Background

In Vietnam’s crowded and competitive jewelry market, PNJ had become one of the nation’s most successful manufacturers of gold and silver jewelry, with a good reputation for product quality and trustworthy pricing. But PNJ was not known for upscale sophisticated design, and with a large number of high-income customers entering the segment, PNJ wished to target this market.

Objective

An initial issue was whether to develop a parent-driven or co-brand relationship with the PNJ brand, or to launch an independent brand. The client had initiated qualitative research to probe customer feelings about PNJ’s entry into the new segment, and had learned that a favored name, CAO, was considered too ‘hard' for a jewelry brand. We were asked for our advice on this matter before creating a Brand Identity aimed at the target market.

Action and Result 

With knowledge of the research results, we thought the favored name had many benefits, and we recommended using it. The name was short and had positive connotations related to the meaning ‘high’. We first developed a brand personality that would not only position the new brand favorably for the target audience, but directly addressed the problem revealed by the research. We then created a Brand Identity that visually neutralized the potential problem. An endorser brand relationship between PNJ and CAO was recommended, whereby customers would know that PNJ was behind the new brand to give them a feeling of trust. But the parent brand’s logo and other identity elements would not be used at all, so that CAO’s brand personality could emerge clearly. We developed various marketing communications to launch the new brand in the upscale Parkson Saigon Tourist Plaza in central Ho Chi Minh City, including signage, and after very positive sales results the brand grew nationwide.