INSPIRING PRODUCT OPPORTUNITIES FOR A GLUE BRAND
When companies make products solely to meet functional needs, they are missing a trick: consumers' relationship with products are often deeper than that, even for a seemingly low-involvement category like glue.
It is well documented that consumers make purchase decisions based on both rational and intuitive processing - what researchers now call 'Type 2' and 'Type 1' thinking. Category leaders and successful challengers understand this, and base their products on deeper consumer motivations.
In this case, I will demonstrate how I, along with the Kantar team in India, used an emotive approach to understand consumer needs from super glue which formed the basis for product innovation.
CONTEXT & BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
Rising beyond functionality
Our client was a leading player in the glue category, associated strongly with key attributes. However, as these associations were purely functional, it had become a category generic at the risk of substitution. There was a need to understand consumer needs in a robust manner to open up new product opportunities and fine tune the marketing approach.
METHODOLOGY
To derive richer emotive data
16 Cognitive Interviews with men and women
Aged 18 - 45
A mix of socio-economic groups
With individuals who had used any instant adhesive to repair/ mend broken items at least once in the last 1 year
Cognitive interviewing is an interviewing style that uses memory enhancing techniques for richer, more vivid recall of “forgotten” or low-involvement experiences.
Borrowed from police investigation techniques developed by memory researchers in the 1970s.
We asked consumers to narrate recent experiences when an item they owned broke and they had to fix it with superglue. By encouraging them to remember every single detail about the event - from the context, what the item meant to them, where they were, who they were with etc., we were able to elicit rich insights.
THE ROLE OF SUPERGLUE IN THE INDIAN CONTEXT
Our research revealed that it is more emotive than one would think
Everyday life in India is unpredictable, with chaotic traffic, erratic weather, people jostling for space, coping with surprises…
In such a context, the breakage of a personal item causes distress – not always because it is a great material loss, but always because it is one more moment that could not have been predicted.
Instant adhesive is the magic that mends what is broken, and helps you carry on.
In a way it 'Reboots life' giving one a second chance, a chance to start over. It is about knowing that nothing is lost forever, and when you fall down, you can just get up and keep going.
We unearthed 6 need segments based on Kantar's proprietary framework NeedScope. Here is a glimpse of some of them.
1. RESTORE
Tension: Being careless and inconsiderate of others’ feelings
Along with repairing the items that one uses, it is about restoring nostalgia, the faith or the belief surrounding the item.
Reinstating one’s peace of mind and avoid hurting sentiments of anyone concerned. Repairing items in this moment is a way to be considerate about other people’s feelings and carefully restoring them.
Working Ideas
Glue Plaster
Anti Smell Adhesives having a transparent colour (leaving no signs of damage)
Transparent, no marks adhesive
Plaster Solutions for dissolving cracks/ repair marks
2. RECTIFY
Tension: Making a mistake, as they want to look like/ feel like they never do
Breakage of an item causes great stress as it is a sign of imperfection and sometimes immaturity. In a moment when one wants to seem perfect, responsible and mature, the fear of making mistakes gives rise to the need of having a tool for perfection.
Consumers in this space value precision and accuracy, without leaving any trace of fault.
Working ideas
Multiple sized nozzles for repairing different items (bike parts, camera equipment)
Needle based glue injections to ensure precision
Specialized kits containing various formats of glue
3. REJUVENATE
Tension: An interruption of the fun/ good times
This needsegment is about living life without interruptions and enjoying every moment.
Missing out on the fun because of a breakage is an issue.
On the other hand, superglue can help resume the present. They therefore always look for solutions that are quick, easy and effortless.
Working Ideas
Gun Glue (for kids)
Glitter Glue
Versatile (can be used on any type of item – leather/ terracotta)
Portable
Widely Available
Outcome
These needsegments were sized in a quantitative survey and attributes were quantified to identify the best opportunities for growth.