Page 23 - BOSS Today Issue 23

female consumers, talking in a The Result In addition, Knibbs claims, and character of the market, and
language that they understand As we have seen, the result of retailers have been reviewing they are keen for OP dealers to
and embrace.” all these initiatives has been the their policies and ranges on own build on what they feel has been
fact that, while overall volume label writing instruments, with achieved. As Knibbs comments,
The Brand Character demand for rollerballs may some grocers downscaling the “The only way for OP dealers to
As part of this, Pilot have also have been in decline, value has size of their own label offering: maintain any value in the market
considered developing and increased for the major brands. “They have started to realise that is to move away from selling own
communicating the character of As Knibbs explains, “As a branded they are selling an awful lot of brand, because that is a race to
their brand, as Knibbs explains: supplier, we have been banging own label product and getting the bottom. If you want to make
People don’t just write; they also on that drum for years, so maybe nothing out of it for a lot of risk: margin improvements you have
doodle and draw. So we are the message is starting to get exchange rate risks are becoming really got to focus on branded
repositioning our brand under through to end-users who are fed an issue for them, especially if products.”
@happywriting. While we now up with buying ever-decreasing it’s coming out of somewhere
have iPads and tablets, there quality products.” like China; they have to invest in n FOR FURTHER
is still a place for writing and the stock up front, so they are INFORMATION, CONTACT
doodling – ways of expressing carrying the inventory risk; and SOPHIE BOWYER AT
our personality and the way we obviously lead time is also pretty sophie@bossfederation.co.uk
feel etc. So we are trying to build long.”
that feel good factor around our The lesson appears to be that Martin Wilde – the author of this article – is
brand: getting emotions into it, branded manufacturers can help Managing Director of OP market research
specialists Martin Wilde Associates Ltd
not just features and benefits.” to make a difference to the value (www.martinwildeassociates.com)

Introducing the

Designer

Celebrating 20 years of our bestselling Liquid ink rollerball pen

Editionditionditionditionditionditionditionditionditionditiondition
E E E E E E E E E E Edition

@uniball_UK uniball_UK www.uniball.com

July/August 2014 | BOSS TODAY 23

WI.indd 5 18/07/2014 15:27