Know-How Exchange : Research/Metrics

Thanks a lot Janine for taking the time. I appreciate it!

Based on our Market Research results we selected several categories/ assortments of candy… but we still need to understand what is the flavor/shape/color, etc that our target (kids, teenagers, adults) prefers.
We need some funny and efficient ideas about how to conduct a survey before hiring a local pro. Our intention is to have an infusion of American marketing know how in our business where this might be possible.

As of now we have a prospective supplier I met while working for the Chamber of Commerce and will also attend “The All Candy Expo” in Chicago this September.

Still looking for a catchy name/tagline.

The company sales reps will be mainly college students. Our goal is to create a company, the students will be proud to work for and to offer a funny and relaxed working environment.

Cornelia

Hi and thank you both for your input.

We are a group of 4 women with no kids (but several nephews and nieces). Our new business, most likely will not generate billions and we don’t look to build up a 500 Fortune company (but… it could be our challenge). What we aim is to sell US candy (affordable) to kids and teenagers and to offer the students (our sales reps) fun time, experience as well as a part time or temporary job as an additional source of income for their educational needs- an alternative to McDonald’s. Secondary to our main business activity, with the participation of US Embassy/ institutions and local Universities, we’ll organize Business related Seminars and various candy related events with American guest speakers .

Mgoodman, we outlined a 3 year Business Plan that includes our marketing strategies and so far it looks promising, however it is far away from being completed in time for the Candy Show we will attend in September and where we should introduce ourselves in a proper business manner. This is the reason we are rushing with choosing a name for the company! Our investment budget is kind of “elastic” but before starting we are trying to contain possibly our expenses.

Candureactor, I find fascinating your suggestion of creating a bonding between our teenagers. We were thinking of involving some American teenagers in our ad campaign. But your idea is way better then that.
See, we did not mean “to sell dreams and rebelliousness to teenagers”. For teenagers, America is already a source of inspiration, in the first place: - music, films, architecture, IT, patriotism, just to mention few of them. For kids, America is magic, it is the place where the Disney Princesses, or Bambi or Thomas live. Here, in all private kinder garden kids study English as a second language. Most of the software/ programs we are using are not translated, they are in English. Thus to speak English is not only very important, it became a trend right now.

Through our product, we hope to bring “a flavor of America to them”. We look at it, as the kids leaving in a small village, far away from the big enigmatic city, when the parents turn back from a journey bringing them a particular treat from THE city. That treat is the connection, the bridge to the mysterious world. We hope to seize that moment of fascination, joy and liberty.

This is part of our company mission. We identified our competitors and we know our target and goals. Our strength so far is our affordable prices.

When you say Positioning statement do you refer to the company's slogan or is something different?

Cornelia

For purpose of having a name for your company at the candy show in Chicago next month, why not go with something like "The Great American Candy Company." The candy itself will not carry your company name, will it? The name is more for use with suppliers and distributors than for your end-user consumer, if I understand this right.

By the way, I think Candureactor is on the right track with selling the imagery of the United States, rather than a bar of candy made in the US.

You want your target audience to buy and consume the candy not so much because it tastes good or satisfies their craving for sugar. You want them to FEEL like they're getting a taste of the United States and to be recognized by their peers as being "like American teenagers."

That's a much stronger positioning than "candy from the United States."

Mgoodman, thanks a lot for your new input. This is exactly what we hope to sell to all of them, kids and teens, a flavor of America (this is how we usually refer to the USA). At this stage we should have a name for the company only, not for the candy. "The Great American Candy Company." is pretty close with what we want.

I am going to keep the question open for few days hoping that I'll get more inputs.

Cornelia

Thank you as well Smile.

Littleroushi, jarcher thanks for sharing with us your ideas.

Cornelia

Hi and thank you as well jasginder. We’ve been thinking for a while of this particular product ,since the first idea was of having American candy on the market, not starting up a business. (I mean, a better assortment of candy, in larger packages, and moreover: at affordable prices for all “Charlie” in our country...).

You were mentioning a chocolate survey. Do you have any related material handy?

PS. We were referring to McDonald’s employment strategy, not to its positioning. There are not as many employment opportunities for students on the market (happily for us).
Cornelia

Hi Cornelia, I'm glad to see others have finally responded! :)

American Sweet Shoppe
[however the acronym isn't so great...a.s.s.]

America's Sweet Trip
America's Sweet Tooth
American Sweet Tooth

You can get sweets from anywhere. Germany has some excellent candy.

And if it doesn't have the word 'candy' in it, you could expand in the future if you wanted too.

What country are you in if it's okk to ask?

Janine

Cpappas thanks a lot for your participation. USA exports candy mainly to UK, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands ,and it does it to my country as well. The multinational Wrigley had a 38% share of the market in 2006 in chewing gum and non-chocolate candy (mints) segment. There are other candy categories still undeveloped on this specific market. This is what we'll go with.

Janine, thanks for coming back. We import from Germany and for whatever reason (I prefer not to enter this subject) they are quite expensive. Our disadvantage of shipping candy from the US is not actually the cost, but the timing. These are products with short shelf life.
PS. Thanks for pointing out the acronym. This could be a dangerous choice.
Cornelia

Cornelia,

I'm trying to come up with a name for my website and thought of this;

American Dreams or American Dreams Sweet Shoppe
or something like that.

Janine

Thanks again Janine. I appreciate it.
Cornelia

Thank you as well Jay Hamilton-Roth. We kind of like the name "Unique sweets of America'. Maybe we should replace "unique" with something more realistic. Our product won’t be so extraordinary. About the book, that’s the first time we heard about it and it sounds like an essential resource for us. We'll definitely attempt to get it and study it.

Cornelia

Here is some more wordplay with "USA":

Ultimate Sweets of America
Ultra Sweets of America
Ultratasty Sweets of America
Ultrayummy Sweets of America
Understated Sweets of America
Universal Sweets of America
Upper Sweets of America

USA Candy Store
USA Sweets
American Sweets

this from dictionary.com from the thesaurus side:

distinct means something stands out - while distinctive implies that an attribute or quality make something recognizable or distinguishable

Distinctly American Sweets

We sincerely thank everyone who offered us valuable suggestions for the new business. We appreciate the thinking time and creativity.

Cornelia R