Spotlight: Assessing Portfolio Expansion Strategies
By Emma Eyman
In the exhilarating rollercoaster of parenthood, the toddler years stand out as a particularly intense chapter. Parents are faced with a staggering array of choices when it comes to nourishing their children with the right foods and snacks. These choices span a multitude of brands, each claiming to hold the key to better health and nutrition for our little ones.
But here's the catch―toddler parenthood is a whirlwind, leaving little room for culinary exploration or the luxury of sifting through online reviews. In this overwhelming landscape of toddler products, parents have found solace in the rise of "Momfluencers" and "Dadfluencers" as highlighted in our recent blog post, Shifts in Shopping as a New Mom. These trusted voices in the digital realm help navigate the daunting world of toddler essentials.
What parents truly desire are products that seamlessly blend nutrition and trustworthiness while captivating the hearts and taste buds of their little explorers where convenience is paramount, given the relentless pace of parenting.
Join us on this journey as we dive into the challenges of shopping for our toddlers. Together, we'll explore the quest for toddler-friendly foods and snacks that not only prioritize health but also simplify the daily routine where every moment and every nutritious bite counts.
Case Study: Smart Shopping for Tiny Tots―Navigating Toddler Nutrition
Background
A leading children's food brand aimed to broaden its portfolio by introducing snacks and meals for toddlers aged 2-5 years old. To achieve this, they collaborated with W5 to gain valuable insights into the most effective positioning and branding strategies that resonate with their target audience.
Approach
W5 conducted four days of Online Diaries among parents with children aged 2-5 to evaluate new snacking concepts, claims, and packaging. A handful of highly engaged parents then participated in a video interview the following week so the brand could update concepts based on initial consumer feedback and share revisions. W5 also invited children to participate in these in-depth interviews to uniquely assess toddler perspective on various product concepts compared with the views of the parents.
Results
This research allowed the brand to identify product concepts that resonated with parents seeking convenient and nutritious morning snacks for themselves and their children, while also emphasizing the importance of language, packaging, and nutritional content. Furthermore, the brand effectively recognized concepts that addressed parents' preferences for healthier and unique alternatives with specific benefits for children, incorporating creative shapes, interactive packaging, and discreet nutrition integration.
The brand's established legacy played a crucial role in sparking curiosity among parents, making its toddler-focused product line easily recognizable. Additionally, parents and their children provided valuable input on modifying packaging to maximize visual appeal to their child’s specific age group. Overall, parents prioritize healthy, balanced diets, favoring whole, natural foods and engaging products or packaging that enhance their children’s mealtime appeal from the grocery shelf to mealtime.
Interested to see more of our work in kids’ product positioning and innovation? Read about it here!
No matter your industry, understanding how to adapt and modify your branding strategy is key when aiming to grow your brand’s consumer base. Reach out to learn more or collaborate with the W5 team to grow your brand!