Think like a child if you want your brand or store to thrive

Could your brand or store benefit from the insightful questions of a child?

I recently read an article that focused on how we are overwhelmed by financial jargon in all areas concerned with money and as a result fail to ask the childlike questions that are common sense.

For example, if most investments offer 2 to 4% what makes us think one offering 12% is safe?

It made me realise that the FMCG industry could benefit a lot from taking this advice. Whilst young children can be irritating with their constant stream of ‘why?’ questions (mine certainly was) they have an honesty lost by most adults. They are not afraid to ask the stupid questions as they have no fear, they are not held back by the history of established practices, they are not constrained by hierarchy or politics and they are keen to learn rather than defend positions and the status quo.

I have come up with a few questions a child might ask a retailer or brand (admittedly quite a clever child):

Why do retailers expect shoppers to travel here to buy rather than to shop online when the store is just lines of boring white shelving?

If price is so important, and we know that shoppers look at pictures more than words, why are there meaningless statements instead of pictures on the top promotions?

If a brand’s main competition is private label, which competes on price, why are there no claims on brand packaging that point to areas of superiority?

If brands and retailers prefer to sell premium why do they treat all products the same and as if they were selling baked beans? For example, on the left the same brand is executed differently by two retailers.

I am sure you can think of a lot more childlike questions that should have been asked a long time ago. But just as important can you answer these questions with the fact based simplicity that a child demands?

If instead you want answers and solutions please get in touch.

Tony Durham

Tony Durham Consulting Limited