Strategically carving out a niche you can own with a powerful value proposition makes creating a strong brand a lot, lot easier. The challenge is to identify a niche that has a distinctive set of needs, that are not being well met by existing players in the market, and that represents a large enough market segment that a more targeted brand offering can be viable. The final requirement is that the identified niche can be accessed in a cost effective manner. It has to be viable, and if it is why go head to head when you can find exciting white space?
A brand that understands the advantages of targeting a well defined and under served niche is Jucy (campervan) rentals. Jucy is a concept from NZ that in just two years has gone from zero to 300 vans in Australia, with the intention to increase that to 500 by the end of this year. Where is the niche you are wondering, campervans have been around since the dope smoking 60’s when the VW combi populated the roads – well Jucy has identified a very viable niche. It sees its market sitting in between the bong market (a theme here?) dominated by Wicked vans and the seniors market catered for by Britz and Maui vans.
‘The market has been dominated by packpackers and the blue rinse set, but now its filling in with young couples and families with children’ says Jucy owner Tim Alpe (Financial Review April 1, 2010)
Jucy has created a product offering very different to its competitors. The vans are easier to drive than caravans or older types of vans because they are converted people movers (Toyota Tarago) with their interiors fitted out by boat builders (masters of the small space). The end result is very easy and comfortable to drive and every millimeter of space utilised.
Finally, there is nothing retiring about their presence on the road, big personality, bright green in colour, strongly branded and with a word cloud on the side cheekily describing one or other strong product feature. There is no way that the intrepid traveler looking for a bed on wheels is going to miss it. All in all a jucy niche brand!
Peter Singline
Brand Scientist
Tags: Brand Agency, Brand Design, Brand Experience, Brand Strategy, Corporate Image, Graphic Design Melbourne, Interior Design, Jucy, Jucy-Rentals-Cars-Campas, Melbourne Brand Strategy, peter-singline
I love the niche these guys have discovered and made their own. Funny thing about niches is whenever someone discovers a new one and claims it, the rest of the market scratches their head and wonders how they never saw it.
Whenever I see campervans cruising around whether they’re a Britz, Maui or Wicked it always makes me want to jump in one cruise myself. Looking at the Jucy brand makes me want to cruise even more for even longer! What a well discovered niche in a very cluttered market!
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