Hand Tool Rebrand

 

Stanley Tools

 

Whenever Stephen Hawley Martin creates a plan to introduce or rejuvenate a brand, he studies the brand itself, the brand’s customers, and its competition, in order to create a “Brand Power Statement” for the brand that will guide all communications for the product or service going forward. The Brand Power Statement differs from the typical unique selling proposition [USP] in that it incorporates the emotional payoff that users of the brand experience. This involves filling in the blanks in the following statement:

 

To the (market target), (insert your brand name) is the brand of (frame of reference) with (benefits and attributes) that (sustainable and emotional point of difference).

 

Here’s an example of a Brand Power Statement that resulted some years ago from a project that took place some years ago:

 

To hand tool users, Stanley is the brand designed with features that feel solid and perform well under demanding conditions, so that when you finish, you experience the satisfaction of a job well done. 

 

Compelling ads, blogs, videos, and such, can easily be built on that statement. 

 

You may be thinking, “Okay, maybe so, but why were the people at Stanley willing to pay good money for it? That statement seems pretty obvious.” 

 

Brand Power Statements almost always seem obvious in retrospect, after the process has been completed. If a marketer already knows what statement will move a brand to the head of the class, the process to determine it is not needed. But Stanley’s leaders did need it—they needed it badly. The brand had been losing share among professionals as well as serious do-it-yourself homeowners. The people at Stanley knew it needed to be set above and apart from other, mostly cheaper brands, they just didn’t know how. 

 

They did know that woodworking isn’t just hammering nails or measuring corners. It is such things as making sure a foundation is square, that the floors are level, that everything fits, tongue and groove. Anyone who wants to do a job right needs reliable tools.

The Process pointed clearly to the solution: Focus on specific hand tools and appeal to the pride of craftsmanship to the challenge of doing the job right.

 

Here’s a summary of what was found:

 

The One Thing: Craftsmanship

Benefits and Attributes: These tools have been designed with features that feel solid and perform well under demanding conditions. 

Emotional Wrap: I had the best tools to do this job right.

Theme line: “Stanley helps you do things right.”

 

What came of it? Following the brand study and the subsequent marketing push, the downward slide in market share turned around, and Stanley hand tool sales grew steadily—averaging 5% growth a year, despite stiff competition. 

 

If you’d like to have a conversation with Stephen Hawley Martin to discuss the possibility of having him create a roadmap that will lead to increased sales for what you sell, send him an email. There will be no obligation on your part, it won’t cost you a thing, and who knows where it might lead.

 

Send Stephen an email

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