Comet repositions around lifestyle
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Comet is repositioning around lifestyle to drive emotional engagement with the brand in the face of heavy competition in the electricals retail market from Best Buy and Dixons.
The consumer electricals retailer has revamped its brand identity and stores and is running a television campaign to communicate its new “fun” brand personality.
The retailer, which is owned by Kesa Electricals, has also introduced a new brand strapline “Come and Play” to encourage consumers to associate Comet with the lifestyle aspects of buying and enjoying new electricals.
Comet commercial director Bob Darke says the rebrand is part of a strategy to shift the focus of the brand onto the emotional engagement with the products, rather than the functionality of the retailer.
The chain has also update its in-store language to illustrate lifestyle attributes rather than functional. For instance the cooker department is now indicated with the words “Bake, Boil and Grill” rather than “cookers.”
Comet is refurbishing more than 60 of its 250 UK stores to make the space and product displays more “open” ahead of the peak Christmas period.
Darke says: “We want to revive the in-store experience and make it the best bit of choosing products.”
He adds that the integrated marketing plan aims to change perceptions of the brand and raise customer expectations of the electricals category.
The TV camapaign includes four executions, all created by Euro RSCG, that feature Comet staff using household appliance is unusual ways.
The first ad breaks on ITV during the European Champions League football game on Wednesday (15 September) and shows Comet staff playing a game of football using hairdryers to blow the ball.
Comet is due to report financial results on 16 September.
Readers' comments (5)
Saman Mansourpour | Fri, 10 Sep 2010 1:28 pm
It's interesting. I read that strap line in isolation, and all I could think of was Sony, or gaming.
In context it will probably be fine, but hasn't Comet's appeal in the past been the combination of form, function and affordability. Isn't that more in line with their core values? It's what made them strong as a retailer.
Come and play? I can think of better places to go and play. What I'd want from an in-store experience is a broad range, good advice and great value, but I guess that's the space John Lewis fill.
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Anonymous | Mon, 13 Sep 2010 9:48 am
I think Comet's strategic repositioning of its brand in a competitive market where points of differentiation are reducing, and consumers are becoming increasingly being price sensitive in a race to the bottom will lead to the long term success for Comet.
The levels of brand loyalty in this economic climate are reducing both for manufactures and retailers. Although I agree with Saman's point about Comet's appeal in the past, Comet can only add value to its proposition going forward by positioning itself for an emotional experience in a price sensitive market.
By differentiating by an in-store experience at the right price points Comet can offer an in-store experience to the mass market, increasing their opportunity to sell, which ultimately provides a benefit to the customer and aligns to individual customers choice factors.
However Comet’s true challenge is that it must ensure that a customer seeking product knowledge finally engages into a purchase at Comet, and does not just use the information gathered from their in-store experience to go online for a cheaper price at a different retailer.
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Bob Dogness | Thu, 16 Sep 2010 11:01 am
What was that horrific brain-swamp of marketingspeak above.. Does anyone actually speak like that, when they are not trying to purposefully hide the meaning of thier words...
What Anonymous meant to say was. Customers want things cheap, if comet sell themselves as a buying experience it could offer rewards, but its a bit tricky when customers can buy things on the internet after window shopping in comet.
There, that wasn't too hard right?
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Sticky Pages | Fri, 17 Sep 2010 4:17 pm
Thanks Bob!
I cant see how electrical retailers like comet can compete with the likes of ebuyer and dabs to name a few.. more choice and cheaper goods..
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Richard H | Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:39 am
Comer need to sweeten their deals, to answer the question "Why Comet?" - they need a proper eLoyalty capability, with e-coupons issued when customers make a purchase, that will motive shoppers to choose Comet and repeat business.
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