Brief:

• Daiya Foods, the maker of vegetarian foods that was bought by Otsuka Pharmaceutical last year, saw strong results from a mobile ad campaign to drive awareness and purchase intent, per a statement. The “Always On” promotion developed by adtech company AdTheorent and ad agency Haberman targeted health-conscious consumers who were likely to buy Daiya’s brand of dairy-free, gluten-free and soy-free food products.
• AdTheorent identified likely shoppers with geo-contextual data indicating those nearby a store likely to carry the brand's products and predictive targeting to identify health-conscious shoppers. The nine-month campaign ran from March 1 through Dec. 31 and included interactive banner ads that expanded into a full-page media unit with a carousel of product photos, information and store locator.
• The campaign’s engagement rate was 1.41% — more than double the industry average. The secondary engagement rate, including visiting the product website or store locator, was 6.9% — 73% higher than the industry average. The campaign featured an average of 1.7 rich media actions per engagement and users spent an average of 8.6 seconds within the unit.

Insight:

Daiya’s “Always On” campaign produced favorable metrics that demonstrate the power of targeting smartphone users based on demographic and location data. The success of the campaign also suggests that much-maligned banner ads can be effective through a combination of targeting and relevancy. In this case, the banner ad expanded into a full-screen carousel format that health-conscious smartphone users could click on to learn about a variety of products from the brand at a time when they were likely to be shopping for food. 

Founded in 2008, Daiya is a comparable newcomer to the packaged foods market that needs to make the most out of its marketing budget with ad targeting strategies to reach consumers who are seeking healthier alternatives to dairy products like cheese, yogurt and dressings.

A study of how demographics influence shopping habits shows that 60% of millennial shoppers use mobile apps for grocery coupons or discounts, higher than any other generation, per Progressive Grocer. The generation isn’t brand loyal, with 48% saying they will switch brands in favor of a better deal. Millennials and Gen Z shoppers ages 18-21 averaged the most shopping trips a month, with Gen Z going to the store an average of 4.5 times a month. Gen X shoppers spend the most each month on groceries, averaging $380, while 70% say they have redeemed a digital or mobile grocery coupon in the past month.

AdTheorent in December helped with a campaign from the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning to warn against the perils of drunk driving. AdTheorent used machine learning models to help predict the highest likelihood of reaching its target audience of young male adults. Campaign engagement was 25% higher than the industry average for smartphones, AdTheorent said.