brand dossier
Brand Research 1 http://www.nzicecream.org. nz/history-nz-rush-munro. htm 2 http://idealog.co.nz/ design/2013/12/rush-munrosrebrand-dow-design 3 http://www.rushmunro. co.nz/about-us 4 http://www.nzicecream.org. nz/awards.htm
Brand History
Product
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Price
Place
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ush Munro was founded in 1914 by Frederick Charles Rush-Munro. The ice cream was originally branded as “Munro’s Ice Cream” and opened at Ponsonby Road in Auckland. However, in 1917, his wife died and the business was relocated to Hawke’s Bay. Over the years, the ice cream store became a landmark and tradition. In 1976, Frederick RushMunro died, but it is still privately owned and operated today.1 In 2013, Rush Munro was rebranded by Dow Design with reasons from the co-owner being that it didn’t look like it was from New Zealand and it was getting confused with Killinchy Gold.2 The brand now treads “that fine line between ‘natural’ and ‘premium’.” The re-brand was mostly inspired by the orchard signage all over New Zealand’s countryside.z
he price is $8.49 for a 1L tub. It is the second most expensive option only beat by Kapiti ($9.99) In other New World locations, the price is as high as Kapiti’s (9.99). At the same time, Tip Top and other “saver” ice creams offer twice as much ice cream for half the price. This places Rush Munro along with Kapiti amongst “premium” ice creams. This helps buyers perceive the product as something homemade or something “done right.” It confirms that the product has quality for a consumer who is trying to rationalize the price.
he product is 100% natural. Whenever possible, Rush Munro uses local ingredients. Their product is filled with real fruit, no coloring or preservatives.3 The ingredient lists are short and simple and the flavors are emphasized first and foremost on each package. Each flavor is available in a small 180mL container or a 1L tub. Rush Munro has won numerous Ice Cream Awards. This year (2015) they have won two Silver Awards and last year, they won the Supreme Award for Boutique Manufactuerers for their Maple Walnut ice cream.4
n Wellington, Rush Munro is available at New World Markets. It was not available at the cheaper supermarkets such as Countdown. In terms of actual placement on the shelf, Rush Munro is a bit lower on the shelf, but in terms of brand positioning, it is definitely very high as a premium ice cream. Rush Munro has placed itself above all of the “saver” ice creams but below Kapiti as if to say that it is still an affordable luxury. I feel that this tactic is a direct response to its competitors; it tries to be the cheapest premium choice. This serves as a rational approach to getting people to buy a premium product. The placement is still close enough to eye-level to entice users into buying the product upon first look.
1 https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=WjTNVOzG24w 2 http://www.nzicecream.org.nz/ industry.htm 3 http://www.nzicecream.org.nz/ industry-stats.htm 4 https://www.fonterra. com/global/en/financial/ global+dairy+industry/ new+zealand+dairy+industry
Promotion
Environment
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he product surprisingly does not seem to be heavily promoted at all. A search for advertisements or posters or flyers brings up next to nothing. The only advertisement I could find was a very old TV commercial.1 The commercial has both a “child voice” and “adult voice” version which emphasize naturalness and “making ice cream the way it should be made.” Additionally, Rush Munro does have a facebook page and a website to promote their product. The facebook page allows for a certain level of interactivity with fans. However, a lack of physical promotions (flyers, posters, and billboards) does mean that the ice cream often spreads through word of mouth, perhaps relying on its nearly century old reputation.
ew Zealand Ice cream is highly respected; there are New Zealand Ice Cream Awards every year. “At 23 litres per capita per annum, New Zealanders are amongst the biggest eaters of ice cream in the world, and most recent figures put us at the very top, ahead of Australia and the USA”2 Hokey Pokey is a national flavor; it exists almost exclusively in New Zealand. This contributes to ice cream being a large part of New Zealand’s national identity. Australia is their biggest ice cream export and import. Just last year there was 2mil kgm in Export and 1.7mil kgm in Import.3 In addition, the Ice Cream industry is only a small part of the much larger dairy industry within New Zealand which is the world’s largest exporter.4
Competition
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ush Munro’s main competitor is Kapiti. Kapiti is another premium quality ice cream. They market themselves as “designer ice cream” and are also natural and made in New Zealand. Kapiti is part of the Fonterra group which also owns Tip Top: a budget ice cream. Kapiti has also won numerous Ice Cream Awards but their most recent awards were in 2008. The flavor selection is larger than Rush Munro’s by five flavors. (Rush has 14 flavors total.) Kapiti’s price is the highest in the ice cream market (at Wellington New World Markets.) It presents an image of quality and indulgence. In addition to this price, Kapiti’s physical placement in supermarkets is often exactly at eye-level. This means that it grabs the most attention and holds a prospective consumer’s gaze for the longest. Kapiti promotes its products via websites, advertisements, facebook, and pinterest; this is a much more varied and diverse approach than Rush Munro’s.
Target Audience A
B
C
Images from https://instagram.com
Shared Values A
The main target audience of Rush Munro’s is middle to upper class New Zealand mothers. (aged 30-40) These mothers are looking to treat the family (or themselves) and want to find something perfect for a family dinner or a big birthday party. They care about health and the use of natural ingredients because of their children. Their age allows them to be more in tune with the deep history of Rush Munro as they might have grown up eating it themselves!
B
The next group is children (aged 3-10) who are looking for a tasty ice cream treat! They don’t want any hassle and just need the simple flavors. They want to know what they will get. They’ll ask their parents to buy it for them if it sounds good!
C
The last group is young adults (aged 18-25) who care about quality over quantity and probably have a lot of nostalgia and emotional memories connected to the experience of eating Rush Munro.
E
ach of these audience groups care about eating quality ice cream. Each of them probably have some sort of nostalgic value or history with the product. The mothers might grow up eating the product or buy it for their children. The children grow up eating the product and eventually age into young adults who were exposed to the product at a young age. Each user wants something simple that they know everyone at the table (or whoever they are sharing with) will love.
Brand Identity Blueprint 1 Rational Features
Rational Benefits
Emotional Triggers
Emotional Triggers
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-- Healthy -- Supports New Zealand Identity -- Less risk -- Not supporting large “evil” corporations
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-- Nostalgia -- Trustworthiness -- Rewarding
100% Natural In Hawkes Bay Simple Flavors Privately owned
Brand Values -- Family Friendliness: for both parents and children. -- 100% Natural Ice Cream
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Kiwi identity Family and home Traditional Old fashioned High Quality
Unique Differences - -
It’s made in New Zealand longer than anyone else! It is the only privately owned ice cream left!
Brand Essence The simple flavors of Rush Munro evoke feelings of the homemade and traditional which makes it the perfect ice cream for families to share
Timeless Equities
Central Tensions
-- Script writing -- Wooden textures
-- Traditional vs. Modern: It has a century long history, but needs to appeal to new audiences. -- Homemade vs. Luxury: It must target familes but still serve as an expensive premium ice cream.
Consumer Research Rush Munro Where
What time
What transportation
Who is inside
-- Cornwell Park in Hawkes Bay -- Hawkes Bay -- Home
-- Midday Summer -- 4:30pm Summer -- Midafternoon Summer
-- Black Limosine -- Isuzu -- Silver Old Fashioned Car
-- Tubby dark skinned man. Very friendly -- Brother -- Old random friends
Surroundings?
Where are you going
Who approaches
What do you do
-- Perfect sunny blue day -- A beach and small towns. -- Hawkes Bay
-- Castle made of gold! -- A campsite -- Pond and Park
-- An old eccentric man -- Family members -- Waiter/Waitress
-- Pick flavors and make your own ice cream! -- Go kayaking and eat ice cream! -- Get offered ice cream to eat!
Analysis
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ost of the experiences begin in Hawkes Bay which proves that Rush Munro has endured as a brand since its beginnings; it is still strongly associated with its origins. This enforces the ideas of tradition and nostalgia which Rush Munro has upheld over nearly a century. The time is summer which is quite standard for any ice cream brand. It represents a playfulness and carefree nature. Additionally, this is the time where children are usually on vacation and go out to have fun! The type of transportation tends to be more high-end. The emphasis on Rush Munro’s premium qualities is much more than I had anticipated. The Isuzu is a car that is large enough to be used by families and the old fashioned car represents the luxury of antique items. The variety of transportation actually capture’s Rush Munro’s essence quite well in that it is a valuable antique that can be enjoyed with families. The drivers of the vehicles are often family or some symbol of friendliness. For example, the
tubby dark skinned man was further described as very inviting and friendly towards the passengers despite being inside a limosine. The final destination is usually a location that involves spending time with friends and family. For example, campsites and parks. Here, families work and live close together to create stronger bonds and memories. The exception, the castle, was made of gold which emphasizes Rush Munro’s premium qualities over its familiar ones. It is a place that is impressive and inviting reflecting Rush Munro’s luxury status yet friendly demeanor. The person who approaches again symbolize service and respect towards the. The ice cream is always served instead of taken. People who eat Rush Munro are made to feel special! Children feel like they are growing up! They get what they want. They are given ice cream by butlers or waiters. A butler or a waiter’s servitude is parallel with Rush Munro’s friendly but high quality product.
Kapiti Where
What time
What transportation
Who is inside
-- at park -- Hiropi St. -- Outside
-- 11 in the morning in Summer -- at night -- cloudy and chilly 11am
-- Jeep Rangler that is silver and new -- white new limosine. -- white van
-- Tan hot guy with nice clothes. -- ice cream suit -- middle age with vest
Surroundings?
Where are you going
Who approaches
What do you do
-- Meadows -- Ice cream around the road -- rural and farm areas pass by
-- Massive factory like Willy Wonka’s. -- Shiny gate to museum. -- Factory like Willy Wonkas
-- Guy with slick hair and handlebar moustache -- Butler approaches
-- Everything is made of ice cream and you eat it! -- See the history of Kapiti and eat each flavor. -- Get a tour of the factory!
Analysis
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apiti’s experiences started mostly outdoor. I believe that this is representative of Kapiti being an outgoing brand. It is for people who are looking for a good time; they aren’t often inside. The time contrasts Rush Munro’s in that it is mostly at colder times of the day. I believe that this is to once again strongly contrast the warmer family feel of Rush Munro. It represents the start of a big day or a great night. The transportation in each story definitely reflects the luxurious style of Kapiti. Key words such as white and new help evoke images of cleanliness and the lavish lives of Kapiti users. That is to say, they can afford having things constantly kept clean and care a lot about their outward appearance. This notion of having a clean outward appearance is supported with the descriptions of drivers. If it was not already enough that the male was tan and very attractive, it is also noted that he is wearing very nice clothes. Kapiti, as a “designer ice cream,” definitely cares a lot about the aesthetics.
The surroundings of the stories are actually quite similar to Rush Munro’s. However, I believe that in the context of Kapiti’s product, this is due to the “need” for an experience. These outdoor areas allow for better experiences and adventures to be found. Perhaps most surprising was the reference to Willy Wonka’s factory more than once! This factory is definitely a symbol of magic and fantasy. It is here that interesting edible creations are made. Black Doris Plum & Crème Fraiche! Kapiti’s flavors are more eccentric than the average ice cream. It helps provide a sense of magical wonder and excitement when trying a new flavor. The activities done by all of the participants appear to be very different, but I believe that the underlying factor is variety. This is represented by eating all of the different flavors as part of the tour and the variety of changes throughout the history of Kapiti. Kapiti always invites users to try all sorts of different flavors, recipes, and experiences.
Brand Identity Blueprint 2 Rational Features
Rational Benefits
Emotional Triggers
Emotional Triggers
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-- Healthy -- Local and supports New Zealand Identity -- Less risk -- Not supporting large “evil” corporations
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100% Natural In Hawkes Bay Simple Flavors Privately owned
Brand Values -- Family Friendliness: for both parents and children. -- A premium luxury item that rewards eaters. -- Something that makes children feel special and grown up.
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Kiwi identity Family and home Traditional Old fashioned High Quality
Nostalgia Trustworthiness Rewarding Exclusivity Mature Charismatic and Confident
Unique Differences -- Rush Munro focuses more on the child experience and makes young audiences feel special. It is an item that connects families together through its deep history and nostalgia.
Brand Essence Rush Munro’s nostalgic homemade premium ice cream brings families together and will have any child feeling like they are something special.
Timeless Equities
Central Tensions
-- Script writing -- Hawkes Bay -- Wooden textures
-- Traditional vs. Modern: It has a century long history, but needs to appeal to new audiences. -- Homemade vs. Luxury: It must target familes but still serve as an expensive premium ice cream.
Brand Communication Critique 1L Packaging
Analysis TEXT The text is a handwritten font. It helps communicate the essence of “homemade” and the personal feel of handwriting helps convey a level of intimacy as well. It feels friendly and it is inviting. The large text on the front has subtle traces of the brush used to create the text. This style of text effectively reinforces Rush Munro’s rustic family friendly feeling. IMAGERY The imagery uses a rough wooden background. The designers have stated that the brand is heavily influenced by orchard signage. This helps pay homage to the local area and history of the Rush Munro Ice Cream Gardens. COLOR The color palette of the packaging is mostly Earth tone colors. Occasionally, the flavor uses a vibrant color, but even then the color is a bit dull. Again this contributes to the rustic feeling of the packaging. However, the actual plastic of the product is golden which plays more towards Rush Munro’s luxurious side.
MATERIAL The material of the packaging does not provide much in terms of supporting the brand essence. Although understandably cost-effective, the plastic cheapens the feel of both the rustic wooden textures and the golden color of the packaging. COMPOSITION The flavor of the ice cream is presented first and foremost. It emphasizes the simplicity of Rush Munro. People know exactly what they are buying when they get a tub of their ice cream because of the minimal use of ingredients and the promise of natural and real fruit. ESSENCE/TENSIONS With key elements such as the red rose, it is clear that the package upholds Rush Munro’s essence as a timeless and nostalgic ice cream. The simplicity and emphasis on text caters to children. The packaging definitely leans more towards the traditional and homemade aesthetic than its luxurious premium side.
Website
Analysis TEXT The website’s use of text is the same as the packaging for the most part. The body text uses a serif font and opens with a large “Welcome to the Hawkes Bay’s tastiest little secret.” This phrase in itself implies some exclusivity. IMAGERY The website lacks the wooden texture imagery of the packaging. The only attention grabbing imagery is the constantly scrolling list of flavors along the bottom. The lack of imagery actually reduces clutter and makes the brand appear more sophisticated than it may have with lots of textures and pictures. COLOR The color of the website is primarily black. The pure black background is definitely a nod to Rush Munro’s luxurious essence. COMPOSITION The flavors scroll on the bottom of the website just out of site which invites the user to scroll down. Otherwise, the largest piece of text is the large quote at the very top which invites
users to explore the website and Hawkes Bay’s “Secret.” Purposely witholding information and even actual photos of the ice cream itself is a very interesting choice and I believe it is done purposefully to make the product appear more mysterious. ESSENCE/TENSIONS The website appears to market the product mostly as a very exclusive and secretive product. The tone is friendly and inviting with small phrases like “Blimin’ Delicious” and “Come Get Some” which remind the viewers that the product is still one that is not exclusive to the extent that it is snobbish. As very young children probably do not navigate websites, this promotional method understandably does not target the children as much. The fact that it is a website itself in addition to the look and feel do not do much to balance the tension between modern and tradtitional; it instead leans very much towards a new and modern aesthetic.
Facebook Page
Analysis Rush Munro does not have many social media outlets to begin with. It has chosen one, Facebook, to put most of its content and advertising on. Now entering its eleventh year, Facebook has grown its own audience to now include parents in addition to its previous young adult audience making it a good platform for Rush Munro POSTS Rush Munro uses a variety of media on their Facebook page from images of ice cream products, recipes from users, and questions. The interactive questionnaires “What is your favorite flavor?” allows for bonds to be formed between the brand and its audience. People like to think that they are being heard. The recipes created by users of Rush Munro only create a stronger bond. The website makes an active effort to connect on a personal level by directly using names. TONE Rush Munro’s social media voice is definitely one that is friendly and inviting. They ask
engaging questions and announce winners of giveaways as well as post links to recipes created by the audience. The most recent post “Today’s cure for Mondayitis...” uses very casual language and reveals a sympathetic voice of Rush Munro. BRAND ESSENCE/TENSION Facebook’s tendency to promote sharing and interactivity creates a lot of opportunities that Rush Munro takes advantage of to talk to users and seem more friendly and approachable. This helps Rush Munro maintain its status as the old nostalgic friendly ice cream parlor. It is quite difficult to balance the tensions of Rush Munro’s brand on this platform at the same time because it is simply unrealistic for an old-fashioned brand to use a Facebook. However, as time progresses and Facebook grows older, this appears to become more and more relevant. It helps Rush Munro appear more modern and up to date.
Strengths +
Weaknesses -
PACKAGING The packaging’s strength is in the dark wooden texture. The references to hard work, craft, and woodwork are a symbol of rustic life and tradtional upbringing. The use of an extra dark palette of colors tells the viewer that this is a high quality craft at the same time. It balances the tensions quite well.
PACKAGING I believe that the main weakness is the materiality of the actual container. It states “Hawkes Bay Gold” but, upon first touch,it is just plastic which is a bit of a disappointment. it would be interesing to play up Rush Munro’s premium qualities by using actual wood or some sort of textured material.
WEBSITE The website’s strengths are in the use of pure black paired with the handwritten font. It plays with the idea that high-end crafts are a way to show that something can be traditional but still amazingly beautiful and relevant in today’s world. The fact that many items today are just owned by corporations and churned out by factories only helps Rush Munro’s identity.
WEBSITE Rush Munro’s website removes the handmade aesthetic of wooden boards. The lack of any images of the actual ice cream product creates a level of exclusivity that is perhap a bit too high for a brand like Rush Munro. Rush Munro needs to take advantage of the fact that it also appeals to families.
FACEBOOK The Facebook page’s strongest posts are the ones that include interaction of some sort with their audience. The tone is extremely welcoming and helps bring their old fashioned style to a wider and more techologically savvy audience.
FACEBOOK On the other end of the spectrum, Rush Munro’s inviting facebook page may be directed at families a bit too much. Only the occasional recipe will actually remind readers of the high quality standard of Rush Munro.
Conclusion
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verall, I believe the brand is operating fairly well. However, because of its drastic rebranding about two years ago, Rush Munro sacrificed a lot of its mythology and history that it built up in the past 75+ years. This change was due to the rise of competitors and a need to distinguish itself as a brand that can exist in the modern day world. Certain visual elements are still reminiscent of the original narrative behind Rush Munro such as the red rose. I question whether this rose holds a meaning for anyone in the target audience or if it is just a point of nostalgia for the owners themselves. I can see a problem in the future of Rush Munro’s brand becoming outdated again. It currently looks new and contemporary which is appropriate for the current time, but how long will this image hold? A constant shifting of image and brand values will destroy the one thing that has taken Rush Munro so long to build up: its history. Without this aspect of its brand, Rush Munro will surely lose out to other premium ice creams such
as Kapiti who will not suffer as much from constantly refreshing their image to fit new trends. The designers need to ignore the current trends and zeitgeist if they are designing for a brand that is meant to be timeless. Yet at the same time, it must address current audiences so it does not die before the brand can establish itself. My research informed me that there was a much larger perception of Rush Munro as a luxury item than previously thought. Perhaps Rush Munro needs to focus on communicating this better in terms of a value via timelessness instead of value via “newness”. With clean layouts and designs, I fear that Rush Munro looks like it is trying to be a new and exciting product when it has been around for many years. The fact that Rush Munro has been around for so long is something that no other brand can capitalize on. Rush Munro needs to take advantage of this rather than developing new faces for their product’s appearance.