This document provides a summary of key findings from a study about consumer perceptions of premium products and brands. It discusses verbal, visual, and emotional cues associated with premium, including words like quality, luxury, and uniqueness. Visual elements like nature images and colors are seen as premium cues. Emotionally, premium products provide feelings of safety, reward, and confidence. The document also outlines brand associations with premium in different markets and categories. It concludes with recommendations for how brands can communicate premium positioning through distinction, visuals, and emotional benefits.

1. WOOING
THE
PREMIUM
CONSUMER

2. What We’ll
Cover Introduction &
Background
Why Words:
Premium
What We Learned
& Next steps
for you

3. About
BuzzBack
Why?
Projective
Techniques
Exploratory
open ends
We blend quantitative robustness with projective
questioning techniques to uncover and measure visual
imagery and consumer language
Thought Bubble
eCollageTM
What?
Robust quantitative
sample sizes

4. Why
Words?: A
Series of
Lexicons

5. 2015
Premiumization
New territories
The core
Why
Premium?

6. What Premium
Means,
The
Verbal
& Visual Cues
How is premium
defined in
different
categories?
What are the pack
characteristics & shelf
challenges of Premium?
Can one
brand be
more
premium than
another?
Is there a difference
between luxury &
premium?
Why
Premium

7. Emotions
Products &
Categories
Imagery &
Associations
Brands
HOW…
VISUAL
ASSOCIATIONS
ATTRIBUTES,
PRODUCTS
PROJECTIVE
TECHNIQUES
✹Our
Approach

8. Introduction &
Background
Why Words:
Premium
What We Learned
& Next steps
for you
What We’ll
Cover

9. 1600 interviews
Market
Coverage
US
BRAZIL
UK
CHINA

10. The Word
We Used
Premium
‘Premium’
Premium
高级

11. What is Premium?What is
Premium?

12. Words
Most
Associated
with
Premium
Question: Which are the top 3 words you most associate with Premium when considering or buying a product?

13. Words
Least
Associated
with
Premium
Question: And, which are the top 3 words you least associate with Premium when considering or buying a product?

14. • Is high quality
• Provides comfort
• Offers a warranty
• Is durable
• Is long lasting
• Is high quality
• Is long lasting
• Is from a reliable brand
• Is durable
• Makes me feel good
• Is high quality
• Provides comfort
• Is long lasting
• Offers a warranty
• Makes me feel good
• Is high quality
• Is long lasting
• Is durable
• Is from a reliable brand
• Is consistent
Most
Important
Attributes
Top 5 most important
Question: How important are each of the following to you personally in determining if a product is Premium?

15. Millennials
Premium
Cues
SMELLS
MATERIALS
COLORS
Question: What smell(s) do you associate with ‘Premium’? // What material (s) do you associate with ‘Premium’? // Which color do you most associate with ‘Premium’?

16. Millennials
Premium
Cues
SMELLS COLORS
MATERIALS
Question: What smell(s) do you associate with ‘Premium’? // What material (s) do you associate with ‘Premium’? // Which color do you most associate with ‘Premium’?

17. Difference
between
Premium &
Luxury
Luxury Associations
Premium Associations
• High quality
• Top of the line
• Below luxury
• Practical ( higher for China)
• Affordable (higher for China
• Indulgence/not essential
• Extravagant
• Does not mean it is of good
quality
• Expensive
“I think premium describes
more about the quality of
the product and luxury
related more to the
indulgence.”
Female, Age 54, United
States
“Good quality means the
product has great quality.
Luxury means the product is
very rare and precious.”
Male, Age 38, China
Question: Do you think there is a difference between Premium and Luxury? If so, how would you describe the difference between Premium and Luxury?

18. …using
imagery to
activate
stories
Luxury
brands are
non-verbal

19. 19
Click here to view an
online demo of
eCollageTM
Or cut and paste into
your browser
http://www.buzzback.
com/buzzback-
ecollage
eCollage™

20. eCollageTM
Image
Library

21. Image Clouds
– Top Images
per Country
Question: For this first question, we would like you to think very broadly. We are going to ask you to build an online collage to express how you think and feel. Please read the instructions,
and then have fun building your collage. / Please create a collage that expresses what the word Premium means to you when buying a product. Try to think broadly – you can use the
pictures, images and background colors [ colours for UK] provided to illustrate what comes to mind when you hear Premium. We are interested in any thoughts, images, and emotions
that come to mind;, they can be both positive and negative./ When creating your collage also think about what makes a product Premium. What are the elements, features, attributes,
etc. that allow you to distinguish a Premium from a non-premium product?

22. Top
eCollage
Themes
Quality Reward/ VIP Treatment
Healthy/Natural/Simple Uniqueness & Sophistication
Specific Items
Question: Now please tell us about your collage. Why did you select the images you did? What about them communicates Premium when buying a product? Why?
Please try to be detailed in your explanation, and feel free to comment on whatever comes to mind.

23. Premium
eCollageTM
examples
“Usually premium means top of the line, reliable,
and number 1. Royal blues and deep reds as well
as silver and gold help express this idea. Premium
is the finer things in life which are expressed
through several brands I put in the collage. Eating
well and healthy is also premium.”
Female, 19
“Taking great ingredients or
raw materials and using great
workmanship & experience to
produce a product that will
perform very well for a long time.”
Female, 45

24. Premium
eCollageTM
examples
“I like to think a lot before making a decision. I also
like to spend lots of money to get
quality goods. Doing that makes me feel like a
winner, and that makes me feel like I'm
growing and improving as a person.”
Male, 24
“To feel important and awarded.”
Female, 27

25. How Blobs
Work
Still thinking about what Premium means to you and how it
relates to your life and your habits, select the character that
best represents how you feel about purchasing a product
that you consider premium.

26. Top Blobs…
Feelings
About
Premium
Purchase
Excited,
happy,
joyful
Sharing,
secure,
comfortable,
content, happy
“It looks like he is jumping
for joy or is excited about
the premium product.”
Male, 24, Millennials
“The energy and
excitement of purchasing
a premium item.”
Male, 50, Generation X
“You can share it with more
people and more people
will like you for what you
have, because that's just
how people are
nowadays.”
Female, 22, Millennials
“Secure and happy that I
have products of high
quality.”
Female, 47, Generation XQuestion: Why did you select this character? What about this character represents how you feel about purchasing products
you consider premium./ Please be as specific as possible.

27. Unique mentions by market…
Top 5
Personality
Traits for
Premium
Common across all markets…
Trustworthy
Mentioned by
~30-60%
• Dependable (43%)
• Mature (35%)
• Intelligent (62%)
• Dependable (52%)
• Cool (52%)
• Intelligent (47%)
• Powerful (40%)
• Knowledgeable
(37%)
• Powerful (39%)
• Intelligent (37%)
• Knowledgeable
(33%)
Confident
Mentioned by
~45-60%
Question: Now we would like you to think creatively. Imagine if Premium (as it relates to products) came to life as a person. What would Premium’s personality be like?

28. Premium
Products
& Brands

29. Price
QualitySpecific Products
Cars
Food/drinks
Clothing
35% 25% 20% 10%
20% 15% 20% 15%
20% 15% 20% 30%
15% 20% 15% 10%
10% 10% * 10%
* = Lower than 10%
Mentions highlighted in color = significantly higher than all other markets
10% 10% 10% *High quality
10% 15% * *
Expensive/
cost more
Other
* * *
10%
Products
Associated
with
Premium Technology
Jewelry
Furniture/
Household
items/
Appliances
Open End: What product(s) do you associate with Premium? Why?

30. Brands
Associated
with
Premium by
Country
Top Brand mentions by market
Open End: Generally speaking, which brand(s) do you associate with Premium? Why?
Food brands Godiva 3% - Nescafe/ -
Starbucks 2% Nestlé 5%
Coke 3%

31. Brands
Associated
with
Premium
Stylish,
expensive,
timeless, high
quality,
prestigious
Quality, great
performance,
expensive
Innovative,
reliable,
expensive, leading
edge technology,
great design
Durable,
have great
selection for
all, leader in
sports shoes
High quality,
superior car,
expensive
WHY
Open End: Generally speaking, which brand(s) do you associate
with Premium? Why?

32. Brands
Associated
with
Premium
Timeless,
expensive, high
quality, great
design
Known brand,
great cars,
high quality,
performance
Innovative,
high tech,
expensive,
good quality
Cutting
edge
technology,
high quality,
reliable
Exclusive,
high
quality,
expensive,
elegant
Durable, best
electronics,
high quality
WHY
Open End: Generally speaking, which brand(s) do you associate
with Premium? Why?

33. Brands
Associated
with
Premium
WHY
Well-known
brand, good
quality, durable,
comfortable
Expensive,
status marker,
exclusive, high
quality
Reliable,
superior
quality,
expensive,
reliable,
innovation,
unique design
Innovative,
high-tech,
credibility,
functionality
Luxurious,
tradition, status
marker,
excellent
quality
Open End: Generally speaking, which brand(s) do you associate
with Premium? Why?

34. Brands
Associated
with
Premium
WHY
High quality,
durable, stylish,
authentic
experience
Safe,
comfortable,
outstanding
technology,
good
performance
Innovative,
high quality,
fashionable,
advanced
technology
High
quality,
high-tech,
innovative,
reliable
Famous
brand,
stylish, high
quality,
exquisite
Premium
services,
guaranteed
quality, leading
appliance
brand in China,
innovative
Open End: Generally speaking, which brand(s) do you associate
with Premium? Why?

35. Note to reader:
We have more details
of brands by
categories. If you are
interested in seeing
them please let me
know and I will send.
martin@buzzback.com

36. What did
we learn?

37. The
associations
with Premium
and words to
communicate
How
imagery
works, the
cues that
telegraph
premium
The benefits
and feelings
having or
buying a
premium
product yields
Verbal Visual Emotional
What We
Learned

38. Verbal cues
• Quality (high)
• Luxurious-ness, but different from Luxury (not needed)
• Unique, different
• Durable, reliable, supported with warranty
• Timeless
• Nature/greenery in China
Visuals
China
Emotions
• Safety, security
• Feeling good
• Rewarding
• Confidence
What We
Learned:
Premium
Cues

39. Next Steps
How you can
build Premium
positioning
Create
distinction:
Uniqueness,
Crafting,
Timelessness
Develop visual cues to
reinforce positioning
Create
emotional
benefit
Confidence,
Security
Hone in on base verbal cues:
Quality (high), Superiority. Durability
Luxurious-ness not luxury

40. Your Brand
Brand
Essence
Territory
Exploratory
Building
Foundation
al
Knowledge
• What does my brand
stand for?
• What are consumer
perceptions?
• What does Premium
mean?
• How does my brand fit
with this territory?
Why?

41. Any
Questions?
Healthy
Sustainability
Natural
Luxury
Value
Quality
Indulgence
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