We often say that Ramey builds premium brands to help our clients reach higher.
I am sometimes asked, “what does it mean for a brand to be a premium brand – and why should it matter to me?”
Think of any category – it could be kitchen appliances, automobiles, apparel, even cat food. The brand or brands at the bottom of the category are commodities, fighting over margins and pricing, and easily replaced by the consumer. Mid-market brands also face margin pressure, although they typically have higher brand loyalty than lower-market commodity competitors.
At the top of the category are the premium brands. These are the brands that have sufficiently differentiated themselves in such a way that they have forged a sort of bond with their customer base – and are often aspirational to shoppers across the category. A brand can’t simply double its price and consider itself “premium.” It must offer some significant differentiation in terms of product design or quality, user experience, or the consumer’s path-to-purchase. That requires an integrated brand strategy, as well as flawless execution in the web experience, social media marketing, experiential marketing, and digital marketing.
But here’s the thing. A high-end brand strategy is sometimes assumed to be some sort of marketing gimmick. “Throw a nicer label on it and jack-up the price – and voila – you’ve got yourself a premium brand.” That’s simply not the case. A high-end brand strategy is instead a fundamental business objective to drive profits.
Here’s what I mean: One of our friends, Michael Silverstein of Boston Consulting Group, featured our work for Viking Range a few years ago in his book, Trading Up. Michael wrote about the “20/40/60 Rule,” which says that in any given category, the premium brand or brands drive 20% of volume, 40% of revenue, and 60% of profits. Again: Building a premium brand isn’t a marketing strategy, it’s a fundamental business strategy.
Wouldn’t you rather have a brand that drives 60% of your category’s profits?
We publish a lot of POVs on the subject on the Ramey blog. Here you will find innovative strategies and tactics designed to help you build brands, generate leads, and drive sales.
I hope that as you get ready for the planning season this fall, you’ll check out our resources. And may you achieve great success in the year to come.
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