NEWS2 October 2009

Quantum brought in as unease over Vegemite iSnack2.0 spreads

Asia Pacific New business

AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND— Kraft Foods has turned to Quantum Market Research to resolve consumer unrest over the name of its new cheese-based Vegemite spread.

The firm named the new spread Vegemite iSnack2.0 last week following a competition where more than 48,000 new names were suggested. At the time, Kraft said that the iSnack2.0 name was chosen “based it on its personal call to action, relevance to snacking and clear identification of a new and different Vegemite to the original”.

However, the name has not been popular with consumers and Kraft has launched an online poll on its website to decide a new name. Would-be voters are directed to a Quantum survey, where they are able to pick one of six alternative names for the product.

On the iSnack2.0 name, Kraft said: “We have learnt that many of you like the taste; but not the name. That’s why we want you to choose a better one.”

Polling runs from today until Monday, and the new name will be announced on 7 October.

James Verrinder

Asia Pacific New business

@RESEARCH LIVE

2 Comments

Anon

15 years ago

The world has truly gone mad. Will the next Mars product be called an iBar Chocdows 7?

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Duncan Stuart

15 years ago

..so from their own description what Quantum are doing is a popularity poll, not research as we generally know it. The whole exercise has smacked of an extended PR programme - and to most punters I know the dopey quest to find a new name and the aftermath has been a somewhat planned, if not cycnical, attempt to keep Kraft's Vegemite product in the headlines. I call it the Britney Stratetgy - the thinking being that no matter what the meltdown, any publicity is good for the artist. In terms of sales it works for Ms Spears quite well. But unless I'm badly mistaken and Quantum has an ingenious sampling framework, and a predictive methodology that proves that the "winning" name really is going to be a success then I wouldn't call Quantum's exercise "Research." Why not just call it what it is: An online beauty contest for one of six names, sponsored by Kraft.

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