This story was updated at 9:44 on Sept. 17, 2013
Yoplait Canada is aiming to shake up the fast-growing Greek yogurt market with the introduction of a new brand, Yopa!, which comes in three flavours intended to appeal to aficionados as well as first-timers.
Supporting the launch is an integrated campaign called “The Joyful Side of Greek” which carries the tagline, “Yopa! puts Opa! into Greek yogurt.”
The campaign launched nationally Monday with a multi-media campaign that includes three 15-second TV commercials. The spots are running on both conventional and specialty channels across the country.
According to Tammy Sadinsky Martin, marketing director for Yoplait Canada, General Mills (which markets the Yoplait family of brands in Canada) is counting on Yopa to increase its Greek yogurt market share by appealing to taste-conscious consumers. The goal of the campaign, she said, is to convince Canadians who are on the fence about Greek yogurt that they can find one that appeals to them.
“Greek yogurt has been a revolutionary trend in the industry, growing about 10% each year. There are some really great brands out there, but the only way more Canadians are going to reap the benefits is to make sure they find their own complimentary types. We wanted to introduce more variety for more customers. We want them to experience the joy and celebration of the word ‘opa’ in a yogurt”, she said.
The TV spots, developed by Yoplait’s agency of record Cossette, highlight the new flavours (Ooh-la-la! Strawberry Cheesecake, Lotta Pina Colada and Mmm Mango Tango) by juxtaposing traditional Greek settings with modern scenarios and vibrant images of fruit.
Other campaign initiatives include in-store sampling, couponing and POS, social media outreach through Facebook, Twitter and blogger influencers.
The PR component of the campaign kicked off in August with a media relations tour featuring Greek actress Nia Vardalos, best known for writing and starring in the 2002 film My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Vardalos conducted interviews, tweeted about the brand’s products and hosted Twitter parties.
Public relations for the campaign are being handled by Citizen Optimum, and ZenithOptimedia did the media plan.
Phase one of the “Joyful Side of Greek-will run from September to December and phase two begins in January.
Note: This story was updated to correct an error. Nia Vardalos does not appear in any television ad for Yopa. Her involvement was in the PR and social media campaign only.
