Content Analysis – Module 2

   1.     I would argue that General Mills is perceived quite well by each of their “publics,” including the everyday consumer, retail customers (i.e. Wal-Mart), and of course, our shareholders.

a.     General Consumer

                                               i.     In the general consumer community, we are recognized as a household staple in nearly every category we compete in, including, but not limited to:  cereals, soups, packaged foods, health foods, convenience foods. As I mentioned in a prior post, a box of our cereals is sold roughly every sixty seconds!

b.     Retail Customers

                                               i.     We have an unparalleled relationship with our retail partners. In fact, we have dedicated teams at the major plays (i.e. Wal-Mart, Target, Whole Foods) to ensure that their unique requirements and demands are satisfied. This relationship helps General Mills increase sales to the end consumer, as well as leverage market power and space in retail outlets around the globe.

c.      Shareholders

                                               i.     We have performed consistently for our shareholders without fail for over 100 years. We have also paid a dividend (which we recently increased by 8%) for the majority of that history. We are known around investment circles as “generous mills.”

   2.     There are several messages being conveyed by GMI depending on the segment:

a.     General Consumer

                                               i.     Health, Convenience, and Quality

1.     To the everyday consumer, we’re working hard to convey a message of health, convenience, and consistent quality. Consumers have come to expect that every box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch will be just as “cinnamon-y, crunchy, and sweet” as the last – and we strive to deliver that experience across every product we make.

b.     Retail Customer

                                               i.     Supply and Demand Chain Efficiency, and Deep Retail Integration

1.     We’ve worked with our suppliers and our retail partners to establish one of the most efficient supply and demand structures in the food industry. Since 2002, we’ve employed a technique called Holistic Margin Management (HMM) to find ways to reduce costs and increase efficiency. For some details on how we utilize HMM, take a look at this document:

a.     http://www.generalmills.com/~/media/Files/CSR/global_resp_summary_2012.ashx

c.      Shareholders

                                               i.     Stability

1.     For over a century, we have delivered consistent, increasing returns to our shareholders and employees.  Just take a look at our share history:  http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=GIS

   3.     I believe GMI’s management and message are in near perfect sync. I’ve found that our marketing department is particularly skilled at marketing our products on their true merit, i.e. whole grains, low sugar/salt, etc. rather than playing the “tastes better than X” game that many of our competitors… ahem Kellogg’s like to play.

   4.     I believe our PR and marketing is very effective, especially considering the global scale and variability of our audience. After all, Cheerios wouldn't be the best selling cereal in America without some stellar marketing behind it! We’ve built brands that invoke a sense of loyalty, devotion, and desire – no marketing or PR gets better than that. J