Alexander Dedovets – Cloetta

Alexander Dedovets is the Global Head of Insights at Cloetta, based in Stockholm. Cloetta is a leading confectionary manufacturer in Western Europe, headquartered in Sweden, with a range of well-known household brands. Alexander Dedovets is responsible for all insights, which include market data and analytics related to consumers and shoppers as well as exploring new trends and business opportunities through solutions such as brand health tracking, product tests, media (e.g., post-campaign evaluation, and creative evaluation), and innovation.

“Cloetta wants to elevate people’s lives with its products, making them smile — making their lives a bit happier.”

EMOTION AS A DRIVER FOR PURCHASE

“At Cloetta, we want our products to be relevant and interesting for consumers so that they choose us every time,” Alexander says. “What I like about the product categories I work for, is that they are emotionally charged: emotion is an important factor for purchase. The company’s purpose is ‘A power of true joy’ as our sweets and treats enable people to have their own moments of joy. Having a chocolate bar or chewing gum is an easy and inexpensive way of having a ‘me moment’ or a ‘family moment’ or creating a ‘reward moment’. Cloetta wants to elevate people’s lives with its products, making them smile – making their lives a bit happier.”

A BALANCED PRODUCT AND MARKETING MIX

“Of course, our goal at Cloetta is also to outperform the market and gain market share within the different categories,” Alexander continues. “We use a balanced mix of pure business metrics, like sales growth and margins, as well as more long-term KPIs around penetration and brand equity, as ingredients for success. Consumers need to know what we stand for and have our brands on top of their minds. To achieve this, we need to stand out with a balanced product and marketing mix in order to have the best 360-degree coverage, both in terms of physical and mental availability.”

“We use a balanced mix of pure business metrics as well as more long-term KPIs around penetration and brand equity as ingredients for success.”

THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL AVAILABILITY

Mental availability is an important topic to Alexander: “The Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science (EBI), and specifically Professor Jenni Romaniuk’s work demonstrates the relevance of mental availability. Not only do consumers need to be aware of your product, but more importantly, your product needs to come to mind when a specific need or occasion occurs. For instance, when someone feels the urge for an energy boost, you want to be part of the category that comes to mind – such as coffee, an energy drink, or a chocolate bar. And next, you want them to think of your brand or your specific product. That is the consumer Moment of Truth that we, across all of our brands, are seeking.”

CONSUMER RESEARCH TO CREATE MOMENTS OF TRUTH

What role does research play at Cloetta? Alexander: “The job of my team and that of our marketing teams, is to gain insights through consumer research and data analysis and use those insights to ensure that our brands stay relevant, meet consumer needs, and pop up at the right moment, occasion, situation, or emotion – to influence different Moments of Truth. For example, chewing gum while waiting for public transport to distract yourself or after a meal. In Finland, we have a candy brand called ‘TV Mix’ which, as the name suggests, perfectly fits the occasion when you and your family are watching television together. In Sweden, we have a brand called ‘Gott och Blandat,” literally translated as Good and Mixed, a packed candy mix with different types of candies to make sure that everyone can choose something they like.”

“Our job is to gain insights through consumer research and use those insights
to ensure that our brands stay relevant.”

RESEARCH AS A DRIVER FOR INNOVATION

“Our research is also an important driver for innovation,” Alexander elaborates. “It helps us develop great products that fully meet consumer needs across all demographic groups. For example, we identified that younger consumers prefer sweet flavours in pastilles and chewing gum. So next to our classic pastilles with minty flavours, we have a range of candy-like flavours, such as toffee and caramel fudge, launched under the Jenkki brand last year. These new flavours led to great incremental sales, boosting our market share.” He adds: “Another example of innovation through research is how in the Nordics we launched Läkerol lemon to target younger consumers because, as the research showed us, they lacked fruity and fresh flavours. This also led to a very successful product launch.”

“Research helps us to develop great products that fully meet consumer needs across all demographics.”

SALES AND BRAND EQUITY IN THE LONG TERM

“One of the most important messages we often remind ourselves about is to leave out personal opinions. To find those Moments of Truth, we need to stay open-minded and realise that we are not our consumers. Be insight-driven and consumer-focused. It’s not about our own preferences, but about what the consumer wants. In that sense, the consumer is our boss; we explore their interests and needs and make sure we meet them. That’s why we do consumer studies and use statistically validated data to inform our marketing decisions. Research and testing take time but are essential to our sales and brand equity objectives in the long term. In the end, the consumer is at the centre of everything we do.”