Page 18 - The Five Forces of Everything

OUI FRENCH STYLE YOGURT

IT PAYS TO BE DISCERNING

When General Mills U.S. Yogurt business fell 20% in 2017, change was needed.

Thick, sour Greek yogurts with names like Chobani, Fage and Oikos were
surging in popularity. Sales of runny, sugary Yoplait - owned by General
Mills - were oozing off a cliff , reported The New York Times.

A swift attempt to steady the ship with Yoplait Greek tanked almost
immediately – allegedly lacking convincing sensory cues and an authentic
back story.

So, the company decided to take some time to craft a new brand,
pack and product straight out of
the French countryside. People
were divided about the name.
Some didn’t even know how to
pronounce it. But such nuances
prompted people to ‘lean in’.
All the eff ort spent creating
an authentic texture proved
a powerful draw for Greek
afi cionados.

With Oui, we see how big players
can create something special
for a more targeted audience,
with real success. In 2018, Oui
generated $100m in sales – the
third most successful product
launch in the U.S. that year.

As Buddy Holly once said, “I don’t know how to succeed,
but I know how to fail – by pleasing everybody”.
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FORCE #1 OBSERVATIONS | IMPLICATIONS | ILLUSTRATIONS