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Brand Health Check: Bold

Mhairi McEwan, co-founder and Managing Director of BRAND LEARNING, was recently asked by Alex Brownsell of Marketing magazine how Bold can get sales growing again after years of steady decline. The following is an excerpt from the article:

Bold has an identity crisis. Is it a washing powder or is it a fabric conditioner?

As Bold 3, then Bold 2in1, it has constantly reinvented itself. From starting life as a great-value offer, now it is seems to be defined around 'indulgence' - not optimal during a global recession.

Bold's identity crisis goes to the heart of its proposition. Washing powders are about cleaning efficiency.

Managing dirty laundry is a boring, yet necessary job. Innovation within the fabric conditioner category has brought better softness and fantastic fragrance offers as well as a more pleasurable touch of individuality to this daily task.

The category is hugely complex, with powders, liquids, tablets, gels, concentrates and so on.

P&G and Unilever, expert marketers both, have created a diversity of choice for a simple household task that is almost overwhelming at point of sale.

Strong brands need clear positioning: either encompassing all the main category benefits, or clearly segmented and positioned to offer more focused benefits to a narrower target consumer group. It's not clear that Bold has either of these two positioning routes covered.

Remedy

Look back into Bold's history to reconnect with the roots of the brand.

Focus less on exotic fragrances and luxury - this is more than covered by fabric conditioners, which now echo fine fragrances in their plethora of choice.

Position Bold clearly to younger, busy people, with no time and strapped for cash, who want a fast, practical, no-nonsense solution to washing, softening and freshening laundry.

Click here to read the full article on marketingmagazine.co.uk