SUBMITTED BY: JUNAID NADEEM

ERP ID: 01180

BRANDS CASE ANALYSIS 1

Bel brand repositioning

For Ann Legan, the right decision would be to reposition its brand, Laughing
Cow, in a way that increases its autonomy and identity in the US market. As
evident from the case, despite its presence in the United States for decades,
Bel enjoyed a meager market share and penetration primarily as its
communication strategy was focused on adapting existing campaigns from
other leading markets like UK and France. Such a communication strategy is
flawed primarily as it is NOT LOCALLY RESPONSIVE; meaning that the
communication doesnt take into account the fact that local demographics /
psychographics can differ substantially from one market to the other.
Looking at the competition, we can see that Kraft, the market leader with
more than 30% market share and 76% awareness, emphasizes on its great
taste while at the same time being AMERICAN i.e. giving a philly moment.
Similarly, other small players are also centered on sticking to American
values and traditions. Hence, it seems logical that localization to match the
American taste and values is critical for success in US.
Furthermore, repositioning itself with a health halo would also not be a very
viable option. This is because, although, such a step would offer some level
of brand differentiation and make the product stand out in a cluttered
category, with the market preference of low carb craze dissipating among
the audience, such differentiation would not prove strong enough to increase
penetration and share. Bel should focus on identifying untapped consumer
needs and owning them to differentiate itself from the rest of the
competition. This will help the brand own a share in the consumer
consideration set.
Therefore, as a way forward, the ideal strategy for Bel would be to develop a
positioning that is centered on American values and traditions. However, the
brand positioning should reflect the global brand positioning of a wholesome
family product with a strong emphasis on children.