Hi! Managers: What really matters to create great brands - II

Let’s recap the two success factors shared last time: First, we need to passionately provide new benefits to consumers from our brand; and second, we need to thoroughly and intimately understand consumer needs.
What are the remaining success factors that keep P&G brands in leadership positions?
I personally like the next success factor, one that John shared in his notes on how a winning strategy and business model will vary by brand and by category.
Winning brand strategies and business models are invariably built on three basic elements, as I mentioned earlier: product design, relevant marketing support, and cost and pricing attributes. So the third key factor is that winning brands need to have the ability to turn consumer understanding into winning strategies and business models. Sometimes, we may be complacent or assume that yesterday’s formula for success will work today. If you believe in this, you will discover how dangerous and erroneous this assumption is.
The next success factor that John identified is that P&G has an ability to connect and develop technologies inside and outside P&G. P&G is probably engaged in work across more technologies than any other consumer goods company in the world. From surfactants to polymers, from nitrates to nutritionals, from bone-building elements to flavours and fragrances, we’re working on all of them, and many more. For over a century, P&G has leveraged competencies across multiple product categories. Besides, it’s not only technology we can link across categories. The same opportunity resides in our conceptual and marketing insights, as Olay achieved great success by presenting its Total Effects formula as addressing the “7 Signs of Skin Ageing”. In a way, this was counter-intuitive. Olay was promising multiple benefits – seven of them – flying in the face of the familiar edict that you should only promise one. But by placing these benefits under a meaningful umbrella, women knew and appreciated what we were talking about.
Lastly, P&G’s greatest brand-building successes are often described as if they were destined to happen in some predictable fashion. But they weren’t! They happened only because of the insight of individuals who had an idea to create a great business and were unrelenting in pursuing it. They happened because of someone who saw a way to bring forth an innovation to satisfy consumers or gain stronger support from our customers or business partners. They happened because people were determined and able to gain a big edge over their competition.
Hence, the last success factor for us is to make championship and ownership part of the company’s DNA. P&G’s people instinctively demonstrate these qualities. It’s in our blood. As a result, examples of championship behaviour abound throughout the company.
These success factors are just another sharable example from P&G that can help inspire marketing professionals to move forward in a market where the conditions are really challenging. The New Year is just starting and we have to be ready to stick our necks out to make a difference. Wishing you all the best for the New Year.
 
Medhee Jarumaneeroj is influencer marketing and external relations leader – Asia Male Grooming, Procter & Gamble Asia. Follow his views every fourth Wednesday of the month.