B&Q Colours brand differentiation: the reason to create the brand
Big Idea worked with B&Q Paint Buyers, Marketing and Merchandising for over eight years. We used our brand differentiation strategies to position B&Q Colours differently from other Own Label paints. And also from the leading paint brands. It started very simply. Colours was created as a no-nonsense name for the range of own label paints. It is now an international cross-category private label brand.
Strategic start points for B&Q Colours brand differentiation
- This own brand differentiation strategy started with a can of paint…
- Until the launch of B&Q Colours, the B&Q own label paint range just followed what the leading paint brands did, at a lower price. Hence the key reason to buy was price.
- The opportunity for B&Q was to develop their own differentiated range of paints which would give their customers more reasons to buy B&Q paint, than simply lower prices.
How we worked on B&Q Colours brand differentiation
- Strategic insights – the decision to create a paint range that met the needs of the B&Q shopper, instead of the upmarket brand buyer
- Team collaboration – to build a team consisting of brand designers, colour marketing experts, paint producers, raw materials suppliers and colour card manufacturers. This team focus enabled faster product innovations in packaging, formulations and ranges.
- Product and packaging ideas – from introducing transparent containers to new product ideas such as Everywhere and ingredient brands such as DuPont SmartPaint.
- Colour marketing expertise – to create best-selling on-trend colour palettes, with evocative colour names and colour cards that were inspirational and helpful.
- Pack design ideas – to simplify product choice and add perceived value.
Results of this brand differentiation in terms of brand revitalisation
- Creation of a new brand concept
- Best selling, on-trend paint colours with evocative colour names
- Practical packaging ideas to make product and colour choice easier
- New product and ingredient ideas for higher performance
- Higher sales volume and higher margins
- Improved brand image for quality and innovation