In my Consumer Behavior class, me and a team of four students conducted research and in response to a theoretical request from Cheetos asking to choose between offering a cheesy, salty snack or a sweet, crunchy cracker in the U.S. market. My team was tasked to perform market research to figure out which of these products would have a greater appeal to Cheetos' target market.
Research Components
Survey
Brand Specific Association Analysis
Determine the potential product that consumers prefer based on their positive/neutral/negative associations with Cheetos snacks
Research about consumers' purchasing patterns and preferences toward general snacks
Multi Attribute Attitude Model Analysis
Recognize consumers' preferences among Cheetos cheese products compared to its competitors
Promotion Strategy
Develop advertisements and a sales promotion strategy for Cheetos' new product
Cheetos Queso Cheese Campaign
Survey
My team chose a quantitative primary research method of online surveying because it was convenient for our audience to participate with an online questionnaire and easy for us to analyze the data. We found that people are more interested and willing to choose between two snack choices than answering an open question, so surveying lead to a high participation rate. Online surveying also saved both our time and labor. It allowed us to collect data from a relatively large sample and instantly find statistically significant results.
Brand Specific Association Analysis
After conducting market research, we completed a Brand Specific Association (BSA) Analysis. From the list of 15 associations from each group member, our list of top associations listed in the chart below.
Through our marketing research, specifically a MAAM analysis, consumers viewed Tostitos, Cheetos main competitor in the queso dip market, as the best cheese brand. With Cheetos differentiation in flavors, as well as the consumers’ love for creamy, cheese dip, we believe that Cheetos Queso Dip is the most viable solution for a brand extension.
Positive associations with queso cheese snacks had a total net of 6 with 7 positive responses and 1 negative response (neutral associations=0), while positive associations for sweet, crunchy snacks had a net total of 1 with five positive responses and 4 negative responses. The exceeding number of positive associations indicated that Cheetos cheese products are more consistent and fit better with consumers’ impressions of the overall Cheetos brand than sweet products, which led to our decision to promote the new Cheetos Queso Cheese product.
Multi Attribute Attitude Analysis (MAAM)
The data in the chart above explain that Cheetos target audience weighted the cheese products' creaminess and color more than competitors' cheese products. This result led to our team's decision of choosing Queso Dip as a brand extension product based on consumers' preferences.
Promotion Strategy
To introduce Cheetos Queso Dip to potential customers, we planned to locate the product in high traffic, low- to mid-end grocery stores including Kroger, Walmart, and ALDI.
We determined that a competitive price of Cheetos Queso Dip is $2.89, which is below Tostitos ($3.48) and Kraft ($3.98). By keeping the price under $3, we planed to have consumers categorize Cheetos Queso with other Queso brands and stimulate their purchases. Based on the price precision effect, consumers will perceive prices with sharper numbers cheaper ($2.89 vs. $3.00) and choose our product over others.
The Cheetos Queso promotional campaign that will accompany the launch of the new product will convey the message of “FIESTA TIME!” We wanted consumers to portray an image of a fun, Mexican-themed party which we determined could be done through the use of bright colors, images of sombreros and maracas, and other “fiesta” inspired details.
Print Ad
In-store cardboard cutout with samples