Reference no: EM132220649
Question: Do you agree that these strategies were effective in helping to reinvent the brand? Explain. What other strategies were not considered or could a brand manager have used to ensure that the brand remain relevant?
Read:
There are several causes for Hostesses road to bankruptcy back in 2012; failure to adapt with the times, as well as its inability to keep up with the rising wages for their workers. The snack food brand is notorious for their creation of foods like the Twinkie, Ding Dong, and Snow Ball. It was a roaring success no longer than a decade ago but the eating habits of the consumer have changed drastically since then. Plain and simple, consumers have advanced beyond the conventional "American Lunch Box" spongy cake that was such a huge hit back in the day. Nowadays, the consumer is knowledgeable, well-researched, and conscious when making purchase decisions, especially when it involves things they ingest into their body.
Hostess has combatted this healthier eating trend by expanding their lineup of snack offerings; they have created an upscale, healthier snack line. Hostess Bakery Petites line, with no artificial flavoring or high-fructose corn syrup (Turner, 2018) has gained traction within the snacks/treats community. This line represents Hostess’ attempt to accommodate the growing trend of low-calorie, healthy snack alternatives that are present in today’s society. Their line of alternative treats includes cake bites, brownie bites, and brownie crisps. This Petites line has a clear target for their products; colorful packaging and designs have initiated a clear attempt at broadening their audience to attract female consumers as well. This line of treats has been a respectable attempt at getting Hostess desserts back into the hands of the consumer.
Both internal and external stakeholders play an important role in producing employee-based brand equity. Employee-based brand equity is reflected in the buy-in of the company's objectives by the business' internal operations. The more sold on the products and company the employees are, the better they'll look in the eye of the public; creating a positive image for the brand. Hostess has been working with Harmelin Media for their paid strategy and Tattoo Projects for their social media management (Martin, 2016). They believe that their social media experts are a great representation of their brand, exuding a bold and energetic vibe to their social media outreach. By engaging with consumers via social channels like Instagram and Twitter, Hostess is able to perform acts of social listening and get direct feedback straight from the source that matters most. With these efforts to expand their digital footprint, Hostess seems to be getting itself back into the game; showing promise for the future well-being of the company.