The emphasis is on personalization rather than achieving one-to-one marketing.
Kellanova is making efforts to forge a stronger connection with Gen Z consumers, who are known to be selective in their choices. This particular demographic is among the new customers that Pop-Tarts Bites is striving to comprehend better through the VidMob pilot and by improving its messaging.
"Gen Z is an audience we cannot neglect. Each group must be approached differently," stated Vinson. "While it is important to reach a wide audience, it is equally crucial to personalize and truly grasp the preferences of distinct audience segments."
