The Challenge
In the Dominican Republic, colmados (small corner stores) aren’t just shops; they’re cultural lifelines. They move massive volumes of small-ticket products daily, and local brands, especially Baldom, control over 90% of the market share in this channel.
Baldom wasn’t just a competitor; it was the market giant, loved as an affordable, “authentically Dominican” brand. Against this backdrop, Kraft Mayo, despite being a globally recognized name, risked being dismissed as a foreign, pricier product with a “different taste.”
Previous attempts to break into colmados had failed to make an impact. To compete with Baldom and win relevance in daily Dominican routines, Kraft needed a bold, consumer-centered media strategy that would make the brand unavoidable.
Insight
When people are hungry, they’re more vulnerable to cravings. In Santo Domingo, hunger peaks align with metro commutes, moments when more than 900,000 people weekly are trapped in long lines or distraction-free rides, making them fully attentive to their surroundings.
This was the perfect context to trigger appetite and spark new habits.
The Big Idea
Create the country’s first-ever Metro Takeover, called La Ruta Kraft del Pueblo.
From the moment commuters entered the station until they exited, every touchpoint was designed to provoke hunger with Kraft Mayo. Through a carefully orchestrated media strategy, we turned the Santo Domingo metro into a hunger-driven brand journey.
Business Objective
Achieve trial from at least 50,000 people with the new 30g Kraft Mayo sachet during the 8-week campaign in Santo Domingo.
Achieve trial from at least 50,000 people with the new 30g Kraft Mayo sachet during the 8-week campaign in Santo Domingo.
Result: More than 700,000 sachets sold in colmados, delivering a +2.2pp increase in market share.
Marketing Objective
Distribute 10,000 product samples in just 2 days.
Distribute 10,000 product samples in just 2 days.
Result: Target achieved, giving commuters their first taste of a flavor reformulated for Dominican palates.
Note: The strategy originally included an added conversion mechanic (coupon + gamified redemption system at colmados) to measure how many trials turned into purchases. This was not a formal campaign objective, but an extended ambition that wasn’t executed due to budget limits. The core sampling KPI was fully met.
Campaign Objective
Reach at least 2 million people during the campaign.
Reach at least 2 million people during the campaign.
Result: 2.9 million people reached, generating an ROI of $1.5 for every $1 invested.
Execution
Product Adaptation: Kraft reformulated its mayo with a lemon twist to better match Dominican taste preferences and launched it in a sachet format perfect for colmado shoppers.
Metro Takeover: Stations and trains were transformed into appetite triggers. Morning visuals featured empanadas and sandwiches, evenings focused on chimis and yaniqueques, while neutral pieces worked across the day.
Sampling Activation: In the metro’s long lines, commuters received mayo sachets right when hunger was most present.
Digital & Radio: Spotify, social media, and radio programs inside colmados amplified the message.
PR & Influencers: Journalists and creators carried the story beyond the metro, expanding buzz and credibility.
Every element worked together as a media strategy synchronized with commuters’ daily rhythms, ensuring the brand was relevant, noticeable, and impossible to ignore.
The Extended Idea (What Budget Didn’t Allow)
The vision was designed to go even further: a conversion loop that would connect craving to purchase.
In metro lines, commuters would have sampled not only mayo sachets, but also bites of Kraft Mac & Cheese topped with mayo, tying two Kraft icons together in a single taste experience. Each sachet would include a coupon redeemable for another sachet at colmados.
This would have built a fully measurable funnel:
- Awareness & craving in the metro.
- Trial through the mac & cheese bites.
- Conversion via coupon redemption.
- Sales validation through colmado reimbursements.
Although only 50% of this loop was executed due to budget restrictions, it proved that the campaign wasn’t just about decoration; it was about engineering a measurable appetite journey. Parts of this extended idea were later repurposed into other campaigns, showing its scalability.
Results
Sales Impact: More than 700,000 sachets sold in colmados in just 8 weeks.
Market Impact: A +2.2pp increase in market share, positioning Kraft as the #2 player in a category historically dominated by Baldom.
Reach: 2.9M people reached (exceeding the 2M goal).
Efficiency: ROI of $1.5 for every $1 invested.
Trial Activation: 10,000 sachets sampled in just 2 days in the metro.
La Ruta Kraft del Pueblo turned an everyday metro commute into a media strategy of hunger and trial.
In a market where Baldom owned over 90% of the category, Kraft demonstrated that by adapting to local tastes, reimagining media context, and daring to innovate, even a foreign brand could shift habits, win relevance, and compete head-on with the category leader in the Dominican Republic.
Credits
Creative Lead
Lorena Borquez
Lorena Borquez
Creative Strategist
Lorena Borquez
Lorena Borquez
Creative Director
Emil Montero
Emil Montero
Media Director
Alexander Molano
Alexander Molano
Planner Jr.
Jeremy R. Díaz
Jeremy R. Díaz
Brand
Kraft
Kraft
Category
Food
Food
Media Strategy Agencies
Dentsu + Carat Dominicana
Dentsu + Carat Dominicana
Campaign Agency
Oz Digital
Oz Digital
Year
2023
2023