1. CHANGE
OR DIE
The problem facing Brand
owners is a Changed (New)
Context. The opportunity is
Change (New) Context.
What do you need to do to
be a recession breakaway
brand marketer and
maintain upward
momentum? Plan and
position your brand to be
around for the recovery. To aspirational cohorts is down
not up. Debt is a now a
stand still on marketing
strategy whole in a better measure of spend, “The mass
not income.
downward trajectory results
in decline and a long hard market has
However, the mass market
crawl back, if ever. Be a
breakaway brand marketer. has new needs that brands new needs
need to tap into and new
Our analysis, which includes profitable segments are that brands
emerging for brands to
expert Global, Euro and
local market studies, innovate across all need to tap
dimensions of marketing.
concludes that the new
context is indeed the new P&G global strategy is a into”
normal for a while, some good example of this. In
even claim 2020. In short many developed markets, There are new
the mind-set of today’s many marketers are
abandoning the Squeezed
consumer choice
mass consumer is fearful
and they are anxious about middle and turning to 50+ drivers & priorities:
job cuts, debt management as well as Millennial.
and life-stage shifts. The A good maxim is that a There are new expectations
50+ cohort will be working marketer’s brand role is to from brands as consumers
for longer and 18-24 year be the custodian of the are becoming more
olds will be lifestyle curbing. brand and to leave it in considered
The Gini index (inequality better health that you purchasers. Greater
between income groups) found it. consideration means that
suggests that the mobility they are selecting brands
of Wealth to the next What you must not do is through a closer evaluation
generation will be curbed what you always do and - only if they would need or
and that the new reference expect that it will work. miss them.
of many of the traditional That is called ‘delusion’. Brands are quickly being
down traded for lower cost
options, often by retailer or
mccp.ie For more information contact: kay@mccp.ie
ph (01) 6350030

2. other ‘brands’. Pew Consumers’ needs 1. Clear out what
Research Centre (2012)
highlights how 71% of US
from brands are does not work
consumers claimed to have evolving anymore; change
made changes to how they from ‘symbols of
buy brands with many how you spend your
meaning’ to
moving to buy less on brand
‘pathways of budget and who you
and replacing through
promotional items or store experiences’ work with
brands because they
A recent global study from What is central to this
believe the quality was
Landor (2012) confirms this strategic shift is for
‘just’ as good.
trend towards marketers to adopt a
experiences. What different mind-set. They
The number of people
consumers want from need to be hungry to make
believing that a brand does
brands is that they be the difference in their
not mean better quality has
trusted entities that make business and change how
increased to 64% which
life easier through they understand their
means that the brands in
connections, convenience brands relationship with the
some categories have lost
and confidence so they can consumer. They need to be
their brand power.
carry on with enjoying the up for change.
day to day. For example, Now is the time when the
“74% of Skype gives a human face to rules for brands and
marketers are being
a social need and
consumers’ experience and Amazon rewritten. Now is the
opportunity to get rid of
makes it easy to navigate
avail of choice. what doesn’t work and start
working in new ways. Be
This has massive
BOGOF’s implications for how faster, more nimble and
more focussed in what you
marketers think and plan to
when win. It is a time to spend your money on and
how you work.
surround yourself with the
shopping” best talent.
In the UK, as in Ireland, the The 2. Base line option:
volume sold on promotional solution: Strategies Follow through an
prices and on smaller unit
buys is on the increase as that work aggressive and higher
consumers want to buy focused play on the
lower priced units. Although MCCP has worked with over
they buy more when on 80 Irish and UK clients since market
deal; 74% of consumers the recession started and
helped them ‘game You can either compete to
avail of BOGOF’s when
change’. There are a few grow your share of the pie
shopping; 67% avail of
common themes around or simply change the pie.
‘extra free deals’ while 56%
what we do to successfully Increasing your share of pie
take advantage of ‘3 for 2
help clients and their is a traditional yet essential
deals’
agencies transform their marketing practise, This
(Source: justaskMCCP 2012)
business. entails, investing to stay top
mccp.ie For more information contact: kay@mccp.ie
ph (01) 6350030

3. of mind (share of voice, Stepping back means
media/channel spend), challenging the old ways. “72% of
strong propositions and This requires smarter
creative that really punches research techniques, better consumers
above its weight. collaboration between your
Aggressively competing agencies and interventions are in
against your weakest rivals that challenge old thinking
and staying in the game can and that bring consumer led agreement
increase share by only a few planning and strategy that
percentage points. is real, sharp and insightful with the
Significant growth requires to the table.
a sharp focus on; statement
i) newly identified 3. Craft strategies that ‘luxury is
market segments,
ii) refined and
that meet the needs taking time
rebalanced of consumer
positioning,
segments needs
out to relax’”
iii) innovative product You must segment to
and channel instead of just understand how different
propositions and, consumers have been
thinking about your
iv) fresh affected by the recession
communication competitors and uncover their new
strategies that priorities. This is important
focus on new It is not the case that the to find new zones of
consumer journeys spending power of all of innovation. Position,
your consumers is in innovate and fine tune
These are all key to decline. product portfolios to new
unlocking the game needs and seek to create
changing potential of value in niche yet profitable
brands. segments.
 Rise of Smart
Convenience: 44% of
consumers have bought
a smartphone in the
past 12 months while
32% have upgraded
their broadband
provider (Source:
justaskMCCP).
 Increase in Home
Utopia Trend spend:
54% of consumers have
held a house party in
the past 12 months
(Source: justaskMCCP).
mccp.ie For more information contact: kay@mccp.ie
ph (01) 6350030

4.  Micro luxury: 72% of entirely new and relevant In summary, this is the time
consumers are in way. for transformational
agreement with the thinking and for marketers
statement that ‘luxury Big ideas are harder to to really up their game. Find
is taking time out to leverage and resource in a the best team(s); identify
relax’ while 70% agree low to zero growth market segment/consumer needs
with the statement so micro innovation that is that you can find single
‘luxury is little treats & continuous or (what we call minded unrivalled focus;
rewards’. (MCCP lean innovative thinking) leverage best process in
Trendstream™) works best. Small changes strategic, creative (to
to the product or service include innovation) thinking
 Healthier options: 43% can offer simplicity, and skills; commit to a
of women ‘avoid fats’ & relevance and create continuous planning and
46% eat diet/low disproportionately higher focus cycle. This will enable
calorie products value for the user and the you to game change your
(Source: Mintel 2011), product owner while also way as a breakaway brand
while Bord Bia research being delivered at to find a new growth
(2011) uncovers the affordable prices. This can frontier.
fact that usage of deep make the difference.
fat fryer Examples include the Kay McCarthy is MD &
decreased 16% since packaging, the format, the Founder of MCCP
2003; while Steamer channel, functionality and The Planning Agency who
has increase 11% & innovative marketing plans. work with some of Ireland’s
Wok 7% over the same largest brands to help game
period. At MCCP, we have set up an change through better
Innovation Planning Lab to consumer insights and
help clients to game change sharper strategy (brand,
4. The Bigger play: on these dimensions so as communications and
to drive success. innovation).
Game change
through higher levels 5. ‘Always on and
of strategically better planning’
applied creativity and Planning should be an on-
innovation going concept, not a ‘think
and pause’ one. At MCCP,
Game change by changing whilst we believe long
the pie is innovating to range vision planning is
create new value for both necessary to set down a
the brand and for the visionary North Star - this
consumer; this is a needs to be coupled with
necessary new frontier. more regular micro
Innovation is the new planning so as to constantly
creativity – offer something adapt while shifting
new or different so as to towards consumer’s needs
attract a new segment or so that allow us to refine
position your brand in an and amend.
mccp.ie For more information contact: kay@mccp.ie
ph (01) 6350030