Patrick Rodmell's Private Label Buyer Magazine Guest Commentary. The 10 Keys to Private Brand Success: Key No. 4: Communication of Purchase Drivers, Private Label Design, Private label Strategy

1. PLBUYER APRIL 2011 The Ten Keys to Private Brand Success
4 Guest Commentary
BY PATRICK RODMELL
THE 10 KEYS TO
PRIVATE BRAND SUCCESS:
KEY NO. 4: COMMUNICATION OF PURCHASE DRIVERS
Does your copy and imagery make
your program look generic?
H
ere’s a quick quiz for you: packaging is vendor-supplied
If I say “Extra Smooth,” or stock photographs. First, the
what’s the first product quality and style of the images is
category that comes to your mind? usually materially below national
Shaving cream? Peanut butter? brand standards. Second, this
Whisky? How about if I showed eliminates any possibility of
you an illustration of a tropical creating a unique ‘style’ to imagery
forest? Would you think of coffee? that can be proprietary to the
Mixed nuts? Eco-friendly laundry retailer and convey the brand
detergent? character you are trying to express
The truth is words and images for the overall business.
can conjure up many different Does this mean that imagery
thoughts and emotions, depending should be consistent across an
upon the context we see them in. entire private label program? Not
Used effectively, they can readily likely. The emotional triggers that
convey many pragmatic attributes drive purchase vary widely from
of a product, for example, quality, category to category, even within a
origin, or a specific feature, and category (kids vs. adult cereals), so
even strike an emotional chord; assuming a consistent image style
perhaps spark a fond memory, take across the entire range is unrealistic.
Longo’s private brand packaging embodies image and character, setting it apart
us to a different place, or connect And beyond photography, the use
from competitors and other PL packaging.
with our values. of a customized illustration style
But on the flip side, a lack of is dramatically underleveraged in
thought in the use of words and private brands. But a private brand package design this product for the first time?”
images on packaging can be the Engaging copy, and the visual should last at least five years before Remember, a retailer’s private
kiss of death for even the highest expression of it, is becoming a lost requiring a refresh. Over that time, label packaging is the most
quality private label products. art in private label. Next time the upfront investment in thinking powerful reflection of the brand
And regrettably, there are far too you’re in a grocery store, grab a few through the copy, crafting the that the shopper allows into their
many examples of this still on national brands off the shelf and typography, and conceptualizing home – they should NEVER feel
grocery shelves. take a close look at the typography imagery that will motivate trial will embarrassed to leave the package
The most common error in they use to express their brand more than pay for itself. on the counter when the neighbors
use of imagery on private brand and supporting statements. Now Repurposing imagery across drop by. Bland product descriptors,
compare these to the private brand categories and even in-store bad typography and uninspired
The 10 Keys to alternatives. In just about every signage also can extend the imagery are dead giveaways of
Private Brand Success: case, you will find a huge delta upfront investment. I once generic private label that won’t even
between the appeal of each. And counted nine different pictures make it off the shelf.
1. Strategic Brand Positioning private label’s overwhelming use of tomatoes in one grocery store;
2. Product Quality Management of product descriptors without any surely there were at least a few Patrick Rodmell (prodmell@wattintl.com)
3. Effective Pricing Strategies benefit or romance support copy only instances where the same image is president and CEO of Watt International,
perpetuates this. The lack of benefit- could have been re-purposed! a Toronto-based integrated retail agency
4. Communication of
driven product copy and use of Imagine the benefits of brand with more than 40 years experience in more
Purchase Drivers
generic typefaces remain one of the consistency that would also have than 40 countries around the world. The
5. Process Engineering most distinguishing factors between occurred with repurposing. company is well known for creating such
6. Product Innovation the packaging appeal of national and When selecting the imagery and landmark private brands as President’s
7. Performance Measurement private brands, more so even than words to use on a package, the first Choice, Great Value and Safeway Select, and
8. Associate Engagement discrepancies in image quality. and only question that really matters more than 100 other private brands world-
9. Market like a National Brand The rationale I hear most often is: “What are going to be the main wide. To read the first three of Patrick’s keys,
to defend sub-standard copy, type pragmatic and emotional drivers go to privatelabelbuyer.com and look in the
10. Store Execution
and imagery is a lack of funding. that will motivate someone to try PLBuyer Voices section.