DOTS
The Objective
Create a campaign that would return DOTS to their glory of yesteryear.
The Category
The candy segment has exploded since the birth of DOTS. Candy and candy advertisements are extravagant, funny, weird, odd, and everything in between. They sell candy as if it can: create joy, provide an escape, or an experience. To complicate things for the consumer, there are several candy options on the market, making the decision making process even more difficult. So then consumers base their candy purchasing decisions on whatever is top of mind. So the question becomes, how can DOTS differentiate their messaging in a way that is honest and compelling?
The Research
DOTS are simple
Four billion DOTS are made each year from a simple sugar liquid that is poured into a cornstarch mold. They were also born in a time when life was more simple. There wasn’t internet, social media, or even Starbucks.
Chocolate is an “event” candy
Chocolate is definitely the winner in the candy category. However, it also seems to be synonymous with an event (e.g. Valentines day, Easter, Halloween, Anniversaries, or Christmas, to name a few). Chocolate is not DOTS competition.
Everything we “know" about candy is wrong
After talking with several candy consumers, we found that candy is important but not in the way that other candy manufacturers portray. When talking about candy, consumers didn’t talk specifically about the candy (the taste, the experience, etc.) but rather a memory associated with eating said candy.
Insight
Candy doesn’t make life experiences fun or joyous, but it does elevate and anchor those experiences in our mind.
The Opportunity
In a category where chocolate is overshadowed by the events they accompany, and every other non-confectionery candy screams weird, DOTS can establish itself as the simple accompaniment to daily life.
The Strategy
DOTS are enjoyed during life’s simple moments (like at movie theaters, sitting on the couch, or during a road trip). You don’t need a special occasion to enjoy them. Whatever is happening in a persons life is more important but DOTS can make it a little sweeter.
DOTS are:
Simplicity that makes life a little sweeter.
The Creative
Tag: Stupidly Simple
Print Ads
Extensions
The Team
Curtis Kingrea (Strategist)
Imani Lee (Strategist)
Josh Perry (Copywriter)
Amrit Sahni (Art Director)
