In this article, automotive marketing specialist MotorActive presents a case study for keeping brands relevant in the marketplace

The automotive landscape is littered with great products and brands that have gone the way of the Dodo, while others have held strong for a millennia.
Typically, this is more a result of staying vigilant and pro-active rather than blind luck. Even when sales are strong, you risk becoming irrelevant by thinking that product-on-shelf is ‘Job Done.’
MotorActive, the company behind Supercheap Auto’s exclusive automotive paint brand ColorSpec, recently implemented a full revamp, despite fantastic year-on-year growth.
“With 30-years’ experience maintaining Meguiar’s as the premier car care brand, we’re well aware of the dangers of resting on your laurels,” MotorActive founder and Chief Executive Officer, Bruce Morrison, said.
“Also, ColorSpec was 10 years old – its original look and feel was designed around it being a true, professional grade, clear-over-base automotive paint system.
“Typically, professional products do not have overly flashy labelling and lack sex appeal. It needed a facelift, because this becomes a bigger and tougher job if you wait until things are in decline.”
Market research revealed ColorSpec was predominantly a grudge purchase – customers looking to fix a problem, who had already committed to buying paint before entering the store. The challenge was to generate fresh, new business, while retaining the brand’s professional-grade character, so as not to negatively impact the existing sales stream.
“This was a fantastic opportunity to reposition the brand. We concentrated on two key elements; invigorate the livery to make it more attention grabbing and enhance the satisfaction-of-purchase,” Bruce said.
“Witnessing the spectacular success of the bright and vibrant colours of the new Meguiar’s Hybrid Ceramic range, gave us the confidence that adding just the right splash of colour will draw in customers – without generating any negative perceptions about quality. The vibrant colours contrast extremely well against the modern, sophisticated satin black.”
In addition to the fresh, new livery and sharper point-of-sale area, MotorActive spent considerable time revamping the website, and producing a host of new, How-To videos.
This collateral was designed to not only ensure customers realised the full benefit of their purchase, but to inspire them to get creative and undertake DIY projects they were not necessarily thinking of – as undertaking and finishing a fun, DIY project delivers loads of lasting satisfaction about their purchase, something grudge purchases definitely struggle to do.
“Building excitement around the brand, has proved to be a double win,” Bruce said.
“Not only has it generated new business by getting customers thinking about projects it could be used for. We’ve seen firsthand the change in the attitude of the store’s retail teams.
“By investing time with them, making the product fun and showcasing its capabilities, they’ve become more excited about the brand. And it goes without saying, getting retailers and their teams excited about your product or brand is a powerful way to maintain growth and ensure its longevity well into the future.”

For more information, visit www.motoractive.com.au