Behind Every Brand, There’s a Story

Here is a good illustration of the essential role played by brand story, strategy, and research in developing a strong brand.

The health bread category is an ultra-competitive space, one that’s dominated by a handful of brands, among which Bimbo Canada, with its flagship Bon Matin line, is the undisputed leader. A health segment pioneer in the 70s, Bimbo has maintained a strong market presence ever since, in an environment where new brands are constantly vying to take their place on shelves and in consumers’ hearts. This was the case with Bimbo’s Boulange des Campagnards, which was launched several years ago.

Recently, Bimbo Canada took stock of its brands. Bon Matin was still top of mind in its category, but its equity was eroding due to lack of support and product innovation. Boulange des Campagnards suffered from unclear messaging and low share of market. To succeed, it needed stronger brand credentials with a new name, and greater credibility within the category.  Bimbo Canada turned to BrandBourg to rebrand Bon Matin and bring Boulange des Campagnards into the new brand story.

Working closely with Bon Matin’s AOR, Cundari, and their research team at Sklar Wilton and Ad hoc research, BrandBourg began its process where every mandate begins: at the heart of the brand story, focussing on what Bon Matin truly meant to consumers. In-depth research went well beyond packaging design beauty contests to find out what consumers really felt, what moved them and what lay at the root of their relationship to the brand.

From there, the strategy was clear:

• Amplify the ownable visual assets of the brand, focussing on the sun and rooster to ensure immediate brand recognition and distance Bimbo  from competitors who also use a similar graphic;
• Reestablish a clear brand tone that resonated within the health segment;
• Rename Boulange des Campagnards (La mie de l’artisan) and leverage an endorsement strategy to ensure the new brand was clearly part of the Bon Matin family;
• Optimize the design platform to gain shelf impact and ensure ease of navigation.

“A packaging test is not some type of beauty contest. It’s about gauging a concept’s ability to convey the desired positioning for the brand. It involves working with design streams, which allow us to  gain valuable insights as to what EACH graphic element communicates and ultimately how each contributes to the overall packaging”

“When it comes to packaging, findability and navigation are clearly key action standards. As such, on-shelf simulation is crucial.”