Progresso You Gotta Taste this Soup
Progresso grew from an Italian Import Company to a Quality Soup Company with an Italian Heritage. The company seal and name Progresso (meaning “progress” in Italian) was designed to communicate the vision of progress, a cornerstone of the Progresso philosophy. The first Progresso soups were taken from real family recipes; made with the same ingredients and in the same way as the homemade soups. In 1949 Progresso introduced the first canned ready-to-serve soup in America and has grown to become the No. 1 ready-to-eat soup brand in America by using quality ingredients. Progresso continues to build on its rich history of flavorful products that delight the consumer.
Gender & Age:
Their commercials appear to target both men and women - mostly women. Those who are middle aged as opposed to teen and younger or senior citizen and those who are looking for something that is nostalgic and from their past.
The reason I think they appeal mostly to women is because their message is positive and focuses on how it can improve and help a women’s life. They involve them with the brand and tell stories that resonate with females. One commercial shows a woman in a wedding dress calling to tell the Progresso Soup kitchen thanks for the help to achieve that goal. When the kitchen asks when’s the big day, she says “Oh, it was years ago, but the dress still fits!”
Education & Income:
I’m assuming their education levels are higher than high school as many of the commercials show people who are in offices or nice home settings which would mean their income is more middle class as opposed to lower or upper.

Ethnic Group:
Their company history can be traced back to Italy. Their soups like Traditional, Classic and Rich & Hearty all suggest a homemade flavor like Grandma’s. One commercial shows a woman in an office calling the kitchen asking if she can talk to her Grandma. They tell her she’s in the garden picking herbs to which she says, “She’s so cute, I’ll hold.”
In 2010, Progresso stepped up its emphasis on superior taste with the rollout of World Recipes soups and the first four are Mexican-inspired flavors.
Psychographics:
I think the customers Progresso is reaching out to are Thinkers, Achievers and Believers. All three of these have similar qualities; conservative, focus on family, tradition.
Thinkers and Achievers look further for functionality, value and brands that demonstrate success to their peers. One commercial shows how a soup with fiber doesn’t have to compromise good taste making it convenient for consumers to get more fiber in their diets while enjoying a wholesome, satisfying meal.
Believers also favor American-made products and here’s where I think Progresso’s packaging is effective. The can colors are blue, the lettering is mostly white and their Progresso banner resembles a flag and has red trim – what is more American than Red, White & Blue?
Benefit Segmentation & Usage:
Progresso focuses on the advantages their customers receive rather on the characteristics of the customers themselves; mostly weight loss and receiving fresh ingredients. One commercial shows a guy calling to ask if the clams are fresh in his Clam Chowder soup. The kitchen “connects” him to the boat to talk to the captain.

Product Positioning
Progresso Soups have almost 50 flavors from which to choose and seven categories, each targeting a different market segment: Traditional, Vegetable Classics, Rich & Hearty, Reduced Sodium, Light, High Fiber and World Recipes.
Their biggest attribute is their endorsement from Weight Watchers. They are the only soup endorsed by Weight Watchers. As for their competition, they show contrast by showing their soup is for grownups and it’s better than condensed soup (Campbells Chicken & Stars). They show different uses for their soup by creating recipes that can be found on Pillsbury.com or WeightWatchersOnline.com. Their price/quality relationship is shown when their commercials show whole, fresh vegetables going into the top of the can and their tagline over the years has been “It’s time to go to the better taste of Progresso.”
Their product user is targeted, I think, to those who are looking for their past weight. Progresso Soup is a sponsor for The Biggest Loser and they hold contests for people who’ve lost weight using their product to receive makeovers. One lady who won said she had to “get my life back” and this was easy.
Many of their commercials suggest that one will lose weight by eating Progresso. One shows a woman calling the kitchen to say her husband has been eating their soup and now looks like he did 20 years ago. Not only that, he’s wearing the clothes he wore 20 years ago and when the other can phone rings it’s him to say, “Relax and enjoy the view!” The funniest part, he’s wearing clothes from the 70’s complete with tube socks. Another is when a lady calls the kitchen to say she’s been eating Progresso and now her favorite old jeans fit.
It’s easy to see that there are many benefits when eating Progresso Soups; as they said in their commercials from the 80’s, “P.S. I love you.”