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Shaking up pancake day sales with Betty Crocker

Betty Crocker, the UK's No 2 branded sweet baking mix from General Mills, put the focus on Pancake Day 2008, with a dedicated Pancake Day marketing and promotional support campaign, spearheaded by a TV campaign that formed part of an overall £1 million investment for the brand.

Headlining the campaign was a TV advertisement that raised awareness of the Betty Crocker 'Shake to Make' Pancakes range.

The ad was aired over the five days up to Pancake Day, on February 5th, and broadcast nationally on terrestrial and satellite television channels.

The ad illustrated the ease and convenience of preparing pancakes using Betty Crocker 'Shake to Make' Pancakes - offering consumers home-made quality without the fuss. It reinforced the product's simple instructions - just add water, shake and pour. Betty Crocker 'Shake to Make' Pancakes come in two varieties - 'Traditional', similar to a crpe, and the thicker 'American' variant. Betty Crocker 'Shake to Make' Pancakes can be created to suit all tastes, making them perfect not only for Pancake Day but all year round.

The ten-second ad started showing a Betty Crocker 'Shake to Make' Pancake pack being filled with water from a kitchen tap. The lady in the ad was then seen shaking the pack and pouring the pancake mix into a frying pan to make delicious pancakes. All the while a narrator described the simplicity of preparation. Finally, the ad cut to the end frame featuring the Betty Crocker strap-line: 'Homemade made easy' and reminding consumers not to 'forget pancake day'.

Pancake sales are incremental to the category, with 60% of consumers choosing Betty Crocker 'Shake to Make' Pancakes over alternative makes and Betty Crocker are a proven performer, outstripping all other pancake mixes in rate of sale around Pancake Day 2007.

Linda Hipkiss, Marketing Director, General Mills, says: "The fact is that consumers want something of excellent quality that is quick and easy to provide. Recent studies show consumers view 'just add water' as an easier and more cost effective way of cooking than 'just add milk' - and it makes an amazing pancake!"

Other Betty Crocker activity surrounding Pancake Day included PR and web activity; tailor-made retailer promotions; and in-store activity.
Contact Information
For further information please contact:

General Mills
Tel: 01895 201100
www.generalmills.com