Topline: Research and Brand Strategy

Topline is the consumer retail and trade brand of a hardware buying group Amalgamated Hardware. At the time this research was undertaken, the Topline brand, originally established as a builders' merchants brand was not competing successfully within an increasingly competitive consumer retail market. Market trends, reinforced by the decline in the construction sector, meant that builders' providers needed to improve their retail positioning in support of traditional trade business.

The objective of our research project was to identify perceptions and experiences of the Topline brand and its communications across three key stakeholder groups – members (i.e. individual store owners), trade customers and light DIY retail customers.

Research informed a greater understanding of light DIY customers and their differing needs, purchase triggers and the key influences on brand loyalty. The relevance of brand name and strap line, the relationship between Topline and owner name, and brand stretch capabilities were researched through a variety of projective techniques.

Based on the research findings we recommended a brand development strategy that included retention of the Topline name around which various business-type positionings would be developed. Critical to the new brand identity was a system to address the relationship between Topline and the individual member's name and identity to capitalise on member reputation.

Resulting from the BrandScope strategy recommendations a new brand and retail proposition was approved by Topline members in 2007 and we then began the design and development of a new brand identity.