Targeting weight-conscious women, Kellogg Co. is taking its Special K Challenge mobile with the launch of its first applications in the United States.

The myPlan applications for Apple?s iPhone and iPod touch and Google?s Android were released in time for Kellogg to promote them in advance of New Year?s resolutions season. The Special K Challenge is designed to help consumers lose weight, and with the applications users can take their personalized weight management plans with them wherever they go.

?This is the first mobile application that Kellogg has launched in the U.S., which is a new touch point with consumers,? said Jesper Lund Jacobson, associate director of Special K at Kellogg, Battle Creek, MI. ?The first objective here is not just to promote the brand Special K but to benefit the Kellogg Company as a whole?to get learnings and see how applications can fit into our overall marketing mix.

?The reason we decided to make our first app as part of the Special K brand is that we wanted to help women in their weight management journey as part of their Special K Challenge plan,? he said. ?We have been communicating that campaign for about 10 years in the U.S. and it has been a tremendous success for the brand?if women follow this plan they are able to achieve a weight-loss benefit.

?They can choose a plan and customize it to suit their needs, and now we?re taking that plan and making it accessible on a mobile phone, which is a tremendous opportunity for us to help women and have direct communication with the devices they have in their hand.?

Kellogg Co. is a producer of cereal and convenience foods, including cookies, crackers, toaster pastries, cereal bars, fruit-flavored snacks, frozen waffles and vegetarian foods.

In addition to Special K, the company's brands include Kellogg's, Keebler, Pop-Tarts, Eggo, Cheez-It, Nutri-Grain, Rice Krispies, BearNaked, Morningstar Farms, Famous Amos, All-Bran, Frosted Mini-Wheats, Club and Kashi.

Kellogg products are manufactured in 18 countries and marketed in more than 180 countries around the world.

Special K apps
The myPlan applications offer people a new way to take the Special K Challenge and stay on track with weight-loss goals by accessing their plan from their mobile device.

Kellogg created the Special K myPlan application with the help of global ad agency Leo Burnett, in partnership with mobile media agency MediaMob.

The applications will be integrated into the multichannel Special K Challenge initiative.

The myPlan applications can be downloaded for free from the iTunes App Store or through the Android Market.

Special K?s myPlan application is designed to help consumers reach their goals of shedding unwanted holiday pounds and becoming more fit in the New Year.

Users can design a unique weight management plan, access daily menus, track progress, receive helpful tips, find Challenge-friendly recipes and access to Special K?s full suite of products.

For users looking for additional community support, they can share their progress and celebrate their victories with friends on Facebook.

MyPlan will be promoted to consumers through localized events, social media, online, search and mobile channels.

With the help of media agency Starcom, Kellogg is promoting the applications at SpecialK.com and with mobile banner ads and a mobile search campaign.

On behalf of  Special K, Starcom is partnering with mobile ad networks AdMob and Millennial Media, as well as analytics and application-promotion platform Flurry AppCircle.

Down the line, Kellogg will promote this application heavily on its packaging, and possibly other channels such as print and television.

The Special K applications for iPhone and Android are targeting women who are weight-conscious primarily in the age range of 30-49.

Kellogg and its partners are also working on an iPad version of the myPlan application that will be coming out in early 2011.

?Women want to have a fresh start to the year,? Mr. Jacobson said. ?They want to live more healthily, and many feel the need for weight loss.

?We want to let participants in the Special K Challenge take their existing plan and make it more accessible via the apps to hopefully make them more successful,? he said.

Final Take