Müller Dairy UK has quashed speculation it is about to embark on its second packaging overhaul in six months, following suggestions the blue packaging it launched last August is to be phased out.
The move comes amid market rumours the yoghurt maker is looking to abandon its “master brand” strategy - which focused on promoting the overall Müller brand.
Müller has already called time on its £20m Wünderful Stuff campaign - launched in October with a national TV campaign - and at the end of last year closed down its Wünderful Stuff page on Facebook.
An industry source told The Grocer the company was now considering a volte-face on its packaging strategy, under which brands - including Corner, Rice and Müllerlight - were given blue packs last year.
“The top board decided on a u-turn because it confused the market,” he said. “People saw a sea of blue and thought ‘where’s my Müller Corner?’”
However, Müller maintained no such move was imminent. “At this point there is no specific plan or timeline for changing the blue master brand packaging, which is continuing to be rolled out,” it said in a statement.
It declined to comment on why it was not continuing with Wünderful Stuff beyond saying the campaign had only been scheduled to run up until December, and that it had started an advertising pitch process for a new 2012 campaign. The agency behind Wünderful Stuff, TBWA, said it had resigned the account last year.
But a second source suggested there had been plans for a second phase of the campaign. However, the senior management in Germany wanted a change in direction. “The UK was going for a strategy focused on the Müller brand, but they wanted to see products and eating shots,” he said.
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