In Fine Fettle, which translates to "In Good Health," is a natural foods brand that manufactures high-quality products using healthy, premium ingredients. In Fine Fettle's latest product line features turmeric, the spice that gives curry its yellow color. In Fine Fettle's current line of turmeric products includes soups, nutritional gummies, and nutritional shakes. Its newest product, savory turmeric meal replacement bars, will hit the market soon.
The Vice President of Marketing brings you up to speed on the turmeric meal replacement bars:
"The new turmeric meal replacement bars will expand In Fine Fettle's turmeric line with a product that combines the nutritional benefits of turmeric-based products with the convenience of a meal replacement bar. Recent research has shown that turmeric has many health benefits including reducing inflammation, improving brain function, and fighting depression."
She continues, "We are excited about the potential for this product's launch and must consider each element of its communication plan carefully."
Task:
The VP of Marketing has hired you to consult with the Product Manager for the turmeric line. Specifically, she has asked for your assistance with the communication plan.
"Your job will be to develop an integrated marketing communications plan that will convey a consistent message to our target audience. Our goal is to target the growing market of consumers who are seeking convenient foods that deliver a functional benefit. Functional foods such as ones containing turmeric that can provide health benefits such as disease reduction are viewed as highly desirable by this market. However, food marketing is an ever-changing landscape with fickle consumers who are constantly seeking the next new thing."
Decision Point:
Selecting Your Target Audience
To begin, you must decide who your target market is going to be. Before you select a target market, you review the research on turmeric's functional properties.
The curcumin in turmeric has been suggested by researchers to have the following functional properties: fighting depression, lowering blood sugar, pain killing, and anti-inflammatory.
Given these functional properties, In Fine Fettle's turmeric product development team has identified three potential target markets: adult athletes, diabetics, and patients fighting depression.

% Seeking
Target Market Market Size Benefits Sought Alternative/Natural Therapy
Athletes 25 million Anti-inflammatory 70%
Diabetics 29 million Lowering blood sugar 25%
Depression patients 16 million Fighting depression 40%

A key factor in evaluating the target market's attractiveness is the market's desire for alternative/natural solutions because the turmeric meal replacement bar could be used as an alternative medical treatment.
Which target market should you choose?
Select an option from the choices below:

a) Athletes
b) Depression patients
c) Diabetics