Transforming a 'Point of Pain' 

How do your transform a 'point of pain' into a retail experience that changes the game?

DNA has worked with Firestone and parent company Bridgestone since mid 2006 developing brand, growth and product/service development strategy. This has included significant evolution of Firestone's retail experience and in-store product/service offer, including a nationwide outlet re-development, and a complete communications rebrand. Work has also been undertaken to scope a comprehensive internal culture shaping programme to drive improved brand delivery. The re-organisation and rebrand have been a major investment for the company. Rolling out nationwide since mid 2007, the project's goal of creating sustainable growth with a wider customer base is well under way.

The Challenge

Most innovation is quickly matched. Creating sustainable advantage requires true innovation at the 'big picture' level. Increasingly businesses (read brand) must transcend categories, challenge norms and 'happily' break the rules.

In this context tyres are usually a 'grudge' purchase. Retailers often compete on price and TV advertising has traditionally built 'personality-led' brand profile. But the market is tight and consumer expectations are changing. Bridgestone New Zealand needed to protect and grow Firestone's market share.

Research confirmed customers now expect much more from a retail experience. Younger women and urban groups in particular feel the 'tyre workshop' experience isn't good enough, with many 'out of their comfort zone'.

The Solution

Success demanded a combined business/brand planning exercise to review Firestone's whole offering. Comprehensive analysis was undertaken. Workshops were facilitated with a cross-section of staff and management, and the notion of the business and what it delivers actually being the brand was fully explored.

The result was a potent framework for taking Firestone forward. At the heart of this was the new understanding around customer needs and the actions required to meet these (actions that'll re-define the sector), captured in a new brand definition. Firestone needed to become much more than a tyre shop. Fuelling this was the key consumer insight that rising expectation are set by the whole retail sector. Firestone is judged not just against other tyre shops.

As market leader it needs to be best at delivering care for both vehicles and customers. While price is fundamental delivering a superior customer experience is crucial to moving from the 'grudge purchase' perception to a positive ongoing consumer relationship. The answer lay in developing a new, extended 'combination offering. Tyres are still core business but Firestone will offer much more in terms of the in-store retail environment/experience, the personal service provided and the range of vehicle health products and services offered.

The brand Identity has also been re-energized. 'Direct' had gone, a retail-friendly colour pallet has been introduced and a strong visual language developed to tell the evolved brand story.

The Results

John Staples, Bridgestone general manger of sales and marketing, says, 'We're confident Firestone's expanded offering and evolved brand will secure long-term financial health for the business. In saying this we are aware of two key points. Firstly this is a long-term strategy; it's not all about immediate returns. The work we're doing is significant and will continue to grow the business over the next five or ten years. Secondly, we have to be consistent of a question: how long would Firestone maintain market leadership it is hadn't undertaken a brand process that literally tested and evolved the company's thinking'.

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