It’s Just a Water Bottle… Until the Brand Changes Everything.
Reusable water bottles are everywhere nowadays. They all serve the same vital purpose, so why do customers particularly look for an Owala instead of just looking for a water bottle? The answer demonstrates how attentively a product and its brand can work simultaneously to influence what customers buy.
The Product Still Has to Deliver
Owala’s FreeSip bottle has identifiable item features, which includes its two-way drinking design, insulation, and a diversity of colors and patterns. These features give customers a practical motive to buy the product.
But usefulness is only part of what makes this bottle distinct.
When the Brand Adds More Value
Owala has created an identity around the product using colorful designs, notable product names, limited-edition launches, and a steady personality through its marketing.
Customers aren't just choosing the bottle for what it does, they're recognizing Owala.
This relationship is key for small businesses as well. Even when competitors present equivalent products, businesses can find a way to make theirs more distinct through unvarying packaging, designs, the names of their bottles, storytelling, and customer experience.
“A product gives customers something to use. A brand gives them a reason to choose yours.”
Is the Brand Making the Product Stronger?
Businesses can look past individual sales and focus on:
Recurring purchases
Branded searches and direct website traffic
Customer feedback
Engagement around product launches
Customers asking for products by their specific name
The Bigger Picture
A strong brand cannot save a product customers don't appreciate, but a great product without an identifiable brand can easily get lost amid competitors.
The strongest relationship takes place when the product carries on the promise the brand generates.
For any small business, the goal shouldn't simply be to sell a good product. It's to create an identity customers can identify, remember, and ultimately choose again.
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