Be your best self 

One path to restage success is to renovate the benefits of your product in a way that reinforces strengths or adapts to changing needs. Knowing those opportunities comes from constant engagement with buyers and non-buyers, but also by keeping an eye on competitors. It is key that your evolution not only moves your brand forward but does so in a way that gives your brand a clear advantage over others.   

In 2015, Cheerios – a beloved global cereal brand – capitalized on emerging growth within gluten-free foods by developing a new production approach and adding this claim to their core line in the U.S.  In doing so, they were able to avoid some of the volume declines impacting the category, and grew sales in the year after the relaunch.* 

Talk the talk  

Another way to successfully renovate is to pivot—to evolve your brand story to stay modern and relevant as consumer needs evolve.   

A great example of this is Lean Cuisine—a line of frozen meals in the U.S. In 2015, while the rest of the category was in decline due to consumers favoring fresh and perceptions that frozen foods were “processed,” Lean Cuisine embarked on a change.  They moved the brand away from their “diet” heritage, enhanced packaging through savory food imagery, and reoriented their line around different food “moods.”  The result?  Massive sales gains.**   

Look the part 

Packaging gives brands a billboard to promote new benefits and reinforce key strengths and equities. The aim of pack redesigns should be to find ways to invite new buyers without alienating current ones. Making these types of adjustments over time can pay big dividends. 

The Nycil talc brand in India is known for its superior efficacy; however, it had been facing increased competition from brands promoting their “cooling benefits.” In order to reinforce Nycil’s unique position without compromising its heritage, they updated their packaging. The new, more modern designs continued to leverage their hallmark blue color, while more prominently promoting “germ expert” and “5-in-1″ benefits claims on front of pack. In the year following the redesign, Nycil’s dollar sales grew 20% compared to the period prior.*** 

Get out there 

Although changing benefits and packaging can help grow brands, most renovations need increased marketing support to activate.  In BASES experience, fewer than 10% of restages recover from declining sales when they don’t increase marketing support.  The additional marketing—media in particular—lets consumers know you’ve evolved and reinvigorates awareness overall and consideration.    

There are multiple ways to refresh and reenergize your brand, but it is important those changes are rooted in constant feedback/input from consumers and the marketplace and are activated through increased marketing support. 

Sources: 

*Nielsen RMS Aug. 2016-Aug. 2017 

**NielsenIQ BASES Pack Design Impact Awards, 2017 

*** Nielsen RMS Jan. 2019-Jan. 2020