Challenger brands

Article • Nick Geoghegan, WARC Best Practice, July 2016

This article explores the position of a brand as challenger - a state not necessarily conferred by not-market-leader status; traditions won't do so the rules must be re-written.

Five things marketers can learn from direct-to-consumer challenger brands

Article • Nick Geoghegan, Admap, January 2019

Outlines the insights gleaned from interviews with several DTC challenger brands as well as brand consultancy eatbigfish's own experience of working with challenger brands.

The Diamond Concierge: The Surprisal

Case Study • Benjamin Davis, WARC Media Awards, Shortlisted, Effective Channel Integration, 2018

The Diamond Concierge, an Australian online diamond retailer, launched an integrated campaign to raise awareness and demystify the purchase of diamonds among a non-expert, male audience.

Livon: Salon in a bottle

Case Study • Nitya Pant, Priyanka Nair, Dhara Pujara, WARC Prize for Asian Strategy, Entrant, 2018

Livon, a hair-care brand, used a TV ad and digital media campaign to connect with young people in India and increase sales.

Livpure: Cutting Paani

Case Study • Shivendra Dikshit, WARC Prize for Asian Strategy, Entrant, 2018

Livpure, a water purifier brand, encouraged people in India to preserve water with a digital and social media campaign built on a colloquialism.

Cigna: Superheroes

Case Study • Varidda Voraakom, Pattarawong Wongmek, WARC Prize for Asian Strategy, Entrant, 2018

Health insurance provider Cigna used Facebook and the LINE messaging app to build brand awareness among high achievers in Thailand.

Circles.Life: End data deprivation

Case Study • Rahul Chawra, Dilip Garga, WARC Prize for Asian Strategy, Entrant, 2018

Telco network Circles.Life used an unorthodox execution to shake up the competition and increase market share in Singapore.

Breeze: Field Good Trip

Case Study • Diday Alcudia, WARC Prize for Asian Strategy, Entrant, 2018

Laundry brand Breeze used digital video to target mums in the Philippines, breaking through advertising clutter and boosting market share.

Calla: Fresh Mo Girl

Case Study • Bryan Siy, Issa Ignacio, Paolo Broma, WARC Prize for Asian Strategy, Entrant, 2018

Detergent brand Calla used a celebrity endorsement campaign to raise awareness of its offer and increase market share in the Philippines.

OVO takes on Trump and wins on its own terms

News • 31 October 2018

OVO Energy ads are unlike any others in the UK energy category, and its decision to confront the climate change-denying position of the US president has paid off according to the agency behind them.

Kotex: Soft Delivering the Best of Both Worlds

Case Study • MMA Smarties, Finalist, Vietnam, 2018

Kotex, a brand of feminine hygiene products, increased its market share by targeting Vietnamese women on their most used device.

Totalgaz: Vietnam's first vertical MV helped Totalgaz to sell

Case Study • MMA Smarties, Finalist, Vietnam, 2018

Totalgaz, a supplier of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, gave Vietnamese mothers a worry-free Tet thanks to its mobile first song and music video.

How to resist insurgent brands

News • 26 October 2018

Many big brands are feeling the heat from a new kind of competitor: the smaller, younger, quicker upstart brand.

Are big brands really doomed? How big brands can adapt to the threat from small insurgents

Article • David Taylor, WARC Best Practice, October 2018

Explores insights from new research into the threat to big brands of attack by small 'insurgent' brands.

When the Nip Becomes a Bite: Decoding the threat from challenger brands

Research Paper • Ritanbara Mundrey, ESOMAR, Congress, 2018

Nestlé, a transnational food and drink company, analyses the threat posed by challenger brands in India and shows their true impact while suggesting strategies that can work for brands.

Inside OVO’s ‘swing’ at the big six UK energy giants

Article • Sam Peña-Taylor, Event Reports, What’s Possible ’19, October 2018

OVO energy is a new challenger brand that caused a stir from its Renewable is Unstoppable campaign; their agency, Uncommon, shares insights from an irreverent campaign.

Tenderstem: Veg with Personality

Case Study • James Brittain, Institute of Practitioners in Advertising, Entrant, IPA Effectiveness Awards, 2018

Tenderstem, a branded hybrid of Chinese kale and broccoli, increased sales of its speciality vegetable by creating ads featuring a playful Tenderstem character who addressed the barriers of cooking.

K&H Bank: Fill the Gaps with K&H Bank!

Case Study • Direct Marketing Association - US, Silver, 2018

K&H Bank, a bank in Hungary, launched a micro-site that allows Hungarians to discuss and share what new businesses they'd love to see in their local area and gave the bank 2,512 new business applications.

2017 Lyft and Kargo Round Up & Donate mobile campaign

Case Study • MMA Smarties, Gold, North America, 2018

Lyft, a ridesharing app, capitalized on the #DeleteUber moment to encourage users to make $7m worth of philanthropic donations.

RBS prepares to launch new digital bank

News • 01 October 2018

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is planning to roll out a standalone digital consumer bank in the UK as it seeks to fend off growing competition from fintech challenger banks, such as Monzo and Revolut.

Johnson's Baby: Touch

Case Study • Talha Bin Hisaam, Nadia Putri Prianti, WARC Prize for Asian Strategy, Bronze, 2018

Skin and baby-care brand Johnson's used an integrated campaign in Indonesia to grow sales and establish itself as a baby-care expert in a category that lacked differentiation.

BabyLove: Premmie Proud

Case Study • The Communications Council, Bronze, Australian Effie Awards, 2018

BabyLove, a brand of nappies, successfully launched its new product, nappies for premature babies, by creating an app to provide a community for parents of premature babies in Australia.

PR matters in the marketing mix: Singapore telco

News • 23 August 2018

SINGAPORE: A savvy public relations strategy is still important in the digital age, especially when building brand awareness, according to a senior executive at a Singapore telco.

How PR, out of home and stunts drive marketing at Circles.Life

Article • Low Lai Chow, Event Reports, Digital PR Strategies Conference, July 2018

Circles.Life, a telco challenger brand in Singapore, has put PR, out-of-home and viral stunts at the heart of its brand marketing.

Latitude Finance finds success with celebrity

News • 09 August 2018

SYDNEY: When Latitude Finance (previously GE Money) launched in Australia, the company tapped actor Alec Baldwin to position itself as a new challenger brand to banks, according to a senior marketer at the company.