Developing A Superior Brand Image

Do you have a strong brand image that guides all value creation activities?

Situation

A large convenience retailer with a long history of success in various products lines, including food and beverages, was struggling to differentiate itself in an increasingly competitive marketplace. It faced different and robust competition for each sales day-part in which it competed. Starbucks continued a relentless march focusing on early morning (and all-day) coffee and snacking; fast food competitors took significant share during the all-important lunch hour and were expanding to offer snacking alternatives; even drug outlets were beginning to look like convenience retailers in the front sections of their stores.

Action

Starting like an architect with a blank sheet of paper, the NovaLex team member involved went back to “brand basics”. In the research phase, it was discovered that the retailer owned one key attribute with greater consumer intensity versus competitive brands. It was perceived to be a “more fun place to go …,” likely the result of its earlier years’ investments in fun and friendly snack and beverage offerings.

With that in mind and open to challenging the rules on promotions, this lead member of the NovaLex team went directly to the movie studios to create a lifestyle marketing event that truly defined NovaLex Deep Engagement Marketing. As the studio prepared to introduce a new film that had scripted a convenience store in the backdrop, an opportunity was seen to create some self-effacing humor and, at the same time, generate major brand publicity and clarity.

As the movie prepared to launch, select stores were turned into the fictional store brand satirized in the movie. Humorous signs were used throughout and even special products were created to fully leverage the promotion.