The brand holds about a 22% category share...and it is neck and neck with Wesson Oil. And more recently the business is declining because store brand oil knock-offs are growing at a lower price.
Consumers seem to think that “oil is oil” How do you differentiate Crisco Oil?
Well...you discover that 10 years before the food scientists had developed a natural additive to the oil called an emulsifier that allowed the oil to mix with other liquids faster. The result? Salad Dressings stayed blended longer for better taste...and fried foods began frying faster...leading to a better tasting and crispier result. Hmm...why not bring this formula to market.
At the same time your team is leading development of the first plastic bottle for oil products. Yes...they used to be in glass bottles...and when the dropped on the floor and broke...what a mess.
Everyone tells you to introduce the product improvement and the new plastic bottle at separate times to maximize the impact. But this does not sit well. Why not do all the news at once as a big relaunch?
You find data in the P&G archives that proves that a product improvement coinciding with a packaging improvement significantly increases long term trial and share.
In 1983 you re-launch Crisco Oil with new plastic packaging....the new formula...and new advertising claiming that Crisco Oil makes better tasting salads and fried foods than any other cooking oil Crisco Oil share grows from the doldrums of 22% to over 28% and it never again was second in the market to Wesson Oil.
Pringles