Grow the Core

David Taylor is founder and Managing Partner of the brandgym, a network of senior brand coaches that help teams create a clear brand vision and the action plans to turn this into growth. Clients include Sainsbury's, LVMH, Unilever, T-Mobile and SAB Miller.David has been named one of the world's 50 leading marketing thinkers by the CIM. He is the author of four successful books on branding published by John Wiley: The Brand Gym, Brand Vision, Brand Stretch and Never Mind the Sizzle...Where's the Sausage? were all number 1 on Amazon's branding books ranking. He also writes brandgymblog.com, one of world's top 60 marketing blogs.David started his career in brand management with P&G before doing an MBA at INSEAD. He then started the Paris office of Added Value in 1993 and grew it to 50 people, leaving to create the brandgym in 2001, to spend more time on brand strategy, and less time bored in board meetings.david@thebrandgym.com

• Thanks xiIntroduction xiiiPart I: Why Grow the Core? 11. Defining the core 3What is the core? 3Anchoring the core 7Key takeouts 9Checklist 92. Stretching the brand, forgetting the core 11Getting it right… brand stretch can work – Apple 11Getting it wrong… brand ego tripping – Virgin 13Snow White and the 17 dwarves 20Neglecting the core – Bausch & Lomb 24Key takeouts 25Checklist 263. The case for the core 27Two ways to make a million – Heinz soup 27The case for the core 30A new marketing mind-set – Scooty 30The challenges of growing the core 32Key takeouts 36Checklist 36Part II: Grow the Core Principles 374. The core growth drivers 39Core growth driver 1: Penetration 39Driving penetration with distinctiveness 44Fresh consistency – James Bond 48Driving penetration with distribution 57Core growth driver 2: Premiumisation 58The Grow the Core workouts 59The best brand in the world – Nespresso? 61Key takeouts 65Checklist 665. Renovation or re-invention? 67Renovate the core – Walkers 69Re-position the core – Lucozade 72Re-define the core – Bertolli 76Re-invent the core – Kodak and TomTom 77Key takeouts 82Checklist 83Part III: Grow the Core Workouts 856. Workout 1: Bake the brand into your product 87Bake in your brand – The Geek Squad 89Using product to grow your core 1: Amplify a product truth – Morrisons and Castle Lite 92Using product to grow your core 2: More of what you want – McDonald’s 97Using product to grow your core 3: Less of what you don’t want – Walkers 99Key takeouts 100Checklist 1007. Workout 2: Create a distinctive identity 103Identity crisis 105Being the 1 in 1000 106Balancing freshness and consistency – Tropicana 108Updating your identity – Nivea 110Creating your identity – Charlie Bigham’s 111Suggesting a benefit – Waitrose Essentials 113Re-positioning – Green & Black’s 115Adding value – Molton Brown 115Packvertising – innocent 116Family ties – Nescaf´e and Red Bull 118Amplifying brand properties – Felix 121Five-minute focus groups 122Key takeouts 124Checklist 1248. Workout 3: Communicate with cut-through 127Communication breakdown 129Fresh consistency 132Think like a TV producer 137Creating a campaign – Sainsbury’s 138Refreshing what made you famous – Hovis 140What about social media? 144Key takeouts 161Checklist 1629. Workout 4: Go beyond promotion to activation 163Grab and go – innocent’s Big Knit 166Creating an activation property – Carling ‘Be the Coach’ 168Amplifying the property – Nike 172Key takeouts 175Checklist 17610. Workouts 5 and 6: Drive your distribution 177Workout 5: Existing channels 180Workout 6: New channels 182Key takeouts 188Checklist 18911. Workouts 7 and 8: Extend the core 191Delivering a double whammy 193Workout 7: Pack extension – WD-40 196Workout 8: Product extension – Ryvita 199Key takeouts 202Checklist 202Part IV: The Grow the Core Workplan 20312. Grow the core – getting started 205Stage 1: Insight 207Stage 2: Ideas 214Stage 3: Exploration 214Stage 4: Action 215Key takeouts 220Checklist 221References 223Also by 227Index 229

"Includes useful tips, including how to strengthen a core brand with a limited communication budget." (Supply Business, January 2013) "For a marketer, retail buyer, entrepreneur or interested consumer, this is a great book looking at whether businesses should stick to what they know of their original or most profitable brand or whether businesses should expand into other broader areas." (Supply Management, February 2013) "The marketing division of any well-established company should study this book- you never know when the mighty might fall." (Professional Manager, May 2013)