Cartridge Save Dave
“Embracing failure” is a “critical part of the brand-building process”, a UK cartridge retailer has said after his marketing campaign failed to take off.
Ian Cowley, Managing Director of Cartridge Save, created cartoon character Dave the Badger in an attempt to “stand out from the competition to be remembered by customers”, adding “personality and humour” to his brand, selling in the “purely functional” marketplace of printer cartridges, The Guardian reported.
Unfortunately “our customers weren’t interested in Dave, and in pouring our energies into creating him, we lost sight of what the customers really wanted; excellent service, fast delivery and the best possible prices”.
The firm has learnt from Dave’s downfall and now focuses on its core values: “make it easy for the customer”.
Cowley noted: “Even if you’re in an unsexy market, it isn’t necessary to conjure up a personality for your brand.
“It might be important if the brand is aspirational and needs to fit into a particular lifestyle, but if your business provides something customers need, rather than want, then prices and service may well be more important than brand personality.”