| Looking on the retail shelves two main kinds of licensed products exist in store. The ever changing flavour of the month and the staple diet of enduring favourites. Becoming either is increasingly tough. Retailers can be ruthless and demanding. Hot properties must be hot. High turnover is critical and ‘throw away’ is order of the day.
So how do you make your brand in demand and keep it there for years to come? The key is in keeping it fresh, relevant and front of mind for the end consumers and/or their gatekeepers or purchasers. This means in terms of the core proposition and benefit it offers; how it looks, feels and is communicated; it’s attitude and personality; and how, when and where it’s used or consumed.
Long standing brands like Barbie are king - or perhaps Queen - in retail. In the UK 89% of girls own a Barbie doll by the age of 5 (Mattel UK shopper study May 2003). But it isn’t just because of high awareness and its classic safe status that reassures retailers. Whilst the strong fundamental values and proposition of the brand - being fun, beautiful and active - have stayed the same for decades, Mattel has kept Barbie fresh and pertinent to each generation and age groups’ needs, lifestyle and changing environment.
The basic doll has stayed remarkably the same during its lifetime, with the biggest physical change perhaps being the colour diversity it now comes in. However, where they continue to win is by providing pertinent lifestyle accessories and ranges to each of Barbie’s 3 consumer groups. From magical princess & pony scenarios for the under 5’s to trendy teenage clothing, makeup and home furnishing ranges for the older girls. Knowing what their consumers like and being abreast of trends like that of home interior design & DIY – is key in keeping the brand exciting.
But to be a ‘lifestyle’ brand means you have to significantly invest in knowledge. It necessitates knowing not only being up to date with attitudinal likes and lifestyle trends, but also being conversant with new materials and delivery channels – like gaming devices and phone screensavers. Quick turnarounds and updates are a must.
Brands that can’t continually update their characters or stories or are based in non-real life scenarios – like Disney’s Winnie the Pooh or Warner’s Tom & Jerry, especially need to look at their materials & designs and way they are consumed in order to stay engaging. Product and material innovation from licensees and new delivery channels can be critical to keeping the brand exciting to each generation of users.
There are a number of ways to get insight into influencing trends and directions. Bespoke research and omnibus surveys into your specific market can be revealing. But less expensive and useful avenues also include tracking & assessing such things as themes of up & coming feature films – like maybe next year’s epic –‘Troy’; the genre of popular tv programmes like DIY or cooking; celebrity activity; increasingly popular pastimes; music & street culture; architectural, interior and fashion design; technological innovations like video phoning. These can all influence design, materials and direction and can be tracked using off-line media clippings or by tracking the key topics in relevant on-line chatrooms or websites.
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