Consumer: further investments in Europe-wide brand campaign, new product range structure and POS presentation for painter’s tapes

Mar 19, 2015

A brand’s identity and appearance offer important guidance for consumers. Especially in highly competitive markets where trademarks are growing ever stronger, high brand recognition and a clear image are key success factors. That is why tesa’s Consumer & Craftsmen business unit invested a seven-figure amount in building the tesa brand in other countries in Europe in 2014.

With support from tesa headquarters in Hamburg, the focus countries – Poland, Italy, Spain, and France – implemented a multimedia campaign. The main emphasis was on TV commercials and accompanying online activities. The goal of the brand campaign, which is also continuing in 2015, is to establish tesa in the selected countries as an expert in adhesive solutions. The first year concentrated on Powerbond® double-sided mounting tape, with marketing activities that included not only wide-reaching TV commercials and other above-the-line measures, but also a wealth of new developments at the point of sale (POS).

Market research confirms increasing brand recognition
As with the brand campaign launched in Germany in 2013, the tesa colors were used in the other countries to set the company apart from its competitors – a uniform brand image that attracts attention on an ongoing basis through consistent use of the bright blue accent color. This makes tesa highly recognizable for end customers. Initial results of market research confirm that this approach is successful and have shown that tesa’s name recognition has increased significantly. The continuation of the campaign in 2015 and 2016 aims to tie in with this positive result. The campaign will keep up the focus on products and their promises of performance, now shifting from Powerbond® mounting tape to double-sided tesa Powerstrips® adhesive pads.

PERFECT painter’s tape: sharp, clean painted edges for perfect results
In the German home improvement store segment, the painter’s tape category has seen only modest growth in terms of volume recently. One development that has been observed, however – including among DIY enthusiasts and hobbyists – is the desire for precise results. The segment focusing on sharp, clean painted edges has seen significant sales growth as a result. tesa Consumer is responding to this trend with the new tesa PERFECT painter’s tape – superior quality due to non-crepe, smooth washi paper that hugs the surface, preventing paint bleed-through. In line with the overall motto – “The sharp, clean painted edge for a perfect result at a fair price!” – PERFECT offers extremely attractive value for the money for both retailers and consumers. The product launch is being accompanied by a 360-degree communication initiative. As part of the highly successful German tesa campaign, now entering its third year, another TV commercial is planned. The advertising impact of this commercial will be the highest to date with regard to the tesa brand campaign in Germany.

Flexible placement concepts at the point of sale
At the same time, the product launch was used as an opportunity to revise the entire painter’s tape category and realign it toward end customers. Based on extensive market research results, a new product range structure and new product names are being introduced to make products clearly and intuitively recognizable for customers. One especially noteworthy aspect is how products are being presented at the POS: the shelf module with the new shopper guidance system. The system reduces the amount of time customers spend looking for a product by more than 30 percent, from 94 seconds to 58, and achieved an excellent overall score of about 90 percent (good/excellent) in market research with regard to overall impression, shelf design/structure, and guidance. The scope of the product range is also perceived as “just right” by 94 percent of respondents. To boost sales at the POS, there is also a multifaceted secondary placement concept. From a small, clever countertop display featuring product information on the back for store staff to small “cut cases” used as a secondary placement with paint color displays and even one-quarter standalone displays with high merchandise volumes – there is a flexible display solution for any space. To present the holistic concept to store managers and staff and work together to add real value, the tesa PERFECT truck will start on a tour of Germany this spring, acting as a mobile showroom.