Shifting brand positioning from functional to emotional
Redefine proposition and aesthetic for modern pet owners
Challenge
- Shift positioning from functional to emotional, redefining the proposition and aesthetic to win with modern pet owners in an increasingly competitive market.
What We Did
- Tested 3 brand concepts (Current Concept and two New Concepts) across 750 UK dog owners in line with segmentation study results, complemented by QualAI deep-dive with n=100, exploring emotional resonance, trust, and barriers in consumers' own words.
- Concept results were compared with former research to develop further strategic direction for the team.
Key Insights
- New Concept 2 delivered the strongest performance across relevance, purchase intent, and brand fit.
- QualAI confirmed the concept successfully shifts the brand towards a warmer, more modern identity without compromising trust.
- Heritage and natural credentials remain the core drivers of credibility amongst consumers.
- Practical barriers, rather than emotional ones, are the primary obstacle to broader switching.
Business Outcomes
- Evidence-based direction for relaunch, reducing investment risk before full execution.
- Identifies the optimal balance of emotional and functional messaging to drive conversion.
- Pinpoints price perception as the key barrier, informing how to justify the premium.
- Aligns internal teams and agencies around a single, validated creative direction.
Latest articles pulled in
Bolt Insight Launches Bolt Intelligence: The Always-On Consumer Intelligence Platform Born on the Brand-Side
Bolt Insight launches Bolt Intelligence, bringing qual, quant, UX and social listening together in one always-on consumer intelligence platform built for insight teams.
Robbie Lees
Digital Marketing Manager
Bolt Insight appoints Robert Kitching as new General Manager for Europe
14th April 2026 | London – Bolt Insight, the global market research, strategy and insights company, announces the appointment of Robert Kitching as General Manager for Europe.
Robbie Lees
Digital Marketing Manager
Bolt Insight launches Video Emotion Analysis
4th March 2026, London – Bolt Insight, the global insights and market research company behind BoltChatAI, has today announced the launch of Video Emotion Analysis, a new feature that enables its platform to analyse video and audio responses for behavioural cues, adding a new l...
Robbie Lees
Digital Marketing Manager