At the end of 2010, the German manufacturer completely reorganised the marketing of its washi tapes in Europe. Previously, universal tapes (basic masking) and premium classic tapes were sold in Belgium. Now the aim was to give the good-better-best quality pyramid a new qualitative peak with the new washi paper.
"In the first years after the introduction we saw that the tapes were well appreciated by the consumers, especially the heavy DIYer was keen on these type of tapes", reports Stefaan Moonen, senior trade marketing manager Benelux DIY & food. The special colour coding system helped to clearly identify the specific application areas: blue for outdoor, yellow indoor, and pink for sensitive surfaces.
The heavy DIYers caught on very quickly and showed their appreciation: year for year the revenues from these products rose by double-digit percentage values. This encouraged the country managers to launch a campaign in 2014 to introduce the products to the end consumers, i.e. create awareness and also explain the application possibilities through the three colour coding system.
"The consumer was willing to pay more to get the right tape for the job with sharp paint edges and easy residue free removal", Moonen summarises the market situation at the time. The campaign success confirmed the forecast: again, the sales volumes showed a double-digit rise.
This was due, in particular, to the three colour coding: "We noticed that the consumer was going into the store and not asking for a masking tape but especially asking for the blue, yellow, or pink tape."