MINUTE MAID GOES IN-STORE TO SELL NEW LOOK, FLAVORS

JAMES TENSER

HOUSTON -- Coca-Cola Foods here began in-store promotions last week to cue consumers about redesigned packaging and new flavors across its entire Minute Maid juice and juice drink family of products.

The multilayered plan incorporates heavy use of Catalina Marketing and Actmedia vehicles and point-of-purchase signs. It will be backed by a national freestanding insert, television ads and a novel program of wet sampling in movie theaters, said Craig Binkley, marketing director for Coca-Cola Foods.

Minute Maid is scrapping its "black box" package design, which has been the signifier of its orange juice brand for more than 30 years, and replacing it with new graphics that emphasize fresh fruit imagery, Binkley said.

"Refrigerated orange juice is beginning to ship now," he said. "The rest ship beginning in April. There are 120 [stockkeeping units] to change."

New packaging for shelf-stable juices and new flavors of chilled lemonades and punches will hit stores in April. Frozen concentrates will switch in May and June. Redesigned drink boxes will arrive in the second half of the year, he added.

"Our job is to grow category sales," Binkley said. He estimated that Minute Maid controls about 13% of the total juice and juice drink segment. In 1994 the total juice and juice drink segment grew 1.9%, compared with 5.9% in 1993.

"We have to grow at a faster rate," he said, adding, "We will be spending a total of 50% more on ads and promotions across the entire brand family."

Minute Maid chose to use two waves of Catalina's Check-Out Coupons, both for coupon delivery and as an extra messaging vehicle, he said. A wave in late February informed consumers about the imminent package changes, while a current wave reinforces the message.

The promotion is using the entire Catalina network of more than 8,000 supermarkets, as well as the entire Actmedia store network, he added. Shelf talkers, aisle signs, FSI coupons and national television are hitting this month as well.

Behind a summer rollout of new lemonade flavors, cranberry, raspberry and tropical, Minute Maid has set up a round of wet sampling in movie theaters operated by United Artists and Cineplex Odeon, Binkley said.

Between Memorial Day and July 4, moviegoers will receive a small drink sample and a coupon redeemable in retail stores. In addition, at United Artists theaters there will be a message on the movie screen.