Ecover changes product design

Visibility problem

Ecover, nearly 35 years old, wants to encourage more people to buy its products through an updated look. Currently, it only reaches a small part of consumers who have said they are willing to buy ecologically sound products.

“We have a visibility problem, because people just can’t find our products on the shelves. We also want to centralize the consumer in our marketing approach. We used to talk to consumers out of a “save the planet” point of view, but we are stepping away from that strategy. We want to convince people that our products have added value and added functionality”, Astrid Leyssens (Ecover Belgium and Luxembourg’s marketing manager) told Media Marketing.

Launch of new brand

Ecover does not fear big brands that have also started selling “green” products, because Leyssens feels it is incredibly difficult to convince a brand’s customer to switch to a “green” product of that same brand. “You cannot convince them if you are not a green company yourself. It is a bit like salads at McDonald’s. It just feels weird. I believe a large part of the large brands’ consumer base does not really worry about ecology.”

Ecover currently has a 2.6 % market share and managed a 10 % growth in 2013. It will also launch its American brand, Method, which it purchased in 2012. It hopes Method can attract a  younger, (sub)urban demographic. “It looks a bit prettier and trendier. The ecology of the brand only ranks third, while Ecover values that particular aspect slightly higher”, Leyssens said.