Mr. & Mrs A. N. Other - rediscovering Delight to create change
Jonathan Weeks of Ipsos Marketing discusses why manufacturers must understand why consumers love their products in order to survive and thrive in difficult times.
This week I had the chance to speak with a client on creating change within his business.
Working within Insight in a FMCG chilled category, the business had over time become dominated by cost driven initiatives – managing the cost of ingredients: goods, packaging etc. At first glance, perhaps a valid strategy in these continued tough times, and when the British public are more worried than ever about the economy. Diesel has also today hit an all-time high, impacting transport costs. DEFRA’s Food Statistics Pocketbook shows an increase in prices of 25% since the start of the economic crisis in 2008.
But change is afoot, at least in this particular business. The consumer within the organisation is now once again at the heart of what they do.
How did this transformation occur?
The Executive Board visited focus groups! Something I’ve certainly never heard of before, but a welcome change. From the reaction, this single visit has led to a lot of the immediate initiatives due to take place being cut – just on the basis of hearing consumers speak about the category, the brands, and what their particular brand means to them.
What the consumers said specifically isn’t important, nor is the fact that it was focus groups rather than another methodology. What is important is that the board fell in love with their own products again, by hearing why consumers buy their products. That’s not to say that they were negative, or even apathetic about the products before that. They had just become too detached from what they produce, and why they produce it. The philosopher Leibniz said that love is: “to be delighted by the happiness of another”.
Consumers are Mr & Mrs. A.N.Other.
Yes – products are created by manufacturers to ultimately make money. But they don’t make any money unless consumers buy them – who must love them, or at least like them. It’s important to be clear why consumers love you. As with all relationships, if that becomes too one-sided – where the consumers don’t feel the love back – then their eyes will wander, and there are plenty of potential suitors out there.
But it can be hard to return to that subjective viewpoint.
Being on the brand / insight / manufacturing side of the fence, objectiveness can become second nature, and everything is seen through this lens. With broader trends showing that consumers are seeking better experiences from the brands that they buy (and the stores that they buy them from) it’s time to renew your vows – love your consumer and love your brands.
Jonathan Weeks is a director in Ipsos Marketing and wrote this blog for Marketing magazine.
