The consumer of today’s world is better informed than ever due mainly to the Internet. He is willing to pay a premium for a product but only if it communicates lifestyle to him. How can we achieve this? What are the rules to obey to get a positive result? I would like to explain this to you through an example of the watch industry.
10 years ago I created a watch-brand called Ikepod. By picking one of the most en vogue
designer at that time, Marc Newson, I differentiated the looks of the product from what was available in timepieces on the markets. Combining traditional Swiss mechanical watch making with avant-garde design was the key of my success. Design for me is form and function. If it only becomes form like in the 80’s and there is no function, it equals art and has nothing to do with design anymore. If instead it has function as well, as shows off an outstanding design, success is just around the corner.The most important lesson I drew from the focus on the product design in the above example was that you have to be very precise in your briefing in order to develop a consistant brand strategy.
It should not be the designer who creates a product that he wants but is should be a team of market researchers from your company telling the designer what the market wants and then accordingly the designer will use his talent to interpret your briefing.
Through the different looks, its innovative mechanical functions and its coherent CI, Ikepod watches became known in the markets within a few months. We would never have been able to pay for all the free editorials and PR that we received. The so called brand ambassadors (movie stars, pop stars, etc..) bought the product at our retailers without us even being aware. We did not have to pay them anything for endorsing our product. I even recall to have received a phone call from Elton John’s manager asking me to allow them to use our watches for the conventional ATL - TV advertising of the Royal Mail and they did buy watches for this! Suddenly the Ikepod brand started to become a trendsetter.
In the watch industry there are a few big companies that also derived part or all of their success due to focusing on the product design.
What would Audemars Piguet be today without The Royal Oak watch-lines designed by Gerald Genta. How would the sales have developed for Jaeger-le-Coultre without their Reverso model? How would Patek’s image be without introducing the Nautilus or Aquanaut designed by the same Genta?
These are just a few examples that show you that if you let the product speak, through its design and innovation, you can save millions on conventional ATL advertising.
Here again are the main ingredients that I consider necessary to succeed with a CTP strategy:
- Importance of an exact briefing: Firstly analyse your markets and find out who your main brand ambassadors are (clients, retailers, distributors?). Listen to their needs before you even start creating a new product
- Choose at least two good industrial designers that know material properties as well as modern production technologies. This way you do not risk to be dependant on just one designer.
- Do not be afraid to spend money on the design to achieve as many USP’s for your product as possible. You can recover this investment entirely through the premium price of your product.
- Develop a coherent brand CI and a consistent product strategy. Spend money on creating or improving your corporate identity(logo, graphics, catalogues, Internet site).
You will in a short time see that the investment is much less than in conventional ATL advertising and the results will be more effective. By communicating through product you reinforce your brand and you create a lasting value. Some of your products may even write “design-history” and generations later people will still remember your brand because of them.
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