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Do we need a Brand Consultant ?

By kiran n. bolantkodi on 12 Comments / 2810 views

Do we need a Brand Consultant?

As I have mentioned in this platform before , we(  myself and my wife Shridevi, she is a trained bakery chef) are into bakery and creamery with brand ‘’CremeFraiche’’( pronounced as cremfresh) since 2007 . Started bakery in the year 2007 , made name in niche market like theme, 2d,3d cakes. With that confidence,  started Icecream in the year 2011. We did not enter into any niche market it was plain industrial icecream. We are having 2 local competitors , one is 38 yr old brand and is no.1 in the market and another is 10 yr old brand no.2 in the market.

We have a network of 120 dealers and 2 distribution points . Its push strategy marketing as our brand is not widely known.

In the 1st to 2nd   we grown by two and a half times , but for 2nd to 3rd year our growth  was  flat. This worried us. There is something wrong in our approach to the whole thing. Mainly 2 things –packing and marketing. Nobody recognized our brand . Its spelling and pronounciation is also difficult. Some of our close customers are of the opinion that brand name is international but packing looks local. As a small manufacturer we face challenges in packing.

At this juncture some Brand Consultant  contacted us and offered his services . He already visited us once ,  gave us a presentation and collected information from us. Based on the info he will give us another presentation . If we like his presentation and offer ,  we can go for the consultation.

Now we are doing 10 million and targeting to become a 100 million company by 2020.

So , do we need him , do we need a Brand Consultant for us ?

Suggest us and also please suggest us best and cost effective marketing strategies for us . Send us suggestions to    kiranbolantkodi@yahoo(dot)co(dot) in

Kiran N. Bolantkodi.

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12 Comments

  1. hi kiran,

    do you have a website? if not, could you pls add images of your packaging? your branding etc etc. it’s very difficult to visualise you vis a vis your competition without any websites or images! pls feel free to share your competition’s websites as well to give us all a clearer picture.

  2. Hi Asha,

    Thanks for the response . We have a website http://www.cremef.com . We are not updating it and i am not happy with its look and presentation of our products.

    Our competition icecreams websites http://www.idealicecream.in and http://www.hangyo.in( no.1 and no.2 in mangalore).Then ofcourse we have amul and dairy day in 3rd place.

    Please suggest.

    Regards,

    Kiran

  3. Given your age you are just about at the right size to consider formal branding.  What you point out about packaging is also an important differentiator in the crowded consumer space.  When I pick up ice creams I already know what I am looking for (Kwality Walls Chocolate Excess!) and I just look for the packaging.  But ultimately the core differentiator is the product itself.  I would suggest you rethink your positioning strategy for ice creams as a premium offering.  Upside: better margins, lower volumes, higher inventory churn.  Downside: manufacturing process needs to be rehauled and that can be difficult/expensive.

  4. Hi Kiran,

    Just had a look at your website, and that of your competitors. Your name sounds international but it may not necessarily be a good thing (think about how you had to add a line to tell people how its pronounced).

    While your current branding and packaging design may have been ok to start with, it’s recommended that you go in for an upgrade.

    Not sure what services the Brand Consultant has offered but don’t hire one just to create a ‘brand strategy’ but someone who can also help you with the execution.

    A lot of people confuse Branding with graphic design but branding is about building a brand – which includes your product, quality, experiences, look and feel and other stuff.

    Since you are still small, take baby steps – upgrade your logo and try some new packaging options – invest some time and effort in creating a presence on social media while keeping your website presence minimal (i still don’t understand why folks would want to go to an ice cream brands website apart from participating in a contest)

    Here are some links to some packaging design options for ice creams.

    https://www.thedieline.com/blog/2013/6/18/25-refreshing-ice-cream-packages.html

    https://www.designbolts.com/2014/01/07/30-cool-ice-cream-packaging-designs-for-inspiration/

    https://www.pinterest.com/explore/ice-cream-packaging/

  5. Hi Kiran,

    First of all congratulations for your achievements until now. But I think now you are in a transition stage from a startup to SME.

    I do feel, its high time you invest a part of your marketing expenditure into branding. I felt a need of impressive logo and also some aesthetic changes in your website.

    Also, if your packaging is not up to the mark then you should update it with some trendy designs….

    Jo dikhta hai wo bikhta hai….!

    Presentation in case of products become very significant because when people enter a shop to buy an ice-cream and given so many options available, they will choose your ice-cream first on presentation and later if they feel the taste is good then they will come back.

    So you can retain customers through high quality but to have them try your product first time you need to attract their attention.

    Regards,

    Aman Jha
    Business consultant

    9892621090

  6. Ah Mangalore!

    Kiran, I studied at Srinivas College in Pandeshwara, and stayed near Attavar. Passed out in 2006, and right now in Delhi.

    On my first day in college, my seniors told me that if ever I wanted to have ice cream, go to Ideals. Now, before that, I had never heard its name, but even before I set foot inside Ideals (near Srinivas Hotel), I had an image that Ideals must be good.

    I will term that as branding.. Branding is nothing but creating a story infront of your targeted audience, a story which resonates everytime that name is repeated. Abey sir and Abhik has provided superb suggestions related to branding, and I will just add in here.. Dont spend much on branding consultant at this stage. Try to develop a branding story from your own self, and apply it online (which would be free!).

    Create a story, and share it like a maniac, everywhere. Offline branding can then be applied slowly and then spread all across.

    For example, right now, there is no “Book Order Online” button on your website.. No Facebook/Twitter presence and no testimonials! These are the strongest “Branding Messages” you can give from your website..

    As Aman said, Jo Dikhta Hai Woh Bikta Hai 🙂

    PS: I am afraid I never tasted your icecream, but Ideals is seriously awesome.. that Gadbad and Fruiti flavors are still lingering inside my mind right now.. Maybe thats their biggest branding story.. “Awesome Product”!

    All the best!

  7. Hi Abhey,

    Sorry for the delay in responding. Thanks for your suggestions. Will get in touch with you

    Kiran

  8. Hi Abhik,

    Thanks for the links . They are ekselent!!!! . Think i need your help .  If possible please share your mail id . You can contact me kiranbolantkodi@yahoo.co.in  or cremefraiche2008@yahoo.co.in. 

    Kiran

  9. Thanks Aman,

    Are you into Branding , Strategy and positioning. If you are please mail your details to cremefraiche2008@yahoo.co.in or kiranbolantkodi@yahoo.co.in

    thanks 

    kiran

  10. Hi Mohul,

    We started our Bakery at Falnir in the year 2007. Anyway thanks for the wishes and suggestions

    kiran

  11. Honestly speaking, your name is ‘a mind spinner’.

    what i mean is : when you cant pronounce something (easily), then you don’t viral it. you dont say it publicly.

    its so easy to say Taj, Oberoi, President. The Hyatt becomes Hay-Yatt.

    Its Cadbury, Amul chocolates. Now trying saying Ferrero Roche ?

    Why choose a complicated name?

  12. Hi Alok,

    I agree with you Alok. This name was finalised for a Cake Shop ,  because its  different. In fact it developed some type of curiosity around it , when we opened our first cake shop in the year 2007. Our Customers were up market and it was perfect . But  when we entered mass market Icecream in the year 2011  we started  facing   problems.

    Now  trying to sort out things with help and suggestions from all the Rodinhooders.

    Anyway Hats Off to you Alok for starting Rodinhood . It helps a lot to Entrepreneurs like us.

    Reagrds,

    Kiran.

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