The power of branding to deliver growth
Do you ever take time to reflect on how far your brand has come? Or perhaps how far it could go?
Strategic brand building drives stronger sales growth than the temporary peaks created by short term marketing activity. However, short term marketing activity is easier to measure and attribute, which can make it more appealing for a marketing manager’s KPIs, or in response to pressure from a board.
The return on brand investment – the long term play – has a cumulative effect, building on positioning and increasing levels of brand awareness.
In a study analysing consumer habits Millward Brown found that strong brands on average can capture three times the sales volume of weaker brands. And also showed that strong brands commanded a price premium of 13% over weak brands (a recent study by MSI found this to be even higher at 26%).
We decided to dig through the archives to reflect on some of our favourite – and most successful – branding projects, including before and after images so you can see the difference for yourselves.
BEERENBERG
Beerenberg is a great Australian story – a sixth generation, family owned and run company. We rebranded the company to better reflect their origin story and their essence –’ taste of the country life’. Consumers mistakenly thought they were mass produced and imported. The total opposite of what they stand for. 10 years on, we continue to work in close partnership in a strategic and creative capacity across a whole facet of brand and marketing activities.
The initial rebrand saw sales increase by 30% and as part of our ongoing work, a rework of the jam labels resulted in a 20% increase in sales across the jam SKUs and additional ranging in both Woolworths and Coles – and they have now been named Australia’s best store-bought strawberry jam by Choice. In the years we have worked together the business has grown by over 400%.
GOLDEN NORTH
Golden North came to us looking for a sophisticated new brand for their iconic ice cream. To start, we needed to understand what it is that makes South Australians love Golden North so much. Why do people light up when they talk about this brand? After a body of research, we discovered that it was the nostalgia around the brand that warmed the heart. People have beautiful memories of ice cream on Sunday nights with the family, treats at Grandma’s house, and fun and laughter with friends. We retained all the goodness that exists but modernised the look to reflect the quality of the produce. We also rewrote the brand story to focus on heritage, family history, and the provenance of ingredients.
This resulted in an 8% growth in sales and Golden North were able to sustain their recommended retail price, something that was vital for their long term positioning in the marketplace.
AURA-SOMA
Aura-Soma is a system of colour, plant, and crystal energies that enhance happiness and vitality. Established more than 35 years ago, it has distribution in over 50 countries and a loyal consumer base.
We created a strategy that repositioned Aura-Soma within an already thriving wellbeing space. Growing their appeal to the modern consumer, and reaching a whole new audience. Tiny Hunter assisted Aura-Soma in launching their rebrand at various global conferences to communicate the exciting changes to their global community.
For the first 12 months after the rebrand we managed their social media. This was where the power of the rebrand really came into effect in building brand exposure and maintaining a relevant narrative in the broader wellbeing audience. In the first year, their Facebook page experienced a 104% increase in likes, and a 747% increase in engagement. In turn, this became a major driver of website traffic. Time spent on the Aura-Soma website doubled, and Instagram grew by 1,000 new followers in just three months.
Written by: Sophie Coldham
Published: September 5, 2021