The communication goal(s)

 
Until recently instant mixes weren’t widely used in Turkey; people cooked from fresh ingredients.  
Our goal was to move housewives from traditional methods to using Dr. Oetker baking mixes.  
However traditional home cooking was a source of pride for these women.  
So when we launched a daily TV programme, ‘Sweet Minutes with Dr. Oetker’, some called it a recipe for disaster.  
Actually we started a mini cooking revolution.  
Innovative Media Strategy  
91% of Turkish housewives don’t work, so time saving kitchen solutions are just not necessary.  
Turks are also immensely proud of their cuisine and Dr. Oetker just wasn’t part of that tradition.    
Our solution was to stop thinking of Dr. Oetker as a brand but as an ingredient in a recipe, just like flour or eggs.   
So we created a 10 minute cooking programme that runs every weekday and ‘teaches’ new, easier methods to cook both traditional and modern recipes.  
And each day the essential ingredient is naturally a Dr. Oetker product.  
This way we could educate housewives about the products and build up a habit of using them whilst not taking away the ‘pride’ of cooking for your family.

Engaging Creativity

The message is that with Dr. Oetker, great food doesn’t need great time.

We negotiated with Channel D, Turkey’s 2nd largest TV station, to produce and broadcast the show.

We chose 12.00pm to hit the peak in morning viewing.

The opening and closing credits are heavily branded Dr. Oetker. 

The 10 minute format was chosen to demonstrate just how little time is needed.

The crucial element was the presenter.

Rather than a ‘cooking authority’ we chose Açelya Akkoyun, a young, energetic celebrity whose personality alone communicates a new, fun approach to the kitchen.

Integrated/Harmonized Effort

After just four months ‘Sweet Minutes with Dr. Oetker’ became the number one cooking show, regularly achieving a 25% share of viewing.

Its ‘phenomena’ status meant we could carry it into any media or format.

So yes we have launched a cookbook.

And all the recipes are available on-line.   

And we have taken the show onto the road including special cookery days for the wives of the retailers, distributors and other stakeholders.

And as a programme the show is listed in all TV guides and supported by (free) programme trailers and announcements.  

Effectiveness

The show costs 2,462 USD per episode.  The same airtime bought commercially would cost 18,000 USD.

Açelya Akkoyun received, from 120 shows, over 800.000 e-mails from grateful, liberated housewives.

And sales increased, between 12% and 18%, across the whole range whilst spot advertising would have only supported a few products.

And this is despite an aggressive new entrant in August 2003.

The third season starts on 1st of September 2004.