3 Steps to Target New Market Through Brand Repositioning

Marketing campaigns can help brands successfully reposition themselves to target new market. As a graduate student at Northwestern University's marketing program, I have been studying the role of advertising campaigns in brand repositioning and would like to share 3 steps brands should follow when developing communication strategies. 

This is a story about how a real and honest Cornish pasty brand re-interpreted its brand promise following 3 steps that repositioned ‘full-filled food for men on the move’ to ‘locally produced, quality food that moms would be proud to serve to their family.’  Ginsters Pasties were known as the dominant petrol station forecourt snacks in the UK and the brand was born to serve 'men on the move'. Having achieved 80% market share in the forecourt while faced with a declining growth rate, Ginsters set a new business objective to sell pasties in the nation’s supermarkets in order to continue grow. However moms, the main shoppers in supermarkets, often associated the brand with low-quality fast food, so how did Ginsters successfully reposition itself without alienating its core male consumers?

1.     Stay close to your brand promise

You need to figure out and stick to your brand promise even though you are repositioning your brand, because you NEVER NEVER want to confuse your audience about who you are.

Ginsters was positioned to be ‘Real Honest Food’, which guaranteed that you will bite into a mouth full of food, not air. Its old commercials talked to 'men on the move' in a humorous ‘cheeky chappy’ tone. The promise ‘Real Honest Food’ is the essence of its brand equity. By maintaining this promise, Ginsters was able to gain brand recognition among existing audience very fast in new sales channels with its new advertising campaigns.

2.  Identify what to keep, what to let go

You need to identify similar and different need states between new audience and existing audience. Keep the elements that address to the similarities and get rid of those addressing to unique needs of existing audience.

Difference: 'men on the move' and moms have very different purposes shopping at gas station and supermarkets. 

Similarities: moms purchase Ginsters Pasties as lunch box snacks for their husbands or kids. So the actual consumers remain the same. Both men on the move and moms shop for high-quality food.

Consumer Research Key Insight: moms will like Ginsters Pasties because their husbands love them!

3.   Unlock growth from a new market without alienating your core customers

You should NEVER NEVER forget your existing customers, because they are still your most profitable and loyal customers.

Ginsters leveraged the insight that moms will buy what their families love and launched series of TV commercials featuring conversions between husbands and wives. This new advertising campaign targeted both men on the move and moms by highlighting the quality of Ginsters Pasties.  

Result: 14% increase in Ginsters penetration among moms; ROI: £2.03

By following these 3 steps, advertising professionals will help brands successfully appeal to new markets while staying true to their original brand promises. 

Wen Deng is a master’s student in Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern. She has multiple working experiences in digital advertising agencies both in U.S.A and China. Follow her @ Wen_Deng. 

*Pictures Sources: Warc.com Ginster Case study