General Mills has created separate marketing platforms to target Hispanics and African-Americans with ads, promotions and specialty publications for brands across its portfolio.
The first program, Que Rica Vida (“What a rich and wonderful life”), targets Hispanic moms with a Spanish-language magazine Que Rica Vida. Three issues carry stories on education, meal occasions, and health and wellness. Mills will mail about 2 million copies, and give away another several thousand at in-store events in top Hispanic markets. Editorial Televisa, Miami, publishes the magazines.
General Mills also will sponsor community projects in Houston, Los Angeles and Miami, hosting mural contests for kids (via local organizations) and donating Ingles Sin Barreras (“English without Barriers”) language-learning kits and $10,000 to each community group that participates.
Last year, General Mills debuted Cocina Betty Crocker, a bilingual cookbook with mainstream American recipes for Hispanics eager to adopt American culture. Minneapolis-based Mills also tested Spanish-language podcasts, seven-minute segments with recipes from the book and advice from Mills staffer Ursula Mejia-Melgar. (PROMO Xtra, March 1, 2006)
Meanwhile, the African-American program, Serving Up Soul, expands Mills’ current tie-in with lifestyle maven B. Smith, who will star in radio spots and in five mini-magazines inserted in Essence magazine. Smith also appears on a dedicated Web site, ServingUpSoul.com, with cooking and entertaining advice and a seasonal newsletter. The site highlights a handful of brands-Honey Nut Cheerios, Yoplait, Pillsbury, Pop Secret popcorn-and carries original recipes from the Betty Crocker Kitchens, such as Zesty Chili Macaroni Skillet (using Hamburger Helper) and Honey-Flavored, Crunchy Popcorn and Cereal Snack (using Pop Secret and Honey Nut Cheerios).
Mills’ first promotion under Serving Up Soul is a fall contest for amateur lifestyle experts.
“As demographics continue to shift, it’s important that our marketing efforts appeal to the growing consumer segments,” said Mills’ Multicultural Marketing Director Rudy Rodríguez in a statement.
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