13 Mar How to leverage your owned assets to the max
A highly decorated FMCG CMO once said to me, “who the hell wants to build a community around yoghurt?”. He was talking about one of his own products and he was talking about the agency world’s obsession with ‘building a community’ on social media. It was a refreshing salvo amidst a time when the world went social media mad.
I am reminded of this line when making my tea every morning. Tea brand Lipton have used their prime real estate, their gold, their most valuable customer-connection tool: their packaging, to invite people to join them on Facebook. Now, I don’t want to offend tea-lovers here, I am sure there are plenty of people who do like to talk for hours about their preferred leaf, but forming a global community around it seems a bit of a stretch.
Having said that, hats off to Unilever marketers for embracing the teabag tag as a media vehicle, I would have just loved to have seen them use it more wisely. For a start they could innovate the tag itself, make it bigger or a different shape to stand out more. I also need a reason before I will follow their instruction. For example, cross-promotion (‘try new Lipton Green’), upsell (Lipton Black value multi-pack) or win something (Trip to NYC?).
Unilever would also be wise to consider leasing this prime real estate to a complimentary brand which matches the tea experience (Health insurance), occasion (breakfast radio), the tea audience (activewear) or the tea drinking itself (milk). To do so would add value to their customers AND create a new revenue stream.
See here for how Sonder is doing just this for Tip Top Bakery’s range of breads. Whether it is for your brand’s own communication or a partner’s, such a precious channel as packaging should be given careful thought on how to be used to maximum effect.