How we’ve helped our clients
The challenge
The chilled food market leader needed a roadmap for customer acquisition and long-term growth in the chilled meat category.
Our approach
Our NeedScope study looked beyond the functional benefits that had previously defined the category, to identify the real drivers of choice and the potential for irresistibility.
The insight
A tendency to differentiate brands only at the product level resulted in unmet emotive needs around contentment, adventure and playfulness. Pulling individual brands apart to differentiate them at the emotive level could build irresistibility for the portfolio as a whole.
Impact
Increased market share through a portfolio of differentiated, irresistible brands with stronger linkage between emotive and functional needs.
The challenge
A premium ice-cream manufacturer sought ways to grow market share by increasing spend amongst their less loyal repertoire buyers.
Our approach
We used an ethnographic approach combining filming, eye-tracking and shopper interviews to help understand the conversion process for the category, and reveal the precise interruptions that would trigger increased sales.
The insight
Previous research had focused the manufacturer’s attention on price, but our ethnographic approach revealed that actual at-fixture decision-making focused on flavour. The client’s flavour variants suffered from low visibility and repertoire buyers tended to miss them.
Impact
A pack redesign to increase visibility of flavour variants, together with improved signage and off-shelf communication, increased sales by almost a third when rolled out across a test region.
The challenge
Just Juice looked to innovation to re-establish brand share and value in an evolving cold drinks market. Growth potential was seen in fizzy drinks – but was this space right for the brand?
Our approach
We used the NeedScope framework to explore the functional and emotional drivers of brand choice in cold drinks, and reveal the best opportunities for an irresistible brand proposition meeting unmet needs.
The insight
Hybrid fruit juice and lemonade represented the strongest opportunity, with bubbles offering important emotional benefits.
Impact
Just Juice Bubbles became the most successful launch in the company’s history, with 35 per cent portfolio growth and every element of the launch built around bubbly, lively fun.
The challenge
A leader in imported beer wanted to explore opportunities within the growing segment of lighter, more drinkable products, to address slowing sales and profits.
Our approach
We used Matrix, a systematic approach to directing and prioritising innovation opportunities to evaluate the landscape of over 50 beers, understand tensions and unmet needs, and reveal the real potential from different drinking occasions.
The insight
We identified a major gap in the largest need-state for beer, where brand value, product value and satisfying drinkability intersect. Meeting this unmet need would appeal to underdeveloped customers, drive incremental growth and enhance brand equity.
Impact
The client developed an entire business plan around the need-state, and the resulting product launch exceeded sales goals by more than 50 per cent.
The challenge
A global confectionary brand wanted to increase sales in convenience stores by helping retailers to attract new buyers.
Our approach
We combined in-store observation with shopper interviews at the aisle to explore how our client could use POS and packaging more effectively to stimulate impulse purchase.
The insight
Most of those that did buy confectionary on impulse had visited the store to buy a beverage. A third of shoppers visiting the confectionary fixture did not buy anything, usually due to too much variety and a misplaced focus on price.
Impact
We recommended locating the confectionary display on the way to the beverage fixture, reducing the number of SKUs to focus on high-volume lines and focusing POS messaging on craving and indulgence. Category sales increased by five per cent in tests, and the measures were rolled out across the store network.