Introducing the last in our blog series of eleven innovation and branding precepts for 2011.

MASSPIRATION
 
Consumers have long aspired to own premium brands and products, but for most of us, the hefty price tags ensure they remain firmly out of reach. However, recent years have seen the growth of a more ‘accessible premium’ – bringing higher-quality products, with aspirational branding, to mass market consumers.
 
Priced lower than the truly premium brands, but higher than the category norm, these brands make ‘high end’ products available for the masses through innovative brand architecture, retail delivery, and product usage, combined with premium messaging and visual cues.
 
THE SAMPLER
This independent London wine merchant lets you try the finest wines for less, by sampling small tasters rather than full bottles. Their aim is to make wine-tasting ‘un-elitist and fun’… and hopefully to convince you to buy a bottle of your favourite taster, of course.  
DESIGNERS AT DEBENHAMS, STELLA MCCARTNEY FOR TARGET et al
By now the list of designers with high street store capsule ranges is long, but with the cult of celebrity still going strong, and the rest of us mere mortals still aspiring to own their high-end clothes and labels, this idea is not showing any signs of losing popularity. The latest incarnation comes from designer Narciso Rodriguez, this time with an accessible line retailing at below $350, designed specifically for and sold through eBay. These lines may structure their brand architectures differently, but the magic touch of the designer brand at a high-street price seems universal, and continues to spread into other categories including food (Heston Blumenthal at Waitrose), menswear (Joe Caseley-Hayford for John Lewis) and lingerie (Colette Dinnigan for Target Australia). www.ebay.com/narcisorodriguezforebay 

 
FOOD FOR THOUGHT…
What does premium look like for your brand or category? How could you bring it to the masses and still maintain its cachet?

If you missed the earlier blogs, all eleven precepts can be viewed here.

Introducing the tenth in our blog series of eleven innovation and branding precepts for 2011.

NOT THE MARTINI PRINCIPLE
 
Too many brands and products try to be all things to all people, for all occasions, creating a lack of clear consumer understanding about what the purpose of the product actually is… think of Martini’s ‘Any time, any place, any where’ strapline. By single-mindedly targeting a specific occasion instead, and owning it convincingly, brands can develop a really strong identity and role in the minds of its consumers.
 
FOR GOODNESS SHAKES
Rather than opt for the ubiquitous ‘before, during, after’ promise of isotonics, For Goodness Shakes has carved out a niche by communicating expertise in post-exercise recovery.  
MOMA
Healthy food on-the-go is nothing new, but MOMA have been more specific in targeting their occasion, by offering healthy, filling breakfast options on the way to work, courtesy of their brightly branded breakfast carts.

  
FOOD FOR THOUGHT…
Think about which usage occasion your brand could credibly target and even own – explore around it and use what you find as start points for generating new product or service ideas.

If you can’t wait for the next blog in the series, or you missed the earlier ones, all eleven precepts can be viewed here.

Introducing the ninth in our blog series of eleven innovation and branding precepts for 2011.

PEOPLE POWER
 
Getting your consumers involved in new product design or development instantly engages them with the brand and creates word-of-mouth buzz. It also gives you direct insight into what they really want from your products, their associations with your brand and of course their innovative ideas.
 
FIREFLY TONICS BRITANNIA
British drinks firm Firefly Tonics had already established themselves as an innovative player in the UK drinks market even before asking their consumers to design their newest flavour. Launched as ‘Britannia’ in 2010, complete with an on-pack photo taken by one of their consumers, and a design voted for by their consumer network, the flavour has been a huge success and is now part of the regular Firefly line-up.  
THREADLESS
Threadless has consumer product design at the heart of its business model – as an online community where consumers/designers can post designs for t-shirts (and recently hoodies and totes), which are then voted for by other users. The most popular designs are manufactured by Threadless and sold through the site, as well as through Threadless’s bricks-and-mortar stores, with winning designers receiving a one off fee for the rights to their designs.  
FOOD FOR THOUGHT…
How could you get your consumers involved in your innovation process? Is it about developing a single new product to create buzz, or some more permanent changes to your innovation and consumer engagement model?
If you can’t wait for the next blog in the series, or you missed the earlier ones, all eleven precepts can be viewed here.

Introducing the eighth in our blog series of eleven innovation and branding precepts for 2011.

8. LOVE ME FOREVER…?
 
The nature of ownership is changing – no longer is it a choice between traditional ‘forever’ ownership or by-the-day rental. Now consumers are defining the terms that make sense for their lifestyle and needs, and savvy innovators are tapping into this change, creating products and services that fit neatly into consumers’ lives.
 
AMAZON BUY BACK
This initiative from Amazon’s US store caters for those who don’t want or need to own books beyond the time taken to read or use them. BuyBack started as a service for students re-selling textbooks, and has recently been expanded into other types of books as well. It makes it easy for consumers to sell books via Amazon to a third party merchant, for which they will receive gift cards, redeemable on Amazon, for the buyback value. 

 
AVELLE
For many consumers, access is far more important than ownership, and this is particularly the case with expensive premium handbags and jewellery. Avelle had previously operated in this space as ‘Bag, Borrow and Steal’, allowing consumers to hire high end handbags for a fixed period of time. After testing the business model and making their mark in bags, it changed its name to Avelle in 2008, paving the way for the expansion into jewellery and beyond.

BARCLAY’S CYCLE HIRE (a.k.a. “Boris Bikes”)
Like many big cities, London has a car problem, and the public transport system is overloaded, especially during rush hour. Following in the footsteps of similar schemes in other smaller cities, the Barclay’s Cycle Hire scheme was introduced in 2010, allowing people to hire the specially designed bikes by the hour, for up to 24 hours, with pick up and drop off points around the city. Perfect for those Londoners who have neither the money nor the space to own a bike of their own, but want to avoid the crowded tube and do their bit for the environment. And Mayor Boris Johnson, who introduced the scheme, has achieved immortality in the unforgettable ‘Boris bikes’ nickname.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT…
Do you consumers want (or need) to own your products ‘forever’? What could short-term or shared ownership look like in your category?

If you can’t wait for the next blog in the series, or you missed the earlier ones, all eleven precepts can be viewed here.

Introducing the seventh in our blog series of eleven innovation and branding precepts for 2011.

GET INTREPID
 
Guided inspiration and discovery is an important role that brands can play in consumers’ lives, and new products and brands in particular can do this very successfully. Whether it’s global reach or local gems, brands are increasingly helping consumers discover new and exciting products to enhance their lives.
 
BOTICCA
The team at Boticca aims to source beautiful jewellery, bags and other accessories from emerging designers around the world, to provide access for consumers to unique pieces that they might otherwise never have discovered. The ‘Our Picks’ section showcases their top pieces by theme and by month, and there is a strong focus on the stories of the designers behind the pieces, making each one feel personal and unique. 

 
ABEL AND COLE
Leading the charge on organic fruit and veg boxes delivered to your door, Abel and Cole focuses on helping consumers to discover new seasonally available produce, and helping them to make the most of what’s in season. Recognising that not everyone is an inspired cook, they also offer a directory of free recipes, sorted by vegetable type, to support their consumers in using their products.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT…
What does ‘discovery’ look like for your consumers or for your category?
How could you incorporate it into your product or service offering?

If you can’t wait for the next blog in the series, or you missed the earlier ones, all eleven precepts can be viewed here.