Case II: Saxonville Sausage Company

Aim: To position Saxonville Italian Sausage as national category leader which is available in
every major grocery store in U.S.
Case Analysis:
Current Situation:

Saxonville’s Italian sausage’s annual growth rate is 15% in 2005. Also 5% of revenue comes
from Italian Sausage ‘Vivio’.

Distinctive identity: Fresh sausages which have nutritional value ,attractive appeal as one can
see sausage in packaging, exceptional quality of sausage which can change any dish taste.
Price: Price in line with the competitors but here the constraint is that management is not
willing to give discounts
Market: Italian Sausage is present in 16 percent of U.S supermarkets and eastern part of U.S.
Promotion: No such specific advertising is there apart from packaging. But Saxonville is
strongly associated with family values due to its moniker ‘The Family Company’.

Saxonville Sausage Company has zeroed down on 2 choices to select from, for the purpose of
positioning its Vivio brand- “Family Connection” or “Clever Cooking”.

The company can so strategize its next step in regards to positioning that it would be
successful in achieving the objectives associated with both the options. In order to do this-
1. The company should choose “Clever Cooking” as its positioning strategy.
2. As females (mothers/home makers generally) are the target consumers for the
product, the company can leverage the presence of mothers to ensure that family
connection is maintained as the mothers while preparing food put a little bit of herself
in the food (i.e her love, care and warmth) which is anyway bound to attract the family
members around the table to relish the wonderful taste of her food.
3. Hence, there is no specific need to position the brand as “Family Connection” because
the motive behind this can be achieved indirectly.

However, let’s have a glance at the following table to justify the decision of “Clever Cooking”
over “Family Connection” in detail-

Clever Cooking Family Connection

1) Definitely buy category as per Exhibit
11 shows a higher percentage (41) for
clever cooking.
2) The risk of cannibalization would not
be there because its premium brand
“Saxonville Brats” is positioned as a
family product cooked on weekends.
3) As a company, it feels there are more
strategies and tactics for “Clever
Cooking” in comparison to “Family
Connection”
1) Definitely buy category as per Exhibit 11
shows 23% for this category.
2) The risk of cannibalization exists in this
positioning strategy.
3) The company might find it difficult to
provide tactical support as per qualitative
research by Ms. Banks and team.

IIM Ranchi PGDM 2018-20 Page 1 of 2 Marketing Management (Group 3)

 4) As per Miss Bank and Brand 4) The same Emotional benefit is not
Laddering, Emotional Benefit has a very derived in this case.
important role to play and Italian
Sausage as a “Clever Cooking” option can
give the women a chance to prepare
variety of dishes and show her skillsets.

Recommendation:

• Saxonville has strong distribution channel, but still Italian Sausage is present in only
16% of supermarkets. So it should be distributed and promoted along with other
Saxonville products in other parts of U.S.
• Advertising through Television, Radio and small print campaign should be done.
• ‘Clever Cooking’ should be promoted in advertising and promotions.
• Advertising can inculcate various colours of food by using Italian sausage in various
diverse and innovative ways.
• Different sizes and flavours of packages in order to cover more shelf space.

IIM Ranchi PGDM 2018-20 Page of 2 Marketing Management (Group 3)