Lining Wants To Get Rid Of The Role Of "Sandwich Level"

A major event in the industry recently is probably Li Ning Co.

Changing bid becomes a necessity.

As a means of brand remolding, bid replacement is both a necessity and a normal form.

For example, Pepsi Cola has changed to 11 times, which is more than two times that of Coca-Cola.

KFC and Kodak also reached 5 and 6 times respectively.

The fundamental reason for this is that when the external competition and consumer environment of enterprises have undergone a major or fundamental change, enterprises must make major adjustments or changes in their strategies to maintain lasting competitiveness.

Replacing the standard is undoubtedly an important symbol, and it also indicates that

Under what circumstances is it?

First, when enterprises are committed to enter the international market.

With the maturity and stability of the domestic market, some enterprises will extend their business to overseas.

Usually, when faced with the strategic task of entering or developing the international market, the original logo often has some obstacles in recognition, such as color, pattern and character in the acceptance, affinity and communication of the target market, and sometimes even faces the legal obstacles of being grabbed by others in the foreign market.

At this time, the launch of the new brand logo is beneficial to highlight its international appeal and establish a more internationalized brand image.

Take Lenovo as an example, in April 28, 2003, Lenovo formally changed the old logo "Legend" to "Lenovo". The direct reason is that Lenovo has not been able to carry out sales and marketing promotion in the process of opening up its internationalization strategy. The "Legend" logo can not be sold.

Second, when businesses need to interpret new service concepts.

Nowadays, whether in the industrial market or in the consumer market, their demand is always undergoing various changes.

In particular, with the change of consumption concept brought about by economic growth, the challenge for brand survival and development is constantly adapting to the new consumption environment.

In November 15, 2006, Kentucky began to change the label globally. The amiable Colonel Sanders took off the white double breasted suit for 54 years and put on the red apron. At the same time, the lines and colors were adjusted accordingly.

The new logo conveys to the customers the important idea that "KFC will always make fresh, tasty and high-quality food for its customers as always as its founder does," which reflects the positive interaction between KFC and consumers under the new consumption demands.

Third, when the corporate brand itself needs to be adjusted.

The replacement is the first time that Li Ning Co has changed its bid in 20 years.

The driving force behind it is its brand image itself.

From 2006 to 2007, Li Ning Co's Market Research Report on consumers showed that there was a certain deviation between the actual consumption group of Lining brand and the target consumer group, that is, the overall population was larger than that of the nearly 35-40 year old crowd.

Consumers believe that Lining is a reliable, gentle, trustworthy, positive brand image, but can not tell its distinct personality.

Another interesting and embarrassing cause for Lining is the new brand slogan launched in 2002, "everything is possible" (Anythingispossible).

Two years later, Adidas also launched a new slogan, "no Nothingisimpossible", then Adidas surpassed Lining, followed by Nike to become China's second market.

At this time, Chinese consumers saw these two very similar slogans, but mistakenly believed that Lining was imitating Adidas.

Therefore, even though Lining's "brand remolding plan" has caused much doubt, it is still regarded as "a great progress in domestic brands" in the industry's position. "Lining finally chose to match his opponent in the planning and communication of a brand's high position" and "a big step in consciousness and idea".

Correctly grasp the opportunity

Speaking of the "brand remolding plan", Lining stressed that it is not like what some media say is to encounter the "ceiling of growth", but after another three years of hard work, the goal is to reshape the target, which means a brand with more personality and more in line with international communication.

It is undeniable that this is actually an inevitable reaction of Lining's enormous external pressure, but the intention of active change is also very clear.

This also reflects an important principle of changing bid: active total is stronger than passive.

As mentioned earlier, although the replacement is a necessity of brand remolding, it is also a renewal and adjustment. After all, it has undergone a metamorphosis. It is a familiar and stable break. Therefore, we must pay attention to the law of gradual change in the process of "change" conduction, otherwise, the main idea of "surprise" will become an objective "shock".

Prior communication

At present, there are many enterprises in our country that realize that brands need to change their logo timely, but few can see that the whole process can be spread to the right place.

Throughout the process of changing the logo, the process of logo renewal has always been covered up by the outside world. It seems to be in a state of secrecy (perhaps to ensure the sensational effect of the new logo).

There are two important purposes for the public to understand beforehand: one is to achieve the pitional nature of the old and new signs, so as not to reduce the recognition rate.

Secondly, it is also more important to implement expectation management to reduce the expectation of the public to the new logo, thereby reducing the disappointment value.

It's also a farmer's spring.

Although the new packaging design is effective, it is also quite atmospheric.

However, there is no uniform information release about the bid change, including the official website.

From the perspective of brand experience, the suspicion that consumers can not help will bring potential insecurity to the brand.

Natural pition

Although it is necessary to change the bid, it should not be changed too much in principle.

The disadvantage of marked changes is obvious: it is difficult for the original consumers to recognize the brand, and the potential consumers are totally considered to be a new brand.

As for Coca-Cola, Pepsi Cola, Nestle and other famous international brands, they are changing in the same direction and innovating in change.

For example, the change of Coca-Cola's Chinese logo is quite commendable.

The same is the word "Coca-Cola", just the change of font, which can not only identify the target consumers at once, but also make people feel that the brand has undergone subtle changes, which is closer to the present age and can better communicate with consumers.

It can be said that Coca-Cola's replacement is a renovation and improvement on the original basis.

Li Ningxin's LOGO is continuing the old version of the visual image - the main picture of a floating English letter L, and at the same time it looks more like a "person".

Lining hopes to use the image of "human" to interpret sports values, and "encourage everyone to express themselves through exercise and achieve self".

But the evaluation of netizens is "a logo of a second class brand" and "no LOGO beyond the front" is a retrogression.

Many netizens believe that Lining's new LOGO "Shanzhai" is the piracy of former Lining.

Is there a big gap between consumers and consumers? Is it worth thinking about?

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Steering softness

In order to cooperate with the "brand remodeling plan", Li Ning Co has chosen to broadcast advertisements with the theme of "post-90s" frequently in various media, which is close to the young consumer groups and reflects a strong turn.

Li Ning Co CEO Zhang Zhiyong also claimed that the new logo design idea is to adapt to the young consumer groups, especially the "90 after" constantly changing mentality.

However, after giving all the compliments to the "post-90s", Li Ningxin's advertisement fell into the dilemma of "overcorrecting". At the same time, it also led to the loss of "70 after" and "80 after" consumers. Many people therefore claimed to boycott Lining.

Normal, but it is very unwise to stick to a certain age group that is wishful thinking. "The post 90's Lining" has forced itself into an overly narrow category, not only abandoning the original, still paying people, but pleasing the uncertain uncertain number (the "90's" impression on Lining is very limited, not to mention goodwill, and this kind of pleasing does not necessarily have a good result), and it separates (rather than effectively distinguishes) the target consumer group of the brand. When Pepsi Cola and Coca-Cola compete for the world, they only locate Pepsi to the group that thinks they are young people, which embodies considerable fusion power. With the change of target, the adjustment of target audience is understandable.

Therefore, experts pointed out that Lining launched a series of products with "90's" Lining as the theme of the dissemination campaign is understandable, but as a brand advertising is not appropriate.

Why is Lining "positioned"?

Although netizens abuse Lining's new logo as "Shanzhai", LOGO sometimes has limited influence on brands.

The industry also pointed out that "relying on Lining's capital strength, is to put a very bad LOGO spend huge sums of money every day to spread, and finally will be accepted."

So the key is brand positioning.

Prior to Lining's coming to Hong Kong in 2004, the Wall Street journal once satirize Lining: for a long time, the company has always described itself as a high quality local brand that can be accepted by the public. However, apart from its price advantage, it has not set up a unique image, nor has it demonstrated its ability to develop high-tech innovative products for professional athletes.

This just hit Lining's short brand positioning.

Judging from the current situation, this situation has indeed changed, but it is not obvious.

For Lining's position, the positive argument is that the price has an advantage over the international brand (about 20% to 30% lower than the international first-line sports brand), and the brand has advantages over other domestic brands.

But the negative argument is that the price is inferior to other domestic brands (which is about 35% to 40% higher than that of domestic brands), and brands are inferior to international brands.

The criticism of 6 years ago is not necessarily a worry of Li Ning Co today: it has been surpassed by international brands and is catching up with local rivals, but it has yet to find a way to stand out.

Where is the crux of the problem?

First, Lining is always "positioned" from his opponent.

China's sporting goods market has formed such a brand structure:

Nike, Adidas, Lining, Anta, XTEP.

Lining is understood as a "sandwich layer" between the high end and the low end.

This is obviously not Lining's own design, but rather compelling.

Knowing this, but also have to follow suit in the attack of the opponent.

Li Ning Co said publicly that after the brand was rebuilt, the Lining brand will be launched in the first tier cities and compete with Nike and other international brands.

Including the upgraded version of the new image store, will be concentrated in the first tier cities.

The proportion of high-end products in stores will increase, while in the four tier cities, the proportion of low-end products will be increased.

And after Nike has occupied the leading position in China's first line market, it began to covet the two or three line cities and three or four line cities gradually showing consumption power.

In the past three years, companies such as Anta, XTEP and PEAK have been listed. With the help of capital market, they have speeded up the opening of stores in two or three tier cities.

Meanwhile, Li Ning Co will adjust its product price structure.

The average price of footwear increased by 7%, and clothing rose by more than 10%.

This is the change brought about by Li Ning Co's conscious increase in the proportion of the structure of medium and high priced products.

In the third and fourth quarter of 2009 and the first quarter of 2010, Li Ning Co's product discount rate was 22%, 20%, 21%, while Anta maintained or was lower than 20%.

In the past, the lowest discount Li Ning Co gave to the channel was 50 percent off, and the discount will be gradually increased, such as 51% off and 52% off.

Let's take a look at the key expression of Lining's "brand remolding plan": he has made clear his brand positioning and core target audience, and has established a very clear brand personality.

Smart humor, candor, creativity and curiosity will be injected into the brand new personality, so as to establish emotional ties with the younger generation of consumers.

At the same time, Li Ning Co hopes to make breakthroughs in the "fashion" perspective, but will never abandon the leading edge in sports products professionalism. "Top sports equipment" is still Lining's core product line.

What do we see? It's a price war and a technological war.

Obviously, it is a mixture of anxiety and split.

This shows that Lining is still missing in brand positioning.

Second, from activity, Lining is good at working but lacking in way.

In recent years, Lining has been good at marketing and public relations.

Especially the Olympic Games.

For example, Lining took the same tactics as Nike: sponsoring sports teams.

But Lining knows more about precision strike, and brings China's shooting team, diving team, table tennis team and gymnastics team to command.

Lining also signed the Argentina and Spain men's basketball team most likely to beat Nike's US men's basketball team to enhance their firepower in basketball.

For example, Lining implemented the terminal intercept intelligently - signed a two-year agreement with CCTV sports channel.

During the 2007 - 2008 event, the hosts and reporters must wear Lining's clothes when they appear.

For example, as one of the most outstanding figures in the history of sports development in China, Lining himself is not only the last torch bearer of the Olympic Games, but also participated in many public relations activities during the Olympic Games.

But after the Olympic Games, you will find that Lining is still a famous local brand with a limited influence on consumers, still unable to add effective factors to Lining's brand personality.

In the book "new orientation", Jack Traut and Steve Rivkin point out that now more should be paid to "repositioning" rather than "positioning".

This is because today, with the rapid development of technology, the unexpected changes in consumer attitudes and the intensification of competition in the global economy, the danger of losing competitive advantage for enterprises to stick to the original market positioning has become particularly serious.

But Lining needs to be clear in repositioning, which will make his brand road more challenging.

Zhang Zhiyong has long been determined: "Lining will build a more distinctive personality in the next few years, and only by positioning accurately can business grow."

We hope that such a wise judgement can really be implemented in every step of the enterprise's future development.