Page 13 - BOSS Today Issue 13
P. 13
Case study
COMING BACK TO
BRANDS
Bic’s experience of the market in recent years matches what GfK has found
fK’s identification of a flight It is for this reason that the
Gto quality within the market company has also carried out
has also been picked up by pen research that can be used
manufacturer Bic. Yolande de to promote to consumers just
Trogoff, the company’s Marketing how durable its products are –
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Manager for the UK and Ireland, particularly the BIC Cristal pen,
says: “In retail, brands have which has now been sold in the
successively enjoyed sales value UK for over 60 years. It claims tests
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growth rates over the past two have shown that the BIC Cristal
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years of 9 per cent in 2010 and 7 pen can write for up to two times
per cent in 2011, representing a longer than any similar pen from
75 per cent value share in the last its main competitors, making it
quarter of 2011 versus only 71 per particularly useful for students
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cent the year before. At the same sitting exams. Similarly, the BIC
time, the piece demand for trade Kids Visa felt pens will last for
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brands in retail has been declining three months even if left uncapped
over the past three years, by 13 per (except black ink).
cent in 2009, 11 per cent in 2010 The market has also been seeing
and 14 per cent in 2011.” growth in its online sales of 25 per
She claims Bic itself has grown cent in pieces sold, but 70 per cent
by 27 and 33 per cent in the past in terms of value. Again, de Trogoff
two years in terms of pieces sold in says that this suggests customers
retail. are making more considered,
The company has also higher priced purchases of
conducted research of its own, well-known brands. Bic research
surveying over 1,300 consumers to suggests that around 8 per cent of
discover that durability is the most purchases for the Back to School
important criteria customers look season will be made online. “But
for when choosing Back to School we also know from our research
products. around Back to School that mothers
“Consumers have realised browse online before going in
that durability and quality store to buy their products,” she
is synonymous with value says. “We have also seen that
for money,” says de Trogoff. e-commerce is fairly strong within
“Consumers want to spend their business-to-business sales and is
money wisely and now prefer to growing in double digits.”
spend their money on products Overall Back to School constitutes
which they trust and know will range and our more added value around a third of the market retail
last longer. We can see this trend ballpoint pens such as our BIC 4 sales by value, and this figure has
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happening within our colouring Colours pens.” been gradually rising since 2008.
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July/August 2012 | BOSS TODAY 13
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