Great White
Increase sales or we lose the brand
Retailers threatened to de-list the Great White brand after it was made a "virgin" paper. The brand team was overly focused on consumers needs and did not recognize the power of the retailer. |
Situation:
Opportunity: Principle: Actions: Results: |
Great White recycled papers were introduced in 1993 using shark imagery and unconventional packaging. Despite its' success, the brand was” reinvented” during the late 90s in response to shifting consumer sentiments relating to the use of recycled papers. As a result, major retailers threatened to de-list the brand.
The retail environment in the US had changed dramatically in response to consolidation and large warehouse stores. In fact, only four retailers controlled the bulk of the retail paper market. The opportunity existed to create a brand that provided value to both retail constituents - the consumer and the retailer. Retail Branding, Category Management We interviewed all the customers that sold the Great White brand. The trade (i.e. – office super-stores) needed a unique point-of-difference in order to justify allocating shelf space to the brand. In addition, consumers told us that the traditional labels featuring weight and brightness was not well understood. We changed the category by 1.) re-introducing Great White as a recycled paper to meet retailer needs and 2.) created a new package that featured specific uses (ie. Presentation paper) for the consumers. As a result, the brand grew from $42 million to $58 million – an increase of over 38% - in the first year alone – 200% over sales plan. . |