Most successful brands occupy a specific niche where they satisfy a consumer need. And often that niche is lucrative, but perhaps not enormous. That said, you can thoughtfully expand that niche or certainly optimize your position within that niche. Exploitation in this case is a very good thing!
Some examples:
The first one is in the frozen novelties category, FatBoy® ice cream sandwiches by Casper’s Ice Cream Company.
The company has been making delicious and satisfying treats since 1925, with a plant in Northern Utah. With a name like that, some might say the brand name if off-putting. The truth is it delivers what it promises. In fact, the calorie count for a FatBoy treat is 210. It is the perfect blend of ice cream and a decent cookie layer top and bottom.
Here is how the company has exploited its niche. Casper’s now offers six different flavors (premium vanilla, cookies ‘n cream, mint chocolate chip, strawberry, sugar cookie, and old-fashioned vanilla—the last two with graham cracker wafers) plus FatBoy Juniors (a smaller portion that comes in at 110 calories per treat).
The best part is its trademarked tag line on every box and package: “Go Big or Go Hungry.” That says it for the hard-core frozen novelty consumer. When you want a treat, you want something that tastes good and is a bit indulgent. The FatBoy ice cream overall tagline is “Life Never Tasted So Good!” Amen.
The second example is Balanced Breaks® by Sargento Cheese Company.
Sargento was founded in 1953 and is now run by third generation family owners with headquarters in Plymouth, WI (cheese country). Balanced Breaks were launched in 2015 in 4 varieties to leverage the trend for healthy satisfying snacks. The company started with natural cheese chunks, salted nuts, and dried fruit in a clever divided tray package. It followed with the natural combination of cheese and crackers, with four flavors paired with Nabisco crackers (Ritz, Triscuits, or Wheat Thins). Just like the original snacks, they are high in protein but under 200 calories. It next launched six varieties of Sweet Balanced Breaks with cheese paired with dried fruit and chocolate chunks. The latest extension to further expand the healthy snack niche is Fun Balanced Breaks to appeal to kids. These include three varieties of cheese, dried fruit, and mini Nabisco cookies in a triple tray package.
The Balanced Break concept targets snackers who want something filling that delivers nutrition and good taste in a handy, mess-free container.
Both brands are great examples of owning your niche.
Start with a good idea executed well, and then capitalize on early successes with product extensions that keep core users satisfied, while attracting more consumers and expanding the brand franchise. Both brands compete in crowded product categories, yet both continue to thrive.
With expertise across a wide range of product categories, we specialize in exploiting niches and growing brands. Take Orchard Valley Harvest snacks or Fisher Nuts as two case studies. Click here to learn more: Fisher Nuts , Orchard Valley Harvest.
At Damen Jackson, we have the benefit of 24 years of working with almost 800 clients to help your brand thrive, finding and leveraging new sources of growth. Our sweet spot is helping you stand out with powerful messaging and design that sells. And we are here to fully capture and enhance your brand value.
Importantly, we stand ready to help you grow your teams and your business. We are deep thinkers with the courage to tackle challenges large and small, whether you want an outside look at your brands, a focused project for a product launch, or a tune up for your messaging or look. Our fresh eyes are there to supplement and augment the experience of your leadership team, while multiplying the odds of discovering meaningful new revenue growth or sources of competitive advantage.
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