These have been unreasonable times! In previous recessions, consumer spending was our ticket out of the dip. That’s not happening this time around.

We’ve prepared a report on product and brand innovation for you. It’s our intention to share our insight, selected industry data, and perspective that may be useful next time your team sits down to plan the marketing strategy for introducing new products and creating new brands. We sure hope you find it helpful. If so, please leave your comments for others.

Download PULL report (pdf)

Consumer spending is already 72% of GDP, and is not likely to grow further. Our productivity has not declined even with 10% unemployment, so it is unlikely to increase now. I don’t think you would disagree marketing teams are doing more with less these days. This is especially true when bringing new products to market. The only string left to play on is innovation. If you’re going to create a bigger future, it’s going to require you innovate one. If innovation is the gateway to bigger futures, new products have always been the path.

You can’t lead by following. If you can’t be in the top three of your product category, perhaps some invention is in order. Only innovation can blaze the trial of competitive advantage. Enlightened business leaders and marketers will focus their collective resources on creating, rather than competing for what’s already been created. We believe this is what we as marketers need to be focusing on right about now.

Innovations are happening right now, round the clock, and round the world. Indeed innovation holds the key to our global economic recovery. As a result, there will be a massive increase of new product introductions in every product category as the economy turns around.

How clear is your vision looking out on the horizon of opportunity?

Consumer Packaged Goods
LALA USA / LaCreme Master Brand
Strategic Brand Positioning

Facing the headwinds of a more fat and calorie conscious consumer, La Crème embraced a strategic brand positioning that promised consumers a rich and creamy experience.

LALA USA, a leading marketer and distributor of dairy-based food products, had reorganized their brand portfolio to maximize their distribution strategy in grocery channels in North America. La Crème was one of several yogurt brands in the LALA portfolio that required a new definition and positioning as a result of new products being developed and marketed under the La Crème label.

We were asked to provide strategic and creative guidance through our Catapult Innovation method to develop a master brand strategy that extended the equities of the La Crème brand across the spectrum of new diary products under development.

Brand Innovation

Facing the headwinds of a more fat and calorie conscious consumer, we discovered several important emotional drivers to purchase that really mattered to consumers when they thought of foods with real-dairy, rich and creamy attributes. The most important factor for consumers was their belief that “real-dairy” foods were more healthful, nutritious, of better quality, and tasted better. These consumers desire, and have a deep affinity for the richest experiences life has to offer. The trade name “La Crème” powerfully represented the premium, best-in-class associations this target consumer segment really cared about.

We defined the La Crème brand consumer segment as people who were passionate about rich, creamy foods and desserts that satisfy their discerning and selective taste. For those who crave the rich creamy goodness of real dairy cream in the foods and desserts they enjoy–there’s simply no substitute. Nothing else comes close, nothing else will do!

We developed several value proposition and positioning concepts for the brand that were rigorously tested with consumers. These were optimized to provide guidance and direction for future product developments and all consumer-facing marketing communications that would support those product introductions.

At each stage of the process, our method provided the pathway to create a compelling value proposition that was highly-valued and distinguished from other brands in the category.

Business Outcome
LALA was successful in introducing new La Crème branded yogurts, coffee creamers, and dessert products penetrating significant US distribution with major grocery retailers including all WalMart stores.

You can learn more about our Catapult method for introducing new products and inventing new brands here.