Back to Swiss down-to-earthness
Market Research: The Brand Asset Valuator has observed a clear shift in values within society.
Market research The Brand Asset Valuator observes a clear shift in values in society: the most trusted brand among the Swiss population is Migros. For women under 35, the most trusted brand is Ceylor. For men over 35, it is Volvo. And for many Swiss brand managers, AY&R's Brand Asset Valuator (BAV) is the most informative brand study.market research institutes also offer sophisticated and diverse methods and techniques for questions relating to strategic brand management, the measured values of which ultimately provide clients with a useful conceptualization and controlling tool. This is AY&R's USP. "Our primary goal is not to sell the study. For us, the BAV, which we have been using for ten years to monitor the qualitative development of brands, is a means to an end," explains David Allemann, new Managing Director of AY&R (see also page 3). This means that the results of the representative studies, which have been conducted regularly since 1995, flow directly into the communication concepts at the same agency - without any loss of interpretation or friction.
The scope of the study, which was conducted in over 38 countries and measures the perception of over 1,000 brands in 48 image dimensions in Switzerland alone, comes into play here. In addition, the fifth edition of the BAV was supplemented by the "Buying Steps" module, a new Swiss development.
Purchasing behavior is now also analyzedThe module promises to identify the individual weaknesses of a brand compared to the competition: Are these in terms of awareness, willingness to buy, purchase or loyalty? This BAV analysis should therefore show, for example, how purchase consideration can be increased or whether the low market share is due to price, unfavorable shelf position or insufficient packaging. "The allocation of the marketing budget can thus be determined more efficiently," promises the Managing Director, illustrating this with a comparison of two domestic and two foreign beer brands. While all four have good brand awareness in a range between 86 and 72%, they are clearly divided into two camps when it comes to purchase consideration. Even here, Corona and Budweiser have only half the purchase consideration values of the Feldschlösschen and Eichhof brands. With each additional step (purchase, dominance), the values diverge further and further. This is precisely where the globally standardized study design comes into play, as it enables international benchmarking.
Winners and losersLet us now turn to the domestic results (see table): The top 20 list is even more clearly dominated by Swiss brands this year, continuing the trend from the 2003 study. Three out of four new entrants are Swiss brands - Emmentaler, Tilsiter and Circus Knie (surveyed for the first time). Ikea is also new to the ranking. They have displaced the international brands Uncle Ben's and Chiquita, as well as Caran d' Ache and Lindt.
What is striking, and an exception in an international comparison, is that the strongest Swiss brands include many food brands such as cheese and chocolate. In the UK, on the other hand, several media brands and snacks are among the top 20. Brand preference - apparently also a reflection of lifestyle.
To mark the anniversary, AY&R is for the first time presenting a list of the biggest climbers and decliners in terms of brand vitality (differentiation and relevance) among Swiss brands since 1995. The biggest climber of the decade is M-Budget - not the only representative of the orange giant: three other own brands (dairy product line Heidi, dishwashing detergent Handy and convenience brand Anna's Best) strengthen the Migros brand balance. Max Havelaar and Naturaplan reflect the importance of healthy and sustainable nutrition. However, the rising stars also include some brands that have challenged the laws of their industry through innovation: 20 Minuten, Smart, Nespresso, Starbucks, EasyJet, Media Markt and Fielmann. In contrast, Absolut Vodka, Singapore Airlines and the Swiss hi-fi brand Revox have lost the most brand vitality over the same time horizon.
This development also confirms the thesis of the AY&R agency, according to which two factors remain decisive for success in brand management even in the age of hypercompetition: on the one hand, the innovative and creative core of the brand and, on the other, continuity in brand management through constant and consistent repetition of the basic message, which creates familiarity.
On the rise: MainstreamersAccording to the FOT 2005, Switzerland's strongest brand is Switzerland itself. But not as a travel destination or image bearer, but as a shared value platform. The study identified three trends that influence the behavior of the Swiss: The return to classic Swiss virtues, increasing price-performance awareness and the rapidly growing importance of technology brands for everyday life. The statement "I am proud to be Swiss" received the most approval when consumers were asked about it. The trend towards Swiss characteristics is characterized by A sense of tradition (products such as cheese or chocolate), domesticity and a love of tidiness (do-it-yourself brands and cleaning products have increased significantly), a sense of duty (state and semi-state institutions such as Die Post, SBB and the Half-Fare travelcard are currently among the power brands) and a need for security (the brand vitality and stature of almost all insurance brands has increased).
This trend was accompanied by a significant shift in Switzerland's psychographic segments: for the first time since 1995, the proportion of mainstreamers increased again, from 18% (2003) to 24% (2005). The mainstream milieu is characterized by its domesticity and down-to-earth attitude. The mainstreamers oppose the "me" company with the counter-design of the "we" company; the collectivist nature is more important to them. "Their driving motivation is security," explains Allemann. This has an impact on their choice of brand: Mainstreamers prefer established brands and those with a good price-performance ratio, which explains the success of M-Budget. "Nowadays, it's no longer just those who have no other choice who buy cheap. Cheap and good, instead of 'cheap is cool' is the motto here in Germany," says Allemann. The return of the mainstream is just the tip of a fundamental change in values: the proportion of success-oriented, critical and discovery-happy consumers - growth segments of the 1990s - is declining.
Luca Aloisi
The scope of the study, which was conducted in over 38 countries and measures the perception of over 1,000 brands in 48 image dimensions in Switzerland alone, comes into play here. In addition, the fifth edition of the BAV was supplemented by the "Buying Steps" module, a new Swiss development.
Purchasing behavior is now also analyzedThe module promises to identify the individual weaknesses of a brand compared to the competition: Are these in terms of awareness, willingness to buy, purchase or loyalty? This BAV analysis should therefore show, for example, how purchase consideration can be increased or whether the low market share is due to price, unfavorable shelf position or insufficient packaging. "The allocation of the marketing budget can thus be determined more efficiently," promises the Managing Director, illustrating this with a comparison of two domestic and two foreign beer brands. While all four have good brand awareness in a range between 86 and 72%, they are clearly divided into two camps when it comes to purchase consideration. Even here, Corona and Budweiser have only half the purchase consideration values of the Feldschlösschen and Eichhof brands. With each additional step (purchase, dominance), the values diverge further and further. This is precisely where the globally standardized study design comes into play, as it enables international benchmarking.
Winners and losersLet us now turn to the domestic results (see table): The top 20 list is even more clearly dominated by Swiss brands this year, continuing the trend from the 2003 study. Three out of four new entrants are Swiss brands - Emmentaler, Tilsiter and Circus Knie (surveyed for the first time). Ikea is also new to the ranking. They have displaced the international brands Uncle Ben's and Chiquita, as well as Caran d' Ache and Lindt.
What is striking, and an exception in an international comparison, is that the strongest Swiss brands include many food brands such as cheese and chocolate. In the UK, on the other hand, several media brands and snacks are among the top 20. Brand preference - apparently also a reflection of lifestyle.
To mark the anniversary, AY&R is for the first time presenting a list of the biggest climbers and decliners in terms of brand vitality (differentiation and relevance) among Swiss brands since 1995. The biggest climber of the decade is M-Budget - not the only representative of the orange giant: three other own brands (dairy product line Heidi, dishwashing detergent Handy and convenience brand Anna's Best) strengthen the Migros brand balance. Max Havelaar and Naturaplan reflect the importance of healthy and sustainable nutrition. However, the rising stars also include some brands that have challenged the laws of their industry through innovation: 20 Minuten, Smart, Nespresso, Starbucks, EasyJet, Media Markt and Fielmann. In contrast, Absolut Vodka, Singapore Airlines and the Swiss hi-fi brand Revox have lost the most brand vitality over the same time horizon.
This development also confirms the thesis of the AY&R agency, according to which two factors remain decisive for success in brand management even in the age of hypercompetition: on the one hand, the innovative and creative core of the brand and, on the other, continuity in brand management through constant and consistent repetition of the basic message, which creates familiarity.
On the rise: MainstreamersAccording to the FOT 2005, Switzerland's strongest brand is Switzerland itself. But not as a travel destination or image bearer, but as a shared value platform. The study identified three trends that influence the behavior of the Swiss: The return to classic Swiss virtues, increasing price-performance awareness and the rapidly growing importance of technology brands for everyday life. The statement "I am proud to be Swiss" received the most approval when consumers were asked about it. The trend towards Swiss characteristics is characterized by A sense of tradition (products such as cheese or chocolate), domesticity and a love of tidiness (do-it-yourself brands and cleaning products have increased significantly), a sense of duty (state and semi-state institutions such as Die Post, SBB and the Half-Fare travelcard are currently among the power brands) and a need for security (the brand vitality and stature of almost all insurance brands has increased).
This trend was accompanied by a significant shift in Switzerland's psychographic segments: for the first time since 1995, the proportion of mainstreamers increased again, from 18% (2003) to 24% (2005). The mainstream milieu is characterized by its domesticity and down-to-earth attitude. The mainstreamers oppose the "me" company with the counter-design of the "we" company; the collectivist nature is more important to them. "Their driving motivation is security," explains Allemann. This has an impact on their choice of brand: Mainstreamers prefer established brands and those with a good price-performance ratio, which explains the success of M-Budget. "Nowadays, it's no longer just those who have no other choice who buy cheap. Cheap and good, instead of 'cheap is cool' is the motto here in Germany," says Allemann. The return of the mainstream is just the tip of a fundamental change in values: the proportion of success-oriented, critical and discovery-happy consumers - growth segments of the 1990s - is declining.
Luca Aloisi
