Weet-Bix Kiwi Kids Tryathlon

Background

Last year marked the Sanitarium Weet-Bix Kiwi Kids Tryathlon’s 10th anniversary so Sanitarium wanted interest and attendance to be bigger and better than ever.

A combination of strategies and channels worked together to lead to the Tryathlon’s success. For instance, Sanitarium is committed to holding well-organised, well-run events. Direct marketing to schools encouraged students to enter. And the marketing campaign used two impactful product packs which were integrated into the tv ad and promoted the Tryathlon online.

Objectives

• Encourage New Zealand’s 8-15 year old children to participate in the Tryathlon in their area
• Upsell consumers to the 1kg Weet-Bix pack
• Use online media to build an ongoing relationship between Sanitarium and Tryathlon participants and their families
• Reinforce the Weet-Bix brand values of energy, healthiness and the down-to-earth Kiwi attitude of giving it a go

Target Audience

8-15 year old Kiwi Kids and their families.

Channels

• TV (by Star Advertising)
• DM to schools (by Star Advertising)
• Packaging
• Website
• Email

Approach

Brave New World designed the Weet-Bix packs, created the Tryathlon website and wrote the email content that Touchpoint implemented. The website was promoted as the place for kids to go to find all the information they needed to enter, train and get ready for the big event.

The website also featured a picture gallery with post-event photos that kids could email to their friends. Plus, a series of tactical text emails reminded children about a special bicycle deal, alerted participants to a change in the Auckland Tryathlon’s starting time
and thanked all the children who took part, reminding them to find their photos online.

How Touchpoint Technology Helped

• The email campaign provided Sanitarium with an instant channel to communicate with participants
• Targeting participants by location before and after each event kept the communications relevant and timely
• Email allowed Sanitarium to cost effectively follow-up participants and thank them for their participation
• Integration of tell-a-friend with the ability to send their own photos was a key driver in drawing kids back to the site – and driving referral of the event

Results

More than 11,000 kids participated in the Tryathlon and website visits jumped from 4200 to 7400 (Feb 2001/Feb 2002) and from 500 to 13,500 (April 2001/ April 2002) when kids went online to look at their photos.