Ketchum’s tasting notes

Trends and communication No. 1 / 2015

Inspired by Food

2 //

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editorialdear friends and fans of food,

For over 60 years, Ketchum has proudly been dedicating time, talent

and resources to supporting companies, brands and businesses in

the food and agricultural sector. one of the many advantages of

having so many people in our network who follow food trends and

work with these firms is the ability to share, collaborate and

coordinate our in-depth local knowledge with each other and local

experts to identify emerging insights for our clients.

our new magazine inspired by Food captures some of the topics our

colleagues in europe have been sharing and discussing with food

and agricultural leaders in the region. We would like to share this

food for thought with you and invite you to enjoy the perspectives

presented in this issue. We would welcome your thoughts on these

and other topics. Just email Food@Ketchum.com.

linda eatherton

Partner/director, global, Food & nutrition Practice

Ketchum chicago

4 // in this issue

Ketchum’s tasting notes: in this issue Yummy. Food trends. let’s talk about food

10 12

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Fancy burgers in Moscow, a street devoted to food in Paris,

and the return of eating at home in Hamburg – we take a look

at the trending topics in terms of food and beverages.

Promote vs. protect: why global

integration is a two-way street.

A talk with … Mag. Hanni

Rützler on food trends.

European trends: What’s up in

our capitals in terms of food?

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10–18

Communication in the food and beverage sector is a specific

yet extremely inspiring and creative challenge. In this section,

our authors and interviewers share some of their insights.

Our glocal grocery store: how creativity and

collaboration define our work.

Food meets creativity: a look at our creative work.

Don’t get burnt: crisis communication.

Interview: the food blogger – the new journalist,

critic and partner.

Interview: Mr Launch – how to launch a new

product on the European market.

EU food policy: time for a rethink.

192021222426

A taste of summer from our Amsterdam office: Sweet Eve’s success story.

U.S. whiskey is making a comeback, forecasts Natalie Haut from our Frankfurt office. Slainte!

Uwe Spitzmüller from HighFoodality.com explains how to work with bloggers

in this issue // 5

how they did it: cases digital outlook

meet the foodies

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Examples of our work from all over Europe. From a creative

nutrition challenge to an innovative promotion, a classy road

trip or a family-focused activating campaign – have a look.

Grand Extrem: an institutional approach.

By Ketchum Madrid.

Let’s cook with Staatlich Fachingen.

By Ketchum Pleon Frankfurt.

Healthier lifestyle challenge.

By Ketchum Amsterdam.

Go Home on Time Day.

By Ketchum London.

Beer tasting at ibis.

By Ketchum Brussels.

An article about the importance of social media for

food companies and whether a brand can ever truly

be social. (We say: yes!)

Find a foodie at one of our European offices.

hotspots

Brussels, Amsterdam, Frankfurt or Berlin? Our local

food teams introduce their favourite hotspots.

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Take the kiwi fruit challenge. A case from our colleagues in Amsterdam.

Time to go home – to have dinner with your family! A truly inspiring case from London.

Can my chocolate bar be social? Yes it can –

and it should, says our European Digital and Social Media Director Stephen Waddington.

6 //

Promote vs. ProtectLinda Eatherton, Partner/Director, Global, Food & Nutrition Practice, Ketchum Chicago, explains why global integration is a two-way street

For decades, we have collectively praised the notion of global integration

but few have achieved nirvana where all activities are seamlessly

threaded without borders or boundaries. there are many reasons why

this doesn‘t happen. i would offer that in the food and beverage industry

it shouldn‘t happen. rather, we should take a different strategic approach.

i‘m going to state the obvious here. the food and beverage sector is

still very much focused on local brands that speak to varying cultures

and lifestyles – and rightly so. Building relevant market strategies to

promote brands requires exceptional insights about local mindsets,

behaviours and trends. the marketing tools and tactics that resonate

in one area may well fail in another.

What is less obvious – and may even seem counter-intuitive to local

brand-building best practices – is the necessity of taking a global

approach to issues and crisis management. situations affecting

brands and business rarely start in or stay contained to a geography.

the majority of issues impacting the industry today are a set of

common negative forces affecting nearly every brand and corporation

in every market in the world. they may play out to varying degrees in

each market but they are typically the same core issues.

these issues are fuelled by a shift in power to the people enabled by

democratised social and digital platforms, which have removed the

ability to control, isolate and starve out simmering issues and activists.

in an instant, like-minded consumers can aggregate and agitate for

change online. Who are these people? and can they be reached?

our Ketchum Food 2020 global research identified a new consumer

influencer segment we have dubbed the Food e-vangelist. they are

Phot

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uns

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// 7 Promote vs. protect

self-appointed agents of change who are neither activists nor

affiliated with groups or each other. they view themselves as serving

a higher purpose to warn and protect others from food-related risk

by way of sharing and questioning the status quo. they are not the

extreme, small percentage of the population that can never be

reached or satisfied. to the contrary, our research shows Food

evangelists are and can be the moveable middle on many issues.

What’s more, data shows that they exist in every country, and we

have learned that the drumbeat heard around the world from Food

e-vangelists is remarkably similar and consistent. conversely, we

know that if dismissed or dissatisfied they will congregate and

collectively agitate for change on a massive and public scale.

the borderless and fluid ability of these groups to ignite and fuel

escalation is expanding exponentially. command and control

strategies no longer work. in fact, we‘ve seen evidence that they

actually backfire, accelerating the issue. the drain on local resources

to fight each brush fire is overwhelming and, frankly, this approach

is ineffective.

in any business, there is a time to sell and a time to tell. there are

also very different strategies for promoting versus protecting your

brands and business and confusing or integrating the two can have

serious negative consequences. Waiting until you see fires burning

can be even worse. concerned Food e-vangelists are continually

urging everyday consumers to pay attention and take action.

Bonfires become a raging forest firestorm all too quickly.

at Ketchum, we advocate building a two-way approach to global

communications in the food industry. Promoting from the inside

out locally in parallel with Protecting from the outside in regionally

and globally is the new paradigm. By adopting relationship-building,

reputation-enhancing communication initiatives between Food

e-vangelists who share common concerns and expectations, it is

possible to build a base of support, and

acceptance that will surround,

strengthen and shield local marketing

strategies. a skilled firm that is

steeped in food and agricultural work

should have separate teams working

on these two paths at all times -- one

regionally focused on protecting while

the other is locally focused on

promoting. it is crucial they be aligned

but each requires deliberately different

messages, channels and strategies.

We’ve all seen that bad things happen to good people – and to good

brands. When a crisis hits that disrupts business or threatens the

brand materially, you need a plan, a protocol and a firm that can

instantly mobilise and align across multiple borders. our global crisis

team runs simulations on a regular basis to ensure our clients are

prepared from the inside out. Broad-reaching technologies like our

mobile crisis app called mobile repProtect allow our clients to have

their crisis plans available to them

instantly via their smartphones as well

as to instantly contact the main crisis

manager on breaking situations via

email or a phone call within the app.

this technology allows all our necessary

parties within Ketchum and the client

organisation to quickly activate across

the world.

global integration is and will remain an

important aspect of business. But, at

Ketchum, we believe the food industry

requires global and regional reputation-building and crisis man-

agement infrastructures that align and work in parallel with local

marketing programmes. Protecting and promoting is, we believe,

a two-way street. //

8 // a talk with …

Ms Rützler, in your current food report you describe information

as a product and communication as the new market place of

the food industry. How should food companies and food makers

handle this new consumer power?

consumers are an anonymous crowd that we would like to be more

mainstream. instead, the group is becoming even more differentiated

and complex. this development needs to be taken seriously by food

companies and producers – they need to interact with their

consumers on an equal footing in order to attract their attention.

companies need to consider the new needs of consumers more

intensively, which can be a big challenge.

in order to develop, companies need to find out who they are and

what it is they stand for. to be credible, they need a clear strategy

and a holistic approach. only that way will they be able to strengthen

their quality credentials, which is the most important future success

criterion from my point of view.

We are currently seeing a trend of companies trying to collaborate

with bloggers. this particular group is very critical and knows exactly

what companies are trying to achieve – this calls for even more

transparent and open communication.

You say that consumers increasingly want more information

and transparency; this indicates that they are developing into

experts themselves. Which role will doctors, dieticians and

nutritionists play as vertical knowledge distribution turns into

horizontal knowledge sharing?

generally, industry experts are very important – also for political

decision making too. they are crucial stakeholders, advisers and

opinion leaders for government guidelines and political decisions.

But due to their expertise it’s not easy to win them for any cause.

this expert group of people develop strong opinions, which is why

talking to them is both important and sensible, just to be top of mind.

a talK With …Interview with Mag. Hanni Rützler, renowned nutrition expert and food trend researcher, conducted by Pepita Adelmann, Vienna, and Natalie Haut, Frankfurt.

Phot

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rüt

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// 9 a talk with …

additionally, media and advertising play big roles. even though these

are sometimes given too much credit, as there are not many

professional trade journalists around and products are often

portrayed wrongly, they are important influencers.

retailers and producers need to see themselves as a part of the

system – it’s all about credibility. unfortunately, some of this has been

lost through scandals and media discussions. even more importantly,

they need to conduct open conversations with all players.

At the moment, we are experiencing a market of high-quality

foods that cater for the individual needs of their consumers.

Additionally, small-shop strategies and special retail concepts

offering curated food are growing. Can the market keep up with

these trends or will the food industry as we know it today not

exist in 20 years?

From my point of view, most of these new concepts have great

potential. small corner shops and stores are gaining in popularity,

whilst supermarkets are not associated with pleasurable shopping

experiences any more.

massive product variety and long, plain aisles evoke stress

nowadays, rather than suggesting choice. multiple reward systems

turn us into bargain hunters with price being the only benchmark.

You might as well buy online if this is the only criterion. most

supermarkets resemble warehouses with products stacked in

groups, but this is not what we need any more. cooking and

shopping are not what they used to be: the housewife that needs to

cook for six children three times a day is vanishing. cooking is fun,

not a planned activity; shopping and storing habits have changed.

For example an average fridge in a one-person household contains

about eight products.

the industry is slowly adapting and recognising the change. You can

see a certain nervousness rising amongst the big players and there

is a lot of discussion about the future. in the u.s., for example,

change is already happening: big malls are being turned into urban

gardening concepts. many retail chains are starting to push into the

gastronomy sector to promote third-place settings. cooking, eating,

shopping – all-in-one concepts with flowing transitions are the

future. and packaging is also a big, contentious topic for the future –

so yes, change is definitely happening.

In your report, you split consumers into six groups ranging from

“eat their fillers” to “core food culturists”. Their needs and behavi-

ours are diverse. Does the industry need to focus more on these

individual consumer groups?

no, this is not a framework that targeted products can be created

for. age, sex and profession don’t help us to understand people’s

eating habits; it’s more a matter of lifestyle. this categorisation

shows how consumers deal with food-consciously or not. depending

on their involvement, the industry can promote topics and in that

way target and start conversations with certain groups. companies

should only get involved in issues that match their competence

though. if the trend is not suitable for your product, leave it.

otherwise you will just become inauthentic. companies need to

remember to focus on their core competences.

Does the “soft health” trend provide any new opportunities for

the industry?

i think this is one of the most exciting and challenging trends for the

food industry. health and fitness are on everyone’s agenda, but you

can only make it work if it is made suitable for everyday use. “soft

health” provides easily applicable solutions: they are state of the art,

not too fatty and not too sweet so you can still indulge. Frozen yogurt

is a good example of how the food industry has made use of the

trend: healthier icecream made fashionable.

“soft health” concepts have put “forbidden” things back on the

menu: chocolate, icecream, etc. new healthier flavours and recipes

allow conscious consumers to indulge healthily without having to go

without. We will definitely see more of this in the near future.

The online platform www.mealsharing.com gets people together

to eat and share home-made dishes. Do you think that this

could be an ongoing trend as the number of one-person house-

holds increases?

Yes, there are many exciting new third-place concepts around at the

moment; meal sharing is one of them. resulting from sustainable or

social considerations, this trend will become even bigger alongside

other new ways of eating out: hidden kitchens or pop-up restaurants

are all part of this exciting evolution of cooking. the topic of cooking

will always be around and it is currently redefining itself – that’s a

good thing which should be supported. //

10 //

Sweet summer recipe for next seasonA super-quick, healthy and fresh summer salad!

What do you need?• 100 grams black quinoa• 400 grams Sweet Eve strawberries• 2 handfuls watercress• 40 grams pecans• 100 grams feta cheese• Olive oil• Beet vinegar• Salt and pepper

How do you prepare this dish?Cook the quinoa according to the instructions on the packet. Set aside to cool. Hull and halve the strawber-ries. Wash the watercress. Mix the quinoa, the straw-berries and the watercress together. Roast the pecans in a dry frying pan until golden. Crumble the feta cheese over the salad. Make a dressing with olive oil and beet vinegar, adding salt and pepper to taste. Then it’s ready to serve!

The trend: fulfilling food

For consumers in the netherlands, food is becoming more and more

important – not just as a basic necessity but as a source of vitality,

health and beauty. consumers don’t buy food just to fill their

stomachs; nowadays, they really want food to benefit them physically

and mentally. consumers are increasingly looking for fresh, pure and

high-quality products, and they’re willing to pay a bit extra for them.

superfoods, green smoothies and raw products are becoming more

and more popular due to this trend. the dutch were eating

themselves strong, healthy and beautiful this summer!

Sweet Eve: a breakthrough strawberry

one of the seasonal products that really keys into this trend is sweet

eve, a branded strawberry. each strawberry is locally produced by

one of only three farmers who have been screened and selected.

this makes sweet eve a strong brand that is easily recognisable in

the supermarket and something which promises guaranteed quality.

unlike other strawberries, it is produced with flavour as the number

one priority to make sure the sweetness of the fruit eliminates the

consumer’s craving for sugar.

A Dutch food trend watcher‘s thoughts on Sweet Eve

“nowadays, people are more and more aware about what they eat.

earlier, people wanted to eat as much as they could for as little as

possible. this is changing. People are choosing quality products and

are starting to value the taste and origin of the product more every

day. For many people, good taste is about the level of sweetness in

combination with a nice smell. this is why the full, sweet taste of

sweet eve is a revolution for the humble strawberry. it makes you

realise: this is what a strawberry should taste like!” //

a dutch taste oF summer: sWeet eveTasted by Kim Zoon, Isabel Boerdam and Anja Verheij, Ketchum Amsterdam

// 11

For many years, moscow has been one of the ten most expensive

cities to live in. it has also been rather notoriously associated with all

of the excessive bling-bling the world can offer. no wonder fancy

fast food was quick to catch on in russia’s capital. american chef

and popular restaurateur isaac correa started moscow’s luxury

burger hype in 2011 by opening corner Burger – a new York-themed

restaurant that was the first to specialise only in freshly made

burgers of all types and sizes. With prices ranging from 10 to 15 euros

for a burger and fries/salad it was definitely not the most expensive

place to eat in moscow, but it did start a popular food trend. more

importantly, it also legitimised fast food as something that didn’t

have to be sold at food stands, cheap chain restaurants and diners.

alexandr Zalleski, co-owner of the trendy Burger Brothers café,

explains moscow’s burger trend: ”in my opinion, burgers are the

food of the century. they’re something that everyone understands.

customers know what to expect when ordering one, it’s a bun with

meat and extras. But what’s much more important here and now is

quality. there’s a whole new category of people who keep asking

themselves the question – what am i eating? But they still want a

burger! so when we opened up the Burger Brothers, we set out to

find the best ingredients, and that’s exactly what we did.” that

basically sums up the first and main difference which turns regular

fast food into fancy stuff. You pay extra for the quality – fresh meat,

the best vegetables and no frozen semi-finished products. and it’s

not just about burgers. meatballs, noodles, falafel, shawarma, fish

and chips – an international mix of fast food has migrated from

street stalls to the menus of moscow’s fanciest restaurants.

meanwhile, wonderfully designed interiors help ease our guilty

consciences about the amount of fat and carbohydrate that is

impeccably served on a state-of-the-art porcelain plate.

here’s a quick guide to the fast food pleasures moscow’s high-end

restaurants have to offer: meatballs in cowberry sauce (16 euros) are

on the menu at orange 3, a new and very trendy scandinavian

restaurant opened by one of moscow’s most famous haute cuisine

restaurateurs – andrey dellos. another veteran of moscow’s F&B

business, arkady novikov, has fast food items in most of his very

expensive and fashionable venues. Fish and chips (17 euros) and

mini-chiburekki with crab meat for 13 euros are served at the hip

chips bar (chiburekki is a type of deep-fried pasty stuffed with

minced or chopped meat and onions made in tajikistan). You can try

a turkey pitta with vegetables and yogurt dressing for 11 euros at

novikov’s For People by People. the trendy ugolek restaurant run by

everybody’s favourite italian muscovite, uilliam lamberti, serves a

child-size portion of salmon bagel with artichokes for 12 euros, but of

course uilliam does it so elegantly, you’ll never feel robbed.

although fancy fast food is a pleasure based on a hedonist philosophy,

the cost is far from modest. Prices may not seem so high at first

glance, but you have to keep in mind all of the extras that are hidden in

restaurant dining. the starters, drinks, coffee and desserts add up –

often to an impressive 60–80 euros per person for a meal. only time

will tell whether fine fast food is a new trend in haute cuisine

simplification or just a passing fad. What is clear though is that moscow

has all sorts of adventures in store for picky food connoisseurs. //

FancY Fast FoodMaria Losyukova, Moscow

toast with poached egg and hollandaise sauce topped with savoy pâté,

citrus confiture and jalapeño.

Picture: the Burger Brothers.

From: www.facebook.com/theBurgerBrothers

12 //

Whiskey is certainly not the same as whisky. Bourbon, blended

whisky or malt – connoisseurs are offered a large choice of whiskies

which is as varied as the places in which they are distilled. For years,

scottish single malt whisky, written without the “e”, has been the

blueprint for good taste.

Produced only from malted barley, yeast and pure water, whisky fans

of all ages travel miles to visit the countless small distilleries in

scotland and to experience the variety of different whisky-producing

regions, and the unique characteristics of their spirits.

speyside is known for its mild and smooth whiskies, including some

of the most famous in the world. the whiskies of the highlands are

richer and full-bodied due to highland peat. malts from the orkney

islands, home to the most northerly distillery in scotland, offer

smoky, but truly mild flavours. the peatiest malts come from the

island of islay. its rough maritime climate, smooth water and

abundance of peat create whiskies with an intense flavour – which

are renowned among whisky-lovers.

the american bourbons have been ignored by european whisky fans

for a long time and were written off as an old man’s drink at the end of

the 1960s. the current bourbon boom in europe shows that two

wrongs don’t make a right. Kentucky is still the heart of american

whiskey production. hot summers and cold winters create an excellent

maturation process and an intense whiskey flavour. For a whiskey to

be called a straight bourbon, it must be produced in the u.s. from at

least 51 per cent corn, it needs to mature for at least two years in new,

charred casks made from white oak, and it must be bottled at 80 proof

or more. lately, straight ryes have been trending among whiskey

producers. these must be distilled to match the same specifications as

bourbon, but instead of corn, they are made of 51 per cent rye.

incredible as it may seem, bourbon has made its way to europe via

Japan. When young Japanese consumers were looking for an

alternative to the scottish malts their fathers loved at the end of the

1980s, they came across high-quality whiskeys from the u.s., allowing

them to set themselves apart from their fathers’ generation.

meanwhile, american distilleries have gone for premium quality

with superior spirits like small-batch bourbons or single-barrel

bourbons made by established distillers. one effect of the quality

trend is a growing number of so-called microdistilleries. these are

specialised in tiny production volumes. another effect is the revival

the renaissance oF u.s. WhisKeYsStraight bourbon and rye whiskies are celebrating a comeback, says Natalie Haut, Frankfurt

of classic cocktails from the roaring twenties such as rye

cocktails. these have piggybacked on the comeback of u.s.

whiskeys in europe.

it remains to be seen whether the bourbon boom being

discussed among experts will turn into a general comeback

for brown spirits including whisky and cognac. let’s see and

have a sip of excellent whisk(e)y along the way.

slainte and cheers! //

// 13 the excellence of italian manufacturing

the excellence oF italian manuFacturing“We are so vain,” says Sara Pecchielan from Ketchum Italy about the Italians

For a tourist, travelling to italy means living and enjoying the

italians’ excellence in any field: fashion, art, handicrafts, design

and, of course, food. the “made in italy” mark is a reliable way to

identify a product completely designed, manufactured and

packaged in this country, highlighting the passion, the high quality

and the added value of its origins and the country’s regional

traditions. all these values drive many consumers around the world

to prefer italian products and represent the strength and

considerable potential of italian exports. “made in italy” is, in some

way, a brand within a brand and, according to a market survey

carried out by the company KPmg in 2011, it is the third best-

known brand in the world after coca-cola and visa.

exPo 2015, the universal exhibition which will take place from 1 may

to 31 october, will be a great occasion to highlight food-related

issues because its slogan is “Feeding the Planet, energy for life”. it

will certainly be an opportunity to showcase the excellence of italian

manufacturing, with milan hosting the event. With the show on the

horizon, every italian company is keen to improve its national and

international image, including highly respected firms such as the

wine company Berlucchi, which already exports to more than 30

countries. Pride, passion and an unswerving commitment are the

values that shape the brand, which develop the most famous italian

wine-making method ever, cuvée imperiale. With its long-standing,

deep commitment to promoting the “made in italy” mark around

the world, and its historic role in launching Franciacorta wines, the

company achieved a milestone in 2013 when it was awarded

docg recognition, highlighting its commitment to promoting an

international appreciation of italy’s history and talents.

everyone knows that italy is famous for its excellent, varied food and

its traditional regional products. it should therefore come as no

surprise that the global food megastore chain eataly has proved so

popular. Founded by the entrepreneur oscar Farinetti and sponsored

by slow Food, the movement that preserves traditional and regional

cuisine and the local ecosystem, the company has set itself a great

14 // the excellence of italian manufacturing

goal of offering the best italian food all over the world and making it

widely accessible to the public.

larte is another example of a unique experience which embodies

contemporary italian lifestyle in the world of luxury goods. it is a one-

of-a-kind concept store in milan created by Fondazione altagamma

where the best luxury italian companies specialising in food and

wine, art, design and fashion cooperate to highlight italian-made

products. all these companies unite a pride in manufacturing with

quality, creativity and inventiveness: all good arguments for choosing

italian products, which are recognised worldwide as offering high

quality, attention to detail and creativity in their design and shapes.

italy’s excellent reputation is founded above all on the idea of creating

something that is unique in the world and making each product

extremely well. this is the reason why “made in italy” has become

synonymous with good taste. Following its great domestic success,

larte is going to open new stores abroad, exporting its unique

luxury experience under the italian flag.

one product heavily linket with italy is mineral water, and the

sanpellegrino group is a top player in this category. the company is

heavily involved in front-line efforts to emphasise the importance of

origin in determining different water flavours. By virtue of their

origins and their strong relationship with italy, its culture and its

traditions, acqua Panna and s.Pellegrino perfectly represent the

italian style as a synthesis of conviviality, well-being and fine dining.

sommeliers, chefs and connoisseurs worldwide, from the united

states to France, germany to canada, the uK to australia and Japan

to the united arab emirates, agree that these two premium waters

are the quintessence of italian lifestyle and good taste, which is why

they grace the world’s finest dining tables. //

// 15

every decade has its own signature trends in food and lifestyle. the

golden noughties may have been characterised by pleasure and

wealth seeking, but in these times of faster-paced living, multitasking

and societal change we are looking for deceleration, stability and a

return to social values like family and friends. a central theme is how

the home is becoming a social centre of life to which we proactively

and consciously retreat with our friends and family. Food and

nutrition are playing an elementary part in this trend concept.

Cooking is relaxing

coming home after a stressful day in the office, often all we want to

do is to relax. on the other hand, we still want to spend time with

our family and friends. cooking with or for your friends is a way to

combine both aspects. You can have a chat with a friend while

preparing food, enjoy quality time and relax together. it‘s true that

the most valuable discussions take place in the kitchen!

It’s a family affair

mum’s delicious potato salad or grandma’s favourite jam: traditional

recipes, handed down from generation to generation and refined

with your own modern touches, are also an upcoming trend. this is

about cherishing your family traditions and presonalising them at the

same time. it also means cooking with fresh and healthy ingredients,

choosing foods that satisfy your body and soul and increasing your

quality of life. //

Further information (German only):

www.werteindex.de/blog/kontrolle-ersetzt-lust-als-

lebensstil-pramisse

www.trendmonitor.biz/kategorie/gesellschaftliches/artikel/

so-praegt-der-homing-trend-die-maerkte.html

www.gutekueche.de/blog/diverses/wer-selbst-kocht-liegt-voll-im-

trend.1946.htm

home sWeet homeJudith Knabe from Brandzeichen, a Ketchum company, describes the rise of cooking

16 // la Jeune rue

La Jeune Rue is designed to be a unique project in terms of its

scope and engagement. it brings together fantastic places that

embody a simple motto: beautiful, right and good. curated by Behind

the scene, these places to eat and live were designed as ethical

retail spaces, a meeting point for hard-working, talented producers

and designers, with the vision to create a place where the urban

population can retrieve the best of nature.

each food store conceived by an experienced designer in la Jeune

rue aims to offer for sale healthy, nutritious and tasty products with

as few intermediaries as possible (if any). these products are carefully

selected by passionate, ecologically responsible producers and

guaranteed by an ethical charter (mainly based on the enrichment of

the soil). in respect of nature’s cycles, the choice of products is strictly

seasonal. la Jeune rue is not an elitist project. every product is

therefore sold at a fair price. it is a place for knowledge and leisure –

somewhere to discover a dream come true and made accessible

to everyone. it is a new model, a new way to bring the countryside to

downtown Paris. two examples:

antonin Bonnet – the chef behind la Jeune rue

cédric naudon and antonin Bonnet developed the concept for le

sergent recruteur: simple cuisine, capable of communicating the

taste of exceptional products fairly and honestly. inspired by

Japanese omakase art, antonin looks for the truth. his cuisine is

constantly refined to give stronger emotions thanks to the products

he works with.

roland Feuillas – bakery

roland Feuillas has always had a passion for bread. driven by an

ambition to produce a 100% natural bread and make bread a fine

thing once again, he is dedicated to finding the right products and

processes in nature to make a bread born of the earth. //

la Jeune rue Christelle Lepiètre from Ketchum Paris presents the new district in Paris dedicated to food

The international designers involved in this project: Andrea Branzi, cinema. Architect and designer Andrea Branzi is associated with every major movement of the Italian avant-garde: Alchimia, Archizoom and Memphis // Maud Bury, Anahi restaurant. After studying at École

Camondo, Maud Bury spent ten years with Philippe Starck before going it alone in 2012 // Frères Campana, bar and fish restaurant. The Brazilian brothers Fernan-

do and Humberto Campana have developed a design based on reusing or recycling crafted products and

aesthetic transgression // A+A Cooren, hardware store. Aki and Arnaud Cooren met at École Camondo and

graduated in 1999. The same year, they founded A+A Cooren, their Parisian studio reflecting a sober design style which is always in search of a delicate balance

between aesthetics and pragmatism // Vincent Darré, ice cream parlour. After devoting himself to fashion,

photography and Parisian nightlife, the French designer and talented director Vincent Darré burst onto the

interior design scene, founding Maison Darré in 2008 // Tom Dixon, grocery and fishmonger. Self-taught genius

Tom Dixon has been shaping his own vision of design since the 1980s. A true workaholic, he has dozens

of design, art and fashion projects on the go // Ramy Fischler, oyster bar. Ramy Fischler is a Belgian design

graduate from EnSCI-Les Ateliers. For nearly ten years, he worked with Patrick Jouin before being admitted to

Villa Media for a one-year resident fellowship in 2011 // Jaime Hayon, Japanese club and flour mills. Jaime

Hayon is a Spanish artist/designer who was born in Madrid in 1974. After studying industrial design in Ma-drid and Paris, he joined Fabrica in 1997 where he was appointed head of the design department at the age of

24 // José Lévy, concept and hardware store. Born in Paris, José Lévy began his career in menswear before

devoting himself to design. A sense of eclecticism characterises the style of his compositions, which

range from sculpture to decorative arts // Michele De Lucchi, butcher’s shop. Michele De Lucchi was born in 1951 in Ferrara. After a period dedicated to radical and

experimental architecture following movements such as Cavart and Alchimia, he became one of the pillars

of the Memphis Group // Marc Ange, covered market. Originally from Rome, Marc Ange founded the studio Bloom Room in 2008 and completed his immersion in

design by creating Chimera in 2012, which distributes upmarket pet furniture // Ingo Maurer, speakeasy. Born

in 1932, Ingo Maurer is a German designer, known for his genre-defining lamps and light fixtures // Atelier

Mendini, bar. The charismatic designer, architect and intellectual Alessandro Mendini was born in 1931. His work always stands out due to his use of colour, flam-boyance, derision and decoration // Jasper Morrison

, tapas bar. Jasper Morrison is an English designer, born in London in 1959. Purist among purists, he enjoys

a basic design where forms and volumes are never forcefully imposed, preferring the delicacy of minimal lines // Paola Navone, Korean street food. Paola na-

vone is an architect who trained at Turin Polytechnic. She has worked alongside Alessandro Mendini, Ettore

Sottsass and Andrea Branzi in the Alchimia group // Nendo, pastry and bread. The designer Oki Sato is the man behind nendo. Born in 1977 in Canada, he

moved to Japan, where he graduated from Waseda University as an architect in 2002, before founding the nendo studio in Tokyo that same year. A decade later,

his harmonious designs have emerged as a key part of contemporary design // Eugeni Quitllet, cheese shop. Eugeni Quitllet is a native Catalan designer from Ibiza, born in April 1972, whose work questions the limits of

design // Patricia Urquiola, Italian restaurant. Patricia Urquiola studied architecture at the University of Ma-

drid before starting her design career alongside Achille Castiglioni and Piero Lissoni // Wallpaper, wallpaper

store. Wallpaper is a British-based magazine founded in 1996 by Tyler Brûlé and recognised for its expertise

in the fields of design, architecture, fashion, entertain-ment and media // Julie Boukobza, art gallery. Julie worked as a journalist and exhibition curator in new

York for six years. In 2010, she founded the Modern Talking website, a project which uses pictures and text

to examine forms of contemporary conversation

// 17

Enzymes: add a little, do a lot

given these market conditions, it is no surprise that there is an increase

in the number of consumers wanting fresh, healthy juice made from blue

and red berries. however, unknown to most people, when berries are

squeezed, only some of the antioxidants and juices are released. so a

special enzyme designed to break down the skin and tissues of these

delicate fruits is needed to extract more from them. manufacturers using

these enzymes can actually double the level of antioxidants made

available in the juice, compared to not using enzymes. also, if coloured

berry juice was produced in europe and north america without the help

of enzymes, the cost of producing the juice concentrate would be about

20% higher, potentially making it less accessible to consumers seeking

the health-giving properties and great taste of berry-based juices. that

would be a real shame for families already contending with the rising

cost of living. //

maKing everY BerrY countAlison Doughty about the rise of antioxidant-rich fruit juices

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the skin and flesh of colourful fruit such as cranberries, blackberries

and the superfood açai berries is rich in vitamin c as well as in natural

compounds called anthocyanins. the juice extracted from these

berries is brightly coloured, has a distinct flavour profile and potent

antioxidant properties. the global juice market is complex. Whilst

products able to make specific health claims or offer unusual flavour

or nutrient profiles have continued to do well, consumers have

grown sceptical of the intrinsic health benefits of more traditional

products like orange juice, which contain a substantial amount of

sugar. recent uK consumer media coverage has criticised

household-brand orange juices for their high sugar content and there

have even been recommendations that fruit juice should not count

towards a person’s “five a day”. there is a clear opportunity for

beverage manufacturers to leverage the rich colour and health

benefits of berries to create 100% juices that both taste great and

support a balanced diet. in fact, the beverage sector has already

seen an increase in consumer demand for antioxidant-rich açai, goji

and aronia berry drinks.

Meeting consumer brand demand: more high-quality

functional ingredients needed

taste and health-giving properties are not the only attributes that

consumers look for when reaching for fruit juice. convenience has

become an increasingly important consideration when buying food

products. given that 80% of British adults admit to struggling to keep

up with the recommended “five a day”, the attraction of a high-quality

fruit juice or smoothie that counts as one or two portions is clear.

market research confirms this, indicating that, while sales of fruit juice

remain static at a high level throughout europe and north america, in

asia, south america and north africa they are going from strength to

strength. low-acid and not-from-concentrate juices have recorded the

highest growth rates in these regions, with a shift towards high-

quality products with antioxidants and other functional ingredients

similar to that previously seen in europe and north america.

18 // What’s cooking in madrid?

With five of its restaurants holding two michelin stars and one with

three, madrid is considered one of the world’s tastiest capitals. in

this unique gourmets’ paradise, some of the most internationally

renowned chefs have developed new culinary formulas by

capitalising on the city’s unquestionable gastronomic glamour.

talent, quality and design: a foolproof combination that can be found

in the majority of madrid’s most famous restaurants, from those as

recent and impressive as diverxo to established gastronomic

temples like santceloni. spain’s capital has witnessed the birth of

new phenomena like Platea, a revolutionary concept in gourmet

leisure space which proves that there is still room for innovation in

the world of haute cuisine. With 5,800 square metres of space, it

plays host to chefs who have amassed six michelin stars between

them (Paco roncero, Pepe solla and marcos morán) and an extensive

culinary offering that includes upmarket cocktails under the

stewardship of diego cabrera and luca anastasio. it’s become a

gastronomic titan and an obligatory stop for gourmets.

Diversity and good taste

david muñoz, gastronomy’s new enfant terrible, has driven palates

wild with his restaurant diverxo, a miscellany of mediterranean,

What’s cooKing in madrid?Whether it’s to revel in the finest traditional dishes or to surprise yourself with the latest creation from the country’s avant-garde cuisine, Madrid is the ideal destination for every taste. By Helena Camacho, Ketchum Madrid.

asian, rebellion and design with three michelin stars to its name.

this avant-garde global benchmark is located at the hotel nh

collection madrid eurobuilding. the venue will soon host other

culinary establishments such as a space managed by chef Paco

roncero, a genius who has triumphed with several projects in

madrid. one of these projects is roncero’s gastropub estado Puro, a

reinterpretation of the traditional spanish tapas bar that explores

culinary forms under the concept of neocañí. another of the capital’s

unmissable restaurants is santceloni. the sublime quality of its food

and service make this hidden gem a destination for all the senses.

chef Óscar velasco approaches tradition in his own inimitable style

and has won two michelin stars.

this is how spain’s capital reveals itself as the city of a thousand and

one tastes with a vast array of possibilities that offer a delicious

journey through one of the world’s richest gastronomic cultures.

anyone who tastes madrid comes back for second helpings. //

// 19

Collaboration is the way forwards

Food is far more than just a necessity of life. and food is not just food –

especially internationally. For example, while the French celebrate

their food and spend a fair amount of money on buying food products,

germans are far more price-conscious when it comes to grocery

shopping. every culture has a different approach to food and

therefore to food communication. our global Food & nutrition

Practice has understood this for nearly 60 years. do you want to

know if your campaign will work in spain or what you have to consider

for communication in italy? no problem, at the mere press of a

button we have access to colleagues and food trends through our

worldwide internal food database. monthly calls, webinars and

personal meetings keep our food practice team bang up to date.

our food practice members are experts in every specialism a

company might need. Whether it’s B2c, B2B, digital, crisis or

internal communication – to mention just a few – there is always an

expert to hand. our people provide a specialised skill set for activities

that go way beyond the press release. our view is that no one can

claim to be good at everything, so we specialise in what we‘re best

at and work together. We like it that way, and our clients like it too.

How ideas happen

companies are always searching for creative new ways to position

their innovative offerings. But with so little that is genuinely new,

finding fresh ideas can be challenging – even in the best creative

brainstorming sessions. this is why we have developed numerous

our glocal grocerY storeYou love to purchase international products? Wonderful, then you are in the right place. You prefer to shop locally or buy products from your region? Welcome, you have found the right store as well. Ketchum Pleon’s global Food and Nutrition Practice has food experts and food lovers in nearly every office – 75 people all across Europe. We provide a service which is tailored to your needs, working with clients internationally as a cross-border team or locally, focusing on a specific region. Collaboration and creativity are the keys to our approach. Article by Diana Dorenbeck, Ketchum Pleon Munich.

creative tools to generate breakthrough ideas. Whether you’re in need

of fresh ideas or have some to share, it’s easy to launch a challenge or

post an idea using our crowdsourcing communities mindfire and ide8.

mindfire invites graduate and undergraduate students from the

world’s leading universities to participate in brainstorming and tackle

real challenges. internally, ide8 allows colleagues to collaborate 24/7

on client brainstorming sessions and any work-related challenges.

however, creativity and creative tools are not an end in themselves.

recognising this, Ketchum Pleon was the first Pr agency to create

a dedicated role solely

responsible for creativity.

as global Partner and

chief creative officer,

Petra sammer is respon-

sible for the strategic and

creative development of

Ketchum in europe and

germany. Petra started

her career in Ketchum’s

Food and nutrition Prac-

tice, which she successfully led from 1999 to 2001. the Ketchum

Pleon glocal grocery store is the best place to find tailor-made crea-

tive campaigns. this central resource is conveniently located in your

area, no matter where you’re based. Be sure to check it out and let

us know what you think. //

“after five years working together, we value Ketchum as a deeply involved partner, challenging us and helping us to deliver results.”(Kathy heungens, corporate affairs director, mars Belgium)

20 // Food meets creativity …

Creative directors are commonplace in the advertising industry.

However, they are still quite unusual in the public relations sector.

What does creativity mean in PR? What do creative directors do?

there are a few Pr agencies that have creative directors and

specialised creative teams like Ketchum – which takes its lead from

advertising agencies. however, in Pr we generally have a different

approach. We don’t see “creativity” as a task for a small elite team.

instead, we ask everyone in the agency to come up with ideas. this

“democratised” approach differentiates us from other agencies, but

at the cannes lions international Festival of creativity you could

hear that more and more agencies are starting to think in the same

way. the reasons for this are very complex. in part, solutions for a

multi-screen, hyper-connected and engaging media world can’t be

found by a small group of “creativity gurus” acting alone.

today, you need to connect experts from many disciplines such as

journalists, it specialists, film-makers, researchers, artists and many

more. an idea can come from anywhere, so our view is that there is

little need for an autocratic creative director who is the “wise guy” and

supposedly knows it all. however, we do need a new type of creative

director that can facilitate creativity and connect different specialists.

How is creativity different in relation to the food industry?

Food is and always has been an industry that demands creativity

which appeals to all the senses – from sight and smell to touch.

Whenever you work for food products, you have to keep in mind that

eating and drinking are two of the most intense, sensitive and

emotional things we do every day and that we experience food with

so many senses. communication has to reflect this.

One of your key issues is storytelling. What does a food com-

pany have to take into account if it chooses a storytelling ap-

proach for communication?

at the cannes lions international Festival of creativity this year,

several food companies such as chipotle and honey maid won with

creative and highly visual storytelling campaigns. the key to their

success was their ability to find their core belief. every good story

has a reason to be told, so food companies need to know what their

reason is. i don’t mean the vision or mission of a company or a brand.

i mean that a compelling story needs to dig deeper and come up

with what simon sinek calls the “Why” behind a story.

Finally, one question regarding the future: what trends can you

identify in the field of creativity – maybe with regard to food?

as you know, it’s not easy to predict the future and there are several

ways to answer this question. one can either go totally sci-fi and

bring up ideas which are completely out of the blue and which sound

somehow outstanding, fascinating … but also a bit unbelievable and

questionable. or one can look at the past, and the present, and

expand on what’s already there.

to answer your question, i will choose the second option. in my

opinion, we will see more #live-communications in the future. By

this, i mean “real-time” communication where brands comment on

real-time events, jumping in quickly on running conversations and

sparking conversations in real time. i know that is challenging for

many companies and brands – and also for agencies – as this needs

new resources, new listening and new conversation skills. But if it is

done right it’s a powerful tool to engage with fans and consumers on

topics which are relevant to them. i also strongly believe in gamifica-

tion. the health care industry is currently testing therapy games to

support healing with mental and psychological motivation. Journal-

ists are testing news games to get complex information across. hr

departments are testing serious games to motivate employees and

help them to work more effectively through a playful environment.

and finally, the internet of things, wearable electronics and the

self-tracking trend will give us plenty of big data to play with. //

Food meets creativitY …Interview with Petra Sammer about her role at Ketchum Pleon and how she promotes creativity.By Diana Dorenbeck, Ketchum Pleon Munich.

// 21

there are a number of dangers lurking for brands and companies in the food industry –

from high-profile food scandals to allegations of price rigging, false advertising, quality

defects and damage to the environment – the list goes on and on. When a crisis strikes,

quick and consistent action is vital for preserving a good reputation. many companies

implement an internal crisis management process with the goal of keeping an issue away

from the public or at least reducing its impact. in line with these measures, they rehearse

various different scenarios and prepare reactive statements. however, many companies

are less well prepared once a crisis reaches the public: reaction times are too slow,

statements are evasive, and companies often try to distract the public with unimportant

reports on corporate responsibility or future projects. this approach no longer placates

consumers, journalists or ngos. thus, companies relying on last-minute crisis management

cannot effectively protect their brands and reputation.

it is a matter of corporate culture and attitude: today’s requirements for successful crisis

management are much more fundamental. at their core lies a company culture based on

transparency, the ability to tolerate criticism and the will to implement change. this is

because successful corporate communication should reflect contemporary corporate

culture and be founded on a set of progressive values. a company needs to communicate

with confidence in order to be able to protect its brands and reputation successfully. But

what does this mean in the real world? here are our suggestions:

Avoidance doesn’t work: generally speaking, critical topics must be addressed

immediately and cannot be avoided. Believing that these topics will just blow over by

themselves is naive. timing is crucial in such cases: discuss topics and shape the discourse

before they get on the agenda; once an issue is topical, it gains urgency and influences the

tenor of the debate.

Be willing to accept criticism: Be able to listen actively and admit to mistakes.

recognising mistakes is the first step to improvement. it signals to stakeholders that

you take them seriously and want to use their suggestions. after all, nobody’s perfect!

Be part of the solution: there is a demand for real solutions. always being against

something or trying to prevent something from happening is not the road to success. Be

prepared to adapt to new situations and bring solutions to the table. it’s important to

stake out a clear position in order to stay in the discussion.

Stay the course: no one expects you to solve every problem immediately. instead, set

clear goals and regularly evaluate progress. if a goal cannot be met, then communicate

this honestly and try to work with stakeholders to determine new, more realistic goals.

Engage in a transparent dialogue: criticism will seek you out, whether you are on

Facebook and twitter or not. disabling the comment function won’t help either. By creating

your own channels, however, you can react to criticism more quickly and actively take part

in discussions. the biggest perk: customers will not merely talk about you, but with you. //

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don’t get Burnt Five tips for preventing a communication crisis. By Claudia Holfert, Ketchum Pleon Berlin.

22 // the food blogger

it may be hard to believe, but blogging first started as an online journal

in the 1990s where people shared their interests and thoughts. today’s

blogs are unrecognisable. Bloggers are considered to be an important

part of today’s society – they have their own voice and people listen to

them. thus, they have become increasingly relevant for companies as

an important channel for dialogue with their customers.

today, bloggers do not only work as online journalists; they also act

as consultants for brands. Facts and figures show the rapid growth

of the blogger scene and its developments during the past years. in

october 2011, there were more than 173 million registered blogs and

in July 2014, tumblr reported approximately 195.1 million registered

accounts. most bloggers are female, young (aged 18–34) and well

educated. every third blogger is a mum, and more than 50 per cent

have kids. even though online platforms promise to connect with the

global world, there is still more interest in national blogs.

every blog category – beauty, fashion, photography, design or

parenting – has its own requirements. this is especially true of food

bloggers, who are well known for their criticism of the food industry

and their concerns over brand cooperation – not only in germany.

our experience is that you needn’t be scared to partner up with food

bloggers any more. things have changed! recently, we had an

interesting conversation with the german food blogger and

consultant uwe spitzmüller. his food blog called HighFoodality.com

is one of the leading food blogs in germany.

How do food bloggers react to enquiries from agencies and

companies?

the reactions are now usually quite positive – food bloggers are

more and more willing to cooperate with agencies and companies

so long as their independence is protected. the scene is about to

professionalise and bloggers are recognising the rising interest in

their work, reach and authority.

How should you deal with food bloggers?

agencies and companies should view bloggers as business partners

who are fully aware of the value of their reach, influence and power.

not all bloggers intend to use their platform for promoting products,

brands or certain topics. agencies and companies should follow

the Food BloggerJournalist, critic and PartnerInterview with Uwe Spitzmüller fromHighfoodality.com by Tanja Ackermann,Ketchum Pleon Frankfurt

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// 23 the food blogger

interesting blogs closely in advance in order to figure out which type

of cooperation could work and could create value.

there are some simple rules to follow: always be transparent about

your campaign goals and requested materials. Pay the blogger for

their work and use their expertise on how to access the market

most effectively. sponsored posts are not always the best means to

reach your audience. in most cases, the blogger knows exactly how

to address their readers. avoid trying to get content or reach for free;

mentioning the blogger on your company’s website is never suitable

compensation, for example. Product testing by bloggers is generally

great, but don’t send any products without asking for permission to

do so in advance.

To what extent does the blogger benefit from cooperation?

unfortunately, many requests for cooperation do not create a win-

win situation. in most cases, agencies or companies try to get

content, reach or market access without compensation. most

bloggers expect adequate reimbursement for their efforts – meaning

being paid fairly. cooperation with well-known brands helps bloggers

to build authority within their community. But remember that

blogging isn’t only about building authority – it is also about integrity,

reach, trust and being seen as a credible opinion former.

The food blogging scene has grown and become very professio-

nal. What has changed during recent years?

some bloggers have recognised the potential of the market and

others are exploring how the market works. there are still hardly any

full-time bloggers, although their numbers are growing. in recent

years, the scene has allowed more cooperation. cooperating with

agencies and companies is not a bad thing any more. the old rules

set up by the early bloggers have been crushed. new blogger

personalities are emerging everywhere and are creating a new

culture, with some beginning to professionalise their approach.

in the future, we will see a lot more full-time bloggers offering

services such as sponsored posts, advertisements, consulting,

blogger relations, market access, digital food consulting, Pr, content

marketing and creation, social media management and even product

development. this will be a huge advantage for agencies (and

companies) as they seek to team up with bloggers and use them as

consultants.

Have you noticed differences between bloggers in Germany and

other countries?

the german and u.s. blogging scene is incomparable. in the u.s.,

food bloggers have millions of visits each month and thousands of

bloggers make a living from their blog. the german food blogging

scene is pretty strong but no match for the u.s.. it’s followed by the

uK, France and italy. //

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24 // mr launch

Food as a category, in Europe, can mean conventional foods or

dietary supplements in the form of capsules or tablets. For

these different kinds of food, different issues play a role in

successful launches. Conventional and functional foods can use

taste to win consumers’ hearts. In contrast, food in capsules has

to convince consumers of its health effect and convenience. The

secret is to know what triggers different consumer reactions.

Today, is it more difficult to launch a new or existing food prod-

uct in a European country?

Yes, it is definitely more difficult to launch products in the eu today.

this is due to more complex regulatory requirements and strong

competition for market share. this is true for conventional foods, but

even more so for health foods, like functional foods, dietary supplements

and medical foods, which are what we specialise in at a&r.

What have been the most important changes over the last few

years? Is there a trend visible?

the most important regulatory change for foods was the implementation

of the nutrition and health claims regulation in 2007. it specifies which

messages relating to health issues can be used in the marketing of a

food product of any kind. it applies to nutrition claims (such as “reduced

salt”, “low fat”, “is a source of x”), health claims (“helps to maintain

normal blood pressure”), or disease risk reduction claims (“helps to

reduce elevated ldl cholesterol levels. high ldl levels are a risk factor

for cardiovascular disease.”).

all nutrition claims are listed in the annex of the regulation together

with their conditions of use. For example, if you want a product to

claim it is a “source of vitamin c”, it must contain at least 15% of the

rda for vitamin c.

nutrition claims are often relevant to conventional foods too.

manufacturers of supplements or functional foods are very keen to

market their products with health or risk reduction claims. messages

like “maintains a healthy ldl cholesterol level” can make a product

much more attractive to the consumer. But unlike nutrition claims,

health and risk reduction claims have to undergo an individual

application process and have to receive european commission approval

before manufacturers are permitted to use them on their products.

scientific substantiation data is evaluated by the european Food

safety authority (EFSA), which requires proof of the desired claim in

human clinical trials as well as data on the mode of action. this has

mr launchHow to launch food in European countries: an interview with Dr Jörg Grünwald, founder, analyze & realize GmbH

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// 25 mr launch

resulted in the eu applying a generic list of health claims for vitamins

and minerals. however, very few innovative claims for other

ingredients have survived the evaluation process.

a major trend in the food sector is healthy eating! the battle

to avoid being overweight or obese, supporting a healthly

heart, and the latest very important issue – supporting

mental health by dietary means – are all part of that trend.

depression, burnout syndrome and mood swings are

becoming very prevalent in society, and disease-preventive

measures like eating foods to avoid or delay alzheimer’s

disease, age-related macular degeneration and osteoarthritis

are all gaining momentum.

the novel Food regulation is another legal hurdle for some

manufacturers to deal with. this law controls what kind of

foods can be imported into the eu. it can also apply to food

manufacturers within the eu, where a new production

process has been used.

at a&r we do both consulting and clinical trial management

for drug and food standards. We can also provide very

specific strategic advice on scientific and regulatory questions.

How do you prepare for a health product launch?

You need a solid strategic plan that involves an initial market analysis,

a strong idea for how to successfully position your product and a

clear plan for how you will communicate this to the end consumer.

Quality and price have to be competitive with existing products in

the market and the specific benefit of buying your health product has

to be understood by the consumer. taste is more important for

conventional foods than for health foods. and convenience is still a

major factor: “do i have to invest a lot of time to prepare my food?”,

or “can i put the lid on and eat the rest tomorrow?”

Are market challenges more Europe-wide or locally relevant?

market challenges are still a local issue in the eu. although there is a

wish to harmonise legislation, which is reflected in many laws from

Brussels, we have to observe national laws first. in addition,

marketing centres on emotional, cultural and psychological ways of

reaching out to the consumer – and this is definitely a local game.

our regulatory knowledge helps us to define the best routes to

market, but success in the shops also depends strongly on marketing.

Can you describe a new food trend?

Besides the very strong health trend in Western and other societies

that i mentioned above, there is also a trend towards more variety

and more cosmopolitan foods and flavours. today’s consumer

demands fresh, natural, organic foods and a greater awareness of

where their food comes from. in addition, we are seeing a very

strong legal attempt to protect consumers. hence, transparency is

becoming more and more relevant. the digital information age in

which we live means the consumer can access all sorts of information

24 hours a day. companies that provide as much information as

possible up front protect themselves from problems later on.

Could you give us five tips on preparing a successful launch?

1. have a convincing product, a good story, a great taste and

health support.

2. have the perfect regulatory path to allow the best possible

claim and positioning.

3. combine advertising and Pr.

4. use suitable media channels including social media.

5. do not be too novel, but build on existing knowledge and

awareness of the ingredient. //

interview by natalie haut, Ketchum Pleon Frankfurt.

26 // eu food policy

Food is anything but a new issue for the european union (eu).

heavily dependent on food imports when it was created in the

1950s, the european economic community sought to promote

agricultural production with the common agricultural Policy (caP).

more recently, the eu has adopted an increasingly active health

policy. rather than promoting food production, the eu health policy

seeks to reduce the consumption of certain types of food.

unfortunately, this shift has been poorly coordinated and has led to

major anomalies or even contradictions.

Opening up to EU imports, but not everywhere

the eu’s agricultural policy still focuses heavily on the production of

food. this is why eu agricultural products need to be actively

promoted outside the eu. in this sense, international trade rules

have only had an initial impact on the agricultural sector and foods.

negotiations between the eu and the u.s. on the transatlantic trade

and investment Partnership (ttiP) aim to reach an agreement that

goes beyond trade measures and has an effect on domestic rules

and standards on both sides of the atlantic. eu consumer

organisations fear that this may reduce food safety and lower quality

standards in the eu. however, some producers, especially in the

u.s., see this as an opportunity to get rid of regulatory barriers that

are not, in their view, justified by clear scientific evidence. the eu

applies a precautionary principle whereby food imports can be

banned if there is any reasonable doubt that the product is harmless.

the application of this principle has resulted in it banning u.s.

imports of products containing genetically modified organisms

(gmos) or hormone-treated meat. in this connection, President-

elect Jean-claude Juncker said he would “not sacrifice europe’s

safety and health standards on the altar of free trade”.

The precautionary principle in food safety – consumer choice

or total ban?

the eu’s agricultural and health policies have both led to contradictions.

the reason for these anomalies lies partly in the way the eu is

organised. eu decision-making is increasingly compartmentalised.

Proposals are prepared by specialised directorates-general at the

commission and are then discussed by expert committees at the

european Parliament and the council.

although final adoption involves the Parliament and the council,

in reality this is rarely more than a rubber stamp for an agreement

reached by specialists from both institutions.

For example, wine is part of the agricultural policy, and so its

consumption is promoted, whereas beer and spirits are dealt with

under the health policy so their consumption is discouraged in

campaigns. this explains the important differences in approach. the

solution should be fairly obvious. competing products with the

same issues should be handled within the same policy area as

much as possible.

Now is the time to solve these issues

to ensure non-discriminatory treatment, all foods should be

covered by a single, coherent approach by the organisations

responsible for dealing with the agricultural policy aspects, health

concerns, competition and trade issues. the current eu institutional

changeover after the european Parliament elections in may 2014

comes at a good time to introduce some changes. the Parliament

has already decided that the committee on environment, Public

health and Food safety will deal with food health and the

committee on agriculture and rural development will handle

agricultural policy issues.

But at the commission, anything is still possible. mr Juncker does

not see food regulation as a priority. his college of commissioners

have still to be appointed and should take office on 1 november. the

new commission should take a fresh look at these issues and

produce a more coherent approach across all policies affecting

europe’s food. We should move towards a policy based on fair and

neutral principles that are applicable across the board. regarding the

digital economy, mr Juncker said that “we can offer even greater

opportunities in europe, with 500 million potential customers (…) if

we tear down the regulatory barriers (…). this requires political

determination. there will be resistance, as the current fragmented

regime has created very convenient, well-protected comfort zones

for some players. But europe would miss a historic opportunity if we

fail to tackle this challenge head-on”. the same logic could be a big

step forwards for foods. //

eu Food PolicY: time For a rethinKAuke Haagsma, Head of Public Affairs, Ketchum Brussels

// 27 grand extrem

in april 2014, mcdonald’s launched a new local hamburger in spain

called grand extrem. Ketchum spain organised the launch with two

different approaches: institutional and public relations. the launch

had three objectives in public affairs and public relations: First, to

create awareness about the commitment of mcdonald’s spain to

the spanish agricultural and livestock sector. second, to transmit the

key messages: locally sourced, high-quality meat (from the spanish

region of extremadura), enhance support for local beef with the

“100% beef from extremadura” certification and reinforce

consumer’s perception of quality food through the launch of a

premium hamburger. the third goal was to generate expectation and

awareness among consumers. so how did we do it?

Before it went on sale in at mcdonald’s in spain, the hamburger was

launched and presented in extremadura, the spanish region where

the grand extrem meat comes from, for the product’s institutional

presentation. Patricia abril, President of mcdonald’s spain, was the

host of this institutional event at a restaurant in the region. the event

was attended by the highest authorities: the president of

extremadura, regional minister of agriculture, mayor of cáceres and

other relevant local representatives. Franchises, suppliers and local

farmers also attended the event, as well as local media. all attendees

could take away key messages from this launch: high quality

standards at mcdonald’s spain as well as the ongoing commitment

of the company to local producers and suppliers.

the Pr campaign took both a corporate and a social media

approach. the launch event with consumers and media was

attended by 200 consumers selected through a previous Facebook

contest. the exclusive premiere took place in a restaurant in

madrid. cristina Pedroche, a local celebrity and tv presenter, was

the hostess. social magazines and tv stations as well as marketing

magazines and others covered the event. our social media

approach was to concentrate on an influencer campaign. six local

influencers (celebrities, sportsmen and singers) were the

promoters. With the hashtag #extremselfie they took a selfie with

the hamburger and posted it with a text specially created for each

of them by Ketchum, always following their very own style and the

usual tone of their messages.

all in all, it was a very successful launch which established a good

fan base for grand extrem in spain! //

grand extrem: an institutional aPProachHow Ketchum Madrid managed the launch of Grand Extrem, McDonald’s new local burger

Photos: mcdonalds

28 // let’s cook with staatlich Fachingen

a blogger event with the well-known food blog, HighFoodality.com

resulted in 255 recipes for the new staatlich Fachingen cookery

book “Natürlich besser kochen”, third edition. the best 22 got a

spot in the cookery book. the initiative was designed as a fund-

let’s cooK With staatlich FachingenHow Ketchum Frankfurt invented an inspiring blogger event

reactionsFrom the participants

“What a beautiful idea. Fachingen is one of my

favourite waters. i used to live just around the corner

from Fachingen. 200 recipes should not be a

problem.” www.

kochbuchfuermaxundmoritz.blogspot.com.es

“Wow, i am speechless but very happy to be part of the cookery book!“ www.mycookingloveaffair.de

“ i am so happy that my contribution made it into the cookery book.“ www.schoenertagnoch.blogspot.de

“this is such a wonderful idea!!! i’ll start thinking

about possible recipes right now! i am curious whether

we can reach 200.” www.fashionandfood.de

“great idea – it’s definitely worth investing a little bit of brainpower. i am very glad to support such a good cause.“ www.changpuak.ch/ Rezepte/index.php

“of course i am very happy about being chosen for the

final selection round.” www.puhlskitchen.com

“great event! 200 recipes should not be a problem!” www.kulinarisches-wunderland.com

“great idea! the name of the event is very well chosen.” www.widmatt.ch

raiser. staatlich Fachingen donated 10 euros to the organisation

“viva con agua” for every recipe that was submitted. the bloggers’

outreach and feedback was outstanding and strengthened the

opinion formers’ loyalty to the brand vastly. //

// 29

In order to make Dutch consumers aware of the kiwi fruits health

benefits, Ketchum translated Zespri’s “14-day kiwi fruit

challenge” for the Dutch market. As a first step, ten influential

health and food bloggers were supplied with two kiwi fruits a

day and invited to report on any health effects they experienced.

The challenge resulted in over 65 content pieces and over 4,500

likes, comments and shares. We took this as a positive sign to

roll out more promotions relating to our kiwi fruit challenge.

Next, we supported the launch of a mobile app as well as the

initiation of a healthy lunch for bloggers and journalists,

showcasing the tasty dishes that can be made with kiwi fruit.

Consumers were involved via a call-to-action event with the

health-orientated magazine gezondNU. Our diverse activities

and positive results raised awareness of how kiwi fruit can offer

everyone a healthier lifestyle. //

healthier liFestYle challenge How Ketchum Amsterdam started the kiwi fruit revolution

30 // go home on time day

go home on time daY BY Bisto gravYKetchum London tapped into a real insight and a true challenge of modern times

a campaign created to highlight the importance of work-life balance

and spending time with the family midweek resulted in over 164

media items reaching over 133 million people as well as engaging key

influencers to tweet and post about the campaign. there were 1,395

mentions over the search period 31 august – 30 september 2012.

Bisto, in cooperation with Working Families, sponsored the go

home on time day (ghotd) and encouraged families to leave work

on time on 26 september and enjoy a family meal with Bisto.

the campaign helped to reignite and build on the emotional

connection that consumers already have with Bisto as well as

creating notable outreach by media and key influencers. //

// 31 Beer tasting at ibis

an informal after-work get-together with journalists and bloggers as

well as ibis representatives at the ibis hotel near grand Place led to

high-quality, high-quantity coverage in national and lifestyle

publications and the trade press as well as on online news sites and

social media.

the successful event was attended by 46 journalists from key

national media and offered an entertaining programme including fun

beer tasting and sampling as well as giveaways for every journalist

and blogger. in addition to this, a creative viP press mailing was sent

to 30 top journalists and bloggers while a press release was widely

disseminated to lifestyle, trade and regional press and bloggers. //

Beer tasting at iBis A case from Ketchum Brussels

Photo: ibis

32 //

the story of media and organisational communication over the last

20 years is a shift from mass forms of communication to social

forms of communication. mainstream media, themselves a work in

progress, are giving way to personal forms of media. these media

are social and are created, shared and curated among communities.

Shift in organisational communication culture

Brands need to shift from a corporate tone of voice to a human

voice, and replace formal command and control structures of

communication with informal frameworks and customer relationship

management. Public relations is undergoing the single biggest

upheaval of its 100-year history. it is no longer siloed as a

communications function but must be part of every area of a business.

What’s more, our business has the opportunity to become the

organisational conscience and operate at the highest levels of

organisations. this is the shift to social business. moving beyond

traditional media as a proxy to build influence to direct relationships

with publics – or audiences to use marketing parlance – will be

critical to future success.

there are early signs that this is starting to happen. asda, iBm, o2

and P&g, amongst others, are notable examples of organisations

that have set out on this journey.

Stop posting nonsense on the internet

however, for the majority of organisations, social media programmes

have been bolted on to existing marketing and public relations

efforts, with mixed success. some examples of ways that brands

are failing in their attempt to engage with their audiences: attempt

to engage with their publics, or audiences.

• airheads talk rubbish. they are most likely to ask daft questions,

and have no interest in your response. a Facebook group called the

condescending corporate Brand Page celebrates examples.

• nutters are inane. they have no awareness of context or empathy.

they are most likely to hijack a hashtag inappropriately.

• automated brands are wedded to content calendars and robotically

push out content with limited engagement.

tom liacas has made a study of these different personas. he’s a

provocative thinker whose blog i thoroughly recommend.

Bravery required

modern forms of media are social. networks form through

communities of interest, and food is a key area. they occur via blogs

or networks such as Facebook, Pinterest or twitter, spearheaded by

an individual or small motivated group.

modern Food Brands need to Be SOCIALKetchum Europe’s Digital and Social Media Director Stephen Waddington, London, examines the importance of social media for food companies, and asks whether a brand can ever truly be social

Photo: luke chesser via unsplash.com

// 33 Food contacts

contactsGlobal Practice

linda eatherton, Partner/director,

global, Food and nutrition Practice, usa (chicago)

linda.eatherton@ketchum.com // +1-131-222-8691

European contacts

Austria (Vienna)

Pepita adelmann, senior consultant

pepita.adelmann@ketchum-publico.at // +43-1-

71786-108

Belgium (Brussels)

hilde ransschaert, account director

hilde.ransschaert@ketchum.com //

+32-2550-0055

France (Paris)

christelle lepiètre, senior account executive

christelle.lepietre@ketchum.fr //

+33-333-315332-5535

Germany (all offices)

natalie haut, managing Partner

natalie.haut@ketchumpleon.com //

+49-69-24286-126

For information about Brandzeichen,

a Ketchum company, please contact

Lena Stemplewitz, Office Director Hamburg

lena.stemplewitz@brandzeichen-pr.de //

+49-40-4133019-17

Italy (Milan)

alessandra de martino, Business director

alessandra.demartino@ketchum.com //

+39-02-62411-953

Netherlands (Amsterdam)

tim de Boer, ceo, Ketchum amsterdam

tim.deboer@ketchum.com // +31-20-487-4000

Russia (Moscow)

maria losyukova, account director

maria.losyukova@ketchum.com //

+7-495-664-2888-205

Spain (Madrid)

ana gonzalez, associate director

ana.gonzalez@ketchum.com //

+34-349-1788-3203

UK (London)

Kate hopper, Practice director

kate.hopper@ketchum.com // +44-20-7611-3713

at Ketchum we believe there is a large population of influential

consumers who are leading the public debate about how food is

produced and marketed, and they are determined to bring about change.

We call them the Food evangelists, a segment of the population on

a mission to change others’ beliefs, opinions and purchase decisions

when it comes to food. these intensely passionate and engaged

consumers are affecting the marketplace in powerful ways. the

challenge for brands is how organisations and brands fit into this

mix. they need to be relevant but also communicate in a human way,

and they have no option but to engage with Food e-vangelists.

a model for the motivation of human relationships was described by

abraham maslow in a paper called “a theory of human motivation”

in “Psychological review” in 1943. the psychologist identified

human motivation on a scale encompassing physiological drivers,

safety, belongingness and love, esteem, self-actualisation and self-

transcendence.

Brands building relationships with

publics, or audiences, via social

media need to root their purpose

as firmly as possible in a lower

order need. this fits well in the food category. it’s a necessity to

human life, and a means of improving self-esteem and, via cooking,

achieving self-actualisation. can a brand ever truly be social? of

course it can.

social media provides us with an incredible opportunity to engage

with publics, or audiences, directly. But it’s an intrinsically human

form of communication that requires empathy and humility.

organisations need to be brave in adapting their communication. //

can a brand ever truly be social? of course it can.

34 // european hotspots

hotspots selected by our offices around europe

a restaurant called BaK is one of the newest hotspots in amsterdam.

this pop-up restaurant is run by three passionate young guys. the

local newspaper, “het Parool”, described it as a “tree house on fire!”

– a description that we think is absolutely spot on. BaK is located in

the loft of an old warehouse overlooking amsterdam harbour. You

are situated in cosy, wooden surroundings with large windows and

an amazing view. the menu changes every week, and their Facebook

page carries descriptions of the ingredients you can expect. the

concept is simple: four-, five- and six-course lunches and dinner,

mainly prepared with fresh, local and seasonal vegetables, and a

small piece of perfectly cooked fish or meat. this place is one of the

dutch must-eat hotspots for 2014!

www.bakrestaurant.nl

BaK“Tree house on fire”, Amsterdam

the menu of the restaurant is more than a list of dishes – it is a trip

around the world and into the gastronomic universe.

By inviting three international guest chefs to propose their

interpretations of the same nine basic ingredients, Pierre Balthazar

has composed a menu that offers a variety of dishes showcasing the

authenticity and originality of the chefs’ different personalities and

backgrounds. When we were there we could choose whether we

wanted our asparagus the French, thai or italian way. or we could go

for scallops – difficult to choose … We tried the thai way. the

restaurant is part of the hotel – where Barack obama stays when

he is in Brussels. it is also conveniently close to the best shops.

www.newplacestobe.com/region/brussels/new-the-hotel-brussel

the restaurant A personal trip around the world, Brussels

euroPean hotsPots

Photos: BaK (left), the restaurant (right)

// 35 european hotspots

street Food thursday is an enormous feast of eclectic food from

around the globe located in markthalle neun, an unrenovated market

hall that’s been around for 120 years in Berlin-Kreuzberg. it is certainly

one of the most popular weekly culinary events, and also part of a

trend: nowadays, food is almost as important as partying in Berlin :-)

www.markthalleneun.de

marKthalle neun

The new Berghain, Berlin

since end of august, Frankfurt’s gastronomic scene has got a new

venue: carte blanche has opened its doors in the nordend district.

a new restaurant is always interesting, but this one is something

different. head chef sebastian Ziese, previously souschef at the

goldman restaurant, works without menus and asks his customers

what they fancy to eat. sebastian Ziese describes his concept:

“actually, the food is à la carte – only without a menu.” naturally,

there is a dish of the day, but beyond that chef and owner Ziese

does not want to promote any specific dishes. instead of handing

out a menu he visits every table himself and talks to every

customer about their respective dinner. to aid his customers

heuploads photos of his daily purchases to his restaurant’s website

carte BlancheSpecial dining without a menu, Frankfurt

and Facebook page. From there, it’s all about personal culinary

wishes. this concept allows the customer to be utterly surprised by

the result of their order. “i have cooked in switzerland for several

years, hence there are certainly influences from French cuisine,

says Ziese. at the same time, he also likes to take influences from

mediterranean, asian and local dishes, opening up a wide array of

potential ideas. “in my restaurant i want every social class to feel

comfortable and have them sitting next to each other, he states.

“From a Wiener schnitzel to a seven-course menu, we will offer all

kinds of creations.” to ensure his customers are satisfied, Ziese

prepares the food in the same room where the guests are seated.

By doing so, even sudden changes in orders or last-minute requests

are possible. his vision is to establish a restaurant he himself would

want to visit. or as he puts it: “casual fine dining with lots of fun”.

www.carteblanche-ffm.de

Photos: markthalle neun by Jana galinowski for foodfunk.de

Januar 2015

Ketchum Pleon gmbh

Windmühlstraße 160329 Frankfurt

concept and realisation:natalie haut, managing Partner, Frankfurt

layout and illustrations:

Business development germany Yasmine cordes

Final artwork and production: ramona Bornhoff

get in touch

twitter: @KetchumPr

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ketchum

Website: www.ketchum.com/nb/food-nutrition

Blog: http://appetite.ketchum.com

Blog germany: www.foodfunk.de