During fall 2000, C&H Sugar Company launched a pure cane sugar made especially for baking. “Baker’s Sugar” was a new, premium-tier category of sugar. Our task was to develop a public relations program to launch this new product during the fall/holiday baking season to generate awareness and a trial of Baker’s Sugar among “scratch bakers” and users of upscale and specialty baking and cooking products.
Our strategy was to use a credible baking spokesperson and other baking authorities to provide information of value to print food media and other food influentials. Torme-Lauricella created upscale publicity materials geared at food processionals including recipes, baking tips and techniques to demonstrate use of new product. We also included scientific newsworthy data and photography to demonstrate a scientific basis for use of new product to improve baking success. Industry known top food photographer was hired to create visually stunning recipe photos worthy of food magazine front covers. Predicts samples were sent to media “recipe test kitchens” as well as other food media to encourage the trial.
This four-month program generated more than 230 “new product” articles, recipes and full-page food section features, totaling more than 10 million impressions. Articles ran in top food publications such as Food & Wine and Cook’s Illustrated. Publicity created demand and sales for product not only in stores, but also via website for customers not in C&H’s distribution area.
