Overview of the Product
The suggested advertising campaign is intended for Mountain Valley Spring Water. This company is known as the brand concentrating on spring water in glass, although other types of packing materials are used. Its history dates back more than 140 years (Mountain Valley, n.d.). Currently, it offers a wide range of products from water for office and home delivery (5 Gallon) to water in small bottles with sports caps (500 ml). Thus, one may say that this company exemplifies a brand category. When consumers see a branded product, they are informed it is a member of a brand category (Aaker & Biel, 2013). Just as any brand category, Mountain Valley Spring Water is notable for the use of the same name in relation to several distinct products. Consequently, a customer perceives each product as equivalent to the other.
In comparison, a niche, in the broadest stroke, is a set of characteristics intended to satisfy specific market needs, for example, price, quality, and categories of population that should be influenced. In terms of the drinks market, the niche sectors are relatively small but rapidly growing (Vos & Boelens, 2014).
While Mountain Valley Spring Water introduces several products, there are no special items for children. The present campaign is to suggest a new type of product, mineral water in plastic bottles for children of primary school age within the existing brand category.
The Product Niche and Market Segment Demands
Presumably, the unfilled product niche is primary school children from families of different levels of income. Nowadays the task of primary importance is to provide children with healthy food and drinks: while soda and other similar beverages are not encouraged, mineral water is probably the best solution. It goes without saying that the quality is vital. However, younger children are attracted by package as well: placing their favorite characters and bright pictures on a bottle label will draw their attention.
As for the market segments, they may be defined as “a collection of customers who have something in common which makes them share broadly similar product needs and buying behavior” and refer to large firms (Dibb & Simkin, 2013, p. 5). In other words, niches are relatively small and deal with specific products while segments are more general areas of growth for leading firms.
The fictional brand is to be connected with one market segment, drinks. Overall, drinks must be safe, fresh, and packed appropriately. In analyzing the demands, consumer analysis is the first logical step (Soleimani & Mirjavadi, 2016). The expectations are represented. The potential product belongs to regular drinks.
Although the demands of the specific market segment are quite vague, it is possible to learn more about clients through the niche boundaries.
Brand Image
One may consider that brand image is a brand brought to the consumer’s mind by the brand association (Keller as cited in Severi & Ling, 2013). Brand image incorporates “conceptions of quality, value, and attitude – as well as brand associations and feelings” (Aaker & Biel, 2013, p. 146). In this context, it is important to stay in touch with the image of Mountain Valley Spring Water and at the same time suggest the new view.
Quality. The quality of the new product will become the central part of the brand image. This approach will continue the main idea implemented in the basic products. The water obtained from the spring is natural: “Unlike water from man-made artesian wells, The Mountain Valley Spring Water rises naturally to the surface of the earth where it is bottled – untouched – to this day” (Mountain Valley, n.d., para. 1). Since children should gain the best products, the water will be necessary for them.
Value. It includes the overall assessment of a product depending on the correlation between what is received by a customer (for instance, quality or meeting their needs) and what is given (price and non-monetary costs) (Aaker & Biel, 2013). As long as the new brand is intended for children, family members should also be taken into account. While the quality of the water is to be high and the idea that children will have an opportunity to quench their thirst at any time is valuable, it is necessary to convey the idea that adults contribute their money to their children’s health and comfort. Indeed, not only is the water they purchase salubrious but also the bottle is fully biodegradable and convenient for a child.
Attitude. While quality and value are directly intertwined with the new product, attitude is about creating a feeling not obligatory connected with it (Aaker & Biel, 2013). It may be useful to refer to the flurries of activity typical for children via a slogan: The Mountain Valley: move and have fun.
To identify the new product with Mountain Valley Spring Water, the logo of the company may be changed a little.
Sample Advertisements
Since the targeted audience is ambiguous and includes children and their family, it will be more reasonable to concentrate on both types of customers. Two versions of the advertisement are suggested.
The extended advertisement will be published in print and online newspapers and magazines intended, on a large scale, for parents. Since they start reading the ad, they are likely to be interested in the material, and it is possible to introduce more details.
References
Aaker, D. A., & Biel, A. (2013). Brand equity & advertising: Advertising’s role in building strong brands. California, CA: Psychology Press.
Dibb, S., & Simkin, L. (2013). Market segmentation success: Making it happen! New York, NY: Routledge.
Mountain Valley Spring Water. (n.d.). Simplicity is our secret ingredient. Web.
Severi, E., & Ling, K. C. (2013). The mediating effects of brand association, brand loyalty, brand image and perceived quality on brand equity. Asian Social Science, 9(3), 125-137.
Soleimani, H. R., & Mirjavadi, S. M. (2016). Marketing strategy codification of sports drinks (case study of Padideh Dinavand Food Products Industries Company). The International Business Management, 10(11), 2100-2108.
Vos, J., & Boelens, R. (2014). Sustainability standards and the water question. Development and Change, 45(2), 205-230.