How will Tommee Tippee develop their product communication and marketing strategy with a category of product that is unrecognised in China?

12 families

1country: China

"Having also worked with localised research agencies, the fact that intO has immediate access to experts and insights from around the globe is brilliant. Setting up our methodology with intO was simple, the project followed the timeline precisely, and the great findings and recommendations were summarised very clearly. Working with intO was easy, simple and a pleasure."

Tina Gray (Head of Marketing - China)

Methods
  • Classical approach
  • Communication strategy
  • Market entry
  • Mobile ethnography
  • Opportunity mapping
  • Product refinement
The Opportunity

Toilet training used to begin from birth in China, but a rapid trend for child-led training meant that the baby nappy market in China was expected to overtake the US market share of global nappy sales. Tommee Tippee already sold two diaper disposal systems (Sangenic Tec and Simple Sangenic) in the UK, EU and Japan. However, a deeper understanding of consumer behaviour in China was required to assess the market opportunity with confidence.

Our Approach

Our research with families in Beijing and Shanghai focused on understanding nappy changing routines, how the product category was regarded, how well the Sangenic products might be received, and how sociocultural influences behind these perceptions could be leveraged for future marketing and communications in China. intO recruited ten families across two target consumer groups, and managed a three-part research process. Phase one comprised a mobile ethnographic study of current changing routines, phase two deployed a contextual usability test of both Sangenic products within participant homes, and phase three involved in-depth participant interviews that sought to understand behavioural drivers.

Business Impact

intO’s research revealed strong product potential for both Sangenic products in China, but made specific recommendations about how the design of the products and packaging could be changed to optimise the opportunity. One important insight revealed that Chinese users found the rotational motion of the Tec® unfamiliar and unintuitive. Future product development opportunities were identified, and priority next steps for design and testing were recommended. The subsequent product launch in China was a huge success for Tommee Tippee and the brand is blazing a trail in the children’s health and hygiene category with key retailer listings.

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