The forest industry has traditionally been very poor in managing and developing its trademarks. However, there are noteworthy exceptions. On 3 September four representatives of these brands participated in a well-attended and much-appreciated seminar held in Sundsvall in connection with SSG Standard Solutions Group’s celebration of the launch of its new trademark.
An audience of close to 100 had gathered at Casino Cosmopol in Sundsvall to listen to good advice and the subsequent panel discussion with four marketing experts representing Iggesund Paperboard, Grycksbo Paper, SCA Östrand and April. The moderator was communications expert and former TV journalist Staffan Sandelin and Åkroken Fibre Network, SSG Standard Solutions Group and the Marketing Association arranged the event in the Sundsvall region.
Avoid the bulk jungle
Carlo Einarsson, head of market communications at Iggesund Paperboard, opened by establishing that the forest industry is the domain of engineers, where soft values such as marketing have traditionally been regarded with scepticism.
“Those of us who have worked a while in the forest industry know that it’s mostly about making paper and reels. We’re stuck in a bulk jungle where we’re happy to apply generic descriptions and cryptic acronyms to explain what we do. We don’t want to be there but, the sad part is that we’re the ones who create and nourish the bulk jungle.”
All of the speakers emphasized the importance and significance of building strong brands.
“When Accent Partner acquires a company like Grycksbo Paper, for example, their interest isn’t foremost in the equipment. It’s the brand that’s important,” says Jan Jakobsson, sales and marketing director at Grycksbo Paper.
Brand building begins at home
One prerequisite for successful branding is the involvement of all employees in the process.
“The work has to permeate the organization and everyone has to be actively involved. If there are to be benefits and profitable results then we have to do the job ourselves. Brand awareness is developed as part of the employees’ inner journey,” says Ingela Ekebro, production director at SCA Östrand, before continuing:
“A brand is the equivalent of a promise to the customer and we’ve tried to define for ourselves what this consists of. It’s not just about pulp bales, but rather the complete delivery. When customers come to us they get impressions from everything they see and everything they encounter. If we treat the customers and each other fairly, and our mill is clean and pleasant, then there’s a spin-off effect.”
“Brand building begins at home. Establishing a trademark is an everyday process. A daily undertaking. When our customers enter the mill grounds we want everything to be perfect because we say that our Invercote brand is ‘just perfect’. And we charge for it too, so it has to be first-rate. It’s a lifestyle. Otherwise, building the brand becomes like wearing a tie occasionally. We have to do it to distinguish ourselves from the others. If we don’t do it, don’t make ourselves special, then we become tonnes instead of heart and end up in the bulk jungle,” says Carlo Einarsson.
More good advice
The participating marketing experts were generous with good advice.
By far the most important aspect emphasized during the seminar was the necessity to start with thorough preparations. Decide, together with the organization, what is to be built, and what the company represents, as well as other values that are to charge the brand.
Other sound advice included dare to speak to the customers, dare to be yourself and dare to keep it simple. Have the courage to be friendly, personal and number one.
“We want personal relationships with our customers, and to create a spirit of always striving to be better in the company. We want to be able to convey to the customers the feeling that we’re on their side. You’ve got to be able to see goals and opportunities,” says Jan Jakobsson, Grycksbo Paper.
Iggesund pushes ahead
At Iggesund they have taken the personification of its products a step farther than many other companies. Here they talk about products such as Invercoat and Incada having a soul.
“Our products have a gender, they’re either male or female, they have accessories and they enjoy a certain type of music. This is to infuse them with life, otherwise they easily become neutral, they become ‘it’. Our next marketing step is to go farther than before in linking the emotional message with our products. We are going to put even more emphasis on the soft aspects. This involves a new means of express, a new way of being and a new face,” says Carlo Einarsson, Iggesund Paperboard.
Consistency is vital
Håkan Freudenthal, formerly marketing manager for Wifsta and April, is now CEO of Marketwind. He concluded with the words:
“I’m impressed and I believe these companies will be very successful in their branding efforts. The most important thing is that once you’ve decided what values the brand is to convey then you can’t start to flutter about. It’s a matter of being consistent, persistent and maintaining continuity. Stick to the choices you’ve made.”