A marketing claim can be hugely valuable in helping consumers recognize and select your brand. That said, the claim(s) must be tangible, clear, short and memorable. Coming up with durable claims that drive business growth takes time and teamwork.
There are three types of claims: those that drive overall product category demand (which only works if you are the category leader, like Clorox as an example); those that are differentiators, the ones that highlight your unique benefit and the problem that your brand solves; and those that are context-based, meaning that the claim is related to a season, event, or special occasion.
How do you know that your claim will work? Start by asking your brand users about why they purchase your product, why they select you over competitive brands, and what are the specific benefits that are most important to them (easy to use, saves money, works better, lasts longer, tastes better, looks cooler and so on). The more quantifiable your claim, the more likely you have a hard-hitting benefit—particularly if you are superior to competitive offerings.
Check out the claims of your competitors as well. You want a claim that is unique to you and is not copying something that is already on the market. Perhaps you can capitalize on something they are not saying, if you can substantiate your claim. An example is the Subaru Love campaign where Subaru owners rave about safety in crashes, durability so that you can give your kid your Subaru, and the relationship owners have with their Subarus built upon years of reliability.
Importantly, ask all your internal stakeholders for feedback and suggestions. Start with the market research or insights folks who often have an unbiased view. Get with your product development and R&D team for tips on ideas for tangible claims, like efficacy, durability, cost to use, etc. Check in with your sales team to see if your claim is likely to resonate with retailer customers as well as consumers. Sales can also be a sounding board for marketing messaging, particularly if you are targeting a new customer base to drive growth.
If your claims are taking you into uncharted territory, you may want to take the time for some consumer research to validate that your claim is believable, motivating, and persuasive. Let’s say you have a new-to-the-market product, ingredient or clinical research-based claim. You can reduce the risk of missing the mark by testing your messaging first. A good example is the Ring video doorbell that solves the problem of missed package deliveries or attempted burglaries.
Once you have your claim clearly articulated, then you must translate it into your marketing plans. Work it into your advertising, promotional campaigns, social media, digital marketing, packaging and in-store presence. Be consistent across channels and tactics for maximum value. But try varying the language slightly in social media to assess the most powerful messaging based on engagement and responses to calls to action.
At Damen Jackson, marketing claims are our sweet spot. We have the benefit of 25 years of working with almost 800 clients to help your brand thrive by making the most of marketing claims and sources of competitive advantage. We can be your partner who works through telling your story in ways that are credible, convincing and compelling.
Our fresh eyes are there to augment the experience of your leadership team, while multiplying the odds of improving profitable revenue growth.
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