Repositioning of the Braunvieh breedh
Braunvieh is a well-established cattle breed with a long tradition in the Alpine region and is known for its calm character, easy handling, and high-quality milk. The European Brown Swiss Federation consists of 12 national associations, with the aim of promoting Brown Swiss in the member countries, among breeders and key stakeholders, and securing the breed’s existence in the long term.
Our mission
- Analysis of the current perception of the Braunvieh breed from the perspecive of various interest groups in the central markets
- Common understanding among all member countries about the future brand positioning of Braunvieh at the European and national level
- Joint communication strategy to communicate consistent messages in all markets and anchor the new brand position of the breed
Photo: European Brown Swiss Federation (EBSF)
Project Facts
Client
European Brown Swiss Federation (EBSF)
Industry
Agriculture
Topic
Brand identity and brand positioning
Country focus
Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France, Slovenia
Language
German, Italian, French, English
Method
Qualitative market research and workshops
Sample
Growers, EBSF members, experts
Our approach
To reposition Braunvieh in the core markets, we used a combined methodology:
- 72 qualitative in-depth interviews and observation of livestock markets and auctions.
- Analysis of other cattle breeds with a focus on positioning and communication messages
- Presentation of results with subsequent sensemaking, workshops to develop brand identity and positioning, and brand rollout with multicultural project team
Qualitative interviews with EBSF decision makers, Brown Swiss breeders and breeders of other breeds, as well as experts, provided good insights and a sound understanding of the current perception of Brown Swiss in the market. Motives and breeding barriers on the part of breeders were revealed. From the insights of the qualitative interviews, it was possible to derive detailed profiles of typical Brown Swiss breeders and their expectations toward the EBSF.
In several workshops, we reflected together with the project team on the findings of the market research and, based on this, developed the future positioning of the Brown Swiss brand at the European level, considering the cultural specificities of individual countries. Measures were derived for the consistent communication of the repositioning of the Braunvieh brand across all contact points.
Photo: European Brown Swiss Federation (EBSF)
Results and consequences thereof
- Detailed presentation of the brand: perception of Braunvieh, reasons for and against breeding, breeder profiles, feedback on the breeding program.
- Future positioning of Braunvieh shared by all member countries
- Basis for agency briefing on the implementation of derived brand positioning (including logo creation, website, and social media campaign).
“Our experience with IMARK in the repositioning of our breed was great. They did a great job analyzing perceptions of Brown Swiss through qualitative interviews. They led EBSF members to find a common view and define a brand strategy for the future, without forgetting our cultural differences.”
– Olivier Bulot, Brown Swiss France (representing all EBSF members) –
