Branding isn’t just for consumers….
Branded ingredients or components have been around for years. One only has to look at the emergence of the aspartame market in the 1980’s under the Nutrasweet brand and the success of “Intel inside” branding the microchip in PCs.
Branding ingredients or components is a smart way to better protect and differentiate an offering, assuming of course it is sufficiently different and unique in the first place!
In a world where science and technology is playing an increasing role, many ingredient and component manufacturers will patent and protect their products and “sell on” that product as a package – the product and the brand. End customers, or consumers, will increasingly be reassured that they are buying the best, or original, not simply because of the host brand, but because of branded ingredient or component within.
PowerBar in the sports nutrition category, successfully introduced a branded active ingredient in C2MAX, a dual source carbohydrate mix for faster energy absorption into the body. The C2MAX brand then carried across all the range of products acting as reassuring reference that all the products would function in the same way.
It is clear that partnerships with specialists and suppliers will become increasingly relevant; everyone cannot be an expert at everything; and the need to clearly brand that expertise will be key.
Branding an expertise, an ingredient or a component is as important as branding a new product. Similar processes are used to get to the solution. The critical thing is to do it early, plan it and build your business round the fact you have taken a “branded” approach.
The Branding Authority has 30 years of experience in brand-led strategy and branded ingredients. Contact us for a free chat! You never know, we might be able to help!