Kellogg Co.?s Special K brand is targeting women with a new campaign that focuses on New Year?s resolutions for weight loss. Mobile is part of the multichannel mix.

The Special K campaign encourages women to rethink their resolutions and imagine what will they gain when they achieve weight-management goals in the New Year. The "What Will You Gain When You Lose" campaign launches on Jan. 3 with a full complement of television, print, mobile and online advertising, as well as an interactive Times Square event to help women redefine their weight-management resolutions.

"Women are on a weight management journey that's 24/7/365 and for many the peak time of need is in January," said Joe Bartolucci, senior vice president and creative director for Leo Burnett, Chicago. "The myPlan app was designed to be a simple tool, always at her fingertips, to help her stay inspired and on track. 

"Special K is launching this with the What Will You Gain When You Lose campaign because January is the time of year most women sign up for the Special K Challenge," he said. "Special K wants her to have access to moment-to-moment functional support when she is on the Challenge. The campaign has other levels of engagement as well.

"Events, social media and back-of-pack are sounding the emotional rallying cry, asking women to focus on what they can gain emotionally. Mass media also drives this, and starts to seed some of the simple functional benefits of the Special K Challenge. The myPlan app complements all of this with motivating, easy and engaging functional tips, tools and recipes that will help her stay engaged and motivated."

Mobile component
The mobile component of the campaign is a complimentary mobile application called myPlan, which includes helpful tips, shopping lists and personalized weight-management plans for use on the go.

Consumers can track their progress and earn achievements that they can share with friends on Facebook.

The application offers 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.

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

?The Special K brand is excited to introduce the myPlan app to make our popular Special K Challenge content available in places and devices where weight managers can easily access and benefit from the information,? Mr. Jacobsen said. ?We are excited to be launching myPlan at the end of the year when consumers are looking for ways to maintain a healthy diet and prepare their New Year?s resolutions.?

Users can design a unique weight management plan, access daily menus and track their progress.

Step on the scale
Consumers will be invited to step onto a larger than life scale in Times Square that, instead of displaying a number, will offer an inspirational word or phrase that captures the emotional benefit of achieving their goal.

Reactions will be projected on a large screen in Times Square to inspire others. And some of the participants will be featured in 2011 Special K broadcast advertising.

Participants also will be invited to write their "gain" on Special K cereal packaging, take a photo with their customized packaging and share it with women just like them at www.SpecialK.com and http://www.facebook.com/specialkus.

There will also be live consumer events with the larger-than-life scale in Chicago's Union Station on Jan. 11 and The Grove in Los Angeles on Jan. 18.

"A woman's weight management journey is filled with ups and downs through the course of a year, a week and even a day," Mr. Bartolucci said. "Women looking for the great kickstart the Special K Challenge offers will benefit from a mobile tool that can be with them 24/7.

The myPlan app is designed to support them during these moments of truth, to be alongside them during their meals, while they are shopping, even when they are planning ahead to the next day," he said. "All the while providing clarity, offering positive motivation, as well as delicious recipes and information to help them succeed while on the Special K Challenge."