{"id":2369,"date":"2016-05-17T03:43:55","date_gmt":"2016-05-17T03:43:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/?p=2369"},"modified":"2024-07-22T10:10:55","modified_gmt":"2024-07-22T10:10:55","slug":"vegemite-isnack-2-0-branding-disaster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/2016\/05\/vegemite-isnack-2-0-branding-disaster\/","title":{"rendered":"How Not to Re-Create Another Vegemite Isnack 2.0 Branding Disaster"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Vegemite, one of the most popular savory spread brands from Australia, unveiled a product extension in 2009. Both the media and consumers criticized the new product&#8217;s name (iSnack 2.0), and the outrage hit the headlines all over the world that year. The company was unprepared for the anger and was forced to change the new product\u2019s name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How a company so customer-focused could get this so wrong (and so publicly wrong) was a shock to everyone \u2013 but there are lessons to be learned, and from a branding perspective, there are some elements that were intentionally part of a well-informed strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-transparent ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/2016\/05\/vegemite-isnack-2-0-branding-disaster\/#Background_The_Aussie_brand\" >Background: The Aussie brand<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/2016\/05\/vegemite-isnack-2-0-branding-disaster\/#The_challenge_An_iconic_brand_in_decline\" >The challenge: An iconic brand in decline<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/2016\/05\/vegemite-isnack-2-0-branding-disaster\/#The_Strategy\" >The Strategy<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/2016\/05\/vegemite-isnack-2-0-branding-disaster\/#Lessons_to_be_learned\" >Lessons to be learned<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/2016\/05\/vegemite-isnack-2-0-branding-disaster\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Background_The_Aussie_brand\"><\/span>Background: The Aussie brand<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Vegemite is a salty spread made out of yeast extract. It is a nutritious product, one of the richest known sources of Vitamin B. The brand is a leader for Kraft foods (alongside Philadelphia Cream Cheese) and has long been an iconic breakfast spread for Australians, but also a brand leader across the globe according to IBM\u2019s brand index.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It has its own story to tell, and for Australians, they have built it into a big part of their culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But Vegemite had also not changed as a brand in decades. We all know that people don\u2019t like change, but it is vital for brands to continue to evolve, even if ever so slightly. Even changing your marketing and approach to selling to your target audience can help. But Vegemite kept everything the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So when sales started to fall (Vegemite household penetration had fallen from 80% to 72%), you can understand the apprehension of now wanting to change a brand to try and turn it around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_challenge_An_iconic_brand_in_decline\"><\/span>The challenge: An iconic brand in decline<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-3393 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/IMG_4658.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3393\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/IMG_4658.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/IMG_4658-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/IMG_4658-380x254.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u00a9 The Branding Journal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>For Simon Talbot, Kraft\u2019s Head of Corporate Affairs, sales had been declining for over five years, market share was dropping by almost 10%, and of course, for any company in this situation, something had to be done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some explanations to this decline are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>There was a recognition that Vegemite didn\u2019t need to be purchased every week, with a family\u2019s weekly shop. Because of its creation and ingredients, it had no expiry date, which meant an everlasting shelf life.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Some people said it was because people had less time for breakfast in the morning, and Vegemite was not the best \u201cgrab and go\u201d breakfast solution.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Australian households were getting smaller<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There was an increasing number of immigrants who were not familiar with the product.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The company\u2019s marketing team also did not get away unscathed. Because the product and the brand had been so successful, there was no need for innovation, entrepreneurialism, or creativity in their communications. They didn\u2019t look to target any other audiences. For Kraft, with this brand and product, it was as if time stood still.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Talbot, understood that he needed to do something with the aging brand. The main idea was to get some consumers\u2019 insights to launch a new product that would boost sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"thebr-posts-middle-2\" style=\"text-align: center;\" id=\"thebr-425173846\"><div id=\"thebr-1607999872\"><a class=\"advanced-image\" href=\"https:\/\/edu.thebrandingjournal.com\/brand-improvement-mini-course?utm_source=website&#038;utm_medium=banner&#038;utm_campaign=mini_course_articles&#038;utm_content=green\" data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" rel=\"noopener\">\r\n    <picture>\r\n        <source media=\"(max-width: 991px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Mini-Course-Green-300x250-1.png\" type=\"image\/png\"\/>\r\n        <source media=\"(min-width: 992px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Mini-Course-Green-600x300-1.png\" type=\"image\/png\"\/>\r\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"banner\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Mini-Course-Green-600x300-1.png\" alt=\"mini-course image\"\/>\r\n    <\/picture>\r\n<\/a>\r\n<\/div><\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Strategy\"><\/span>The Strategy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Social listening<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For Talbot, at the beginning, it was simple. He felt that, as a company, they needed to get closer to their consumers in order to understand what they expected from Vegemite. Kraft searched for valuable insights to develop a potential Vegemite product extension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Working alongside IBM and its COBRA system, Kraft undertook a Social Listening strategy and started to gain some insights into what their customers were talking about. Not only that, they were able to tap into what visitors to the country were also talking about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The findings of this market research<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This social media market research allowed the brand to understand the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Consumers needed to feel connected to the product<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Consumers loved to personalize how they consumed their Vegemite<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Consumers spread their Vegemite over other foods (avocado, butter, Kraft\u2019s Philadelphia cheese, cheese, tomatoes, etc)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Consumers mainly associate the brand with words such as \u201cAustralia\u201d, \u201cbreakfast\u201d, and \u201ctoast\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Expatriates were significant online influencers that were actively mentioning Vegemite in their messages.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>This intelligence provided all of the brand information the team needed to focus their efforts on a hard-hitting campaign that embodied everything that people loved about the Vegemite brand and product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But perhaps the most valuable insight was the identification of 32 different ways people consume their Vegemite, which reflected how consumers enjoyed having their unique way of eating the iconic product. This inspired the marketing team to create a new campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The \u201cHow do you like your Vegemite\u201d campaign was born, and to be honest, it was one of the most successful to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The communications campaign: \u201cHow do you like your vegemite?\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-2379 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"566\" height=\"461\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/the_branding_journal_case_study_isnack-2.0_vegemite_3.png\" alt=\"the_branding_journal_case_study_isnack 2.0_vegemite_3\" class=\"wp-image-2379\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/the_branding_journal_case_study_isnack-2.0_vegemite_3.png 566w, https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/the_branding_journal_case_study_isnack-2.0_vegemite_3-300x244.png 300w, https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/the_branding_journal_case_study_isnack-2.0_vegemite_3-380x310.png 380w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 566px) 100vw, 566px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.campaignbrief.com\/2008\/07\/22\/Picture%20258-thumb-400x274.png\">Campaign Brief<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The objective of this campaign was to satisfy the need to connect with the product by giving consumers the power to share their thoughts and opinions about their Vegemite consumption. The marketing campaign included TV, print, OOH, PR, and social media communications across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The campaign was a great success, with over 300,000 submissions and plenty of new insights into the product&#8217;s consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">One step further \u2013 the product extension<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Due to the success of the marketing campaign, Kraft Foods decided to take this one step further and offer consumers an alternative product \u2014 a product extension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They found that people were consuming Vegemite with other tastes \u2014 even more so, some Moms were using it with their other popular brand, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, to dilute the bitter taste and give it to their children. This new way of consumption made it \u201cdip-able\u201d and transformed it into a snack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This insight encouraged the brand to move from breakfast to snacks. Snacks can happen at any time. You&#8217;re on the go. This strategy would allow the team to boost the product\u2019s sales by creating a new way of consuming it. When they looked at the idea of creating a snack out of the product (a mixture of Kraft\u2019s Vegemite and Kraft\u2019s Philadelphia cream cheese), there was a market for this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kraft Foods developed the new snack product in record-breaking time, not losing momentum on their marketing strategy success. To continue the customer engagement theme and to help with their brand extension, they launched their new product with no name. They wanted to keep the bond with their customers that they had created. So when the new product first hit the shelves, it was simply labeled \u201cname me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">One step too far \u2013 the new product\u2019s name: iSnack 2.0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This was a great strategy as they involved the customer from the start. It was an excellent marketing tool that created engagement and excitement, and because the loyalty was already with the brand, they had the \u201cright\u201d almost to try out new things and venture into new markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But, there is, of course, a huge problem with this strategy. The name that was eventually chosen did not fit with their current brand and the image that they\u2019d created and held for so long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The most popular name suggested by consumers was \u201cCheesymite\u201d; however, Kraft wanted something that would reflect the \u201csnacking\u201d element to differentiate it from the classic Vegemite. Another name suggested by consumers was \u201ciSpread 2.0\u201d and the brand decided to twist it and name it \u201ciSnack 2.0\u201d, with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201ci\u201d reflecting the idea of personalized consumption<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201csnack\u201d to answer the need for some people to consume the product as a snack<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201c2.0\u201d reflecting that the new product is the first new version of the classic Vegemite<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-2381 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/the_branding_journal_case_study_isnack-2.0_vegemite_8.jpg\" alt=\"the_branding_journal_case_study_isnack 2.0_vegemite_8\" class=\"wp-image-2381\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/the_branding_journal_case_study_isnack-2.0_vegemite_8.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/the_branding_journal_case_study_isnack-2.0_vegemite_8-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/the_branding_journal_case_study_isnack-2.0_vegemite_8-200x150.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/the_branding_journal_case_study_isnack-2.0_vegemite_8-260x195.jpg 260w, https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/the_branding_journal_case_study_isnack-2.0_vegemite_8-380x285.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/adage.com\/article\/global-news\/crowdsourcing-wrong-vegemite-isnack-naming-disaster\/139327\/\">Ad Age<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>All of a sudden, the brand product extension caused a media storm, and for days, iSnack 2.0\u00a0was making headlines across the globe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was frowned upon because it sounded like a technical product, didn\u2019t fit with their heritage, and for a marketing team that assumed the much more modern name would resonate with their newly targeted audience\u2014their loyal customer audience was too strong not to be heard.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-2378 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1003\" height=\"334\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/the_branding_journal_case_study_isnack-2.0_vegemite_4.jpg\" alt=\"the_branding_journal_case_study_isnack 2.0_vegemite_4\" class=\"wp-image-2378\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/the_branding_journal_case_study_isnack-2.0_vegemite_4.jpg 1003w, https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/the_branding_journal_case_study_isnack-2.0_vegemite_4-300x100.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/the_branding_journal_case_study_isnack-2.0_vegemite_4-768x256.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/the_branding_journal_case_study_isnack-2.0_vegemite_4-380x127.jpg 380w, https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/the_branding_journal_case_study_isnack-2.0_vegemite_4-800x266.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1003px) 100vw, 1003px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/theinspirationroom.com\/daily\/2009\/vegemite-isnack-2-0-name-replaced\/\">The Inspiration Room<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-2376 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"650\" height=\"366\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/the_branding_journal_case_study_isnack-2.0_vegemite_6.jpg\" alt=\"the_branding_journal_case_study_isnack 2.0_vegemite_6\" class=\"wp-image-2376\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/the_branding_journal_case_study_isnack-2.0_vegemite_6.jpg 650w, https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/the_branding_journal_case_study_isnack-2.0_vegemite_6-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/the_branding_journal_case_study_isnack-2.0_vegemite_6-380x214.jpg 380w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/resources2.news.com.au\/images\/2009\/10\/07\/1225783\/686826-how-they-voted.jpg\">News.com.au<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Within a week, Simon Talbot commented to the BBC in 2009, &#8220;We have been overwhelmed by the passion for Vegemite and the new product. The new name has simply not resonated with Australians.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>iSnack 2.0\u00a0was quickly changed to \u201cCheesybite\u201d \u2013 after a poll was carried out online for consumers to choose their new favorite name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Lessons_to_be_learned\"><\/span>Lessons to be learned<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Never stand still<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As a brand, never believe that you can stay in one place for too long. Things change every second of every day, and standing still allows someone else to move in front of you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Listen to your consumers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Kraft Foods had customer engagement; their marketing campaign showed that. They listened to their customers in their \u201cHow do you like your Vegemite\u201d campaign, but then, looking for the same connection for their product extension, they stopped listening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The most popular name suggested by consumers was \u201cCheesymite\u201d, very similar to the final name: \u201cCheesybite\u201d, not \u201ciSnack 2.0\u201d. It\u2019s interesting to let the public decide on the new name, but you should listen to them and choose what they recommend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Test the market first<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Kraft let their online audience choose their new name, but what they didn\u2019t check was to make sure it would resonate with the entire target audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is where market testing is a must for any brand when it comes to product extensions. Yes, it is going to be targeted at a new consumer audience, but to still have a strong affiliation with the original brand, it has to be accepted by the original audience, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Product extensions have to \u201cfit\u201d with the current image of the original brand<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Launching a new product was a great way to reinvigorate the brand. But when you refresh a brand through a new product, you never throw everything out. There are some elements you need to keep to enable the customer to link the two and have the same connection. Unfortunately, with iSnack 2.0, this didn\u2019t happen. It was seen as a completely different brand with no association, and so, of course, it was never going to be able to piggyback on the success of Vegemite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"thebr-posts-end-2\" style=\"text-align: center;\" id=\"thebr-1154116008\"><div id=\"thebr-3312630828\"><a class=\"advanced-image\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/branding-checklist\/?utm_source=website&#038;utm_medium=banner&#038;utm_campaign=checklist_articles&#038;utm_content=black_mockup\" data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" rel=\"noopener\">\r\n    <picture>\r\n        <source media=\"(max-width: 991px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/TBJ-Cheat-Sheet-300x250-1.png\" type=\"image\/png\"\/>\r\n        <source media=\"(min-width: 992px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/TBJ-Cheat-Sheet-600-x-300.png\" type=\"image\/png\"\/>\r\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"banner\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thebrandingjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/TBJ-Cheat-Sheet-600-x-300.png\" alt=\"Checklist image\"\/>\r\n    <\/picture>\r\n<\/a>\r\n<\/div><\/div><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Take your time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You also don\u2019t have to jump straight away just because social media is going crazy. It seems like an absurd thing to say, but because of social media, reactions are much quicker now especially knee-jerk reactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The company soon changed the name due to customer demand (and it seems that was the right decision to make) but it also has to be recognised in that week of media hell, the company was still selling iSnack 2.0 and quite a lot of it. So they had to weigh up the pros and cons. Was the increase in sales due to a rush to see what it was like due to all of the media attention, or did the name actually resonate with the younger generation they were aiming for?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You need to be ready for the PR but your strategy should be well thought out before making any hasty decisions. This is your brand and your reputation, and sometimes you simply have to take a step back from it all before you can move forward again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The iSnack 2.0\u00a0product extension shows the power of customer engagement. Listening to and, more importantly, understanding your customers can have a hugely positive impact on your new product launches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Vegemite proved that they were great listeners in the beginning (social media listening, \u201chow do you like\u00a0your Vegemite campaign,\u201d \u201cname me\u201d campaign) until they chose the new name \u2014 a name that wasn\u2019t suggested by their audience. Vegemite should have listened to the customer until the end to ensure a smoother acceptance of the new product!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>References:&nbsp;<\/strong><br \/><em>-Keinan, A., Farrely, F. and Beverland , M. (2011) &#8216;Introducing iSnack 2.0: The New Vegemite&#8217;, Harvard Business School N9-512020 (Academic Article)<br \/><\/em><em>-Food MarketWatch (2009)&#8217;Rebranding Case Studies&#8217; (Datamonitor)<br \/><\/em><em>-Food MarketWatch (2009)&nbsp;&#8216;Kraft pulls iSnack 2.0 name after backlash, but publicity may have done more good than harm (Datamonitor)<br \/><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Vegemite, one of the most popular savory spread brands from Australia, unveiled a product extension in 2009. Both&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":6166,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"How not to re-create another Vegemite isnack 2.0 branding disaster","_seopress_titles_desc":"Vegemite, unveiled a product extension in 2009: isnack 2.0. 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