Transmedia Marketing Through Storytelling - KASHI by: Corinne Blair - November 2013

1. Power of Positive Change
7 Whole Grains on a Mission
Nourish People and Planet with Progressive Nutrition
What Kashi Believes
At Kashi, we believe in the power of positive change.
When you eat better, you feel better. That's why we make our foods,
so you can do a little more.
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By: Corinne Blair | Mgmt 461.74, UCI Extension,Fall 2013

2. Brand Story of Purity
Simple and Explicit Brand Goal to Inspire, Educate and Motivate
Brand Goal: Educating consumers so they are empowered to make the most
nutritious food choices for themselves, and to make a positive impact on the planet.
• Kashi dreams of a world where everyone embraces natural health. Kashi is passionate about and
committed to improving the health of people and our planet by providing great tasting, nutritious and
progressive foods. Kashi enables people to achieve optimal health and wellness, while also leading
them on a path toward embracing a natural lifestyle.
• “We make our foods with simple, natural ingredients — and everything we believe. So, inside every
box, bag and wrapper, there’s not just real food, but a real food philosophy. Because we believe eating
better together is better for all.. How do we make our foods? With every fiber of our being.”
• “Many of us at Kashi don’t know where Kashi ends and we begin. To us, Kashi is more than products
in packages – it’s a way of life.”
• Kashiness - "At Kashi we have a spirit of natural living and of wanting to give back," explains Sandi
Smith, Brand Manager, Kashi. "So a random act of Kashiness involves both kindness and natural living,
like giving a piece of fruit to a delivery person or giving a reusable shopping bag to the person behind
you in the grocery line."
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By: Corinne Blair | Mgmt 461.74, UCI Extension,Fall 2013

3. Company Background
• Natural Lifestyle Pioneer – Founded in La Jolla, CA in 1984 by Phil and Gayle Tauber.
The company's first product - breakfast pilaf, with seven whole-grains and sesame.
• The founders envisioned the good that real food can do. They understood intuitively
that real food has the power to do more than fill us with calories – it can create positive
change in ourselves and in the world. When combined, whole grains can provide
progressive nutrition, even protein, while minimizing impact on the planet.
• Project SpArK (Sustaining the Planet and Retaining Kashiness).
• 9.5 percent growth of the U.S. organic industry in 2011 to $31.5 billion in sales,
according to the Organic Trade Association.
• Wholly owned subsidiary of Kellogg’s. Acquired in 2000. But, continues to operate
independently.
• The Kellogg meta-narrative is similar - Kellogg Company's mission is to drive
sustainable growth through the power of our people and brands by better serving the
needs of our consumers, customers and communities. They believe in the power of
breakfast. Help fuel better days. To better the lives of the people we touch. When you
start with a great breakfast, great things can happen.
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By: Corinne Blair | Mgmt 461.74, UCI Extension,Fall 2013

4. Kashi’s products are natural, minimally processed and free of highly
refined sugars, artificial additives and preservatives.
Kashi® brands and foods include:
GOLEAN® cereals and bars; Kashi® Heart to Heart® cereal, instant
oatmeal and whole grain crackers; Kashi® 7 Whole Grain Puffs, Honey
Puffs, Nuggets and Flakes cereals; Kashi® Good Friends® cereal; Kashi®
Autumn Wheat®, Cinnamon Harvest®, Island Vanilla®,Simply Maize®,
Indigo Morning™, Berry Fruitful®, Blackberry Hills® and Strawberry
Fields® (organic) cereals; Kashi® Honey Sunshine® and Berry Blossoms®
cereals; Kashi Black Currant Walnut® cereal; Kashi® Pita Crisps; Kashi®
Chewy and Crunchy granola bars, layered granola bars, soft-baked cereal
bars,soft n’ chewy bars; Kashi® snack crackers and cookies; Kashi® all
natural frozen waffles,entrées and pizzas; Kashi® Steam Meal™ and
Kashi® 7 Whole Grain Pilaf.
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By: Corinne Blair | Mgmt 461.74, UCI Extension,Fall 2013

5. Kashi Intended Target Audience
Profile & Lifestyle
• Health-conscious and passionate about Natural, Organic and Holistic
foods.
• Already living or aspire to living a healthy lifestyle.
• Embrace the macrobiotic lifestyle - "the art of living while being
conscious of the polar principles that govern the universe.” Strive to
observe these forces in their everyday lives and use this as a key for
obtaining balance, harmony and happiness, both physically and mentally.
This lifestyle entails careful selection and preparation of food and
attention to one's physical activity and social contact.
• Protagonist: The audience – who is a change agent with the power for
positive change, not just for health, but for the planet.
• Conflict/Antagonist: Yin and Yang imbalance. Lack of knowledge and
resources. Inadequate and unequipped. Don’t know how to start.
• Hero: Kashi – who can bridge the gap to bring resources and empower
the audience to active their power for positive change.
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By: Corinne Blair | Mgmt 461.74, UCI Extension,Fall 2013

6. How Kashi Articulates Brand Goals
Kashi encourages people to live their best lives through:
 Brandmark & Packaging - Through branding and packaging – Kashi articulates a simple message, and a clear
“sense of self”, making it easy to spread their “Kashiness” across transmedia platforms/touchpoints.
 Interactive online community at Kashi.com , Kashiprotein.com, and their Cultivate e-newsletter.
 Kashi REAL Tour, a lifestyle immersion program and national grassroots tour that educates people about the
importance of natural foods and healthy living.
 Movement Partnerships, such as the Kashi REAL Project – championing non‐profit organizations working to
keep real food in the minds and hands of communities across the country. Also the Non-GMO Project.
 Natural Living Library on Kashi.com, Pinterest, and Facebook – through inspirational images related to Fiber,
Healthy Weight, Heart Health, Nutrition for Kids, Organic, Progressive Nutrition, Protein and Whole Grains.
 Social Communities - Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter
 Mobile App – Protein Calculator
 Online Partnership – http://get-cooking.answerstv.com/AnswersTV/index.aspx
 Branded Entertainment & Film
 Use of Employees in TV Commercials, Videos, and Images living out and modeling Kashi’s passion and beliefs.
 Promoting local community involvement through Earth Day, Organic Awareness Month, buy local, farmers
markets, farming education, sustainability, and recycling.
 Spreading random acts of Kashiness
 Sponsorship of Kikkan Randall, US Olympic Cross-Country Skiing Star, for Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics to
inspire positive eating. The audience can Tweet the following posts “#Sochi2014 right around the corner,
@kikkanimal is fueling with #Kashi. Are you harnessing the power of positive eating? #eatpositive” or “As she
prepares for #Sochi2014, @kikkanimal is committed to the power of positive eating. How do you #eatpositive?
#Sochi2014”
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By: Corinne Blair | Mgmt 461.74, UCI Extension,Fall 2013

7. Platform – Brandmark
The Shape = The green brand block evokes nature
and freshness. Concave elastic borders and an
uneven textured rule add a sense of motion and
evolution. Before any copy or elements are added, it
already feels “healthy.”
The Seven Seed at the end of a fluid wheat stalk
ground us in an idea of whole ingredients. The stalk
feels hand-drawn with a grainy texture, adding a
hint of humanness, while the tail end incorporates a
key brand talking point: “7 grains on a mission.”
The Complete Logo = Evokes a perception of
healthy, whole grain, and nutritious, creating a
brand story of purity.
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By: Corinne Blair | Mgmt 461.74, UCI Extension,Fall 2013

8. Platform – Packaging
YouTube Kashi Channel –
Published on Dec 21, 2012
“Recycling gives a cereal box many
happy returns. Kashi makes it easy
with paperboard packaging that is
widely accepted in home recycling
programs. Watch as we turn the
camera on and follow a box through
the single-stream recycling process.”
Color – primarily white promotes
a sense of product purity.
Copy - written “by hand”
representing that special attention
was taken with this product… from
the ingredients, the process and
even the consumer.
Imagery - use real ingredients.
For instance - showing strawberries
on the vine, with leaves and
blooms. “The imagery transports
your imagination straight to the
field where the ingredients must
be sourced from.”
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By: Corinne Blair | Mgmt 461.74, UCI Extension,Fall 2013

9. “When you help us spread awareness of
the Real Food Deficit, we'll donate
money to organizations working to keep
real food in communities throughout the
country.”
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By: Corinne Blair | Mgmt 461.74, UCI Extension,Fall 2013

10. Non-GMO Project
“Along the way to healthier eating, we made our own path.”
Video post on Facebook and
YouTube (April 2012) Hi everyone,
it’s Keegan from Kashi. We see your
passion and wanted to talk to you
directly about the photo that’s
circulating about our ingredients.
Here’s a video message we’ve
created to share our perspective
and some additional details about
what we’re doing to support
positive change in the food system.
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By: Corinne Blair | Mgmt 461.74, UCI Extension,Fall 2013

11. Platforms - Branded Entertainment
Kashi was proud to support 180 Degree SOUTH, a Woodshed Film (2010)
Film documenting an environmentally aware adventure in Patagonia.
Highlighting the importance of living a balanced, sustainable life with
the natural world, 180° SOUTH takes you on an unforgettable journey
through an extraordinary land that is being threatened by
environmental degradation.
Sundance Channel – Grains of Change – Branded Entertainment Series – 7 short films – (Oct 2008)
Showcase Community Leaders Helping People Connect with their Natural Environment.
Reflecting Kashi's commitment to helping people make positive changes in their own lives, the series
profiles seven change agents across the U.S. who are dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles and
greater connections to the natural world.
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By: Corinne Blair | Mgmt 461.74, UCI Extension,Fall 2013

12. Small Change | Simple Tips for Better Living from
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By: Corinne Blair | Mgmt 461.74, UCI Extension,Fall 2013

13. Story Power Pulls in the Audience
Isabel Isidro in her article “Kashi: Building Impressive
Customer Reltionships “ on
http://www.learningfrombigboys.com/2008/04/kash
i-building-impressive-customer.html said it well,
“Kashi has also done an excellent job of “humanizing” their
business by identifying a few of their employees, and giving
these employees a platform to discuss their own wellness goals,
barriers and motivations.”
Using their employees, as well as community leaders/change
agents/influencers, Kashi pulls people into the narrative by
igniting interest in planet health through real, human
connection.
Kashi is authentic, “walks the talk” of their beliefs, and evokes a
“cool-factor”, which is contagious. The audience wants to be apart
of Kashi, and the natural lifestyle and the movement of positive
change.
Video Montage of Kashi Commericals featuring Kashi
Employees -
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=384445741407&set=v
b.44371386429&type=3&theater
In honor of Organic
Awareness month, Team
Kashi toured Wild Willow
Farms - a small local,
sustainable farm and
education center - Wild
Willow Farms. (On
Facebook)
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By: Corinne Blair | Mgmt 461.74, UCI Extension,Fall 2013

14. Meta-Narrative Conflict
“Fail to Plan = Plan to Fail”
In Fiscal 2012, Kashi's operating profit declined by 2.7 percent to $595 million, spurred partially by a summer 2011 recall of frozen pizzas,
according to a recent Kellogg filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Kashi products -- marketed as natural -- took an additional
publicity hit last year when a website reported that some of them contain GMOs (genetically modified ingredients). Health advocates said
was in contrast to Kashi's wholesome image. Also, when the audience discovered that Kellogg’s, Kashi’s parent company, donated $790,000
to oppose Prop 37 - a ballot initiative that proposed mandatory GMO foods labels - this caused a negative backlash – as customers felt
deceived by Kashi’s story and their ingredients.
For the first time – the Kashi story was not coherent with the brand. Perhaps the story is coherent with the brand’s aspirations and
“dream”, but not the brand’s reality. While Kashi has operated separately from Kellogg, they share raw goods resources, and have a similar
meta-narrative. Kellogg should have been more mindful of the Kashi target audience, who is especially militant and hyper- sensitive to
these issues. Kashi should have known their audience better to preempt the GMO-sensitivity.
“Kellogg got itself into trouble by "not being entirely transparent," says Roger Nyhus, president of Nyhus Communications in Seattle. He sees
a trend among some companies "of fudging language to allay consumer concerns and jump on the green bandwagon,and I think it's
starting to backfire.”
“Consumers drawn to a "natural" marketing message could also have their anger fueled by a sense that they were buying from a "small,
pure" company,” says consultant Pam Danziger, president of Unity Marketing in Stevens, Pa. "They disdain large corporate entities," and now
they find that Kashi "is, in fact, part of this big multinational conglomerate."
On the positive side - the Kashi brand is doing a good job to fix the recent conflict,
by publishing a video on Facebook and YouTube from a Keegan Sheridan, the Kashi Nutritionist,
explaining the recent conflict and their ingredients. Plus, promoting their Non-GMO project, and
adding Non-GMO labeling to products, and developing new Non-GMO products.
Also, Kashi has done a good job with their storytelling – In their 30 second TV commercials and
other platforms, they do not tell a story of one single product, but reinforce that all of their products
fit within their brand story of purity through real ingredients and whole grains.
Other Missed Opportunities
Branded merchandise featuring the Small Change - Simple Tips for Better Living phrases and
Kashi Mantra messaging . Consumers could buy merchandise online at the Kashi Store.
UGC– Videos, Images and Content from Kashi users about their love for Kashi and
how they are active as a positive change agent.
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By: Corinne Blair | Mgmt 461.74, UCI Extension,Fall 2013

15. References
• www.kashi.com
• http://www.proteinsmart.kashi.com/#/calculator
• http://get-cooking.answerstv.com/AnswersTV/index.aspx
• http://www.pinterest.com/kashi
• https://www.facebook.com/kashi
• http://www.youtube.com/user/kashi
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12-UnSq0a34
• http://www.180south.com/
• Author Unknown (2009), Kashi celebrates 25 years with 'random acts of Kashiness, Retrieved November 23, 2013 from
http://www.seniork.com/kashiness.html
• Liz Schwartz (April 5, 2013), What is a Brand Story?, Retrieved on November 23, 2013 from http://pkgbranding.com/what-is-a-
brand-story/
• The Editors (August 15, 2011), Kashi Best Companies to Work For, Retrieved November 23, 2013 from
http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/best-jobs/11-Kashi.html
• Rich Fahle (August 23, 2011), Transmedia and the Art of Brand Storytelling, Retrieved November 23, 2013 from
http://www.astralroad.com/2011/08/23/transmedia-and-the-art-of-brand-storytelling/
• Barry Silverstein (May 2, 2012), Kashi GMO Flap Stirs Debate on "Natural" and "Organic", Retrieved November 23, 2013 from
http://www.brandchannel.com/home/post/2012/05/02/Kashi-GMO-Debate-050212.aspx
• Isabel Isidro (April 25, 2008), Kashi: Building Impressive Customer Relationship, Retrieved November 23, 2013 from
http://www.learningfrombigboys.com/2008/04/kashi-building-impressive-customer.html
• Steven J. Labrenz (February 27, 2012), Brand Management- Brand Audit of Kashi and recommendations for improvement,
Retrieved November 23, 2013 from http://www.slideshare.net/LabrenzSteven/brand-management-11761508
• Denise Oliveri (November 25, 2013), The Story Behind Kashi Food Company, Retrieved November 25, 2013 from
http://suite101.com/a/the-story-behind-kashi-company-a86434
• Author Unknown (Publish Date Unknown), Organic Cereal Scorecard >> Kashi Details, Retrieved November 23, 2013 from
http://cornucopia.org/cereal-scorecard/view-brand.php?id=35
• Author Unknown (2010), Macrobiotic lifestyle – Definition, Retrieved November 23, 2013 from
http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Macrobiotic_lifestyle
• Sheila Shayon (December 17, 2012), Truth in Packaging - Kellogg's Kashi Still Battling GMO Foes, Retrieved November 23, 2013
from http://www.brandchannel.com/home/post/2012/12/17/Kashi-Still-Battling-GMO-Foes-121712.aspx
By: Corinne Blair | Mgmt 461.74, UCI
Extension, Fall 2013
15

16. References
• Callie Bruhn (September 27, 2013), Kashi To Sponsor Kikkan Randall For Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games,
Retrieved November 23, 2013 from http://newsroom.kelloggcompany.com/2013-09-27-Kashi-To-Sponsor-Kikkan-
Randall-For-Sochi-2014-Olympic-Winter-Games http://www.proteinsmart.kashi.com/#/calculator
• Author Unknown (September 5, 2008), Sundance Channel & Kashi Showcase Community Leaders Helping People Connect
with their Natural Environment in a New Series, "Grains of Change", Retrieved November 23, 2013 from
http://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/16115-Sundance-Channel-Kashi-Showcase-Community-Leaders-Helping-People-
Connect-with-their-Natural-Environment-in-a-New-Series-Grains-of-Change-
• Candice Choi (November 4, 2013), Kashi Cereal Got Too 'Mainstream,' Says Kellogg CEO, Retrieved November 23, 2013 from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/04/kashi_n_4213767.html
• Beth Herskovits (March 23, 2006), Kashi awareness push targets already-healthy consumers, Retrieved November 23, 2013
from http://www.prweekus.com/pages/login.aspx?returl=/kashi-awareness-push-targets-already-healthy-
consumers/article/54430/ pagetypeid=28&articleid=54430&accesslevel=
2&expireddays= 0&accessAndPrice=0
• Elizabeth Weise (April 29, 2013), Kashi cereal's 'natural' claims stir anger, Retrieved November 23, 201 from
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/story/2012-04-29/kashi-natural-claims/54616576/1
• Katherine Bindley (April 27, 2013), Kashi GMO Use Creates Controversy, Backlash On Facebook And Twitter, Retrieved
November 23, 2013 from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/27/kashi-gmo-use-controversy_n_1456748.html
• Author Unknown, (October 26, 2013), Prop 37 Opponents Spending Millions To Oppose GMO Label Law, Retrieved
November 23, 2012 from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/26/prop-37-opponents_n_2023719.html
• Ted Mininni (February 22, 2010), One Unique Culture On a Mission, Retrieved November 23, 2013 from
http://www.mpdailyfix.com/one-unique-culture-on-a-mission/
By: Corinne Blair | Mgmt 461.74, UCI
Extension, Fall 2013
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