Is Danone on the same innovation path as Ferrari?
Stanislas Dallest
We are all too familiar with some of the values that have defined the iconic Italian supercar manufacturer: performance, exclusivity and something we would call “Italian”. Over the years these values have been implemented in a very effective innovation strategy based on one very specific concept: scarcity.
Scarcity is what makes Ferrari cars so special in terms of commercial strategy and has very tangible aspects:
- Limited production: Ferrari delivered 10.131 cars in 2019. That’s it. They just don’t make enough of them…on purpose.
- Limited availability: all the money in the world is not going to make them work faster. The good people of Maranello are going to make you wait for it.
- Loyal customers only: some models are even reserved to a lucky few that already owned Ferraris before (when it went on sale it was rumored that you could only purchase the exclusive La Ferrari if you had already purchased another 5 cars from the brand!)
So the bottom line is, even past the price obstacle, it is not easy to become a Ferrari owner. And yet the company is performing astonishingly well!
Wouldn’t you want to emulate such a successful strategy?
And to some extend you would be surprised to find that the iconic French yogurt maker Danone is going down the same innovation line: scarcity.
Danone, together with Carrefour, is now launching a limited edition strawberry yogurt prepared with saved strawberries not sold due to the COVID-19 pandemia (link below). Of course the product adheres to its very own values, among them a strong social commitment from the brand that is now deeply anchored in the company’s DNA.
Yet, some aspects make us remember Ferrari’s strategy based on scarcity:
- Limited production: Danone used “only” 30 tons of strawberries to prepare this special batch of yogurt (they are called « Gariguettes 2020, les Rescapées du Sud-Ouest », including their production year as we would expect from wines!)
- Limited availability: the limited edition yogurt will only be available at Carrefour stores. The French retailer is one of the partners in this social initiative.
- Loyal customers only: it seems there is no need to buy another 5 Danone products to try the now famous strawberry yogurt but no doubt this innovation will increase customer loyalty!
Furthermore, both companies have put sustainability at the core of their brand purpose making it the engine of their business model. By including its commitment to sustainability in I&R, Danone demonstrates that it is possible to take actions that go beyond packaging and supply chain where sustainability initiatives are more present.
The move from Danone to use scarcity as an innovation driver is something we will increasingly notice in the FMCG world. Introducing exclusivity in the daily visit to the supermarket catches customers attention and develops their loyalty towards a brand that stands out in the shelf. Danone is building top-of-mind with this innovation and you will remember the saved strawberries story when going shopping next time. And that is a pretty big deal in the FMCG world.
Innovation is a difficult process and this example shows us how by making less you can achieve a lot more ;-)
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