brand health

‘Survival of the fittest’

Change is an inevitable constant in a brand ecosystem. When the system is disrupted by the introduction of new elements, such as competitor products, price cuts or a change in consumer confidence, the brand’s survival is compromised. Healthy brands are sufficiently resilient and robust to rebound.

Products & services:

Packaging design

Because we still tend to judge a book by its proverbial cover, getting your packaging design right is imperative. We test and consult on both pack positioning, functionality and aesthetics, so that your brand not only presents a compelling image, but also fits optimally in its fixture set, optimising shelf facings and positionings.

Product & service concept testing

Concept testing involves quantitative research on the viability of a new product or service or a brand extension. More often than not, we include concept testing as part of a broader mix test that might include prototype testing, pack testing or full mix testing. The potential success of a product or service is evaluated against a normative database to ensure that risks involved with launching are minimised.

Sensory testing

Through quantitative and qualitative research, we work to understand a product’s intrinsic elements and its impact on buyer behaviour and brand perceptions. Our findings are compared against a solid normative database, where we report on critical hedonic measures, such as liking and propensity to purchase and various other pre-determined diagnostic measures.

Volume forecasting

Our specialised software applications allow us to volume forecast based on accurate, historic demand data and extract relative performance by analysing actual performance against such data. For new products, we use simulated test markets to model initial volumes for launches. Accurate volume forecasting is a powerful planning and risk management tool for brand owners.

Price positioning & indexing

Perfect pricing is a key element in a successful marketing mix. We gather price data nationally, track and analyse trends and report back to our clients on optimal price positioning. This data can be further detailed to provide optimal pricing relative to competitors, relative to other retailers and for various outlets in a broad variety of channels and locations.

Full mix testing

We research and fine tune both single elements of a brand’s marketing mix and conduct full mix testing. In doing so, marketers have a factual basis for the fine art of creating an optimal marketing mix, thus reducing risk and increasing competitiveness.

Price audits

We have unparalleled expertise in conducting detailed, fast and accurate price audits. Our national footprint of in-the-field professionals audits index pricing, margins and competitor pricing to ensure that brand owners have a current and factual picture of their pricing landscape.

Price elasticity & modeling

Before you follow a competitor’s discount strategy or consider a price increase, let us model the scenario for you. Our price modeling tools allow us to simulate the likely impact of a change in price on both your brand’s sales volumes and those of your competitors. Once a price has been changed, we use electronic data collection to calculate the actual offtake (positive or negative) on sales so that you can adjust accordingly.

Price compliance

With all of the work that goes into creating a pricing strategy that optimises both brand equity and profit, it is imperative to check that outlets are complying. Thousands of in-the-field professionals, powered by hand-held technology, provide our clients with regular, accurate and speedy insight into how vigorously their pricing strategy is being applied across thousands of locations.