Strategic Gaps
The aim of a strategic brand analysis is to answer some critical questions. It helps the brand decide on whether it should change or adopt its brand positioning and identity to another one that is more appropriate and representative of itself. This is a very important step for a brand to go through as it helps it to become successful in facing competing brands while at the same time addressing future consumer trends and innovations.
Low Availability in Consumers’ Mindset
The very first strategic gap that we identified is low availability in the consumers’ mindset. According to our quantitative analysis, Kit Kat’s brand availability is significantly lower than that of Ferrero Rocher and M&M. This is quite contradictive to Kit Kat’s international distribution strategy – selling the products via multiple channels (supermarkets, hypermarkets, and convenience stores) to ensure its availability. Additionally, our own regular store visits have shown that availability is actually quite high. In fact, there tend to be more than one location in a store where the products are displayed. As such we believe that there is a mismatch between the consumers’ perception and what Kit Kat is trying to achieve here in terms of availability.
Our suggestion…
As mentioned above, Kit Kat indeed has strong brand availability. An area where improvements can be made could be the prominence of the product displays in the convenience stores and supermarkets. In order to attract the attention of the customers in the store, the displays could include a mini cutout that clearly indicates the presence of Kit Kat to the customers. In addition to attracting more potential buyers, this will be able to increase a sense of product omnipresence among the consumers’ minds.
Our suggestion…
As mentioned above, Kit Kat indeed has strong brand availability. An area where improvements can be made could be the prominence of the product displays in the convenience stores and supermarkets. In order to attract the attention of the customers in the store, the displays could include a mini cutout that clearly indicates the presence of Kit Kat to the customers. In addition to attracting more potential buyers, this will be able to increase a sense of product omnipresence among the consumers’ minds.
Strong Awareness but Weak Associations with Product
Most of chocolate consumers in Singapore know Kit Kat very well as a brand. They are well aware of Kit Kat’s brand image through their television commercials over the last decades (especially the karaoke version), which projects fun and cheerful characteristics.
Yet, based on our quantitative analysis, neither ‘fun’ nor ‘cheerful’ was associated to Kit Kat in Singapore. However, associations relating to the product itself such as ‘wafer’ and ‘fingers’ were more prominent. As a result, there is significant gap in terms of what the brand wants to project to its consumers and what the consumers are actually associating with the products.
Our suggestion…
Few years ago, the “Yer’ Big Break” campaign was successfully executed in Singapore to promote Kit Kat’s fun and cheerful characteristics among youngsters in Singapore. In this case, based on our discussion during the Brand Frenzy workshop, we suggest that the brand create another integrated marketing communication campaign with following theme: ‘Forever reinventing breaks’.
Yet, based on our quantitative analysis, neither ‘fun’ nor ‘cheerful’ was associated to Kit Kat in Singapore. However, associations relating to the product itself such as ‘wafer’ and ‘fingers’ were more prominent. As a result, there is significant gap in terms of what the brand wants to project to its consumers and what the consumers are actually associating with the products.
Our suggestion…
Few years ago, the “Yer’ Big Break” campaign was successfully executed in Singapore to promote Kit Kat’s fun and cheerful characteristics among youngsters in Singapore. In this case, based on our discussion during the Brand Frenzy workshop, we suggest that the brand create another integrated marketing communication campaign with following theme: ‘Forever reinventing breaks’.
Mismatched Understanding of Breaks
As a matter of fact, ‘Have a Break, Have a Kit Kat’ is effectively recognized as its unique brand tagline. This completely shows that Kit Kat has high brand awareness among the consumers. Nevertheless, we found that the brand has a weak association with the real ‘break’ context. According to our quantitative survey, most of the respondents do not buy Kit Kat while they are having a break. Additionally, for most of our respondents, a ‘break’ tended to generally mean mealtimes or work/study breaks. This goes against the broader definition of ‘break’ that Kit Kat wants to project to the consumers, thereby revealing a gap in the understanding of breaks.
Our suggestion…
From our discussion during the Brand Frenzy workshop, we felt that one of the best ways to bridge this gap in the understanding of Kit Kat ‘breaks’ would be by conveying the message through their advertising. In this case, the advertising material will illustrate various ideas of breaks that Kit Kat wants to associate itself with. This, in theory, should help broaden the view of breaks in the minds of the consumers.
Our suggestion…
From our discussion during the Brand Frenzy workshop, we felt that one of the best ways to bridge this gap in the understanding of Kit Kat ‘breaks’ would be by conveying the message through their advertising. In this case, the advertising material will illustrate various ideas of breaks that Kit Kat wants to associate itself with. This, in theory, should help broaden the view of breaks in the minds of the consumers.
Low Purchasing Quantity among Main Target
From the analysis of qualitative research, we found that the more brand loyal customers are the parents who buy Kit Kat for their children. A factor that contributes to this is the nostalgia associated to Kit Kat due to its long presence in Singapore. However, after consulting with Kit Kat’s brand manager, we know that Kit Kat’s current target consumers are the youths between the ages of 18 to 24. This difference clearly shows that there is a gap among the target customers that need to be rectified.
Our suggestions…
In this case, we are suggesting Kit Kat develop marketing campaigns aimed at junior colleges, polytechnics, and tertiary institutions across Singapore. An example would be that while having break between or after lessons, Kit Kat could engage young consumers into some fun activities, thereby helping to increase the purchase quantity among this group.
Our suggestions…
In this case, we are suggesting Kit Kat develop marketing campaigns aimed at junior colleges, polytechnics, and tertiary institutions across Singapore. An example would be that while having break between or after lessons, Kit Kat could engage young consumers into some fun activities, thereby helping to increase the purchase quantity among this group.