Client / sector
European technology manufacturer / Consumer electronics
Services
Market entry research · Consumer research · Audience segmentation · Competitor analysis · Product positioning
Project goal
Define a more locally relevant product position for the Dutch market, grounded in how customers actually evaluate and choose connectivity products.
Outcome
The study showed which existing claims lacked relevance in the Dutch market and which product benefits mattered most to buyers, giving the team a stronger basis for positioning and marketing across retail and online channels.
/challenge
One of Europe’s leading manufacturers of internet connectivity products wanted to grow its presence in the Netherlands and attract new customers in a category dominated by global competitors.
The product was established. The question was whether the assumptions behind its positioning would translate to a different market.
What makes a familiar product stand out in a market where the brand is less familiar?
I led an end-to-end primary research study to understand what Dutch consumers valued when choosing routers and Wi-Fi products, and where the client would have a credible opportunity to differentiate.
The goal was to move beyond assumptions about brand strength and identify which purchasing criteria and unmet needs should shape local positioning and marketing.
/process
We spoke to more than 300 consumers across key brand and retail touch points, exploring how they research, compare and choose connectivity products.
I segmented the audience by behavior, preferences and goals, then compared those findings with competitor positioning to identify where customer priorities were not being addressed.
The research revealed a clear disconnect between some of the client’s existing messaging and what mattered locally.
Claims built around German market leadership carried limited weight with Dutch consumers. Technical performance, compatibility, reliability and clear proof of usefulness played a much stronger role in purchase decisions.
/result
From inherited claims to locally relevant positioning.
The research gave the team clear direction for the Dutch market: move away from Germany-centric claims such as “#1 in Germany” and focus positioning on the benefits Dutch consumers actually used to evaluate products, including technical performance, compatibility, reliability and ease of use.
It also showed where messaging needed to become more locally relevant, giving the team a stronger basis for product positioning and marketing across retail and online channels.
The study helped the client move from exporting an existing market position to building one around local buying behavior.
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