High fiber is not limited to bran-based cereals.
Campbell Soup Co. recently has been touting the fiber content of several of its soups, especially Bean and Bacon, while comparing it benefits to various bran cereals.
President Reagan`s colon cancer, along with the acknowledged health benefits of a high-fiber diet, have had cereal makers rushing new bran cereals and product-line extensions on the market. There may be 25 to 30 different bran cereals–Kellogg the big hitter–on the market.
But other companies also have gone to work in restaging their brands with fiber.
Consider International Multifoods Corp., a $1.2 billion sales company, whose most visible consumer foods and properties include Robin Hood, Kaukauna, Kretschmer and Mister Donut, the latter a franchise chain.
Kretschmer Wheat Germ, sold in regular and honey-crunch varieties, came on board via the 1964 acquisition by Multifoods, headquartered in downtown Minneapolis.
Seeking to capitalize on the high-fiber and bran trend, Multifoods`
consumer-products division is hitting the market with Kretschmer Toasted Wheat Bran.
The item is being introduced to about 40 percent of the country, and distribution includes the Chicago market, the company confirmed.
Multifoods has gotten some good feedback from consumers in panel tests. More than half of those surveyed said they would try it. And of those who sampled it, 4 out of 5 said they would buy it. Buying preferences, however, don`t always guarantee a purchase.
In any case, the new sugar-free, sodium-free Kretschmer Toasted Wheat Bran, like its wheat germ, can be used as a topping or ingredient.
Unlike bran cereals, it can even be used as a topping for cereals. Bran-cereal sales account for an estimated 15 percent to 20 percent of the cold-cereal market. Moreover, bran-cereal sales are increasing 33 percent faster than the rest of the ready-to-eat cereal category.
SSC&B`S SPEEDY WIN
Speedy Muffler King, a Toronto-based firm, consolidated U.S. advertising of its Speedy Muffler King and its Car-X Service Systems chains with SSC&B in New York. The client said the total package is worth $15 million in annual billings. But the figure is more like $10 million, including an estimated $2.5 million to $3 million for Car-X, a Chicago-based firm and recent client of Dawson, Johns. Bozell & Jacobs-New York had the Speedy Muffler King business. SSC&B said it plans to open a service office in Chicago near Car-X offices at 444 N. Michigan Ave. SSC&B, one of the units of Interpublic Group of Companies, plans to do the creative work on its new account from its Manhattan headquarters. Speedy Muffler and Car-X are units of Tenneco Automotive, a Bannockburn, Ill.-based firm.
— Radisson Hotel Corp., a Minneapolis-based chain, assigned its $5 million-a-year corporate advertising account to Foote, Cone & Belding`s Chicago office, confirming an item in this column Tuesday. FCB competed against Ogilvy & Mather-Chicago and Carmichael-Lynch, a Minneapolis agency, for the Radisson account formerly with Bozell & Jacobs of Minneapolis. Radisson operates 51 hotels, either company-owned, operated under a management contract or franchised. Radisson plans to increase that number to more than 165 by 1989.
— Zurich-American Insurance Group, a Schaumburg-based firm, assigned its advertising to BBDO Chicago, which succeeds D`Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles on this account with capitalized billings estimated at $500,000 to $750,000. Zurich was a client of Benton & Bowles-Chicago, which was recently merged into D`Arcy. Zurich will continue to be a fee account.
On the move: Jay Charlesworth joined the Chicago office of Times-Mirror National Marketing as an account executive. . . . Morene Dunn named director of public relations, Girl Scouts of Chicago . . . Randy Mosher joined Zwiren & Wagner as senior art director.
Strictly personal: Birthday greetings to Gale Grasse, Morris Belzberg
(Budget Rent-a-Car), Ed Wollock (ABC-TV network), Roger Laven and Angelo Manolis.
Merchandising Executives Club of Chicago`s annual ”new products” dinner meeting Oct. 15 will zero in on strategies, case histories, a perspective from an ad agency and insights from wholesale and retail executives and buyers. Speakers are Chuck Marcy, vice president-retail marketing for Kitchens of Sara Lee; Donna Paulino, senior VP and director of account planning for HCM/
Chicago; Al Tuhy, senior drug buyer for Walgreen Co.; James W. Harralson, executive VP and chief operating officer for Royal Crown Cola Co.; and William C. Confer, newly named president of Scot Lad Foods. The meeting is scheduled for the Fountain Blue restaurant in Des Plaines. For information, contact James C. Alexander, executive director of MEC, at 332-1601.
— Masters Brewing Co., a new venture involving Adolph Coors Co., Molson Breweries of Canada and Kaltenberg Castle Brewery of West Germany, may have an announcement in the next week concerning the new beer it plans to market and the selection of an agency to handle it. The beer reportedly will not be an import, and sources suggest that Dancer Fitzgerald Sample in New York may have the initial ad assignment. Dancer works on Molson Gold, distributed in this country for Martlet Importing Co., a Great Neck, N.Y., firm.
— J. Walter Thompson USA`s new advertising for Lowenbrau beer will be previewed to Miller Brewing Co. distributors in late October, an indication the campaign will be in full swing in November. A few months ago, JWT`s Chicago office won Lowenbrau, which had been handled by Backer & Spielvogel in New York, the client`s principal agency, including responsibility for media buying for all brands. Lowenbrau`s current pitch has been ”Tonight, let it be Lowenbrau.” JWT-New York earlier this year launched a new campaign for Miller High Life, no longer the Milwaukee-based brewer`s flagship brand. Lite, now Miller`s top seller, continues to post sales gains, while High Life and Lowenbrau have been on the decline.
