Recognizing the symptoms and signs of a brand in distress.

With the colors changing and temperatures getting chillier, fall is the season when we start to hear more people saying, “I think I may be coming down with something”, which makes this a good time to start talking about health—not only our personal health, but the health of our brands.

As marketers, how do you ensure you don’t ignore the symptoms of a brand that may be under the weather?

Trinity’s longtime client, Quantum Health, is all about wellness – about empowering people to do right for their bodies.  Yet, not unlike many businesses, Quantum’s relentless focus on product efficacy, innovation and customer satisfaction took priority, leaving less time to think about the long-term health of their brand. Over time, their portfolio architecture became overcomplicated and the medicinal-looking packaging was dated. As a result, they weren’t poised to connect with the growing base of modern consumers seeking effective natural supplements to support their healthy lifestyle.

As we evaluate the state of all our clients’ brand health, we consider internal, consumer and competitive perspectives, asking these tough but important questions:

• Internal – Do you know what your unique brand promise is? How do you deliver on that promise every day?
• Consumer – When was the last time you asked consumers why and how they shop your category? What made them decide to purchase your brand? Is your packaging delivering on those purchase drivers?
• Competitive – Is your brand promise coming through on shelf and in all the places where consumers engage with the category?

Throughout the journey, it’s important to be honest and not ignore the signs telling you your brand may be sick. Instead, it’s time to get busy and get healthy:

• Step back and look at the big picture.
• Do the foundational work to reimagine and re-articulate your brand, keeping the future – not just the present – in mind.
• Stay true to the essence of your brand as you develop the unique communications (visual and verbal) that it should drive.

To help Quantum in its quest for a long, healthy life, we:

1. Articulated a brand promise, Doing Right, with a message of trust and empowerment that ties what is unique and true to whom the brand is with what their consumers are looking for.
2. Made sure the brand’s new look met consumers’ growing demand for more natural solutions – imbuing the brand with an elegant, modern, yet powerfully natural new appearance.
3. Helped simplify and clarify their brand and packaging architecture, so that consumers understand the entire portfolio, empowering them to navigate a chaotic category with ease and confidence.

The point is that your brand doesn’t have to be terminally ill to take action. With some smart steps, any brand can be on a road to better health. With Quantum’s new packaging rolling out in stores as we write, retailers and consumers are reporting back with just the kind of positive news the doctor ordered.

We invite you to look for Quantum in your local Whole Foods, Pharmaca or other natural food or supplement stores throughout the U.S. and Canada. Naturally, we’d love to hear what you think.