How to build a strong brand in a fiercely competitive market, Nigerian CSD brands as case study

Building a strong brand in a fiercely competitive market is the paramount target and responsibility of every brand experts, For a brand expert to build a formidable brand among numerous competing brands in the market, such brand must be rooted in a strategy that doesn't follow the market bandwagon trends. The strategy should be tailored in line with a within-out branding process. Developing a brand based on the rationale to compete along the hottest trends in the market could be dangerous for the sustainability of that very brand during difficult times.

The competition to build a formidable brand that distinguishes itself from other competing brands in the market has been the major focus of many organizations. Some have found it a difficult mission, while it's the other way round for some. Some organisations within the carbonated beverage industry in Nigeria have adopted various playbooks to build outstanding brands that were built on trends which are unique to the organisations' culture, a trend devoid of the market bandwagon.

For more than four decades it has been a dual duel between Coca Cola and PepsiCo for dominance in the Nigerian Carbonated soft drinks (CSD) market. Although in the last three decades we have seen some few brands rose to challenge the dominance of these two industry giants, Dr Pepper , Afri-Cola , Limca are few among those brands. As competitive these brands seemed in the inception, it didn't take long before they sunk into the industry competition limbo.

The competition in the CSD market took an interesting twist in the year 2001 when The La Casera Company (TLCC), the maker of La Casera mounted the competition podium. Before the year 2001 when La Casera joined the industry competition, two flavours had been the major contenders within the carbonated beverage industry. The popular "Black" and "Yellow" flavour. Pepsi and Mirinda for PepsiCo, Coca-cola and Fanta for the Coca-cola company. Some major past competitors like Dr Pepper and Afri-cola that came to the scene in the 80s and 90s likewise fell for the "black" and "white" market dominance competition. It was the bandwagon trend before 2001, possibly the reason for their short-lived existence on the competition podium.

Any brand developed based on the organisation culture as against reaction to trends or bandwagon has a powerful potential to create its unique space in the market and consumers' heart. The La Casera Company (TLCC) understood this, hence it's iconic emergence in the Carbonated Soft Drinks market. The La Casera company launched into the CSD industry by introducing the La Casera apple flavour, TLCC resisted the temptation to fall for the "black" and "yellow" competition. TLCC Simultaneously launched the first PET (polythene terephthalate) bottle with La Casera apple flavour, the first plastic on-the-go bottle in the CSD market in Nigeria. The introduction of PET bottle was an amazing approach that distinguished TLCC from being a reactionary brand within the industry. The introduction of PET bottles by TLCC disrupted the CSD industry, a shift from RGB drinks (Returnable Glass Bottle) competition from the beverages industry.

The La Casera Company came into the market when the market was thirsty for fresh ideas, the start of a new millennium when everyone was eager to try new things. TLCC having known this from its market research introduced a new taste in a new bottle style into the CSD markets. The company developed its brand building strategy around the organisation innovative culture and avoided the market. We can safely agree that was one of the core reasons for its massive acceptance in the market.

During the period when The La Casera company was busy resolving its internal crises in the year 2015 and the "complex culture" which dealt a big blow on the brand impression in the market, The Aje Group company mounted the industry competition podium. The AjeEast Nigeria Limited entered the Nigerian market with the introduction of Big Cola, Big Orange and Big Lemon. The Bigi brand as popularly called resurrected the old "black" and "Yellow" competition. The Bigi company introduced a bigger bottle size to entice consumers. But when the two industry giants reacted to the big bottle size strategy the Aje Group couldn't bear the heat of the competition, it had to result in the price-cutting approach. Now that the two industry giants are adjusting to new price competition trends, the Aje Big would be looking for another competitive advantage. Maybe Bigi Group will need to develop a within-out branding strategy that is unique to the organisation culture and that which resonate well with consumers' realities.

Brands that are developed based on a within-out branding strategy have a powerful potential to bounce back from a market mess. While the bandwagon and trends reaction games were ongoing in the CSD market stage, the La Casera Company was busy researching for its bounce-back strategy. As a company grounded on an innovative brand development strategy, TLCC introduced new flavours into CSD market, the Chapman and Ginger flavour. The key takeaway from the La Casera competition approach is that it launches into the fiercely competitive CSD market with fresh ideas, also avoiding the bandwagon reactive approach, while taking cognizance of the hottest market trends. The competitive pricing strategy of its newly introduced products to the market is a good point of reference.

Organisations that plan to build a formidable brand with a strong competitive advantage in the market need to avoid the urge to compete along with the hottest trends in the market.However, it isn't the case that organisations shouldn't be updated about new or hottest trends in the market, but they should rather research into where the market trends are headed in the long term, then do a break down of how the organisation can add fantastic values in a way that is consistent with the direction the market or consumer behaviours is headed. Meanwhile as the players in the CSD market continue to play their competition cards, we watch as they write the industry playbook.

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