Branding
Coursework: Enterprise Management
About: Our team of 8 members proposed a candle business. Ultimately, a pop-up event was being held to evaluate its profitable management at Oxford Circus.
Role: Brand Director
Goal: Build a strong brand presence, drive growth, and foster meaningful customer relationships
Responsibilities:
Develop brand strategy
Manage brand identity
Market research
Create brand guidelines
Product alignment
Brand performance measurement
Stakeholder engagement
Key Outcomes:
£231.2 Net Income
8.74% CTR
48 Units Sold
45% NPS
HOW#1
MARKET RESEARCH
I first researched the air care market in the UK, collecting quantitative and qualitative data from market research tools including Passport, WGSN, and L:SN Global.
Then, I determined the core brand association to come up with a brand mantra.
Moreover, I created a table of competitor analysis to position the candle brand by the level of executing sustainability and the price range.
HOW #2
BRAND STRATEGY
Then, I built brand positioning and developed brand equity by applying to the CBBE pyramid model.
Brand Resonance
Name: KHAS
Identity: KHAS brings scent that accentuate personality, built from a heart of practicing wellness and a desire to create everything by themselves.
Value: KHAS emphasizes the importance of self-care, relaxation, and creating moments of self-care in the fast-paced world. The candles are made in natural scented oil and blended coconut wax, reflecting our commitment to both customers' well-being and the environment.
Product Range: A collection of three scented candles. Each scent comes with two size: 150ml & 120ml
Product Name: Clear Mind
Scent: Peppermint
Message: Breathe in the cool, refreshing scent of peppermint and feel your worries melt away.
Product Name: Botanical Garden
Scent: Lavender
Message: Remember to slow down and take care of yourself.
Product Name: Citrus Dream
Scent: Orange
Message: Let the refreshing aroma of orange invigorate your senses and uplift your mood.
Storytelling: The brand shares stories of how 8 talents come to the idea of the candle business and the scenes behind the products. It creates a sense of authenticity that appeals to customers.
Customer Engagement: Each scent of the candle represents a personality. Customers will be connected to the scent where a designed hidden word game tells his/her personality.
Sustainability:
SDG 9: All of the products are made in blended coconut wax and natural essential oils. This action will help to reduce the carbon footprint of candle production.
SDG 12: We promote how to reuse the candle jars by sharing how to clean and ways to reuse the candle jars.
Consumer Judgements
Quality Judgments: Positive quality judgments are formed when customers experience sustainably made candles. The wooden wick brings less root, contributing to a distinct sense of smell and visual experience.
Credibility Judgements: Positive credibility judgments are formed when customers believe in the brand's commitment to ethical practices and align with its values. KHAS is built with a reputation of authenticity and transparency. It shares its commitment to sustainable sourcing and behind the scenes of the brand.
Consumer Feelings
Emotional Bond: KHAS’s use of natural ingredients and soothing fragrances evokes feelings of comfort and self-care. Customers feel emotionally connected to the brand as they associate it with moments of relaxation and self-indulgence during their skincare routine.
Brand Performance Association
Product-Related Attributes:
Natural ingredients: The brand is known for using blended coconut wax, natural essential oils, and wooden wicks, promoting a clean and eco-friendly burning experience.
Performance: The scents create a comfort and smoothing effect.
Elegant Packaging: The candles are packaged in a metal jar container which can be reused after burning all of the wax.
Functional Benefits:
The scent of peppermint may aid in improving focus and concentration, making it a popular choice for workspaces or study areas.
#energizing #headacherelief #airfreshening
The scent of lavender is associated with improved sleep quality, encouraging a peaceful night's sleep.
#relaxation #calming #aromatherapy
The scent of orange provides a burst of energy and vitality, making it suitable for morning routines or when feeling fatigued.
#uplifting #antianxiety #creativity
Brand Imagery Association
Brand Personality: KHAS embodies a brand personality that is clarity, simplicity, and nurturing. Moreover, its spirit of sustainability appeals to customers who have an environment-friendly mindset.
Lifestyle and Aspirations: KHAS is linked to a lifestyle of mindfulness. Individuals who aspire to a balanced lifestyle resonate with this brand imagery.
User Experiences: Customers often associate KHAS with time that individuals spend time with themselves, for example meditation, reading, or bathing. Creating calming, focusing, and energizing moments.
Brand Salience
KHAS has a clear brand salience with the lifestyle scented candle market. When customers think about sustainable candles for enhancing their rituals of finding peace, KHAS is one of the first brands that come to mind.
Distinctive Branding: KHAS connects scent with personalities. The messages behind the candles are encouraging and inspiring. It eliminates all of the stress and negative thoughts.
Consistent Marketing: KHAS maintains a consistent presence across multiple platforms, including social media, online marketplaces, and pop-up events. Frequent exposure reinforces its presence in consumers' minds.
Session Endorsements: KHAS partners with local yoga classes, meditation sessions, and spas which could help create a calming space.
HOW #3
TARGETING AUDIENCE
I communicated with the Marketing Director to create a target audience profile. KHAS targets Gen X, Y, Z as candles can appeal to a wide age range. Each generation is depicted by their variables and behavior attributes.
GEN X
Home Decorators
Age: 43-58
Driven by increasing demand for the elderly and childcare, Gen X has become a significant role in the family who are often responsible for caring for their relatives.
Strategy: KHAS plans on focusing the design of the product that creates a warming space at home. The small size is beneficial to switch to other scents when entering another space.
#productdesign #retail #customerservice
GEN Y
Wellness Enthusiasts
Age: 27-43
Wellness has been the top trend among Gen Z as well as Gen Y. Most of them perhaps are anxious about stable earnings to support the rent of living in the cities.
Strategy: KHAS targets this segment by offering candles that cater to the wellness trend. Each of the scents encourage different aspects of wellness: calmness, relaxation, and energy boosting.
#scentbenefits #wellness #socialmedia
GEN Z
Sustainability Seekers
Age: 14-26
Digital services have been a notable component of Gen Z’s life. With the assistance of the Internet, they are knowledgeable, having the ability to consume a wide range of information.
Strategy: KHAS sources sustainable materials offering self-made candles. The team has chosen the wooden wick instead of TCR candle wick because it produces less root that is harmful to the people and the environment.
#ecofriendly #innovation #tiktok
HOW #4
MARKETING STRATEGY
Lastly, I came up with a social media plan to build online presence and a marketing campaign to generate profit by applying AIDA model.
Attention
Post ‘Meet the team’ content: Each director shares a brief personal story and their favorite scent in KHAS's candles. Highlighting the expertise and passion within the fashion and beauty industry which can build KHAS's credibility and increase the followers’ attention.
Post ‘Behind-the-scenes’ content: Seeing directors making the candles by themselves, conveying a sense of accountability and openness to establish a positive reputation for the brand.
Interest
Post ‘Benefits of each scent’ content: Sharing the benefit of the scents would create an emotional connection. For example, emphasizing that lavender can help relaxation appeals to customers who seek to relieve stress.
TikTok
Post ‘Behind-the-scenes’ content: The marketing director determined the viral background music and designed each director performing on the short-form video content.
Desire
Few days before the pop-up event, KHAS actively shares the details of the campaign including time, dates, location, and countdown to encourage customers’ desire to visit.
Pop-up event
Offer the personality game to customers who find it hard to decide the scent of the candle. Highlighting the traits that connect to the benefits of the scent can create the desire for players to experience the excitement it offers.
Action
Pop-up event
Emphasizing the story, commitment and value behind KHAS encourages customers to develop a deeper appreciation for the brand. Communicating that 100% of the profit will be donated to Women’s Aid conveys that the purchasing can make a positive impact.
OUTCOMES
in operation
8
talents
8.74%
CTR
48
unit solds
£200
initial funds
4
IG story tags
£231.2
net income
45%
NPS