Michele Ferrero found a business opportunity in Easter eggs . It was 1974 when the owner of the Ferrero Group had the idea of creating a chocolate egg inspired by this annual celebration, but instead of food inside the egg there would be a surprise for the children.
Nobody understood it. “We are going to go bankrupt!”, they told him at that time, when the Italian company had just arrived in France and Germany. But Michele Ferrero did not give up. “He wanted children to have access to an ‘Easter egg’ all year round, so he worked on the mechanical part for the manufacture of the product and on the acquisition of the buildable figures”, says Paolo Cornero, president and CEO of Ferrero Mexico.
However, the surprises had to be nice, safe and propaedeutic , emphasizes Cornero. So, the team of the chocolate firm not only took on the task of analyzing the needs that this product would satisfy, such as the packaging, the product’s flavor, the sales and distribution channels, but also with which licenses they could make synergy .
After two years of work and research, Kinder Surprise was launched on the market in 1976. Each chocolate egg has 20 grams and 111 calories, in order not to exceed the recommended caloric intake for children. Furthermore, the surprise that comes inside the product is an accepted and sought-after incentive among small consumers. Today, Kinder Sorpresa is the fourth best-selling brand of the Ferrero Group , after Nutella , Kinder Delice and Ferrero Rocher .
Cornero assures that for this brand in their portfolio they have more than 80 different surprises each year in Mexico, and in the world there are more than 300. Among them is the Minions franchise , a series of different buildable figures where consumers can find a driver minion , a flight attendant version, an expert in martial arts, and even in a meditation pose, diving, surfing, and a long etcetera.
By NOM 051 , which regulates the front labeling that pre-packaged foods must have and marketed in the national territory, Kinder eggs do not show the license on the packaging; however, they do resort to material at the point of sale to explain what license it is, and in the case of the Minions , the packaging has yellow decorations. According to Cornero, the strategy of using licenses has allowed it to have 92% of the market in this particular segment.
Sales Potential
But the Minions aren’t just hiding in Ferrero’s Kinder Eggs, they were also part of a banana-flavored version in TicTac lozenges from the same group. Currently they have become one of the favorite characters of both children and adults.
Their multiple personalities, clumsiness and way of speaking have captivated viewers, so it is not uncommon for the potential for cross-selling (or merchandising ) to be high, as they can be found on countless items ranging from backpacks, clothing and toys. to cleaning and hygiene products.
For Mario Alberto Nava, a marketing specialist and professor at the Escuela Bancaria y Comercial (EBC), the Minions are the perfect example of a good marketing strategy . “They have a simple design, with close communication; Although they do not speak, they do make themselves understood in a fun and ingenious way that manages to hook the audience. And in marketing, sometimes less is more.”
For the expert, the attractiveness for brands is in the positioning . Consumers, he says, seek to live memorable experiences from their favorite brands , as well as to have tangible products that make them remember these good times.
Hence the launch of limited edition or promotional items that become aspirational and even more so with the premiere of one of the films in the saga. In the context of the premiere of the movie Minions 2: A Villain is Born , the popcorn that Cinépolis and Cinemex sold for 549 pesos stands out, in addition to three stuffed animals for 210 pesos each, and collectible glasses of different sizes and designs for 279 and 169 pesos. , depending on the package.
“It is a very effective strategy, as long as the acquired license is very well positioned. With the Minions we see that the brand , to a certain extent , becomes more powerful than the movie per se , and therefore drives the sales of other brands that rise to the fame that these yellow characters have, “he explains.
As for the price, Nava assures that it can take second place in the purchase decision, since fans, above all, tend to buy promotional or allegorical items from a license on impulse and emotion.
best sellers
The most recent Minions movie was released on June 29 this year. Mercado Libre saw a growth in searches and purchases of related products as of June 24 and the peak occurred a day before the premiere, with 1,400 searches.
According to the e-commerce site, the term ” Minions ” is equivalent to almost 4,000 searches, followed by ” Palomera Minions Cinemex “, with 1,397 searches in the last 15 days. While the best-selling items through this platform are Minions tennis boots for boys, Minions C&A Women’s t-shirt, Minions Backpack, Wilson Minions Padel Racquet, Funko Pop Minions, Uno Minions, Minions C&A Men’s T-shirt, Minions Sweatshirt and toys. The average price of these products is 369 pesos .
Waze is another of the brands that also jumped on the yellow wave. Until August 17, users will be able to personalize their experience when navigating with the platform, where Gru , the main character, will give them directions to reach their destination.
Mattel launched a new product line inspired by the scenes and characters from the film. Interactive toys with over 20 sounds, phrases and technology that allow little ones to get a response from the Minion. By touching his head, the character tells a story or sings and by moving his position he reacts with different expressions.
Helados Moyo was not far behind either. From June 13 to August 28, the brand will offer flavors similar to those shown in one of the scenes from the film. And each of their stores is decorated with these yellow characters.
The first appearance of the minions was in 2010 with the movie Despicable Me . According to the data firm Statista, as of June 2021, Despicable Me 2 has been the second most profitable animated feature film, with a total profit of 594 million dollars (mdd). The movie The Minions ranks fourth with $559 million. In first and third place is Frozen 1 and 2, respectively.
The last installment of the saga had a collection of 108.5 million dollars in North America and is expected to have reached 127.9 million dollars last weekend, in the United States, according to the specialized firm Exhibitor Relations, quoted by the AFP agency.
Minions 2: A Villain Is Born , whose release was delayed two years due to the pandemic, explores the origins of the main character of the franchise that, since the first installment, has raised 3,700 million dollars, according to the specialized site IMDB. Although, the merchandising potential of this license began several years ago. The brands know it.
