Brand Architecture

Case Study: Leading Manufacturer of Fitness Equipment

Situation
A leading manufacturer of commercial and consumer fitness equipment had pursued a lengthy process of acquisitions that had resulted in amorphous, confused imagery among both consumers and the commercial (fitness center) markets. Traditionally, industry marketing had emphasized price, new technology, and endorsement. The company—and the industry—had very little understanding of both Commercial and Consumer needs. Management was interested in creating a consumer needs-based architecture that would remove the confusion and lead to focused commercial and consumer marketing.

Solution
We conducted qualitative and quantitative research among commercial buyers & users—as well as home buyers. The results led to development of two distinct but related architectures for each of the commercial and consumer markets. The architectures were driven, first by end-user needs, then by product categories/uses (cardio/strength/fitness) and finally by specific technology. Within each architecture, we developed sub-architectures based on exercise and health needs. That is, certain sub-brands were dedicated solely to the commercial market while others, as appropriate, were focused on the consumer/home market. Concurrently, we created a plan to evolve overall brand imagery into a focused positioning that emphasized emotional bonding.

Results
The company’s Commercial and Consumer marketing strategies are now integrated but separately focused, driven by research-revealed needs. Marketing and product development are now focused on a matrix of exercise benefits and emotional needs, bringing clarity to the marketing approach and an increase in efficiency for both marketing and product development. Finally, targeted acquisitions have been pursued to fill in architecture gaps.

Contact John Rosen for more information.