Oikos goes with the grains

Oikos is powering up its Greek yogurt with protein-packed super grains.

The Danone-owned brand has launched a new line called SuperGrains, combining its creamy 2% Greek yogurt with grains such as quinoa, buckwheat, chia and flaxseeds.

The line comes in four fruit varieties: mixed berries, peach, mango and cranberry-orange, and the product contains eight grams of protein per 100 grams.

Melanie Robitaille, marketing director at Danone Canada, says research found consumers are looking for ways to eat healthier, more filling snacks, especially in the morning.

“We’re also seeing growing awareness about the importance of healthy lifestyles and that includes choosing the right food,” she adds. “Grains have been a nutritional staple for centuries, and we’ve seen growing interest in of grains.”
 

To support the launch, Oikos is continuing its “Dreamy” marketing platform, which first launched in 2015 and features the characters “Simon and Daniela.” Television spots have Greece as a backdrop and show Simon’s daydreams about his romantic interest.

“We wanted to continue that platform because it has worked very well for us in the past two years,” says Robitaille. “We get recognition on our main characters – they’re seen as funny, credible and approachable.”

For the latest campaign, “we added a fresh creative twist to make sure that people understand there is something more with the grains,” she adds. “We have a beautiful taste shot of the yogurt to show the texture of the product and the appetite appeal.”

Along with 30- and 15-second TV ads in English and French, the campaign includes out-of-home advertising, online videos, banner ads, social media, an influencer campaign with a contest component, and integration with NHL broadcasts on TSN and RDS. Danone is running animated segments that celebrate the top goals and plays of the week. In-store marketing includes product sampling, POS and FSIs.
 

Oikos holds the number-one position in the Canadian Greek yogurt segment, with 40% of the market as of the end of 2016, according to Robitaille. The brand has also seen “double-digit” growth for the past two years.

Oikos SuperGrains products are available in a four-pack/100 gram format with a suggested retail price of $4.19.