Srory

old favourites such

as the VW Beetle and the Mini. One

secret of success is to retain enough of

the old image to keep the loyalty of

present enthusiasts for the product,

whilst making sufficient innovations to

attract a whole new group of consumers.

In the world of popular chocolates and

sweets, there has been in recent years

an ongoing revolution in modifying

products. In previous times, sweets and

chocolate bars remained in more or

less the same form for many years. Today,

however, modern sophisticated consumers

constantly seek novelty and

change, and consumers have become

the driving force behind product

modification.

Take Smarties, for example, which have

undergone a series of changes in recent

years. Until the late 1980s, Smarties

came in well-established standard

flavourings, colours and packaging.

Then:

1989 Nestlé introduced blue Smarties

1991 Printing on sweets was introduced

1992 Green chocolate arrived

1995 The standard range of Smarties

was relaunched with colourful

new packets

1997 Giant Smarties were launched

1999 Smarties ice cream was launched

2000 Mini Smarties came on the scene

2001 Tetrahedon pack for Mini Smarties

Every alert, market-focused producer

recognises the need for regular change.

This is required because:

• consumers want and demand change

• rival firms are constantly re-inventing

themselves and their products

• innovation and inventiveness keep

an organisation flexible and able to

respond to further change.

Although Kit Kat continued to be the

Number 1 confectionery brand, by the

late 1990s its volume sales were falling.

Faced with several increasingly attractive

competitive offerings, consumers

began to see Kit Kat in its traditional

form as lacking in excitement and interest,

with purchases being driven more by

habit than positive choice. Although the

four-finger Kit Kat continued to be

highly popular with its core target

market of 25-40 year olds, it was losing

popular appeal...