New Containers For Universal Products

Last year, Rainer Brandhorst, Managing Director of Alligator Farbwerke, and Stefan Bernhart, Head of Brand Management, developed a new strategy for positioning the company in the market.

The motto is - more simplicity. They explain the concept in an interview with Martin Mansel.

Malerblatt: What was the trigger for the development of the new brand strategy?

Rainer Brandhorst: As part of our market research, we have found that the quality of our products is rated as high, but the brand itself is not as well known as we would like it to be. The Alligator brand has strong roots and many strengths. We want to convey this more intensively in the future.

What is the strategy for the next few years?

Stefan Bernhart: Our statement is: With us you get exactly the products you need. It's about reducing the complexity of the range. We have made it our mission to make work as easy as possible for both our trading partners and craftsmen by offering more universal products that enable the craftsman to optimize his daily work. We do not offer a specialty for every task, but coatings that can be used for a wide range. All of this results in the claim: Alligator makes it easy.

What measures do you want to make the work of the craftsman easier?

Rainer Brandhorst: We went through our existing product portfolio and found that we had many similar products that differ in positioning, but can in principle be used for the same purposes. Then we made a clear cut regarding the range. We believe that we do not need this diversity. We can solve problems with one or two products and also present them in a way that makes it easier for the user.

You have developed a new structure for this. What does this look like in practice?

Stefan Bernhart: We call this the 3 × 3 matrix. I would like to explain this using the example of the facade colors: We have sorted them according to the binder used. There are three basic areas of application. These are firstly the silicone resin paints, secondly the silicate paints and finally the dispersion paints. There are three product lines in each of the three areas: An entry-level product, this is our classic line, a universal line and a functional line, in which special product properties are shown. With these nine products in three fields, all coating tasks can be covered. We also conducted surveys among our customers and conducted qualified interviews with retailers and users on site. The results have encouraged us to continue on this path.

Following this logic, you then redesigned the containers

Stefan Bernhart: By simplifying the design of the containers, we want to make it easier for the painter to identify the products. In the future, red will stand for interior wall colors. Containers for the facade will be blue in the future. Finally, we use white to mark all fillers, interior plasters and decorative products. The painter has to look less in the specialized trade. His wish is to quickly load the required products onto his car and drive back to the construction site, where he earns his money. The red, blue and white containers are the main pillars on which we will base ourselves in future communication. Away from the veal tray, towards a clear structure.

Rainer Brandhorst: In addition, it should be added that we have had different container shapes so far. Since February we have been offering our products exclusively in oval containers. We found in surveys that our painters work primarily with the role. The oval shape just makes more sense if you want to hang a grid in the container. Our containers should not win a design award, they have to be functional.

What is your position within the DAW Group?

You have to differ here too? Rainer Brandhorst: Our sister brand Caparol covers the premium market with a comprehensive range. There is a special product for every need. If the painter needs paint or wants to coat a floor, we refer to the offer of the sister brand. However, if he works universally, we at Alligator have the right solution with a reduced program. Caparol is strong in tenders and also in the large contract business. We don't, we are active as a partner of the craftsman. Our customers have one contact person, Caparol customers have different contact persons because they specialize in certain tasks. We also put a strong focus on SanReMo. Most of our customers operate in this market segment.

People are reluctant to break away from habits, e.g. B. if you have preferred a particular product over a long period of time? Then how do you argue?

Stefan Bernhart: We don't want to take anything away from the painter, we want to make it easier for him to choose a product. I like to compare this to shopping in a supermarket, where sometimes you simply cannot make a decision due to the sheer selection on a shelf. It is precisely through the clarity and simplicity of the selection that we differentiate ourselves from the competition.

In addition to easy selection and findability, where do you see further advantages for customers?

Stefan Bernhart: Concentrating on a few products is more economical for the painter. He no longer has as many products standing around in his workshop and can therefore design his workshop structure much more clearly.

How can retail benefit from your new strategy?

Rainer Brandhorst: We sell our products exclusively through two-stage sales, through wholesale. The colleagues there have a multitude of products to manage and stock. And knowing exactly which product is the right one for which surface is always a Herculean task. The trade must always think about which products to keep. The clearer, the clearer the assortment is, the easier it is to store it.

How do you see yourself generally in communication with the craftsmen?

Rainer Brandhorst: We are both master painters and always think of craftsmen for craftsmen. It is very important to us that the managers and field staff at Alligator have a technical background. This also shows the structure of our field service team. Of the 56 employees, over 90 percent are master painters who have learned and also practiced the profession. They know what the craftsman needs outside. We want to show the painter that we are one of you. Incidentally, this has always been the case with Alligator, we just didn't communicate it that way.

practice plus

The five building blocks of the new corporate strategy:

- Active and intensive care

- From craftsmen for craftsmen

- Exactly the products you need

- Proven alligator quality

- Can be calculated fairly and reliably

www.alligator.de