Page 22 - BOSS Today Issue 10

WINNER

THE
BOSS
INDUSTRY
AWARDS
2011

FOCUS ON

CONSUMER

A young woman who has been responsible for changing the focus
of some of Hamelin’s top brands was the winner of this year’s
Young Professional of the Year award

he top brass at Hamelin in 2009, just before I arrived, but it While responding to wanted, he would have given
must be content. For has been my job to analyse it and consumers is important, there them faster horses. And Apple
Tthe past three years the get to know what it means, and are those who claim that it under the late Steve Jobs made
Oxford and Black n Red brands, decide how we can use it to help should never be a be all and a reputation for striking out
has shown solid growth in terms our customers.” end all. Henry Ford, for example, with products customers had
of volume and value. One of the first conclusions famously said that if he had never really thought of. When
While much of that success drawn was that as a company only given customers what they the iPhone first came out, for
of course could be ascribed Hamelin was perhaps still too
to the quality of the product, geared around letting the
there is no doubt that a fair manufacturing function dictate
bit of it must be down to the how its products should be
successful marketing campaigns developed, rather than allowing
the company has been running consumers to have their input.
during that time. “It was decided we needed
to move from everything being
Professional product-led to looking at what
And those marketing campaigns the consumer wants first,” she
were run by the winner of the says. “We may think we know, but
Young Professional of the Year what does the consumer really
award at this year’s BOSS Awards, want and need? We put focus
28-year-old Kyrsten Halley. groups together to find out, and
As she modestly explains, from there we felt we could go
however, her work has partly on to develop new products, and
been a reaction to a significant effective marketing campaigns
amount of marketing research rather than do everything from a
that Hamelin was already manufacturer’s point of view.”
undertaking when she joined Black n’ Red is the major
almost three years ago. brand in the stable. Everyone
“We have had a very busy recognises the brand from its
time generally looking at the way colour combination, and this
we do business,” she says. “We certainly wasn’t changed:
have had an overview, making Black n’ Red has remained
sure that all our marketing is in black and red. But new cover
line with our commercial goals, options were introduced, such
so we can make a difference in as a textured cover to make the
the marketplace. All that started product feel more up-to-date. Bobby Davro, Kyrsten Halley, Tim Percival

22 BOSS TODAY | November/December 2011

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