A. Stuart Webster writes:
Start with what you know – generally called secondary research. If you are keeping the same branding on this product as on others, then start with your existing customers, which shops stock your label and who has been your target audience. Your company has no doubt spent time building this brand and, if it is doing well, I would strongly suggest that you carry that across into this product.
Secondary research is cheap, as it should be what you know already, and will save a lot of time and effort. If your clothing label is popular, say, with 18 to 25-year-old women, your cleansing product, with the same branding, should attract the same market. Consider Ted Baker clothing and cosmetics and you’ll get the idea.
Then look at what’s on the market to identify your competitors and how their products are packaged. With a product of this type, you’re not only looking at branding, but also the look and feel of how it will appear on the shelf. Mock-up some ideas, but don’t just involve the marketing department. Get opinions from staff that fit into your target market. They’ll be a quick source of feedback and give you that all-important gut reaction.
You could also think about holding a focus group, perhaps using an outside agency to ensure unbiased feedback. Focus groups can be expensive, but are well worth it. Spend time with the focus group agency to ensure they understand the question you want answered, and where your brand is currently positioned. You’ll also be able to get the members of the group to touch the product, even without its packaging, and this can provide great input into the direction that your branding should take.
Stuart Webster is the marketing manager at the London Chamber of Commerce, the largest independent business support and networking organisation in London.
www.londonchamber.co.uk