So part of what I want to do with this blog is to share companies that I feel have got it right with their branding and marketing strategies and why and how I think they're particularly interesting or innovative. I'm starting with Graze because I feel like they're doing something really fresh and exciting.
Founded in 2008, Graze has grown rapidly in a very short space of time. It's a simple concept: one box, four pouches of goodies that changes each time. Nutritious, varied, stress-free snacking. It's not a cheap product at £3.89 a time, but the quality of the food and the service is what makes this basic idea have widespread appeal.
They initially targeted offices - their ideal customer being people
who sit at desks all day and want an alternative to snacking on
unhealthy food. This enabled them to build up a network of people who could be
seen to be enjoying the product and would spread the message to their colleagues, but the little box has since become a great success with other groups, particularly with students.
The name fits with the simplicity and originality of the brand, as does the catchy tagline, 'Nature Delivered'. The packaging feels expensive and the design cashes in on the modern need to have expensive and quirky looking things for the sake of having them (eg. I could go buy a pack of Tesco own brand raisins and cashew nuts... or I could get this uber cool box thing that will make people like me more). The
tv advert makes the food look out of this world with deep, indulgent colours. And the music and style of voice-over reinforces the quirky uniqueness of this brand.
Aside from the product, what I admire about Graze is the way in which they have spread the word about their company. Existing customers get vouchers to give to their friends for a free first box and a second one for half price. Once they have signed up, the initial customer also gets a free box as an incentive (clever!). This model works like a virus - if every customer shares it with three friends and those new customers share it with their three friends, with a little patience, world domination won't be far away. Personal recommendations are always more valued by consumers than even the most expensive marketing campaigns, and it seems that Graze has managed to find a relatively cheap but reliable way of instigating this behaviour themselves. The best part is, it's so transparent that the customer doesn't feel like they're being cheated out of anything!
Like many of my friends, once I got my free box, I cancelled my subscription (because I'm a poor student and £4 a week for a fancy box of fruit and nuts seemed an unnecessary extravagance). BUT they don't let you off the hook that easily. This is another part of their cunning strategy: once you cancel, they get in tough offering you 3 boxes at half price. If that's not enough to entice you to reactivate your account, they won't stop there. Every month or so, I get a little reminder about what I'm missing out on. Every so often they send me a code for another free box, trying to get me hooked. And it's worked! Although I don't get them delivered now, I have such a good impression of the brand that the minute I get my high-flying graduate job (wishful thinking!) , I will be restarting my subscription.
