Ferrero Rocher’s packaging breathes new life into the brand

A clever move by Ferrero Rocher shows the power of packaging to grow the core business by targeting new user groups and occasions. Their handy 4-pack is a great way of breathing life into an established brand, introducing it to a whole new user base.

Picture_1
For years the gold wrapped balls of chocolate have been part of the Christmas routine, or perhaps taken to dinner parties as a gift. The product was only available in with a large number of units, typically 30 or 48. The brand’s (in)famous ‘Ambassador’s party’ advertising reinforced the idea of the brand being only for for sharing at special occasions.

However, the brand has broken free of the straight-jacket of special occasion usage with a new 4-pack suitable for individual consumption. This is sold in newsagents’ shops and at the check-outs of supermarkets. With this move, the brand is now also an indulgent everyday treat, widening its usage and updating it.

The brand has also updated its communication, and I rather like the new ad which reminds me of the opening sequences of the James Bond movies. It is less cheesy now, and even close to being, dare I say it, aspirational!

Picture_3_2

The only trick I think they may have missed is ‘premiumisation’. I bought a 4-pack for 75p, but this was the same price per unit as a 16 unit gift pack. However, shouldn’t they be able to charge a bit more for the convenience of the 4-pack format?

Perhaps Ferrero could learn a lesson from the grand master of using pack formats: Coca-Cola. A trip round the same local supermarket revealed that I could buy Coke in at least 6 different formats, from 330ml chilled bottles to 2l big bottles. And with a price per ml of the most expensive pack being 3 times that of the cheapest!

Picture_3_3