The Product is the Hero

SIGG's aluminum bottles have long since found numerous fans outside the country's borders as well. In addition to Europe, the USA and China are among the key markets. The brand is increasingly confronted with global positioning issues that can no longer be answered with a pure "Made in Switzerland" label. Against this background, Marti Communications was commissioned to develop a positioning platform for SIGG that would meet international requirements.

Two-dimensional target group model

Characteristic of SIGG is the two-dimensional target group structure. On the one hand, through the sociodemographic axis, which appeals to children from the age of three to adults of retirement age. On the other hand, the psychological axis, which separates urban trendsetters from nature-loving traditionalists. This had to be decisively taken into account for the development of the positioning platform. "To master the balancing act between target groups and markets, the conceptual work was divided into a three-stage model," explains consultant Thomas Krebs. It began with a brand workshop that introduced participants to a shared brand vision. In SIGG's case, this was attended by around 20 people from all relevant markets, who used imagery and association exercises, among other things, to develop their own brand worlds for their brand. On this basis, Marti Communications developed various creative concepts. Together with DemoScope, these were subsequently subjected to a representative pre-test in all markets to check their suitability.

Colors make bottles

In all markets, it has become clear that the colors of the SIGG bottles are a decisive feature that earns SIGG a great deal of sympathy. Be it as a colorful fashion accessory, as an expression of a vital and non-conformist lifestyle, or as an actual color signal to differentiate from the social environment. It is not only in less developed markets that the bottle and its contour are an important feature for the perception of SIGG. "Only when the bottle is shown in a large and vivid way do the ads meet with acceptance and were able to attract the necessary attention," Peter Marti's creative team concluded from the tests. They created three subjects that will be used as the first generation of the new campaign from fall 2013 and position the brand as a colorful original. The visuals can be seen on- and offline in national and international media. A further development for 2014 is already in the works.

Brand workshop

The tool developed by Peter Marti for the efficient development of sustainable brand strategies can be implemented as a brand workshop in a few weeks, unlike other strategy processes. It requires only a few hours of commitment from the client. Another advantage is that different bodies (VR, management, marketing, sales) of the client are actively integrated. This opens up the optics and increases internal acceptance. Besides SIGG, Marti's method has also been developed and implemented for companies such as Sunrise, Charles Vögele, Schulthess, Domino's Pizza, Manpower or Diethelm Keller Brands.

New headquarters on historic site

The place where one stays and the impressions of the surroundings are reflected in the expression and creativity of the people who inhabit that place. "At least that's what I've experienced over and over again over the years," says Peter Marti. Since this fall, his Marti Communications is newly rented in the Art Nouveau building at Forchstrasse 280. In the 4-meter-high and bright rooms, the creatives of the famous agency Wiener, Deville & Wälchli used to work. Max Wiener's crew experienced its most important growth phase here from 1963 to 1972, before the agency moved to Küsnacht. Peter Marti also later worked there at Wiener, Deville. The rest is coincidence.
 
Andreas Panzeri