However following the attempts of several acquisitions, the volatile brand seats as there are a series of sales declinations. These declining sales can be analyses through the theory of consumer behaviors and its determinants. This essay will aim to identify the main issues faced by Snapped by analyzing the decision making processes their buyers partake as well as the specific conditions that influence their consumer attitudes and behavior. The recommendations given are aim at improving the Snapped brand and market position.
In this analysis, we will take a look at the specifics during both the initial rise and subsequent fall of Snapped. First launched to local health food stores, Snapped captured an uprising niche in the beverage industry. The concept of Juice may have been prevalent historically however during this period competition against sodas enabled this brand to capture both the healthy alternative as well as the versatile, novel connotations associated with common soft drinks. Marketed to “young, health conscious urban professionals”, the target market became a starting point to the revolutionary change in drink types.
Being a consumable that has many substitutes, aiming for Measles physiological need of food and water would not suffice in this modern era. In contrast to its indirect competitors market; cola beverages and water, Snapped struck middle ground between the fun but unhealthy cola and boring plain water. It conceptualized fun, healthy, natural, real, personal, and diverse into an everyday consumable and possesses a sense of “anti-authority’ that appeals to those that don’t conform to the pre-existing drink options.
With the tagging of “made from the best stuff on earth” and previously “100% Natural” and a series of effective and targeted PR and promotions, Snapped is able to achieve a significant market share within its regarded demographic Much like any business, Snapped undergoes two different evolutionary processes considered its start-up phase and maturity. The first is the continuous growth of the brand and its image, while the second is its subsequent decline.
From a managerial perspective, the brand’s growth is tied towards the Consumer Behavior-Snapped By Seychelles strategic decisions made by the original owners tot the company whilst contrastingly its fall is directly due to the acquisition by Quaker and their succeeding strategic decisions. Needless to say, regardless of ownership, it is the consumers that play the ITIL role either in prospering the brand or desolating it and ultimately determining Snapper’s peak and trough periods. In addition, internal and external influences, such as consumers’ individual determinants and environmental determinants should be taken into account.
Like all businesses it is never any individual factor that creates such movement but more a collective synergism responses to all these elements. From 1972-1993 Snapped Fruit Juice Company flourished while many other premium fruit drinks struggled. Ironically most of Snapper’s successful competitors during this mime were sold to larger distribution companies thus allowing Snapped to create and enhance a brand image and distribution alliance suitable for its targeted rebellious market.
They were a cult classic, promoted by loud, brash promoters like Howard Stern and Rush Lumbago who had huge followings of independent, “stick-it-to-the- man” listeners. Snapper’s relationship value began to rise as its distribution system grew and this symbiotic relationship enabled exponential growth as more small chain distributors created more sales. Since distributing to supermarkets was price ND did not account for much of the sales, Snapped avoided this channel and instead was distributed on the “street. Now gas stations, pizza stores, food service vendors, and the like knew they could forge a long-lasting relationship with Snapped that they could trust, which then would present through to the consumer. Being family- oriented, Snapped could connect to distributors both on a professional and even a personal level portraying a good relationship image with its wholesale customers and general public. Needless to say, such distribution could not solely encourage consumption.
It was when Snapper’s reputation was established initially by their “100% Natural” slogan that purchasers of the product felt they were consuming a product that was healthy because it contained no preservatives. Snapped delivered in this approach and began to appeal to the target segment of “young, health- conscious urban professionals. ” Their target consumer knows that Snapped may not be the healthiest drink on the market as opposed to water, though acting as the healthy and novel alternative influenced consumers because it seemed “100% natural” and felt they were being “healthy. Snapped also connected its product with nonusers by relating to their own stories and allowing customers to relate to the story of the original owners. The story of Greenberg, Marsh, and Golden, was told numerous times through several media outlets. With this mentality, Snapped developed its reputation value as well as its experiential value with consumers. Another major component of Snapper’s brand culture resides in its symbolic value. Consumers viewed themselves as “fashionable” by drinking Snapped. Those with a certain “identity’ could only purchase a Snapped beverage.
The advertisements and promotions played a huge role in this perception. Having Wendy Kaufman, David Letterman, Howard Stern, and others tied to the product helped Snapped establish such symbolic status. All of these personalities were in common by the perception that they were unique in their own individual way. Not only did customers relate to them, but it also allowed Snapped to be endorsed through the media without spending large amounts of dollars. These individuals played a role as intenseness trot boot a pop culture and expert status.
At the same time, the Snapped brand itself reaches a certain level of “omnipresence” status without seeming to flood the market and be over endorsed . With these reasons, Snapped was able to generate sales revenue of $674 million before the company was sold to Quaker for $1. 7 billion where mistakes began. Quaker acquired the Snapped brand assuming sales would continue to grow exponentially as it recently experienced. The decision to obtain Snapped was based on an optimistic view of expanding Snapper’s brand potential with the motivation caused by movement in alternative beverage industry growing two-fold within a six-year timeshare.
By taking Snapped under their established name and image (Storage), it would utilities pre-existing knowledge and resources hat collectively could advance both brands in market performance. Quaker obviously regarded Snapped as a brand of tremendous value with the $1. 7 billion they spent in acquiring it, though they felt Snapped would benefit from the packaging experience, supply chain expertise, and modern information system capabilities that the existing had to offer.
From a strategic perspective, Snapper’s market strength in the Northeast and West Coast would have also complement its own established product, Storage, and its market strength in the South. While this may be seen as n enthusiastic idea, it lacks the understanding of their buyers’ behavior and ways of decision-making especially since both brands possess a very different image. Contrasting the two brands, Snapper’s selling point originates from authenticity and an eccentric brand image that expresses a unique and youthful personality presented as a humble homemade beverage.
Conversely, Storage is far less viewed by buyers as a fashion items than it is a sporty energy drinks. A positive aspect to the merger is the enabling of a combined distribution channel allowing consumers to find their favorite Snapped drinks in more locations. Obviously, consumers’ temporal resource, that is time, has been saved. Consumers are expected to have more discretionary time and their information search process is expected to be shortened and simplified when they have easy access to the Snapped products. Also, unplanned purchases and immediate purchases would expect to increase because of the increased accessibility of Snapped.
However this seemingly beneficial concept actually deteriorates Snapper’s existing brand image. Where at first it was solely in the alternative beverage industry and competing on that level, Quakers decisions removed it from this category. It instead began competing with other drinks as well by being so closely associated with Storage. Consumers drank Storage after a heavy workout; they drank Snapped after a hard days work and picked it up on the way home from the gas station. Storage could be sold through supermarket outlets in bulk while Snapped turned off consumers if sold in this manner.
Quakers mistake with the distribution system demonstrates this idea. Although these aspects are valued highly by consumers, it is evident that combing two very different brands will not enable them to achieve the goal of market domination. Instead, when expanding Snapper’s market share, strategy should be composed by careful evaluation of its buyers behavior through the consumer decision making model. In the first state of need recognition, motivation is a primary driving force aimed to satisfy physiological and psychological needs through product purchase and consumption.
As such thirst is recognize as a physiological needs within the Measles hierarchy. This physiological need is the very basic priority that has to be satisfied before consumers can proceed to the next need level. Buyers would be actively looking to satisfy this need and thus form a very broad market base tit a high consumption demand. Snapped need to be able to position itself and draws a very specific target so they match their product offerings to the right segment and thus achieving the highest amount of return.
Consumer needs activation can be influenced by internal and external stimuli, such an example of an internal factor the choice of lifestyle and personality. Since Snapped is a fashion’ product, it needs to be marketed as a young, vibrant brand that appeals rightly to target audience. For example by continuing its tradition in aiming at the popular culture market Snapped should find media such the like of Howard stern that could CT as a reinforcement or a bridging icon for the brand image and value. By placing promotion in the right media and channels, Snapped are able to reach to their target consumer and influence their need activation.
Following this, the stage of information search should be synonymous to reducing the time/resources undertaken by consumers to search for information. Therefore marketers need to know the intensity of people’s search when engage in the product. Buyers will first take and internal search, using previous knowledge obtain from experience. Information processing is fast when consumer is thirsty and involvement bevel for alternative beverage is very low unless it has a very strong brand loyalty. Therefore Snapped need to aim to increase its brand loyalty especially because the market is highly saturated.
Snapped should place product and promotion strategically where the right target consumer can find immediately after need is created. Being amongst a highly saturated market, the stage of evaluating alternatives creates many issues. By understanding the competitors and their attributes Snapped can differentiate their strategic operations making them more attractive. Using the right sources and having a grasp on the involvement and attitudes of consumers, Snapped can position their product in a way that will give them the greatest advantage.
Decision rules and signals that affect people’s choices should be considered to minimize poor execution. Such an example is whether to place drinks in refrigerated area or shelving. Needless to say a consumer that is considering a small take away drink would most likely have the intention of drinking it immediately thus preferring it cold. Similar cases can be said by understanding evaluative criteria and evoked set consumers use as well as the most likely purchase situations and social class the target may be in.
When a consumer purchases the Snapped product, the most simple things are often neglected such as where to sell. Flooding the market with products everywhere may lead to the deterioration of image as well loss of revenue due to stock loss. Location needs to coincide with the right target market and Snapped image. For example, healthy food store, supermarket, local food store. Finally, the post purchase evaluation is the stage where the consumer determines the degree of satisfaction/dissatisfaction with the consumption experience.
For Snapped nonuser satisfaction after the acquisition has decreased which creates reprimanding attitudes for future purchase as well encourages poor word of mouth. Once subjected to such degrading perceptions, it is very difficult to change since the availability of alternatives discourages second chances. Furthermore complaints of not being able to find the desire flavor influences the consumer to perceive Snapped as losing its consumer bonding identity as discussed previously. In understanding these issues the following recommendations should be considered.
Snapped needs to conduct market research and focus groups to understand what consumer want/ expect from Snapped and aim to meet those expectations. As mentioned earlier, Snapped was successful in being distributed in the “cold channel” to boost its brand culture. Storage, on the other hand, did not obtain most of its sales through this channel and Quaker assumed Snapped would also be successful through the same channels Storage was distributed through. This should have been obvious by the fact that supermarket sales accounted for only 6% of the alternative beverage industry according to the exhibits in the case.
The pursuit of $0. 3 million in a $5 billion industry represented by supermarkets should have been avoided and a Seibel recommendation is its removal. Snapper’s downward turn includes the elimination of the sources of its “brand stories” by Quaker. By reintroducing such people like Howard Stern, Rush Lumbago, and Wendy Kaufman in promoting the product they could relinquish the criticism of supposedly “selling out. ” Furthermore by reintroducing their humble beginnings it could revivalist the original owners’ connection with consumers that were now no longer in the picture.
In addition, Snapped needs to rekindle its initial image of young, fashion, and quirky. This brand image appeals to the consumers who are seeking for a modern and fashion lifestyle tit outgoing and novelty seeking personal characteristics. Those attributes arouse consumers’ interests when their needs are firstly recognized. It motivates consumers of consuming Snapped drinks to not only satisfy consumers’ physiological need, thirsty, but also fulfill their psychological needs, a sense of belonging and high self- esteems.
To increase a product’s popularity in the market, consumers’ preferences should be met, that is to build up a positive consumer attitude towards the brand. The healthy- conscious attributes demonstrates Snapped to be a responsible average, which could easily gain positive consumer attitude when they evaluating the products. Needless to say when this is created Snapper’s product line can be expanded thus enabling variety of flavors and larger sizes of bottles of Snapped drinks, which magnifies Snapper’s functional benefits, as a beverage, utilitarian motivation should be ensured to consumers.
In Snapper’s “offbeat” promotion, the spokespeople of Wendy Kaufman helped Snapped attract paid and unpaid brand attention through media and public. Reintroducing Wendy appearances in retail stores and acceptance of sleepover invitations builds a closer consumer relationship nice the consumer involvement is increased through the interactions with the brand representative. In addition, the Snapped-themed fun and games day also provides an opportunity for Snapper’s consumers to be involved in the brand-related activities.
Accordingly, when Quaker terminates Wendy role for Snapped, the interpersonal communication has stopped and consumers feel less involved with the product, this could be one reason leads the Snapped sales volume to decline in the later years. On the other hand instead of terminates such as Wendy Kaufman the company could hanged to another public figure, such as movie stars or pop singers, to continue being the spokespeople tort Snapped, and more television campaigns should b and increase the frequency of showing, in order to build up brand awareness and improve the brand name recognition.
This ensures the likelihood for the consumers to recall from their memories of repeated purchase. Before launching any new products to the market, upfront surveys and relevant data should be collected. By giving away free samples of Snapped drinks with newly designed flavors or packaging could test the market through consumers’ immediate response of the trial reduces they get. In summary, we observed how a brand can develop its own brand culture through “authors” to create its own brand stories.
We also saw how the components of brand value can strengthen a brand’s image and its relationship with customers. Snapped delivered on these principles as it rose to success. We can also see how important these attributes are as Quaker started changing Snapper’s brand culture. The relationship a brand has with its customers is extremely important; when the governing body does realize its wrongdoings in this matter is when one can realize how a brand’s culture can be destroyed.
