Kellogg Co. is revamping its marketing strategy for its Special K cereal brand with an updated application that lets users manage their weight loss goals via mobile and desktop. 

The app, which is available for iPhone and Android devices, is part of Special K?s bigger marketing initiative for 2012 to promote the Special K diet and also includes Web, broadcast, print and social media efforts. Kellogg?s worked with digital agency Razorfish on this media campaign that runs through January.

?The Special K brand is asking women to think about their New Year?s resolutions differently,? said Yuvraj Arora, senior director of Special K at Kellogg, Battle Creek, MI.

?Rather than focusing on numbers on the scale, the Special K  brand is challenging women to reshape their thinking by answering, ?What will I gain when I lose?? such as confidence, moxie, pride or energy,? he said.

Mobile weight
The Kellogg?s myPlan mobile app was originally created in 2010 but has been updated to help consumers take a cross platform-approach to their diet.

Using the app, consumers can sign up for four different weight loss programs that let users maintain their weight, reach an ideal weight or prepare for a special event with a customized diet plan.

Consumers can also sign up for the Special K Challenge diet, which claims to help consumers lose six pounds in two weeks.

To begin a diet plan, users can choose from three meal plans based on their lifestyle, including a vegetarian option, simple recipes or a plan for users who like to cook.

Users can then access a list of edited, healthy recipes daily that include Special K products.

Consumers are also encouraged to keep an electronic journal of their progress and create shopping lists.

As users get closer to their goals and track their Special K eating habits, they can receive virtual badges as rewards.

In addition to the app, Kellogg?s is also using a Web site to help consumers stay motivated about their health.

Users can track their weight loss goals via the Web and sync their accounts to both their mobile devices and desktops.

Kellogg?s is also spreading the word about the program with social media and a print and broadcast promotion.

Virtual goods
The Special K app is the latest effort from Kellogg?s to increase its mobile footprint.

Kellogg?s also claimed that its QR code and SMS-enabled boxes of Crunchy Nut cereal generated 40,000 scans and 6,000 text messages, pointing to the effectiveness of mobile and consumer packaged goods (see story).

The company has also dabbled in mobile advertising, and by updating its apps, Kellogg?s is proving that mobile plays a critical role in a cross-channel mobile strategy.

With a rise in consumer adoption of smartphone ownership, more consumer-packaged-goods brands are branching into mobile to make campaigns more interactive.

For example, Proctor and Gamble?s laundry brand Downy recently ran a mobile scavenger hunt to reward users for finding Las Vegas users for finding Las Vegas landmarks and venues (see story).

?Given how busy we all are these days, weight management decisions can arise anytime,? said Kyle Duarte, Chicago-based senior account director at Razorfish.

?Special K is meeting this need by introducing all-new customizable plans that can be accessed from both the Web site and mobile app, ensuring connectivity everywhere,? he said.

?It really comes down to building experiences around our consumers, on the platforms that are most convenient for them."

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York