CASE STUDIES
Challenge
A new brand launch in a completely new market outside of Europe. The eco-category was non-existent with not much consumer awareness in this part of the world.
What was done?
The brand that was relatively known in the European markets, was unknown in the Middle East. The eco category was nascent when the brand was launched in 2012. An initial study was carried out to understand the market for the eco-cleaning category and to understand the business opportunity.
The brand was introduced initially in Spinneys and Lulu to know the acceptability from a diverse consumer segment. A detailed marketing plan was rolled out covering different consumer touchpoints viz. In-store customer engagement, sampling activity, outdoor community events, digital marketing and radio spots. Consumers were educated about the benefits versus the conventional range. As the brand gained acceptability, it was launched in all the major retailers.
Results
The brand has been instrumental in widening the eco category size and influencing consumers towards the category. The success of the brand has attracted many new eco brands to the market, however, the brand commands the leadership position in the category, having achieved a CAGR of 28%+ over the last 7 years. It has become a brand of choice for consumers in the region and very well regarded by the retailers.
After its success in the UAE, the brand was introduced in other GCC markets like Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman.
Challenge
New brand, no brand awareness in the Middle East. Premium products with 2X price versus the nearest competitor.
What was done?
This is a European brand that has baby diapers, wipes and personal care products. The category is dominated by global giants with huge marketing spend and share of shelf. The brand was launched in 2014 in the premium retail outlets in Spinneys, Waitrose and few concept stores.
With a high price premium, the brand required special marketing efforts to target the right consumers who are concerned about the environment and spend extra for the health of their babies. The consumer touchpoints were identified to reach the expecting mothers through mum groups, ex-pat forums, maternity clinics, post-delivery nursing services, kid’s nurseries and influencer mums. The brand was aggressively promoted on online channels through focused digital marketing. It was subsequently launched in all the key retailers in the UAE.
Results
The brand occupies a premium shelf space at all the retailers and has its presence in the other GCC markets. It has been instrumental in increasing the awareness and widening the category space despite being a highly competitive segment.
Challenge
The European brand was distributed in the region for almost 3 years but not growing enough and had a weak presence in the retail channel. It was doing well in the home market and was an area of concern for the region.
What was done?
A market study was done to understand the reasons for the poor performance, category potential and retailers’ interest in increasing the reach. A change in distribution set-up was recommended to have a distributor with a strong interest to build the brand for the long-term. A 3-year strategy document was prepared with customer-specific plans to grow the brand.
It was a high consumption category and a very competitive segment, which required a strong horizontal spread through numeric and weighted distribution in the right target outlets. A detailed trade marketing budget was prepared suitable for the local market to support brand awareness. To improve the visibility, the gondola ends in the top outlets in Carrefour were hired for the full year in the high traffic outlets. This was supported by aggressive product tasting & sampling activities covering all the outlets on an ongoing basis to create awareness about the product and influence customers to switch from their existing brands. This was supported by strong digital marketing campaigns and influencer marketing for the brand.
Results
The brand is performing at a CAGR of 37%+ over the last 3 years after the distribution changes were made and continue to occupy premium shelf space. It is now present in other GCC markets like Qatar, KSA, Kuwait, Bahrain and has created a strong presence for itself.
