We recently completed a quantitative Brand Health study for a well-respected, high quality kid’s clothing brand – known for long-lasting, durable clothes made from organic cotton. It turns out that their core customer is wildly passionate about it. They love what it has to offer, consider it far superior to other brands and are willing to pay more for it. Laddering up from these more functional attributes, the fans say it alleviates the stress of clothes shopping because it offers something that makes both parent and kid happy. And, they love the way it makes them feel as a parent – that they are providing for their children and giving them something that is good for them (soft on their skin, no chemicals, organic, etc.)
As a parent of a toddler myself, I get this feeling, and it is a feeling I crave as a mother – To feel successful in my role as caretaker and nurturer. When a brand can offer me this, it’s strong stuff. I recently took a staycation at a family-friendly hotel in downtown Los Angeles. We played in the pool, our son ran down the hallways for hours, and we ate at the hotel restaurant. The kid’s menu was a simple, customizable affair with three columns that allowed you to pick one kid-sized option from each column. It offered a choice of starch/protein main dish, vegetable side, and dessert (including fresh fruit salad). It came with organic milk or juice. The result was a well-rounded, reasonably priced meal you knew your kid would eat. While I somewhat guiltily ticked off the boxes for penne with meat sauce and sweet potato fries, I happily selected the fruit salad and milk for my son. Hey, I know what he will eat, and we were on vacation for goodness sake – who cares if he eats a plate full of starch? I felt fine about my selection. My son ate his meal and was happy. I smugly sipped my wine and felt like a successful Mom. The restaurant had provided the same feeling the aforementioned kid’s clothing brand gives its fan base. And because of this, they won a repeat customer.
If a parent cares so much about the clothing they put on their children’s backs being healthy and safe for them to wear, imagine how much more they care about the food that goes into their bodies. Yet today’s world is a busy one – most married households are dual income (according to a recent market research study – 60% in 2012, up from 25% in 1960 ), so both parents are busy with full-time work, raising kids, and myriad other responsibilities. We are more knowledgeable than ever before about nutrition and the importance of eating real, whole foods, but have less time to shop for and cook these things. What if QSR chains could help us? What if they could find a way to marry the convenience of stopping in at the counter or going through the drive through with that feeling of being a good parent? If they could provide menu items that not only made our children happy and full, but made us feel successful? Made us feel like excellent nurturers and providers, doing something healthy and nutritious for our kids, while all the while saving us time? That would be a true win. And that is what QSRs can learn from a Kid’s Clothing Brand and my recent family staycation. For ideas on how to execute on this Holy Grail, come talk to us and we’ll see how we can help you!