March 15, 2022
Private Label Brands: Embracing “Just a Bit Better”
All Things Store Brands
After years at branding agency CBX, Partner Todd Maute knows the importance of nuance, especially when it comes to private-label branding. In his article for Storebrands.com, “Why ‘Just a Bit Better for You’ can be a Powerful Direction for Store Brands” he details how even slight ingredient changes can win over today’s health-conscious consumers. The key, he says, is to clearly communicate this better-for-you brand positioning.
According to Todd, supply chain issues caused by the pandemic had consumers turning to private label brands in record numbers. Now that shelves are filling up again, Todd identifies ways in which store brands can maintain their newfound consumers. It’s clear that healthier products are a top priority for many today, but instead of a major commitment like plant-based or gluten-free alternatives, private labels can make subtle changes like eliminating trans fats and forgoing artificial colors or flavors to hold onto health-minded consumers. Even a slightly healthier benefit, coupled with a better price point, can be reason enough for consumers to keep buying store brands.
Once the retailer decides to make a healthier change, the key is to effectively communicate it. A simple flag on the packaging may do the trick, but it also might get lost. Todd argues that sometimes a bolder approach is needed, and he identifies three avenues a private label might take:
1. New identity: Instead of keeping the better-for-you SKUs in the same tier as their national-brand equivalents, retailers can take a branded approach with colors, type, imagery, etc. to showcase their healthier benefits at shelf.
2. Go meta: This takes a bigger commitment, but retailers can go all-in and pledge to create better-for-you products across the board. Todd cites Wegmans as an example: since 2014, they’ve improved over 2,000 of their products, and today consumers equate quality food with the Wegmans brand.
3. Start fresh: Launching a new better-for-you product is not as daunting as it used to be. Innovations like Agile Scrum and Design Thinking make creating and executing a new brand much more efficient.
Todd suggests it’s time to seize the day—there’s a real opportunity right now in the middle ground of better-for-you products for retailers. Read the full article here: https://storebrands.com/why-just-bit-better-you-can-be-powerful-direction-store-brands
Store Brands vs. Name Brands
Todd was recently featured on the WCCO-TV segment Good Question on the CBS Minnesota evening news. Addressing the question “How Are Store Brands Different from Name Brands?”, he talked about the evolution of store brands and how they’ve increased in both quality and perception over the years. See the clip here: https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2022/03/10/store-brands-vs-name-brands/
