Ricola Smoothers
-
Alpha Optimizer Sessions
-
Ideation session (core team)
The challenge
Ricola is a beloved and trusted brand but with a very narrow role in most people's lives. The strategy was to create broader relevance with new products that were not specifically related to colds and flu, while leveraging and maintaining the equity in its natural herb mixture at the core of all Ricola's products.
Our approach
Consumer research identified rigors of daily life and the environment that drive a need to “soothe and protect” when people experience dry mouth or a tickle in the throat. This drove a latent need for something that wasn't medicine or candy, both things that many seek to avoid. With a series of consumer-generated iterations we optimized a product concept with attributes, naming, packaging options and potential product positionings. We even explored where it would be most likely sought out in store and what they might want next. This yielded a final product hybrid with the provenance of Ricola’s mountain-grown herbs plus crafted confections for everyday effectiveness against throat irritation.
The Result
Launched in 2019 to great reception, Ricola Smoothers are creating a more indulgent and accessible side of the brand, paving the road for further growth.