Brand up hauman_fmw2010

Brand Up and Be Counted How to embrace a challenger brand mindset

Scott Hauman Director, Brand Strategy

Structure

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I’m going to upset the whole world.

Muhammed Ali, 1964

Defining a Challenger Brand

The Criteria

1.  State of Market •  Not the number one brand •  Not a niche

2.  State of Mind •  Ambitions that exceed their conventional marketing resources •  A preparedness to accept the marketing implications of the gap

3. Rate of Success •  Have enjoyed significant and sustained growth through their marketing

actions

“Success means never letting the competition define you. Instead you have to define yourself based on a point of view you care deeply about.” Tom Chappell, Tom’s of Maine

Core Characteristics

< Perceived momentum < Agent of change < Redefine behavior < Admired intent < Disrupt <Advocacy

Dominate share > Maintain status quo > Reinforce behavior >

Trusted competence > Reassure >

Satisfaction >

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Market Leaders Challengers

The Stance Challenging What?

The People’s Champion e.g. Linux, Virgin Atlantic. Take a conscious position on the side of the consumer, often against the category Gorilla

The Scrappy David e.g. Ryanair. Head to head assault on the category Gorilla

The Enlightened Zagger e.g. Camper shoes. Deliberately swims against the prevailing cultural tide.

The Real and Human Challenger

e.g. Ben & Jerry’s, Southwest. Portrays a “real” and “honest” approach in a faceless category

The Missionary e.g. Dove, Rackspace. A challenger fired up with a view about the world it has to share. Often looking to “put the category right”

The Democratiser e.g. Target, YouTube. Takes something that was previously exclusive or controlled and makes it available to the masses.

The Irreverent Maverick e.g. Redbull, Crumpler. Counter cultural attitude in a box

The Visionary e.g. Whole Foods, ZipCar. Sets out a much higher vision that transcends the category nature.

The Next Generation e.g. Mindstorm, Silk (The New Milk). That was then and this is now.

The KillerApp e.g. Skype, Napster. A product/service with minimal branding that is so revolutionary it becomes de facto a challenger.

The Game Changer e.g. Wii, Lush. A brand with an entirely new perspective on the possibilities of the category.

The Value Changer e.g. Motel 6, Easyjet. A challenger offering a proposition focused on superior value for money.

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How to get started

1. You need a different approach to the market leader

2. Have a grounded brand idea

3. You need to study brands outside your category

4. You need to study the Challengers in those categories

5. Build a lighthouse identity

The predominant purpose of Challenger brands’ every marketing action is to tell us where they stand.

Challenger brands don’t really talk about the consumer at all, instead they talk about themselves.

Challenger brands invite the consumer to navigate by them – they behave as Lighthouse brands.

Building a Lighthouse Identity

“We believe in individualism, we hate conformism, we believe in a civil courage. We believe you have the responsibility to make up your own opinion.”

- Dieter Mateschitz, CEO

Media is a State-of-Mind

Challengers have ambitions that exceed their conventional marketing resources.

The world has changed to one of conversation rather than broadcast and Challengers find different ways to manifest this projection.

Everything can be a medium, if we choose to see it that way.

flickr.com/photos/alaz/137484721/

Putting Theory Into Action

The Product Current’s first product the C1x, has a top speed of 70mph, a range of 50 to 80 miles and an MSRP starting at $5,499. These stats make it both the best performing and the best value available.

Born in 2008, this Ann Arbor-based company spent that last 18 months engineering, testing, and developing its supply chain…and delivered its first customer bike

Celebrating the spirit, fun and approachability of the simple, lightweight motorcycle, which has a magical place in transportation history, was a primary design goal for the Enertia. A blend of old school purist themes and new school technology, the Enertia strikes a perfect balance between the familiar and the future of motorcycling.

Design + Performance + Green

Zero Motorcycles is the next step in motorcycle evolution and represents the ultimate electric motorcycle technology. Unencumbered by conventional thinking about how we design, manufacture, and sell high performance electric motorcycles, we’re on a mission to turn heads and revolutionize our industry by combining the best aspects of a traditional motorcycle with today’s most advanced technology. The result is an electric motorcycle line that’s insanely fast, and environmentally friendly.

High Performance + Technology + Clean

The de-facto leader in the market. Vectrix was founded in 1996 with one objective — to provide clean, efficient, reliable and affordable inner-city transportation. About 1,000 VX-1 models are on the road and there are 84 dealers across the US.

Energy Efficient + Quality + Fun

Traditional Gas-Powered Scooters

Where do they go from here?

1. Right now Current Motor is just a company, they realize the need to build a lighthouse brand to go to market

2. They have aspirations to be a real challenger brand, but the great race is on

3. You are their target market, their potential fan base

4. They desire an open brand-development platform

5. It starts here: http://www.brandupandbecounted.com

Shaping the Current Motor Brand

If you would like to join Current Motor Company’s brand and product development panel, visit www.currentmotor.com/contact

To request a copy of today’s survey responses, contact me at shauman@daggerfin.com

Remember: A brand for all is a brand for none.

Thank you

Be Good. Be True.

Be Different. Just Be.

shauman@daggerfin.com twitter.com/scotthauman