Document 84418

Kraft Launches Super Bowl Promotion for Velveeta - WSJ.com
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123318397635126261.html?mo...
More
News, Quotes, Companies, Videos
SEARCH
Thursday, January 29, 2009 As of 11:32 AM EST
Welcome, Cherrie Clark Logout
MEDIA & MARKETING
Today's Paper
HOME
ASIA
Video
U.S.
EUROPE
Columns
WORLD
EARNINGS
Blogs
BUSINESS
ECONOMY
Graphics
Newsletters & Alerts
MARKETS
HEALTH
TECH
LAW
MANAGEMENT
LIFE & STYLE
ECB Drawing Up 'Bad Bank'
Guidelines
Business
ADVERTISING
OPINION
CAREERS
MEDIA & MARKETING
1 of 10
TOP STORIES IN
My Online Journal
Help
New! Journal Community
PERSONAL FINANCE
AUTOS
My Account
REAL ESTATE
SMALL BUSINESS
COLUMNS & BLOGS
MORE INDUSTRIES
2 of 10
On Street, New
Reality on Pay Sets
In
3 of 10
AIG in Talks for U.S. to
Backstop Assets
Exxon's Annual Ne
Shatters Record
JANUARY 29, 2009, 11:32 A.M. ET
Velveeta Gets Ready to Party
Thousands Apply to Host Special Super Bowl Gatherings
Article
Email
Comments (1)
Printer Friendly
Share:
MORE IN MEDIA & MARKETING »
Yahoo Buzz
Text Size
By JULIE JARGON
On Sunday, thousands of women across the country are expected to welcome friends to their
homes not just to watch the Super Bowl, but to dip into bowls of Velveeta ultimate queso dip.
For snack-food manufacturers, including Velveeta maker Kraft Foods, there's no bigger day than
the day of the big game, when Americans eat 46% more chips than on a typical Sunday,
according to market researcher NPD Group.
Trying to get more consumers to dip their
chips into Velveeta, Kraft turned to House
Party Inc., an Irvington, N.Y., marketing firm
whose specialty is setting up parties to
promote clients' products.
Using its database, House Party emailed
Internet-savvy women ages 25 to 50,
Velveeta's target market, offering them the
Kraft Foods
Velveeta, above, sells for an average $3.99 for a
two-pound loaf. Below, an emblem provided by Kraft
for its hostesses to use on their blogs or Facebook
pages.
chance to host a game-day party featuring
Velveeta. Both House Party and Kraft also
promoted the offer on their Web sites. More
than 15,000 women applied, and 2,500
Email Newsletters and Alerts
The latest news and analysis delivered to your in-box. Check the
boxes below to sign up.
Media & Marketing Edition
News Alert
In Today's Paper
Velveeta lovers were chosen.
SIGN UP
The hostesses, who won't be paid for their
services, get "party packs" containing a
32-ounce package of Velveeta, take-home
plastic Velveeta storage containers for 16
guests, a recipe for chili con queso dip -along with the requisite cans of diced
tomatoes and green chilies -- a spinach dip
recipe, a dip bowl, a couple of bags of Ritz
toasted chips, snack-bag clips, Velveeta
Kraft Foods
coupons, Kool-Aid and cups. House Party
said it couldn't estimate the value of the party
packs.
"We don't attend the parties; doing that would hamper the authentic nature of it," says House
Party Chief Executive Kitty Kolding. "We give the hosts the materials, but very much let them
create the kind of party they want to create."
1 of 3
New! To sign up for Keyword or
Symbol Alerts click here.
To view or change all of your
email settings, visit the Email
Setup Center.
Companies within this Article
Kraft Foods Inc. Cl A(KFT)
28.05
-1.23
1/30
People Who Viewed This Also Viewed...
On WSJ.com
In My Network
A Glimpse of the Future of Luxury
The Urge to Splurge: Don't Worry, It'll Pass
Glam Media Buys Ad-Technology Firm
Of course, Kraft and House Party hope that the menu will showcase Velveeta, and that hosts
Busboys Are Cut as Restaurants Suffer
and their guests, after sampling the product, will serve it regularly at home, as well as talk up its
taste. "The game-day parties on Feb. 1 will allow us to reach thousands of consumers while
Some Super Bowl Ads Aspire to Depth
2/1/09 1:21 PM
Kraft Launches Super Bowl Promotion for Velveeta - WSJ.com
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123318397635126261.html?mo...
they're in the moment of eating the queso dip," says Greg Hughes, a marketing director in
Kraft's cheese business.
Video
Katherine Murray, 28 years old, says she will use the recipes House Party provided, but will add
her own twist. "I'll add a little hot sauce to the spinach dip ," says the stay-at-home mother from
Raleigh, N.C. "I've liked Velveeta for a long time. I grew up eating cheese dip made with it."
Read More
Get regular updates on the competition among
athletes and marketers alike in the Journal's
Super Bowl blog.
Velveeta, which is classified as a
"pasteurized prepared cheese product," is
made by blending natural cheeses with other
dairy ingredients and emulsifying salts. The
end result is a product that "melts so nicely
and evenly," says Ms. Murray, who uses it in a chicken casserole.
Kraft doesn't break out sales of Velveeta, but Mr. Hughes says sales have declined in recent
years in the "processed cheese loaf" category, and that Velveeta's marketing efforts are
Super Bowl Ads
Turn Down the Fun
3:33
A Close Look at
Super Bowl
Advertising
More in Media & Marketing
John Madden's Missed Tackles
GOP's Atwitter About the Net
TV Execs Prep for a Tough Year
Super Bowl Ads Try Hard-Sell
After using house parties to promote its Philadelphia cream cheese and Grey Poupon mustard
Velveeta Gets Ready to Party
50% in the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl," Mr. Hughes says.
The Velveeta push is designed to appeal to budget-conscious consumers. With an average
0:42
3:42
designed to make sure "Velveeta is relevant to people today."
last year, Kraft is using the same approach for Velveeta because "Velveeta ultimate queso dip is
a fixture at holiday parties and football parties, in particular. We see Velveeta sales increase
Hyundai Motor Co.
-- 'Contract'
Most Popular
Read
Emailed
Video
Commented
retail price of $3.99 for a two-pound loaf, "you can buy twice as much Velveeta as cheddar for
the same price," says Mr. Hughes.
1.
Opinion: Berkowitz: Bush Hatred And
Obama Euphoria Two Sides Of Same Coin
When House Party publicized the chance to host a Velveeta party on its Web site, Angilyn
Mathews, a stay-at-home mother of five who lives in South Jordan, Utah, says she knew she
2.
Opinion: Look At The Time
3.
On Street, New Reality On Pay Sets In
4.
Opinion: 'Idiots' Indeed
5.
Biden Pursues An Activist Role
had to apply. She says she has been using Velveeta to make chimichangas since her sister got
the recipe in her junior-high home economics class 15 years ago. "It's really easy. You just roll
up chicken, salsa and Velveeta in a flour tortilla and deep fry it," says the 33-year-old Ms.
Mathews.
"It's like an honor to get picked for the party," she says. "When we got the party pack with all the
fun things inside, it was like Christmas."
Most Read Articles Feed
Write to Julie Jargon at [email protected]
Advertisment by:
Printed in The Wall Street Journal, page B8
Email
Printer Friendly
MORE IN MEDIA & MARKETING
Order Reprints
Share:
Gals, Want to Slash $500 off
Your Auto Insurance?
The Secret to Getting Highly
Discounted Cruise Tickets
Sponsored Links
1 Flat Stomach Rule: Obey
My secret method that helped me cut 42 lbs of stomach fat in 12 weeks
Computer Slowing Down? What
to Do About It
mariesweightlossdiet.com
Grand Opening Fun Shop!
Shirts, mugs, cards and much more! Perfect 4 reunions, weddings &.....
birth-dayz.com
ARALifestyle.com
Need a new Credit Card?
Best Overall, Instant Decision, Bad Credit, No Credit, & more!
www.BetterCreditCardsNow.com
Add a Comment
CLEAR
All comments will display your real name.
Go to Comments tab
POST
Related Articles and Blogs from WSJ.com
Tonight at the White House: Cocktail Hour
JAN 28. 2009
Related News From the Web
A Very Martha Stewart Super Bowl Party
2 of 3
JAN 26. 2009
2/1/09 1:21 PM
Kraft Launches Super Bowl Promotion for Velveeta - WSJ.com
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123318397635126261.html?mo...
slashfood.com
Editors' Picks
Hijacked on the High Seas
Jerusalem Arabs, Jews
Unite Against a Tram
Latin America's Quiet
Revolution
Yangshuo: Gateway to
Classic Peaks
Tales From a Punjab
Mango Farm
BACK TO TOP
Search News, Quotes, Companies
WSJ.com Account:
SEARCH
About:
WSJ.com:
Tools & Formats:
My Account
News Licensing
Site Map
Today's Paper
Billing Information
Advertising
Home
Video Center
WSJ.com
Setup Center
Conferences
U.S.
Graphics
Marketwatch.com
About Dow Jones
World
Columns
Barrons.com
Privacy Policy - Updated
Business
Blogs
AllThingsD.com
Markets
Alerts
FiLife.com
Customer Service
Subscriber Agreement &
Terms of Use - Updated
Market Data
Newsletters
BigCharts.com
Contact Us
Copyright Policy
Tech
Mobile
Virtual Stock Exchange
New on WSJ.com
Jobs at WSJ.com
Personal Finance
Podcasts
WSJ Asia
Help & Information Center:
Help
Tour the new Journal
Life & Style
RSS Feeds
Opinion
Journal Community
Autos
Forums
Careers
My Online Journal
Real Estate
Small Business
Digital Network
WSJ Europe
Foreign Language Editions:
WSJ Chinese
WSJ Portuguese
WSJ Spanish
Corrections
Copyright ©2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved
3 of 3
2/1/09 1:21 PM