Photograph by Starbucks
Starbucks is a sweet shop in disguise.
Or so it would seem if you look at a list of their most popular drinks, which includes iced white chocolate mocha, pumpkin spice latte, cinnamon roll Frappuccino, and hot chocolate.
The genius of Starbucks marketing was to make it socially acceptable for adults to indulge in a regular sugary treat while pretending they are consuming a sophisticated beverage designed for grown-ups.
Sanpellegrino pulled the same trick with their range of soft drinks. Rory Sutherland called their sparkling orange “posh Fanta” and he was not wrong. Positioning the brand as a premium product with a desirable Italian heritage gave consumers permission to indulge without the guilt that might be associated with a Coca-Cola beverage.
It is a model fine-tuned by the wine industry, which made the drinking of alcohol at home during the week an acceptable habit, thanks to lingering associations with an aspirational French lifestyle.
The careful positioning of brands and products can make a huge difference to the way they are perceived. There are few clearer examples than the automotive sector, where cars using very similar components are sold at hugely different price points, depending on the badge on the grill (see the VW Golf, SEAT Leon and Skoda Octavia).
While shopping for a window blind some years ago I came across two websites with exactly the same product range. One had a name to appeal to those looking for a bargain. The other had a name to evoke luxury. The latter listed the products at a much higher price, and no doubt generated a good number of sales.
One of the most interesting trends in marketing is to turn a commodity product that hardly anyone pays attention to into a luxury brand. Andrea Lisbona achieved this in 2006 with the most boring of products: hand sanitiser.
“There had been a total lack of innovation in hand sanitisers,” Lisbona explains. “I spent three years working on a formulation to elevate hand sanitiser. The goal was a gentler formula with a revolutionary design. Touchland is liquid-based – it feels like water – and is fast-absorbing and non sticky. We reimagined the way it was delivered, too, creating a beautifully designed case that fits in your pocket.”
Touchland is now sold in 4,000 retail outlets across the US.
“We positioned ourselves as a lifestyle brand that happened to sell hand sanitisers. We moved hand sanitiser from hygiene to beauty.”
