Danone’s Actimel probiotic drinking yoghurt is the world’s biggest immunity brand and one of the world’s biggest and most successful probiotic brands. First launched in Europe in 1994 in innovative 100ml daily-dose bottles, Actimel’s meteoric rise helped create a category which did not previously exist. At the most conservative estimate, Actimel earned over €1.4 billion ($1.8 billion) in retail sales last year.

Today it can be found in 20 European countries as well as in South America and the Middle East and it was recently launched nationally in the US under the brand name “DanActive”. Its success has helped make Danone one of the world’s two biggest players in functional foods.

This all-new Case Study from New Nutrition Business delivers a close-up view of Danone’s strategy and positioning for Actimel and the lessons that everyone can learn from this extraordinary probiotic dairy brand, which has had a transformative effect on the functional foods market.

Actimel’s marketing communications, pricing, packaging, labeling, merchandising, advertising and consumer insights are analysed and explained in detail and illustrated with colour photographs, charts and images from advertisements.

Summary

1. Introduction: International success founded on innovation in marketing and packaging

1.1 Brand positioning: Making Actimel synonymous with “natural defence”

1.2 Packaging innovation and pricing

1.3 Taste Matters

1.4 Getting to know the Actimel consumer

2. Marketing communications

2.1 Advertising

2.2 Actimel challenges consumers

2.3 Sampling is key

2.4 Merchandising

2.5 Marketing to health professionals

3. The Four Factor Checklist: How Actimel scores

4. Actimel market snapshots – Actimel in the UK, Germany and the USA

4.1 UK

4.2 Germany

4.3 USA