Let’s start with a short quiz.
Below are three sets of numbers. Do you know what they each represent?
- 58 seconds & 10.49 seconds.
- 45 metres & 2.10 metres.
- 48 metres & 72.28 metres.
OK, let’s see how you did…
The first ones are the men’s & women’s world record times for the 100m. Usain Bolt in 2009. Florence Griffith Joyner in 1988.
The second ones are the men’s & women’s world record heights for the high jump. Javier Sotomayor in 1993. Yaroslava Mahuchikh in 2024.
The third ones are the men’s & women’s world record distances for the javelin. Jan Zelezny in 1996. Barbara Spotakova in 2008.
These numbers represent 3 words – “Faster, Higher, Stronger.”
This is the Olympic motto. It is derived from the Latin phrase “Citius, Altius, Fortius.” It was designed to capture the athletic ideal of constantly striving for improvement in speed, height and strength.
To be what few people ever become. An Olympic champion.
Why are we talking about this? In recent weeks we’ve been talking about moving from more buyers to more spend.
To drive more spend you can get shoppers to buy more or you can get shoppers to pay more.
By “pay more” we don’t mean price led growth through inflation. We mean value led growth through behaviour change. Getting shoppers to pay more by changing what they buy.
It’s possible. In many categories the spend headroom is big.
Think Coffee. Many people are prepared to pay £4 for a coffee out of home or 50p+ for a coffee in home. Think Ready Meals. Many people are prepared to pay £10+ for a midweek meal solution. Think Craft Beer. Many people are prepared to pay £3+ a can.
To get shoppers to pay more you need to give them a compelling reason to do so. We think you can do this through the FMCG version of the Olympic motto…
“Better, Easier, Smarter.”
BETTER. This is about giving shoppers more benefits. A reason to make a better choice.
It could be about performance. Superior cleaning and stain removal in laundry. Absorbency in kitchen towel. Whitening in oral care. Telling shoppers that you do this better than anyone else.
It could be about quality. Provenance in fresh food. Ingredients in sauces and condiments. Origin in pasta. Telling shoppers that you are better quality AND showing them through the implicit “body language” cues you give.
It could be about differentiation. Offering something new and different to what is available. A different product – think functional shot drinks. A different (relevant) benefit. Think Lenor Outdoorable Fabric Conditioners. A different purpose. Think Fairy “Skip the Soak” power spray.
Shoppers will pay more for a better solution.
EASIER. This is about giving shoppers more convenience. A reason to make an easier choice.
It could be about preparation. Think prepared fruit. No need to go through the ordeal of cutting up a mango. Think marinated meats. No need to attempt your own hot honey mix.
It could be about time. Think microwaveable rice. No need to wait 15 minutes for the rice to boil or to guess how much to cook. Or time & effort. That Fairy “Skip the Soak” Power Spray example? Not just better but easier too.
It could be about portability. Think pre mixed cocktails. You will see one on every weekend (and maybe weekday…) train. Think tubs of sweets that fit in your car cup holder. One hand on the wheel. One grabbing the next sweet.
Shoppers will pay more for an easier solution.
SMARTER. This is about giving shoppers more value. A reason to make a smarter choice.
It could be about how long the product lasts. Think Fairy Liquid “washes up to 2x more.” Think Gillette “one year of shaving.” Think Nescafe “111 mugs of coffee per jar.” Show shoppers how much they are getting.
It could be about using less. Think Pampers “change less, save more.” Think Plenty “absorbs more so you use less.” Think Birds Eye “use only what you need when you need it.” Help shoppers look beyond price to value.
It could be about indirect savings. Think Sainsbury’s sushi counter “Dine out quality. Dine in prices.” Think Mr Muscle Drain Unblocker “cheaper than a plumber.” Think Vanish “makes clothes last longer.” Give shoppers the bigger picture.
Shoppers will pay more for a smarter solution.
Many shoppers are prepared to pay more. If you give them a good reason to.
Better. Easier. Smarter.
Let the FMCG games commence.
Feel free to forward. Have a great weekend. Speak to you in a fortnight.